Atkins Kroll completes relocation to Puerto Rico

Atkins Kroll, an Inchcape company, soft-opened yesterday its $23-million Toyota and Lexus Sales and Service Center located in Chalan Pale Arnold Road, Puerto Rico, a testament to their commitment to the community, regardless of economic cycles, according to AK Saipan general manager Tracy Guerrero.

The new facility was conceived when the economy was still strong and was completed despite the economic downturn.

“The idea (new facility) came when the economy was still really good, but we continued through and finished the project despite the downturn in the economy. Looking back historically, throughout the CNMI’s history, you know that there are times when the economy is booming and there are times when it’s not, and then it’s a cycle, right? This is really a statement to our commitment to the community, you know we’ve been operating for 57 years, and we’ll be here for another 57 years or more, longer, hopefully operating in this facility,” said Guerrero in an interview with Saipan Tribune.

Furthermore, she discussed the four Ps of marketing when asked about the possible effect of moving from the previous location which was centrally situated at the Microl Intersection named after their original company, Microl Corp.

“When you think about marketing, there are 4 P’s right, its product, placement, promotional, and price. So, you know placement for sure is important where we are located. That was a great location Microl Intersection) because it was centrally located right in the middle of the intersection. It’s called Microl Intersection, after Microl Corp. which was the original name of the facility before Atkins Kroll purchased it. We’re very sad to leave that location but we firmly believe in our product.”

Despite the new location being slightly further out of the way, the company believes in the superiority if their product and customer loyalty.

“We believe that people come to us because they want to buy our product and that our product is superior. We think that customers who really want to purchase a vehicle will come and see us down here, even though it’s a little further out of the way, plus Saipan is not that big.”

Meanwhile, an exclusive media walk-through of the Atkins Kroll 48,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility facilitated by Guerrero and AK Aftersales manager Vince Tudela was held.

The media group toured the areas including the sales and after-sales, the service department, and the rent-a-car division.

The showroom was designed to offer separate experiences for Toyota and Lexus customers and highlighted the growth plans of the brand and the new facility’s features.

During the tour, the high-tech and energy-efficient features of the facility, including the green solutions were discussed by Guerrero.

An emphasis on the facility has an oil-water separation system to prevent contamination of the aquifer wherein the system is designed to handle oil and water drainage efficiently and sustainably.

As Guerrero showed the showroom, she explained the customer life cycle and the importance of a comfortable and elevated experience in the showroom.

The showroom features comfortable seating, monitors, and artwork, including a Toyota Dream Car campaign, legacy photos, and a heritage wall planned to showcase the history of Atkins Kroll in the CNMI.

On the tour of the Lexus showroom, Guerrero described it as a separate, upscale experience for customers, including customer discussion rooms and a dedicated space for Lexus merchandise. The facility is designed for growth, with plans to have a dedicated service drive for Lexus customers eventually.

The media was also guided to the Toyota service department where Tudela explained the roles of service and body shop advisors. Tudela also explained the new equipment and safety features in the service drive, including an alignment machine and tire machines.

Tudela described the body shop’s operations including the car liner machine for repairing serious accidents. He also added that the body shop can handle various car models, not just Toyota and Lexus.

Furthermore, Tudela mentioned that the facility has special sound curtains and a wall to muffle noise, to minimize sound emissions.

Atkin Kroll is open Mondays-Saturdays, from 8am to 5pm.