There are many individuals throughout Oxford who could be classified a superstar within their respective professions and Freddie Harris of Cannon Motors of Mississippi is definitely in this group. What Freddie has accomplished in the automotive business is staggering! Here’s an insight into what makes the superstar tick…
HottyToddy.com: Freddie, tell us a little about your personal history.
Freddie Harris: I’m a native of Oxford as is my wife LaRhonda. We even met here in Oxford and have been married 37 years. On August 8, I will have been with the company 33 years. Michael Joe and I met in 1984 at then Rebel Chevrolet.
HottyToddy.com: Your success in selling cars is legendary. How do you measure success?
Freddie Harris: Repeat customers and word of mouth are critically important. My goal is to sell a vehicle each and every day. And I work every day except Sunday. I enjoy taking care of my customers and like to be here to assist them.
HottyToddy.com: How has 2016 been thus far?
Freddie Harris: This year has been great. June has also been a very good month. Our fiscal year runs from November ’til November. Quite often, the last week of a month can be the very best as everyone is looking to close out the month on a high note.
HottyToddy.com: You apparently have great year after great year. Is there one that stands out?
Freddie Harris: I would have to say 2005 was one that definitely does. I sold about 400 cars that year. The zero interest contributed significantly to that.
HottyToddy.com: Have you ever had a bad year based upon your own evaluation?
Freddie Harris: I cannot recall one. Oxford is special as we have considerable retirement dollars here. I would estimate that I have around 4,000 unique customers here.
HottyToddy.com: Let’s shift gears to vehicles. Tell us about one that’s hot.
Freddie Harris: The Silverado pickup is a half ton Chevrolet that is either 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive. These vehicles can range in price from a low of $30,000 to a high of $70,000 depending upon the features. The three quarter ton diesel could even pull a bulldozer.
HottyToddy.com: That’s a wide range.
Freddie Harris: These come in a regular cab, extended cab or crew cab (4 door) and are all purpose vehicles. And you can select from “9” different colors! These vehicles have a new body style that is plush inside even coming with wood grain. The 2 wheel drive (V8) gets about 22 miles to the gallon on the highway whereas the 4 wheel drive about 20-21.
HottyToddy.com: How easy (or difficult) is it to find the perfect Silverado for your customer?
Freddie Harris: We can search within a 500 mile radius and usually get the vehicle here within two days. If we order one from the factory (a special order), it could take six to eight weeks. I’ve had many repeat customers and have sold about 3,000 of these in Oxford.
HottyToddy.com: I don’t think I’ve met that many individuals throughout my life. Wow! What about the life expectancy of these vehicles?
Freddie Harris: This can vary between 200,000 and 300,000 miles depending upon the degree of servicing. Oil changes are important and there is a censor on the dash to let the owner know how much life the oil has left in it.
HottyToddy.com: With so many customers, are you difficult to reach?
Freddie Harris: Not at all. My cell (662-816-8555) is the best way to get me or by calling the office line at 662-234-2311 and leaving a voice message if necessary.
I was told by a senior manager that Freddie approaches each day like it’s his first day on the job. He definitely loves what he does and it shows. Just being around him is uplifting. Cannon’s success can be attributed to great, dedicated individuals. Freddie Harris is one of many, but what a “one” he is!
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
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