“Most of it.”
He laughed.
Then cried.
Simone cried too.
Harold said:
“Don't forget who touches the cars after everyone in front goes home.”
She never did.
At every Carter dealership, detailers received hourly pay above market average.
Technicians had transparent productivity bonuses.
Sales compensation could not be tied to undisclosed add-ons.
Finance products required plain-language summaries.
Customer complaints went to central review.
Not because Simone believed business should be charity.
Because dishonesty was expensive.
So was turnover.
So was distrust.
Sterling Crown looked different on paper.
The group had five profitable luxury stores across North Carolina and South Carolina.
Excellent gross margins.
High finance penetration.
Strong customer satisfaction scores.
Low warranty cancellation rates.
Too low.
That had bothered Simone.
She noticed it during due diligence.
Luxury dealerships typically saw a predictable percentage of customers cancel optional protection products within the first thirty to sixty days.
Sterling Crown’s cancellation rate was less than half the benchmark.
That could mean customers loved the products.
Or it could mean cancellation had been made difficult.
Simone asked.
The outgoing owners gave polished answers.
High-touch service.
Better education.
Loyal customers.
Maybe.
Then she examined employee reviews.
Different picture.
“Pressure.”
“Favorites.”
“Retaliation.”
“Don’t question finance.”
“VIP customers get rules, everyone else gets whatever they can be charged.”
Nothing individually disqualifying.
Together, enough to make Simone insist on seventy-eight percent control rather than minority investment.
She planned to spend her first month quietly reviewing culture.
Cassandra moved the schedule forward by approximately eighteen minutes.
By 11:15, Sterling Crown’s IT director had arrived in Martin’s office.
Simone sat at conference table.
Cassandra sat across from her with arms folded.
Martin stood near window.
Company counsel joined by video.
The IT director, Kevin Morris, looked nervous.
Simone asked:
“Can employees delete customer notes?”