“Though the original dealership is in Madisonville, we’re offering Montgomery County and The Woodlands a new deal now,” DeBlasio says. “I come and see you, put the deal together in your place of business, bring you the vehicles and pick up your trades, so there’s no need to come to Madisonville. We do everything for you. I’m considered a fleet or commercial dealer, but I also serve private or individual customers.”
Thanks to a longtime partnership with Henson Family Dealerships of Madisonville and a friendship with owner Fred Henson, Dan caters to car-buying customers in the Woodlands, Montgomery County, and Houston areas—and anywhere else in Texas. He works through Henson Direct, a two-year old offshoot of the well-established Henson Family Dealerships, which feature three sites with Chevy, Buick, GMC, Ford, Dodge, Ram Chrysler Jeep, and Buick products. The Henson family has been in business nearly 22 years, and its service credo and competitive pricing are top selling points. Though headquartered in a small town, Henson Direct is making a name for itself in a big-city market.
DeBlasio is quick-witted, energetic and courteous, and his enthusiasm for automobiles is contagious. As a self-described “car guy,” DeBlasio says he “got crazy for cars at age four or five, and started going to the race track with my dad by age eight. I worked for dealers growing up, and I started detailing cars at dealerships. I learned everything from service to parts to selling.” Born in Pennsylvania, he left the north for warmer years in Florida and Texas, working in his own service station, automotive repairs, and finally parts sales.
“Being a car guy makes this job a great fit,” he says. “This job is so much fun for me—it’s like a hobby. I sell for all three Henson franchises and stay certified for each make and model. I have whatever information a customer needs.
“In addition, I have the pleasure of working with Fred Henson and his wife Liz. You will not find better people. They truly care about their customers and employees, which makes me happy and makes me want to work harder for them.”
With races halted, DeBlasio wandered around the track, looking to buy a trailer for a new racecar. He met Henson and struck up a conversation, “I remember Dan coming over and visiting,” Henson says. “We had a lot in common with racing, since Dan had done this since he was a young man. He impressed me with his friendly manner, and he was very outgoing. I knew after talking to him that he’d been an outside salesman for performance companies for a long time. He never changes. He’s just a great guy, and people love him.
“We created Henson Direct because nothing takes the place of personal service,” Henson says. “It’s perfect to have a guy like Dan DeBlasio calling on people and visiting businesses. These customers are short on time, and it’s Dan’s job to get in there and do all the work for them. We saw a need for that, especially with Exxon moving so many people into The Woodlands. Dan lives near The Woodlands, and we thought it would be a perfect fit.”
New car sales from the factory are just one part of direct service, as Henson Family Dealership also offers used car sales, trades with other dealerships, and access to the service and collision departments. DeBlasio also makes it a point to spend personal follow-up time with customers, teaching them the newest features of the vehicles.
“We want to do whatever we can do to provide good service,” DeBlasio says. “We’ve been delivering cars for free in the tri-state area for 15 years: Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. If someone wants to test drive one, we’ll bring it. If they want to test drive one somewhere else, they can still buy one from us. We will provide the vehicle however they want it, and we are willing to trade with every dealer in about a 1,000-mile area, or we can order direct from the factory. We ship cars all over the country.”
“Henson Direct benefits customers by saving them time,” owner Fred Henson says. “Most people are not short money; they’re short time. So we save them time, as well as the aggravation that comes with buying automobiles from some dealerships. Though we’re 100 miles from Houston, we’re able to have a presence right there, with Dan sitting one-on-one across from the customer.”
“I get letters and emails from people talking about how Dan is taking care of them, and our customer satisfaction level is through the roof for Henson Direct! This service is open to anybody. Dan DeBlasio has an email address (dan_deblasio[at]hensonmotors.com), and anybody can contact him. He’s especially tuned in to businesses and their financing needs. He’s out there in the field to save you time. Meanwhile, you can just keep working and making money!”
Dan DeBlasio agrees. “Our customers are loving this, and I’m having a blast,” he says. “We like making automobile purchases easy and enjoyable! I’ll do whatever it takes!”