WHY HIGH QUALITY DEALERSHIP FACILITIES TEND TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGH QUALITY PEOPLE
As important as building, renovating or properly maintaining a facility may be, it pales in comparison to the importance of finding and keeping the right people. After all, “buildings don’t sell cars, people sell cars.”
This issue of Canadian auto dealer focuses quite a bit on finding the right people. Based on our experience, the physical environment at your dealership is one of the most powerful tools in recruiting, nurturing and keeping the best people in the business today — not only salespeople, but technicians, service advisors, parts advisors and managers.
In this article, we look specifically at how and why people are engaged at a grand opening, and also ways to keep them engaged in the years that follow.
Can a facility attract the best people, and keep them engaged? We think so. In fact, last year we did a joint study with a dealer group that owns 9 stores. We completed a round of facility assessments that focused on cleanliness, maintenance and amenities.
Positive correlation
When we cross-referenced the facility scores with the results from an employee engagement study the dealer group had completed, we found a positive correlation between the higher scoring buildings and employee engagement.
It was also no accident that these stores were top performers and highly respected among their OEMs.
At what point in time are people the most engaged? We find that at virtually every grand opening we attend, the staff are enthusiastic, proud and optimistic. Most dealers I speak with see an immediate jump in new hires, sales and service after making a facility investment. The key however, is to figure out how to keep this momentum going for years to come.
How can you make your facility a true asset to your staff beyond this time period? In our experience of visiting hundreds of dealerships over the past 15 years, there is one key action a dealer can make to build and maintain a facility that will attract people to it, keep them happier and also engaged. It’s getting staff involved in the design and planning stages when you build new or renovate. And when we say staff, we don’t just mean department managers.
Generating feedback
We realize that this can sometimes be a complex process, with many staff members having competing interests and a lack of understanding of the investment required.
By sending out questionnaires however and establishing a facility committee, many great ideas can be generated that can add to the uniqueness of your store. These are your differentiators that you can use to attract the right people during the hiring process.
The feedback will give you a better idea of how key workflow evolves, and how various job functions and communication patterns interact. All of this information is key for your facility planners and architects.
In addition to workflows, there are many staff amenities that should be considered in order to encourage staff to participate in activities at the store so you can build a team atmosphere and create a forum where dialogue is open and unscripted. Here are a few amenities that appear to work very well:
• Allocate space for a gym: we see more and more facilities incorporating fitness rooms. Natural light is key, as well as modern equipment, weights, exercise balls, and of course a few televisions. It is a good idea to expand locker rooms and add an extra shower or two so staff can go to the gym and have the opportunity to shower before working;
• Create a large gathering space: More and more, we see larger rooms for staff gatherings incorporated into mezzanine levels. They are equipped with kitchenettes and furniture that allows for catered events. We also see these spaces being rented out for local business who need space for company meetings. During down time, we see movable activities such as table tennis, foosball, and air hockey;
• Cafeterias: Likely a solution for a larger store. However, we see that when staff stay at the store, they are more likely to mingle with their fellow colleagues as well as customers who are eating at the store;
• Dedicated staff washrooms: Sometimes we need a little personal space. Often the sheer number of customers and staff make dealing with ‘private business’ a stressful process. In our experience, this will benefit your customers with cleaner, and readily accessible ‘facilities.’
• Speakers and background music: Subtle, yet well-placed speakers with a music subscription, can make the day go by a little more pleasantly. Music also acts as ‘white noise’ to make customer
conversations a little more private.
Once the key amenities and spaces are established, staff can be empowered to take initiatives to utilize amenities. The more the amenities are used, the better ROI you will get from the space, and the better chance of keeping your staff engaged and sharing experiences, ideas and successes.
A well planned facility with staff input can be one of your most powerful tools to attract, engage, motivate, and keep the best people in the industry today. Even if the way vehicles are sold and serviced will change and evolve over time, a facility with the right mix of staff amenities and housekeeping initiatives will be a differentiator to help find and keep, the right people.
Weis Tips
• Environment impacts staff as much as customers
• Get staff involved in planning and design projects
• Consider amenities such as a gym
• Create employee zones where people can get together to share ideas
• Establish an activities committee to keep activities going in your newly built amenity
areas (yoga classes, World Cup games after hours, etc…)
• Establish a facility committee to keep your building looking its best, well after the grand opening
