From the desk of Bob Smith...

You're sitting across from your boss, a girlfriend, or someone else you're trying to impress. There's a lull in the conversation. You become very uncomfortable. You start to squirm, even break out in a cold sweat. Or it could be this scenario: You're watching television and all of a sudden the screen goes dark and there's no audio. You're right in the middle of a suspenseful program or the last minute of a close ballgame. We become quite disturbed and want to throw something at the tv set. Or still yet, as a former television news anchor, you cue to a videotape and nothing happens. The dreaded technical difficulties have struck again. Let's face it, dead air, dead space, a lull in the conversation can sometimes be very awkward. If it happens on tv, people start switching channels. If it's a romance, it could be the end of a beautiful relationship. My point is this...sometimes quiet is okay. In the grand scheme of things, a lull, a dead spot or extreme quiet is not the end of the world. Usually during those times we start thinking, the brain starts functioning and we start to really live. So slow down and the next time you're faced with a break in the action look at it as an opportunity to look within. It's amazing what we discover when we stop talking.

The tag line for ‪Advantage Toyota‬ television commercials is “Making life a little easier.” An occasional tranquil, undisturbed moment is a great way to do just that.

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 At Advantage Toyota Scion, our highly qualified technicians are here to provide exceptional service in a timely manner. From oil changes to transmission replacements, we are dedicated to maintaining top tier customer service, for both new and pre-owned car buyers! Allow our staff to demonstrate our commitment to excellence.

Click here to schedule your next service appointment!  

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From the desk of Bob Smith...

Do you know where you're going?

Has anyone ever asked you that question when you looked confused about asking for directions. We've all had those moments whether traveling by car, boat, train or plane. Sad to say many of us don't know where were going. We flit around from one relationship to another, one job to another, one church to another.

I'm reminded of a story attributed to the renowned physicist, Albert Einstein. He was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. The conductor said, ”Dr. Einstein, I know who you are....we all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.” Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.” Einstein looked at him and said...”Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.”

Humorous, yes---troublesome, also yes. What we need is a moral compass, an instrument that lights us up and leads us to a fresh start. If you've been floundering and just like a gerbil, spinning its wheels, find someone who has it altogether or mostly altogether. Seek counseling. There are many wasted opportunities just waiting to be taken advantage of. This world is full of examples of successful people who at one time or another were lost in space. Now they're breaking the sound barrier with new and innovative creations. It's never to late, so get on board that next train and tell the conductor.... you DO know where you're going.

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Please Pardon Our Appearance…

 

After moving to our current location ten years ago, on July 1st we broke
ground on a remodeling project that will take six months to complete.
This is a total interior remodel of all our offices and a newly designed
facial for the front exterior of the building. The interior remodeling
includes: A new customer service reception area, remodeled bathrooms,
four additional service bays, renovated service write up area and a new
parts department.

During this remodel, look for us to continue
posting pictures of the progress we are making as well as updating you
on the latest Toyota information. We appreciate your feedback and
willingness to connect with us.
David Ball
General Manager

Toyota Partners with Tree of Life Clinic to Improve the Process of Providing Quality Free Health Care

Mary Ware arrives at the Tree of Life Clinic in Tupelo at 6:40 a.m. to ensure she will have a place in line for treatment when the free medical clinic opens at 4:30 that afternoon.  Now, with the efficiencies instituted in the clinic – thanks to the partnership with Toyota – she can arrive later with assurance she will be seen that day.

Since January, members of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi have partnered with Tree of Life Clinic to provide on-site support – free of charge – helping to improve the clinic flow while preserving doctor/patient interaction time.  The improvements include increasing the number of patients seen while reducing waiting time for those patients by an average of 24 minutes and decreasing the length of the clinic workday for volunteers by an average of one hour.

Established in 2010, Tree of Life Clinic is a free medical clinic that provides basic medical and dental care for people in North Mississippi that is fully staffed by volunteers and 100% funded by donations.  Open two days a month (1st Wednesday and 3rd Saturday), the clinic sees approximately 80 patients on Wednesdays and 120 on Saturdays for those who do not have health insurance, cannot afford to pay for medical care or may not be eligible for Medicare/Medicaid.

“When we opened Tree of Life Clinic we knew there was a need for medical services for people with no health insurance and not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, and we were overwhelmed with patients from the first day,” said Polly Bailey, clinic manager and co-founder with her physician-husband Dr. Joe Bailey.  “Every person on our staff is a volunteer.  We have always worked hard to ensure that we provide the best service with the increasing influx of patients. Now we want to take the concepts Toyota has shown us and incorporate them along with the philosophy of continuous improvement to provide the best care with the facilities and volunteer staff we have.”

Toyota, through its nonprofit arm, TSSC, shares its manufacturing know-how to help nonprofits and small to mid-size manufacturing companies optimize the way they work by making substantial ‘process improvements’ by increasing safety, quality, productivity and decreasing costs.  Nearly 200 organizations – including some of North America’s most successful enterprises – have used TSSC’s support.

Toyota Mississippi President Masafumi Hamaguchi added, “Toyota Mississippi partnered with TSSC and the Tree of Life Clinic to work on this project. It is Toyota Mississippi’s honor to help the clinic better serve their customers. We are happy to donate our time and energy to this important community project.”     

Lisa Richardson, TSSC’s project leader, explained, “Specifically, we worked on improving the patient and volunteer experience. On one hand the volunteers (doctors, nurses, pharmacies and support staff) work long hours and on the other patients are willing to wait for long periods of time to guarantee that they’re seen by the doctor. So we focused on several improvements to maximize everyone’s experience,” she added.  

Some improvements include:

• Re-organizing the lobby to maximize patient flow
• Improving the filing system helped reduce check-in process time (30% of files were purged and a new filing system was introduced);
• Standardizing the quantity and location of supplies in the pharmacy and exam room.

By implementing these improvements, the Wednesday shift pharmacy staff  has finished as early as 8:30 p.m. where previously volunteers worked until 9:30 or 10 p.m.  And from the moment the patient checks-in until they leave, the average wait time reduction per patient is 24 minutes.

TSSC, a subsidiary of Toyota’s manufacturing & engineering headquarters in Erlanger, Ky., shares Toyota’s manufacturing know-how with nonprofits like Tree of Life Clinic by focusing on process improvement activities ‘doing more with less’ in a condensed manner.  TSSC’s on-site support typically lasts 3-6 months. The idea is for the leaders of the nonprofit to learn Toyota’s manufacturing know-how so they can teach it to their team and become self-reliant.  

“This project with Tree of Life has been fulfilling,” Doug Formby, Toyota Mississippi vice president, exclaimed. “Not only for the team that worked tirelessly on this project, but for other Mississippi team members that volunteer their personal time here. It is our intent to continue this relationship with Tree of Life Clinic.”

Additionally, Toyota provided a $20,000 grant for medications.


Courtesy of Toyota

Meet our staff...

Charlie Thompson is a Sales Consultant with Advantage Toyota. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, he graduated from Huntington East High School where he was captain of the football team and active in the music program. He attended Marshall University as a Business Management major and was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and went on to have a successful career in sales/management primarily in the beverage industry before coming to Advantage Toyota in 2006. He is married to the former Lynn Kuhl and they are blessed with three children and four grandchildren. He is a life-long member of the Highlawn Presbyterian Church in Huntington. During his off-hours, you can see Charlie performing in community theater, golfing, cheering on the Marshall Thundering Herd and enjoying his three beloved dogs, Bruin, Max and Lilly.

Stay connected with Charlie Thompson by following him on Facebook at www.fb.com/CharlieThompson53, saying ‘hi’ at many social events around town or stopping in at Advantage Toyota.

From the desk of Bob Smith...

“There's nothing to do around here.” How many times have you heard those words? People who decry the fact that entertainment and attractions are sorely lacking. Granted, larger cities have a wider variety of events, but to say there is nothing to do locally is simply a myth. Actually I am amazed at the professional caliber of shows and events that make their way into our tri-state area. There is an absolute boat load of activities for all generations. Just to name a few: The Marshall Artists Series , the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, the Huntington Symphony Orchestra and its summer spin-off, the Huntington Pops Orchestra, plus the year-long series of events at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. A hop, skip and jump away is the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia in Charleston with an outstanding lineup of talent. You will find a year-long concert series at Ohio University-Southern in Ironton. Nationally acclaimed speakers brought in by Marshall University, Camden Park for the kids and one of the most appealing city parks anywhere, Ritter Park in Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District. Other happenings include various concerts and festivals at the Harris Riverfront Park, the Heritage Farm Village and Museum and the summer concert series at Pullman Square in downtown Huntington. And of course don't miss the Huntington Museum of Art. On the horizon you'll be able to enjoy the Paul Ambrose Trail which will circle the city of Huntington. Do you get the picture? We are truly blessed to live in such a beautiful, talented tri-state area. So pack up the family and go. You won't even need a GPS.

Check Your Tires:

Tires are one of the most overlooked parts of a car. According the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), only one out of 10 drivers checks his or her tire pressure correctly, compared with almost seven out of 10 who wash their cars regularly. But the truth is that an under-inflated, over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous, particularly in hot summer weather.

Tire pressure changes with the rising temperatures -- approximately one to two PSI (pounds per square inch) for every 10-degree increase in outside air temperature. Consult your owner's manual or the sidewall of your tire to see what your tire pressure should be and check it with a hand pressure gauge or just let the guys at the service shop do it for you.

An under-inflated tire bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the sidewalls of the tire. With enough heat and pressure, that tire eventually will blow. An over-inflated tire, on the other hand, makes less contact with the road and can lead to hydroplaning in wet conditions.

Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears, you're good. Your local service shop or specialty tire store can also check your tires for proper alignment and balance.

And don't forget about your spare! There's no point in having a spare tire if your spare is in worse condition than the rest. Make sure the spare is properly inflated and has ample tread depth.

Courtesy of HowStuffWorks.com