While searching classified ads in Greenville, South Carolina, Michael (Joey) Roby found a sales role at Ford Trucks. Leveraging his wrestling background, he secured the position despite lacking experience. After more than 27 years in the industry, including 25 at Toyota, he stepped into the general manager position at Bill Estes Toyota in Indianapolis, where he remains firmly dedicated to customer service and employee appreciation.
With a family-first mindset, he and his wife supported each other’s careers, which meant moving often. While living in Concord, North Carolina, his wife chose to stay home with their children, a decision Michael fully supported, and he briefly stepped away from the car business.
“About 10 years into my career, we were living in Atlanta, and I was working a difficult schedule seven days a week that didn’t leave much time for my family,” explains Joey. “I left the car business and searched for another job, but struggled to find one. I prayed on it and decided to apply for jobs in the car business and had three offers immediately.”
That decision was instrumental in Joey’s life because it shifted his perspective on his job. “For the last 17 years, I see my job as a ministry,” he says. “My goal is to help people be better versions of themselves.”
Despite running one of the largest Toyota dealerships in Indiana, Joey says he believes making time for his team and customers is key. “I start each day by saying, 'God, I am open today. My door is never closed, and anyone is welcome to come in and talk to me.' I give my employees and customers a safe place to listen to their stories, help them be OK with who they are today, and help them become better versions of themselves by working with them to set goals. But, first, they need to heal and accept who they are today,” he advises.
Joey says he focuses each day on coaching his employees through frequent conversations. As a leader, he's a proponent of celebrating victories and educating team members. In fact, 100% of education costs are covered by the dealership for technicians, sales and service professionals. “We want our employees to advance their career skills and obtain certifications,” he adds.
When technicians were leaving the dealership, Joey put a plan in place to better understand what different levels of technicians needed to advance to each stage. “We work together as a team to learn from our struggles, so I wanted to hear what our employees needed,” he says.
By implementing a measurable plan that supports group and individual training, as well as dedicated 1:1 mentorship, the dealership has been a business with significant improvements in employee retention and satisfaction. And the best part, Joey assures, is that employees are seeing their pay increase as they progress through certifications and training. “It’s important to hold space and mentor my team to help them advance in their career through education and accountability,” he explains.
Customers appear to benefit from this people-first management style as well. The service department conducts transparent, educational multipoint inspections. Videos and conversations share any issues with vehicles and why they're important for considerations or repair.
“The most important thing we do is protect our customers when they drive,” Joey purports. “Every car has a face: it’s a father, brother, mother, sister or friend. We need to be at our best for our customers.”
And, the service team values the time a customer spends on car maintenance. “Our customers rearrange their schedules for maintenance, and we want to respect their time,” Joey believes.
For customers looking to buy a car, Joey says he wants to instill customer loyalty the way it used to be. “I look at our sales team as consultants. As a customer, we want to know what you're looking for in a car, and we may or may not be able to meet those needs at an acceptable price. If we can, we always promise a fair and transparent deal with a goal of closing as quickly as possible. But if we can’t, we make recommendations on other car models and dealers.”
Under Joey's leadership, the team works with several community organizations, including Coburn Place and local elementary schools, through the Kids in Need Foundation with Toyota.
When he's not working, Joey hits the road with his family. His favorite trips include skiing at Big Sky, Montana. When asked which car he most resembles, he chose perfectly: a Toyota Tundra. “It’s a utility vehicle designed to carry a lot with low maintenance. I enjoy pulling people forward.”