John Roney, who has just been named Employee of the Month at Thomas Kia for the second month in a row, has a lot to say about the rewarding experiences he’s had as a salesman with the dealership over the last two and a half years. Working with Thomas Kia, he’s had a lot of opportunities to build on his strengths and grow as a salesman in a thriving environment.
Roney is originally from Champaign, Illinois, and moved to Northwest Indiana about five years ago when his mother-in-law, unfortunately, fell ill. Family being very important to Roney, he wanted to be sure that his wife and kids could be around her, so the choice was made to pack up and head east.
Part of what Roney likes about living here in the Region is the diversity of the populace.
“In Champaign, everyone knows everyone. Here, it’s a mixed crowd with people of all different types from all different walks of life,” said Roney.
As for what makes him successful at his job, Roney credits a strong work ethic and a persistent nature which helps him excel in sales.
“I’m just very persistent. I’m there to do my job,” Roney said. He also counts consistency as a principal attribute required for the job.
Of course, enjoying your job is also a big motivator, and Roney certainly enjoys the chance to interact with customers and help them out in whatever way he can.
“It’s fun. I enjoy helping people find their wants and needs. It’s a great feeling to see a customer have a smile on their face because they know you helped them and didn’t try to force them to buy a car they didn’t want,” said Roney. “It makes me feel good to help people. You have people come in that don’t even think they can get a car and, the next thing you know, they’re leaving in a car.”
Outside of work, Roney likes watching his kids play softball and spending time with them. He also enjoys a good motorcycle ride and playing basketball when he gets some off-time. His kids are another motivator in his life; Roney wants to give them the opportunities he didn’t have as a child. Being family-oriented by nature, the family atmosphere at Thomas Kia is part of what attracted Roney to the job.
“We’re all one big family. We all help each other, and we all respect each other. Just like in a family, you might not see eye to eye all the time, but, at the end of the day, we’re all there to do our job and help each other. That’s what we do. I think that’s why we’re so successful,” said Roney.
