WEST HERR WEDNESDAY: Steve Martin

For this week’s #WestHerrWednesday, we headed over to Audi Buffalo to catch up with Senior Sales Consultant, Steve Martin. Steve started with Audi and Volkswagen back in March of 2011 and has been there ever since.

When asked what made him choose Audi, Steve said he preferred a client that has a loyal book of business and a brand that he could stand behind. Also, he loves Audi from not only a product standpoint, but an engineering standpoint.

Ironically, Steve grew up in the car business. Many of his family members owned car dealerships, and he actually tried to avoid the industry at first. But eventually, it found him, and we’re very grateful that it did. Steve still remembers his first sale like it was yesterday: a red Volkswagen Jetta diesel with navigation and a manual transmission, straight from the factory. “Couldn’t get any more unusual than that,” he laughs.

Steve enjoys working for Audi because he loves the people associated with the brand. That includes his loyal customers, many of whom have stuck with him for years. “Audi attracts a different kind of buyer — someone who’s a little more traditional, someone who really appreciates engineering. I’ve had some really cool customers over the years,” he adds. And it’s not just the customers — Steve says the tenure and team at Audi Buffalo is a big part of what makes it special. “We’ve got a great group of guys. We’re a well-kept secret. But we take care of people.”

Over the years, he’s been proud to help customers move between brands, but his goal remains simple: “Just keep doing what I’m doing — keeping my people happy and my book of business strong.” This mindset has paid off for Steve.

Some highlights of his career includes 3rd place in the Audi walk around Northeast Region. Also, he also ranked 1st in USA & Canada for Volkswagen knowledge, sales process & presentation, and walk around in 2017, and 4th place in 2014. Lastly, in 2022 he ranked 69th out of 2643 nationally for Audi new car sales.

Outside of work, Steve is all about his family. He has two boys, ages 10 and 11, and says, “Whatever they’re into, I try and be into.” That currently includes video games, Lasertron, and soccer. You can also find Steve playing frisbee golf and hanging with their three dogs, all rescues. A fun fact about Steve is that he believes Big Foot is real – Crazy!

Steve also took a moment to shout out a couple of people who’ve made a big impact on his journey. First, Matt Payne, “The Rock”, who helped stabilize Audi when West Herr first acquired the store. Next, Eric Feathers, a Senior Sales Manager at Audi, “He’s the guy who always answers the phone, no matter what,” says Steve. “We really needed those two. They deserve a shoutout,” Steve added. However, Steve emphasized how he truly works with a great group of people, and he enjoys hanging out and working with all of the coworkers at Audi Buffalo.

Over a decade in, Steve’s still just as committed as ever — to the brand, his teammates, and the customers he’s built relationships with. We are incredibly lucky to have him on #TeamWestHerr, keep up the great work Steve!