New technology was the key to success for many dealers over the past 18 months. And thriving dealerships have shown that the ability to adapt gives your business an advantage over the competition. But the flipside to the rapid adoption of new tools and technologies is the toll it takes on your number one asset—your team. In order to reduce turnover at your dealership, you must be just as innovative and adaptive when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees. Here’s what the latest research says about hiring today’s retail auto employee.
The Big Shift
It’s no secret that buyers have long demanded new options when it comes to buying and servicing their cars. Flexible hours, text options, and virtual shopping have made the process faster and more digital for buyers. But there seems to be a surprise to dealer principals and managers—now that changes are in place—that those seeking employment are looking for flexibility as well. According to research from the team at Hireology, 79% of retail automotive respondents said they’d be interested in remote work if it was an option. And it’s not just our industry that’s seeing change. With five out of every one-hundred service and hospitality employees quitting their jobs in April of this year, this period has been dubbed “The Great Resignation.”
Think Outside the Showroom Floor
So now that your dealership is running new technology that works well together, driving new leads to your sales team through integrated CRM data and powerful DMS data, it’s time to ensure your staff is up to the challenge. Right? But where are dealers turning to find tech-savvy, career-driven employees interested in the automotive industry? Consider this—roughly 9.6 million people lost their jobs due to COVID-19 and nearly half came from the restaurant and hotel industry. If you have a narrow view of only hiring candidates with prior automotive experience, your dealership could suffer.
Expectations have changed. But your dealership has overcome challenges unimagined nearly five years ago. To learn more about today’s retail auto employee and how to overcome the challenges facing your dealership,
check out the online playbook from both teams at Hireology and Dealertrack, Redefining Today’s Retail Auto Employee.
Read the guide for free, online: Redefining Today’s Retail Auto Employee: What to look for in top retail auto talent—and what they expect from your dealership.
