N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S I S S U E 4 | 2 0 2 1 20 new jersey auto retailer CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS SUCH A BUZZWORD these days, but what about the Employee Experience? Research shows that both the Employee and Customer Experience are key to running a successful dealership. Do you remember your first day starting at a dealership? I can remember like yesterday. We take our OEM courses to get certified, you get a mentor (15-20 year car person if you are lucky), and then you hit the ground running. Sound familiar? The days of hiring people and letting them sink or swim are over. Today, your employee roadmap needs to be clear and written down. It would also benefit to create your own “Company Academy,” an online course designed just for your store so that it aligns with your company culture. Let’s back up for a moment. The employee experience actually starts before they are even hired. The interview process must be tight and systematic. Here are a few best practices: • Have the candidate send a video prior to the first interview, especially if the video is required to send to customers. • Your company should be sending the customer a personalized video about what to expect, along with the next steps. • Have the candidate send a text and email on why they would be a great person to join the team. With text being the number one form of communication used by customers, text etiquette is huge. • What does their role look like three months, six months, and 12 months down the road? Be transparent about how to grow within the company. Clarity is king. GOALS AND VISION After a phenomenal interview process, you now have hired the right employee. What’s next? I strongly suggest documenting what the employee would like to accomplish while employed at your dealership. Would they want to stay in sales, move to service, or maybe get into leadership? You must provide a clear path on how they can accomplish their short-and longterm goals. MASTER YOUR VIRTUAL SHOWROOM Make sure ALL employees have a solid grasp on your Virtual Showroom (Dealership Website). You would be shocked to see how many people currently working at a dealership don’t even know how to locate the Used Car Specials on their own website. With digital retailing so key to the online shopper, your employees need to understand that experience. What Does Your Employee Onboarding Experience Say About Your Dealership? By Durran Cage, Cage Automotive
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