BENNINGTON, Vt. — The family-owned Coggins Auto Group is celebrating five years of operations: Coggins Toyota of Bennington and Coggins Honda of Bennington, and Coggins of the Berkshires in nearby Massachusetts.

 

Mike Coggins purchased three dealerships — Honda, Toyota and Ford — in 2020 with a goal to restore trust and a "true sense of community-minded dealership culture." 

 

"My primary focus from day one was bringing back that connection to the region," Coggins had said back in 2021. "This area values real relationships. They want to know the people they're doing business with. We set out to rebuild that trust."

 

The Ford dealership was sold off in 2023 and Coggins of the Berkshires, with sales and services for used cars, opened the same year in Pittsfield, Mass. 

 

According to Coggins Auto Group, the dealerships had social media ratings of two stars when they were purchased; now all Coggins locations are garnering more than four stars in customer satisfaction reviews. 

 

"We sell cars, and we fix cars, and our goal is just to make our customers happy, and keep our employees happy, and that's what's made this really work these last few years," said General Manager Scott O'Connell.

 

Coggins Auto Group is also involved in events that benefit the community, including its popular annual charity golf tournament that funds local charities and organizations such as the Bennington Little League.

 

"I think our biggest milestones that we've hit is our charity golf tournament," said O'Connell. "That one really stands out to me. Every year, we pick a different nonprofit, and we put it out to vote."

 

This past fall, the tournament raised $50,000 for the Community Cancer Center Crusaders, which provides financial and emotional support to families served by Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center.

 

Another milestone O'Connell said the group is proud of is how much it has grown into the community.

 

"It's just been a special year because we're finally starting to see all of our growth," he said. "We joke about our stickers on the cars ... that's all we hear is 'I see your stickers everywhere,' and you go back four years ago, it was just starting to happen, and now they're everywhere."

 

Coggins and O'Connell credit their staff for their support and growth.

 

"I think that the motto is employee first, and it's always been the customer is always right, customer first. And I think it should be employee first. And if your employees are truly happy, it will resonate to the customer," said O'Connell. "And I do think that the customers feel a difference when they're in our showrooms."

 

O'Connell also credits the customers for trusting the auto group and its employees for making Coggins what it is today.

 

"I think the big thing is just to thank all of the customers. You guys really made the difference. And a lot of people drove an hour to three hours to come to do business with us and that's it means a lot," he said. "It really is touching when that happens, especially when you see the reviews go up and the positive nature of it all ... 

 

"And our employees, our employees really are who make the difference, and that's why I have a collage with pictures of everyone in my office. They say that people make the difference, because they truly do."