Courtesy Automotive rebrand captures the commitment to the ‘Courtesy Way’
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Courtesy Automotive Group is expanding its footprint this month with a Nissan dealership in the East Valley. At the same time, the company is going back in time to launch into the future.
Digging deep into its founder’s vault from the 1950s, Courtesy realized that its public identity became diluted as the company grew over 68 years into a $1 billion enterprise.
This month, representatives of the Courtesy brand will unveil its recaptured essence demonstrated by its dedication to the ‘Courtesy Way.’
The company expects to deploy a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign illustrating its evolution and distinguishing Courtesy as a family-owned, contiguous group of seven local dealerships serving generations of families through the Courtesy Way, according to a press release.
Growing by leaps and bounds since the flagship Courtesy Chevrolet opened in 1955 as the only car dealership on Camelback Road, the company has expanded to seven Valley-wide stores carrying Chevy, KIA, Volvo, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and the all-electric Polestar. This month, Courtesy is expanding with the opening of Courtesy Nissan in the East Valley, which is expected to close Oct. 30, officials there say.
The company employs 760 local community members and has won numerous J.D. Power Awards for customer satisfaction.
Courtesy Automotive Group expands footprint into East Valley
The Chevy store at Courtesy Automotive is among the largest in the company and is the 2023 Chevrolet Dealer of the Year, and for 19 years and counting.
The Courtesy Way is championed by President and CEO Scott Gruwell, a third-generation owner of the company. Mr. Gruwell started at Courtesy Chevrolet as a retail salesperson right out of college 27 years ago and rose through the ranks to CEO sitting alongside Jason Church, COO and Mr. Gruwell’s brother-in-law.
The Courtesy Way demonstrates Mr. Gruwell’s and Mr. Church’s dedication to their employees and commitment to Courtesy’s customers, teaching each employee how to treat new and returning purchasers in ways that gain generational loyalty.
Bryan Long is the general manager of Courtesy KIA and has been with the company for 20 years. He’s a humble, nontraditional GM with an infectious smile and a knack for listening, remembering the finer details about customers and their families. Customers are free to speak with him whenever they want and Mr. Long engages them with kindness, often offering meaningful gestures that surprise and delight.
Also, as an approach to hiring, the Courtesy Way digs deep into the communities located around the stores so that local residents have opportunities for great jobs while customers see themselves reflected in the Courtesy employees with whom they engage.
“Moving forward, our community will learn that many of our employees are Hispanic, female and veterans. They’ll understand that many of our new hires come here and stay here because a family member or a friend used to work at Courtesy,” Mr. Gruwell said.
