Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
BRAMAN MIAMI’S MIKE RODRIGUEZ ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS AND EMBRACING CHANGE IN THE INDUSTRY TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT.
Cars have always been an integral part of Mike Rodriguez’s life. In fact, he has been working in the automotive industry for almost four decades. As general manager of Braman Miami, Rodriguez oversees a multi-brand campus with eight franchises with the mission to transform the car-buying experience into a solid relationship. Haute Living sat down with the Miami native to hear more about how he continues to evolve in the industry, how he is doing things differently at Braman Miami and the importance of embracing change.
HAUTE LIVING: Tell us how you got started in the automotive world. What drew you to the industry?
MIKE RODRIGUEZ: I was a teenager looking for a part-time job after school. My best friend’s father was the general manager of a dealership, and he was kind enough to give me the opportunity. Once I was there, I was immediately drawn to the business. I have [enjoyed] it since day one. The interaction in the sales environment was appealing to me, not to mention the money they were making. I knew this was where I wanted to be.
HL: In 2018, you had quite the homecoming back to Miami when you were offered the position at Braman Miami — was this always a dream you had?
MR: Absolutely! This was my and my family’s dream. I would drive by with my wife and we would talk about it.
HL: What is your day-to-day like overseeing a multi-brand campus?
MR: My days are busy — an average day consists of multiple meetings and conference calls. I also make it a practice to connect regularly with my management team to review day-to-day operations.
Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
HL: How is the Braman Miami brand different? What do you do to ensure it stays unique?
MR: Braman Miami is definitely its own brand. We maintain a professional environment across the board, from appearance to customer relations. We focus on the overall experience as we aim to create relationships, not transactions.
HL: You’ve been in the auto industry for decades and have been recognized for multiple awards and achievements. How do you think the industry has changed?
MR: I have seen the industry go from traditional to digital, and while certain aspects will always remain traditional, I recognize the consumer’s needs and try to cater to them. We are living in a world of instant everything, so my goal is to fulfill our customers’ expectations by being responsive and efficient. I am able to stay current with the times by constantly reviewing our processes to be sure we are always at the top of our game. I am a very adaptable person, and so I constantly remind my staff that integrity and adaptability is the key to a successful business.
HL: Why do you believe building relationships in the industry is important?
MR: I believe in building relationships — and the car-buying experience truly is a relationship that starts with trust. And once that trust has been established, the relationship has to be maintained. This is where I’m happy to say that the longevity of most of our employees speaks for itself. Many of our customers have long-standing relationships with their sales and service advisers — it brings them comfort to deal with the same person each time they visit our showroom or service department.
Photo Credit: Nick Garcia
HL: What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?
MR: If I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing. But, regardless of the industry, my advice to myself and others is that knowledge is power — learn a little bit of everything, and learn as much as you can. Also, some words that I live by and say to my kids all the time are: Be adaptable, and change is good. So embrace it and go with it.
HL: What does the future hold for Braman Miami?
MR: We look forward to continued growth and to further expand our presence across the county. We should also begin to see more EV vehicles soon, and we will find out how competitive they will be among the different manufacturers. As far as I’m concerned, the future is tomorrow, and every day is another opportunity to be better.
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