Page 48 - GIADA-Feb-2018-Final

DEALER TIPS

Quick Tips for Improving

Dealership Culture

By Jessica Gemmell
Car dealers have a terrible reputation. It's can show appreciation by providing perks
such a negative experience for so many to employees caught living the values,
that people are electing to make a major with both rewards of monetary value and
purchase like a vehicle from a vending intrinsic value. It's possible to show priority License
machine. There are lots of tactics that in scheduling shifts or days off with little to
dealers have started using to make people no cost to management. If budgets allow,
more comfortable coming in and making gift cards can be powerful rewards for Renewal
a deal. Updating sterile showrooms with value-driven behaviors, as are employee
updated furniture and décor is a start. lunches or other gestures of thanks.
But what about your most significant Reminder
resource, your workers? Specifically, your Hire Strategically ______
salespeople. Once you have your values established
your dealership’s values, look for those
You can do your best to hire what you values in candidates to ensure you can Deadline
think are going to be high-quality people expand on the positive environment.
that will make the buying experience Behavioral interviewing can be an excellent
culture in your dealership is toxic you will interviewing to ask a candidate how they March 31,
painless for customers. However, if the tool to use to achieve this. It enables the
either grind them down, or they will quit. would behave in specific situations. This
Either option is not positive, so it’s best to methodology gives a deeper view of the 2018
address the root issue of your culture. But candidate’s way of thought and how they
how do you change your culture? It starts respond to different situations. The insight
at the top. provided will allow you to make more of REQUIREMENTS:
an educated decision to add to your staff
Plan it Out in a way that preserves your culture. Completed CE Certificate
Establish what you would like the culture to and
embody and create your company values. Work Together Upload a current copy of
Establishing culture can be a collaborative A recent shift in some dealerships has been bond & insurance certificates
practice by getting other managers and toward collaboration. This ability to work
employees to vote on what matters to them. together as a team and bond can improve If you have any questions,
Honesty, transparency, and philanthropy the culture of the office while increasing
are all good bases for your company the success of the sales team. Collaboration feel free to give us a
values. It’s critical for your company values allows salespeople to share techniques call to discuss your
to be something beyond words on a poster or information that have helped them be Georgia Dealer
that these are legitimately held beliefs by successful. Information such as details about License Renewal.
your employees and management. If your a feature that their previous customers were
culture is inherently cutthroat currently interested in, or an ongoing promotion that
and you want to change it to be more will interest buyers.
warm and welcoming everyone needs to
be on board. You may need to make tough Improving your dealership’s culture isn’t an
decisions for some employees if they can’t easy feat, but the benefits of having happier
adjust to the new values. employees and being able to provide
a positive buying experience for your
Reward Examples of Your Values customers will make it worth it. Customers
It’s important to reward your employees that aren’t feeling pressured will have a
for living the values; this will encourage more positive experience and recommend
the rest of the team to follow suit. You the dealer to friends and family. n

46 | GIADA Independent Auto Dealer FEBRUARY 2018