Think of Cadillac and a few words likely come to mind: luxury, dependable, American. One word that doesn’t come up –at least it won’t if you’ve ever had the experience of working with Huber Cadillac, is intimidating. This dealership is run by Bret Huber in a way that honors the customer’s time while also offering some of the most luxurious vehicles around.
Huber Cadillac was recently recognized on the Best of the Big O list as one of the best luxury vehicle dealerships in Omaha. Considering this is the only American car dealership to make the list, this says a lot for Huber Cadillac. Says Bret Huber, “To have an American brand, and one that’s come so far, in the same sentence as the other manufacturers is right where we want to be…not only from a Cadillac standpoint, but from an independent standpoint.”
Bret has an interesting philosophy when it comes to selling cars. He believes in honesty, integrity, and as he puts it, “all the good 1950’s stuff.” He strives to ensure that customers understand the entire process of buying a car and doesn’t allow his staff to pressure customers or make promises they can’t keep.
“We respect that people have earned the right to buy a car. We honor their time. It’s important to be clear, honest and concise.”
This means that the Huber Cadillac salespeople never over-promise and they always strive to ensure the customer understands every aspect of the sale. “I don’t ever want it to be where there is a mystery with the negotiation,” says Bret. “I think on the whole we do a good job. And I also think that none of us would sleep well at night if we didn’t.”
This is coming from a guy who started out his dealership career washing cars and sweeping the lot. “I’ve been in every facet of the dealership,” says Bret. He’s been the cashier and the porter and he’s sold cars. He took what he learned about how a dealership should run and he brought it to Huber Cadillac, and what he’s doing is working beautifully.
Bret’s family didn’t always sell cars. In fact, he comes from a long line of cattle folks. “My dad was an old packing house guy from St. Joe. He saved up some money and drove into Kansas City with my mother to buy a car,” Bret says. “The guy selling him the car said, ‘You speak pretty well for yourself. You ought to come and sell cars.’ My mom told him he should try it out, and my grandfather told him, ‘Get out of the cattle business and go sell some cars.’ So that’s what my dad did.”
“Dad just worked his tail off and did the American Dream,” says Bret. “He worked 80 hours a week and built it and kept expanding it. Thirty-seven years later here we are. We’re not a huge auto group. We’re still a family business.”
Bret is thankful for a quality product to sell, but he’s also hugely thankful for the customers. “We’ve always had a good, loyal following that sustained us through the recession,” he says. He also credits his employees for their dedication. “The three guys who have been here have taken such life-ownership of this building. I felt like it was my honor to come over here and work with them to improve upon what they have already done very well.”
The future looks bright for Huber Cadillac, especially if they keep doing what they’re doing. “I see us as not nearly reaching the potential we can reach,” Bret says. “This has been the best year in Huber Cadillac’s history. The next step is to grow our share in the luxury car business. GM comes out with good products; that’s the key. Now we’re just filling in the blanks.”