SMITH FORD
Family-owned dealership makes customers top priority
It’s really no secret why the family-owned Smith Ford in Conway has been in business for almost 100 years: They simply create satisfied customers and keep them.
DeAnn Peterson and her husband, Jeff, are two of those satisfied customers.
“I’ve been buying from Smith Ford for over 15 years,” DeAnn said. “The thing, I guess, I keep going back to Smith Ford for is because they treat me better than any company I’ve ever bought vehicles from. They treat me like I’m family.”
Speaking of family, DeAnn said she and Jeff trust Smith Ford vehicles, as well as the excellent service.
“If I put my child in my truck, I have to know there’s nothing wrong with it. If my 17-year-old daughter is driving my truck here to a ballgame, I don’t want to worry about her,” she said.
DeAnn said she recently bought a 2013 Ford 1-ton dually, and Jeff drives a 2011 three-quarter-ton Ford truck.
“I drive probably the biggest vehicle we own,” DeAnn said, laughing. “It’s loaded to the hilt; I like the luxury of it.”
Not only do the Petersons trust Smith Ford for all their personal vehicles, they buy service vehicles from the dealership for their business, Russaw Heating & Air Inc. in Conway.
“They do the maintenance on our service vehicles,” DeAnn said. “If my truck’s sitting, it’s costing me money. They get us in; they get us out.”
DeAnn said she has been so impressed with the way Smith Ford employees and owners treat customers that she has adopted their model for her business.
“It doesn’t matter who’s there, they treat me like I’m their No. 1 customer. I take that, and that’s how I treat my customers,” she said.
Smith Ford was started in downtown Conway in 1916 by S.G. Smith, followed by his son, the late S.T. Smith. Continuing the tradition was S.T. ‘Ros’ Smith, whose son, Ted, the dealer, and daughter Cathy Ketcheside, office manager, are joined by Cathy’s husband, Kenne, general manager. The Ketche sides’ son, Sam, and daughter, Cate, work there, building a strong fifth-generation business.
Ted Smith said that’s something that makes the dealership unique.
“Our owners are always here to help,” Smith said. “Our business is not owned by someone out of state like many are. If you want to speak to an owner, we are right here.”
“The process of buying a car should be fun,” Kenne Ketcheside said. “You’re going to have fun driving the car, so you ought to have fun buying it.”
Sales-office hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The service and parts departments are open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The state-of-the-art body shop is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.