Designing the customer experience Warnock Lexus Project   OM Workspace works side by side with car dealership for measurable results.   Project specs Location: Whippany, N.J. Space: 25,000 sq. ft. Personal work areas: 50 Conference rooms: 1 Customer lounges: 2

Situation

The sales and service teams at the Warnock Lexus car dealership in Whippany, N.J., pride themselves on providing a world-class ownership experience. That experience begins with the purchase of a Lexus and extends into a relationship cultivated with every maintenance visit.

Challenge

When owner Bethanie Warnock had the opportunity to custom build a new dealership location, she set out to make Warnock Lexus noticeable as an individual dealership while remaining within the style guidelines provided by Lexus. Warnock also needed a dealership location that would accommodate future growth and solidify its recent success. Warnock Lexus had recently received the Elite of Lexus award, given to dealers that excel at sales, service and overall owner support.

Solution

OM Workspace worked one on one with Warnock to select furniture, fabrics and colors that transformed the traditional idea of a dealership into a clean, elegant, rich space with a showroom focused on customer comfort. The modern design of the 65,000-square-foot facility had to accommodate visitors, personal workspaces for 50 sales and service consultants, 44 service stalls, and floor space to showcase the style and performance of the Lexus automobiles.

With a strict budget and limited amount of space, Warnock and OM Workspace hand-picked fabric and furniture, and actually reconfigured the physical layout to achieve a warm, inviting atmosphere. The result is reflective of the luxurious Lexus brand as well as Warnock’s design vision. The reception area created by Warnock and OM Workspace sets the mood for customers walking in the front door, either for the first time or the 50th time.

Approximately 85 percent of the furniture purchased for the dealership was developed by Teknion. Warnock was drawn to the dark woods and glass elements, such as in the Transit^® line. Custom-made Teknion Boulevard^® workspace systems complement the showroom design and provide functionality for sales representatives.

Teknion’s high-end Altos walls caught Warnock’s attention, but would have made her project over budget. Ultimately, the flexibility of the Altos track system for future office configurations and the thick, towering glass would complete the aesthetic she was aiming for in the showroom. Since the Altos walls work in the place of standard, stationary walls, Warnock was able to purchase the Altos system with her cost savings on drywall.

Warnock focused on practicality and functionality, where every detail of color and piece of furniture was as important as how customers would be able to move and feel within the space. The new dealership is a true embodiment of the Lexus brand, which is known for top-of-the-line driving vehicles and above-and-beyond service offerings. Employees enjoy the clean and open working environment. The new location was an investment that has left a lasting impression on customers, which will no doubt solidify Warnock Lexus’ continued growth down the road.