Patriot Automotive Group
How does helping others factor into the culture of your business?
The typical mission statement for a business is typically a wordy paragraph that pertains to how they’ll be the best in their respective field. All good, but everyone says pretty much the same thing. The Patriot Auto Group took a different path. Our mission statement is two words: “To Serve.” That is our mission. We added, “Our customers, our families, our community and each other” to provide some context. Simply, the people we interact with who are connected in some manner to our business, we are going to do our best to help them succeed and, in turn, we’ll succeed right along with them.
If you were to ask any of our associates, “What is Patriot’s Mission Statement?” they’d tell you our two meaningful words. How many other businesses would the associates know the company’s Mission Statement. Maybe, none. Our team knows what we’re here for, and it’s more than selling and servicing cars. We define it by saying, “We’re in the people business.” Others may say, “We’re in the customer service business.” That’s what we talk about, instead of, “We sell cars.” “To Serve” is our Golden Rule, and that culture that has made us successful.
Please share with us the causes that are important to you and your business.
We began with things that were inherently important to us personally. Pets, and specifically dog lovers, became a focal point after our associates began bringing their dogs to work with our full support. Out of that, we started teaming up with animal shelters and held dog adoption events at the store. (We were probably not the first car dealership to do that, but we didn’t know any that had ever done it!) Another early program centered on environmental and green programs, primarily because we were looking for ways to cut costs. We did a total store audit of energy needs, waste management, recycling efforts. We were one of the first businesses in Maine to convert to LED lighting inside and out, after seeing that the upfront investment would be recovered and we’d save significantly over time. What we learned is that we can be green, and we can save money, so we shared that with every business that would listen. We didn’t ask for it, but we were recognized nationally, the first company in Maine to earn the Energy Star Small Business Award, and one of the first Subaru dealers to be named as an Eco-Friendly Dealer.
How do you encourage your team members to get involved?
It was rewarding for our group to see the Subaru company develop their Love Promise program, which we immediately identified as being synonymous with our desire “To Serve.” Subaru placed emphasis on pets, the environment, learning, hunger and health programs, and we easily connected. Pets and the environment were already a part of our DNA, and we’ve added book programs, food drives, toy drives and personal care good drives to our regular program. We definitely appreciate being involved with a brand that delivers on the initiatives to help communities become stronger.
Our Employee Directed Giving program offers our associates the opportunity to see charitable dollars directed to non-profit organizations where they are directly involved with, at some level. If you are a basic event volunteer, or are an active board member, Patriot will consider a request for a financial donation. The amount would vary depending on the level of involvement exhibited by the associate. Essentially, we want to support our employees by supporting the (non-political) causes they believe in.
With regards to encouraging employees, everyone on our team is aware of our community involvement. It’s visible, it’s a major part of our social media, it’s activity in the store. For example, each month we support a different local, grassroots charity by taking a small percentage of sales during the first week and donating it to the group. We’ll send two or three associates over to the group’s office/warehouse and make the presentation. We also spend some time hearing their story. It’s a very good way for our team to learn about the groups we are supporting, and the good they are doing in the community.
Associates are justifiably proud to work at a company that is respected as a community leader. There are many individuals who we hire that understand and embrace our approach to giving, because that is who they are, and they understand the wisdom and rewards of helping others. Those who have the Mission in their hearts appreciate participating, and many do through programs of their own choosing. That’s something we all celebrate.
What do you look for in a cause to determine if you will get involved? What advice can offer to others?
As one would expect, we receive many requests for donations or assistance, and cannot contribute to them all, so we have to have some expectations and measures to consider. We ask that the groups we work with are 501(c)3 organizations and have a visible track record of success. A piece of advice is that we do not contribute directly to individuals, as it is simply not possible for us to vet and confirm their personal needs and legal issues, and avoid fraud. We’ll work with organizations that have the infrastructure and good name that can correctly distribute the donation, be it financial, hard/soft goods or time.