What do you think will be some of the auto industry’s dominant trends in the next five to ten years? Disruption and public companies continue to capitalize on any area of our business they see as profitable. The overall “perception” surrounding us conveys a belief that our work can be done “better” by some entity other than the car dealer. This perception is what should be keeping us up at night. Even though the vast majority of car dealerships today are run extremely well and strive to deliver a high level of customer satisfaction, as an industry, we are still very vulnerable in this area. The really difficult challenge here is that these “disruptors” are not playing by the same rules or competing as traditionally required. Capital is easily accessed, and profitability is not expected as millions or billions of dollars are spent analyzing our historical role in the retail automobile sales and service business. I also believe that the rise of the EV auto business will coincide with the dealership’s need to evolve and consider additional imaginative ways to serve tomorrow’s customers. There are no doubt some significant changes coming to the way we sell and service our customers. Being open-minded and hyper-focused on the customer experience will be critical for us in the year ahead as car dealers. What’s the secret sauce for you in running a successful dealership? As the dealer, I need to communicate the right vision, be good news and expect the best from people. The last ingredient would probably be “Meet Your New Boss – the Customer!” meaning we all ultimately answer to the voice of the customer, and we need to continually let that shape our behaviors, processes and approach to the business. In the end, our long-term success is all about our culture. If you look back at your career and life, what would be three things you have learned that you would pass on to a younger member of the auto industry? Stay very in touch with the voice of your customer and continually let your employees know how important the customer experience is to everyone’s success. Believe in your employees, and encourage and compliment them often. Every accomplishment in the dealership goes back to them. Ensure they feel appreciated and always look to catch somebody doing the “right” thing. The car business is a great business. Do your best to remove stress from your employees’ day-to-day jobs and your customers’ in-store experiences. Handling stress is easier said than done, especially on a busy Saturday. Let’s face it: the prospect of visiting a car dealership is stressful to many people. It is 100% up to us as dealers to remove as many pain points as possible for our customers and employees. Along these same lines, do your best to ensure good pay plans. Employee motivation is a positive influencer here. I have often seen that some traditional pay plans in our industry can be counterproductive to creating exceptional customer experiences. What are two things you have learned from past experiences that are helping you navigate now? Deal with any customer concern absolutely as quickly as possible and stay accessible as the dealer, owner, etc. There are rarely any “wrong” answers as long as you have an honest conversation with a customer that makes them feel like they are important and are being “heard.” As a leader in your store, be consistent and do your best to properly communicate and get “buy-in” anytime significant changes are considered where your employees are involved in the business. How did you weather the pandemic storm? I focused immediately on two things during the pandemic onset: cost control and sanitizing. Both were exceptionally difficult. One 22 Pub Yr 2 | Issue 4
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