Zeigler Chevrolet manager says mentor's words sparked career
The automobile business has always been good to Frank Psyhogios. It has given him much success and many of his life's accomplishments.
Unlike many individuals who have risen to prominence at local dealerships, Psyhogios did not enter into the family business. For him, success was a matter of a mentor suggesting he could do well working in auto sales, combined with his dedication and sheer enjoyment of what he does.
As general manager of Zeigler Chevrolet Schaumburg for the last four years, Psyhogios has realized that family has meaning, both in a traditional sense and in a business sense.
How did you get started in the automobile business?
"In the summer of 1988 after I graduated high school, I was working at a credit card company in Niles when a family friend, Frank Laskaris, who now owns Naperville Cadillac, asked me what I wanted to do with my life and suggested that I go to work at an auto dealership. He wasn't going to give me a job until I got some experience, so I went to work as a salesman in Villa Park. I was later hired by an auto group in Chicago where Laskaris was sales manager."
What is your passion?
"Working in the car business, I found I loved my job. My passion is big muscle cars, performance cars, and here I was, doing something that I loved. I decided to put myself on a fast track. By age 25, I became sales manager and within six months I was general manager.
"For 10 years, I was running a new car dealership in Lincolnwood, in the neighborhood I grew up in. Then , in September 2007, I took a job in Tinley Park."
How did you get to Zeigler Auto Group?
"Toward the end of my tenure in Tinley Park, I was contacted by the Zeigler Auto Group, asking if I would consider coming here to run the Chevrolet dealership as they were trying to acquire this building, which housed Hummer. After some consideration, I decided to join the group.
"I have never met anyone like the Zeiglers, particularly our leader, Aaron. It's all about the people. They are one of the best organizations to work for in the industry."
What is the best thing about being involved in the automobile business?
"The greatest part of selling a car is not selling the car, but seeing the look on people's faces when they take delivery. You can't capture that any other way than by seeing it. Maybe they have saved up for a long time or maybe it's an older person who doesn't need a van or SUV anymore to haul around kids and they're getting the car they have always wanted. It's seeing these times that puts a smile on your face."
How is Zeigler Chevrolet different from other dealerships?
"Two years in a row, Zeigler Chevy has been named one of the 100 best companies to work for in Illinois and Zeigler Auto Group has won General Motors' Mark of Excellence in 2012 and 2013, awarded to the top five stores in the area out of about 180, based on customer satisfaction.
"We treat everyone individually by sitting down with people, interviewing them and finding out what they really want - as opposed to just selling cars based on price. We are entering a cycle where we are starting to see returning customers and they love seeing the same managers and personnel here."
What does Zeigler Auto Group do to keep its employees happy?
"Every year we do a survey to find out how employees feel about their jobs and the company. The auto group has an annual Christmas party in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where its headquarters are located. Here at this store we try to have a potluck or some other event every month for our employees."
What do you like about Chevrolet's line of vehicles?
"Chevy is such and All-American brand - 'Red, White and Blue, apple pie and Chevrolet.' Haven't we all owned a Chevy at one point?
"For me, I love the classic muscle cars. The Corvette is an iconic vehicle and the Camaro continues to be unbelievable. It's one of the bet performance cars ever made. The Z-28 is coming out within the next few months and it's a limited edition car. We're lucky to be getting two of them.
"Tahoes and Suburbans are great for families, in fact, I own a Suburban myself.
"General Motors is at the forefront of technological development, including applications that work with smartphones. A lot of our vehicles have sensors in the seats, too, so that if you fade to the right or the left while driving, the driver's seat vibrates. We also have a 100,000-mile warranty on cars, and in the last four to five years, the warranty issues have dropped. GM is just doing such a good job now on manufacturing."
How does Zeigler give back to the community?
As an auto group, we are one of the largest sponsors for the American Cancer Society. Every year we sponsor a huge event called the Drive for Life. We also sponsor local Little League teams, car shows and similar events."
What is your family life like?
"My wife, Ruby, and I suddenly had an instant family. Our whole life revolves around our three daughters, Kristina, who just turned 2 years old, and twins Constantina and Alexia, who were born prematurely on Jan. 24. They spent 100 days in the hospital and my wife was in the hospital 24 days before that. The biggest surprise was the support that we had, everyone from Aaron Zeigler and his wife, Bonnie, to customers who dropped off gifts and cards for my wife and kept asking how the babies were. It kind of makes you feel good about the world - that there really are good people."
Auto biography
<b>Frank Psyhogios</b>General manager
<span class="fact box text bold">Ziegler Chevrolet Schaumburg</span> 1230 E. Golf Road Schaumburg, IL 60173
www.zeiglerchevroletschaumburg.com
Sales
(847) 230-4209
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday
<span class="fact box text bold">Service</span>
(847) 230-4211
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday