Wilson Auto Group, with locations in Mississippi and Tennessee, has earned every major customer satisfaction award from the manufacturer. The Dealer Principal and President, Doug Wilson, is a Mississippi native who was nominated for the 2019 TIME Dealer of the Year award.
His father, Howard Wilson, ran a Buick dealership where Doug spent time learning about all aspects of the business. When Howard passed away, Doug made the decision to go out on his own and he formed Wilson Auto Group. That was 36 years ago, and the company is not slowing down.
Today, Doug’s daughter, Lauren Wilson Reeves, a third-generation dealer, is following in her father’s footsteps. Lauren’s passion for the industry is inspiring. In her own words, “I love how fast-paced this business is and that you get to meet new people every day. I learn new things every day as the market is always changing.” She continued, “I love what I do and never want to do anything else. It’s almost like it’s in my blood — it’s just ingrained in me. I love whenever a customer gets a new car; it’s always fun to be able to help somebody through that process.”
As the general manager of the newly designed and constructed Wilson Kia store in Brandon, Lauren is excited to continue helping customers find their perfect car while living up to the company slogan: Buy happy! That certainly seems to be the case; over a thousand happy customers have left glowing Google reviews about their Wilson Kia car-buying experience.
When asked why the new location was needed, Lauren explained that after 25 years, the Wilson Kia store on Lakeland Drive had outgrown its location. The decision was made to build a new store in Brandon. Wilson Kia broke ground for the new facility on Jan. 27, 2023. The construction of the 20,221-square-foot building was carefully planned by a team of talented architects with Lauren at the helm. The Kia Gallery program was at the center of the high-end, customer-focused design.
“We want the new store to elevate customer’s expectations and inspire them,” Lauren said. “I helped them build this baby from the ground up. It was a very long project, but it was definitely a labor of love.”
The new facility is able to accommodate more customers and get them in and out in a timely fashion. “We have elevated the customer experience by giving people more room to lounge and hang out in the service area. We have more technicians and advisors to help customers promptly,” Lauren explained. “We are passionate about providing exceptional service, building lasting relationships and making a positive impact on our community.”
The shop capacity has doubled, going from six bays to 12. Fitted with an EV lift, EV charger and an additional DC charger, they are ready for the customer of the future.
The Grand Opening of the new store was held on March 7. Over 200 members of the community stopped by to celebrate and have fun with the Wilson Kia team. Crawfish, hamburgers and a delicious barbecue were served to attendees and topped off the day’s festivities.
Congratulations to Wilson Kia! We wish you years of happiness and success.
