Two issues that many automotive retailers frequently face, are attracting talent to the business, and ensuring they stay long term and grow with the organization. It’s often perceived that high staff turnover is par for the course in the dealership world, but provided the right approach is taken, particularly when it comes to onboarding staff, the result can be highly productive and happy employees that remain loyal to the organization and witness success at both the personal and corporate level.

Sophie Corriveau, Automotive Recruitment Advisor at Auto-Jobs.ca, which provides recruitment services for the automotive sector, including retailers, says that successful on-boarding really begins at the recruitment stage, particularly when it comes to their strategy for hiring.

Consistent, clear communication

She explains that dealers need to know what the employee expectations are, what the sales objectives are and ensure that communication between employees and management is consistent, clear and open. For salespeople, Corriveau says that if they aren’t able to achieve their sales targets, managers and directors need to be able to work closely with them and provide tools and tactics that encourage employees to not only perform their roles effectively but give them the confidence to so as well.

At WEINS Auto Group, which operates 17 rooftops across Canada, Anne Gilligan, Corporate Liaison Manager, says that having a comprehensive, proven onboarding plan for new hires is key to achieving successful outcomes. 

WEINS utilizes a step process for new hires, where each individual is given a specific process with specific steps to ensure all bases are covered. This not only extends to sales training and techniques, but also hospitality processes, such as role-playing scenarios to ensure new hires are fully versed in the group and the dealership’s practices before they are ready to work on the floor as official product advisors.

Accountability is critical

Gilligan also notes that accountability toward and among each hire is also a critical part of the onboarding process. From the corporate and store perspective, she says “it’s important to make expectations felt, so when the organization and the store asks for accountability, they have earned the right to do so, because they’ve clearly outlined for new hires what the blueprint for onboarding and success is.”

It’s also important for dealers to create processes within onboarding that will help differentiate the client experience once new hires have been trained and ready to work in an official capacity. Some examples may include through training on debt protection or other F&I specific processes, designed to provide the customer piece of mind and making them aware that dealing with this specific dealer group, or location, is different—an important consideration in today’s marketplace.

Outside automotive

There’s also been an increasing emphasis on hiring people outside the traditional automotive realm, particularly over the last decade or so. At Genesis Markham, in Markham, Ontario, General Manager Jay Goldberg explains that the brand’s unique approach to customer service means, that often, hires at his location have come from different backgrounds and industries. “One of our most successful Genesis Experience Managers came from the cell phone business,” says Goldberg. “What we emphasize when it comes to hiring and onboarding staff is that they have an affinity for sales—they can successfully and consistently sell themselves and an experience.”

Goldberg notes that at Genesis, a core focus is “giving people the best experience,” and that often means handpicking individuals for specific roles and properly training them to ensure they have all the tools needed to complement their skill sets and can successfully cultivate customer experiences and build long-term relationships.

Ongoing process

At Auto-Jobs.ca, Sophie Corriveau says that a successful onboarding process is ongoing, meaning that it needs to be consistent and fine-tuned where needed. “While the onboarding process starts on the first day the candidate is hired,” she says, “you need to have follow-up on the first day, the first week, the second week, the first month, and after three months etc.” Corriveau notes that consistent follow-up is critical, since it will demonstrate where changes or help is needed, if more time training a certain individual on particular tasks or responsibilities is required, and that any issues that do surface, can be quickly and efficiently addressed. “By doing it this way,” she says, “employees tend to feel valued, and that the organization is listening to them. And when that happens, they are far more likely to stay with the business long-term, contributing to its success and growing with it.

Prior and Proper Planning 

At Don Valley North Toyota, one of WEINS Automotive Group’s prime retail locations, training is done both at the corporate and individual store level. Logan Yuan, New Car Sales Manager at Don Valley North Toyota, notes that before Product Advisors are let out on the floor, they are provided with the tools and training required. These include planning test drive routes and scripts for dealing with customers as well as ensuring new hires have process checklists that are completed and reviewed by trainers prior to letting customers go. Managers also provide specific training on a regular basis, to ensure that Product Advisors are up to speed and have the confidence to work with the store’s clients. “It’s a comprehensive process,” says Yuan, but as he acknowledges, the end result is a winning formula for the associate, the store and most importantly, the customer.