The Perfect Letter Program provides the best avenue to make a great impression on customers – and earn Elite Dealer Rewards at the same time, says Teresa Doucette, Leasing Coordinator at Southern States Toyota Lift in Florida.

Since joining the dealership in 2019 after she moved to Florida, Teresa has made it a priority to continuously focus on improving customer experience. She particularly appreciates the fact that Southern States has a dedicated leasing department, which means she can focus all her attention on that service. And as part of that dedication, she finds the Perfect Letter Program to be a strategic tool to help her efforts.

Because the dealership always wants to be at the top of the leaderboard, Teresa knows it’s vital to make sure information is correct at the beginning of the deal as a way to improve the customer experience. “We are here to provide solutions to the customer, and our goal is to provide the best experience we can,” she says.

The Perfect Letter Program has evolved recently, with new additions such as a “Welcome Letter” requirement. Teresa says her colleagues have embraced these updates and elevated them to become a best practice throughout the dealership.

“Because of this program, everyone at Southern States is paying closer attention to detail, and there is lots of visibility across the organization for their Perfect Letter performance,” Teresa says. “This quest to confirm details at the very beginning is helping us all improve our performance.”

For example, Teresa says the Perfect Letter Program, and specifically the Welcome Letter, helps them align information from the credit application, such as a customer’s billing address or tax status. For example, a customer may have checked a box indicating they are tax-exempt, yet told the dealer they aren’t.

“It’s so important to go through everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure all information matches and verify all details with the customer,” Teresa says. “Lots of double checking is often required since there are multiple forms, and the information doesn’t always match up.”

It’s especially important to provide that verification step on the front end, because unlike most dealerships, Southern States does their lease docs upfront, before they order equipment. They then save all the master lease agreements and can add notes as needed.

This adherence to the Perfect Letter Program comes with an additional perk — more Elite Dealer Rewards points. Teresa has appreciated the opportunity they present to pay for essentials, such as turning them into gift cards for Amazon orders, covering her Sling TV bill, or providing for in-game purchases her daughter can use with her Nintendo Switch. However, one of Teresa’s most memorable purchases through the program was her first — a Dooney & Bourke backpack, an extravagance she never would have bought for herself otherwise.

Teresa has worked hard to find success and offers suggestions for other sales coordinators who aspire to improve their skills. Most importantly, she recommends they be knowledgeable regarding the nuances of different types of leases so they can make the right recommendation to her clients.

She has found TICF to be an excellent partner in providing the customer-centric support she prides herself on. “TICF is always very responsive and willing to help solve any customer issue,” she says. “We strive to do as many leases as possible with TICF because of the ease of working with them and because we know they care about the customer as much as we do.”

When not working, Teresa enjoys spending time with her family and indulging in two of their favorite pastimes — watching NASCAR (where they always root on the Toyota racing team!) and visiting Walt Disney World as often as they can.

This ultimately impacts the customer and their overall experience. This can result in: