More to dealership than sales and tech
Whenever I am asked about job opportunities in the dealership world, most people think we have two positions: salespeople and technicians. Our industry is so much more than that.
Over the coming months, I will be highlighting different positions within the dealership to educate readers on the many career opportunities in accounting, fixed operations, human resources, detailing, business development and digital marketing, to name a few. Indeed, there are so many facets to what we do and we are always looking for great people.
Today, I will focus on the business development coordinator and product adviser, and describe the various job functions involved in these positions.
Our business development co-ordinator is Sarah White, a personable and talented professional whose main work responsibilities are sales and marketing.
On the marketing side, Sarah handles online leads generated from Google AdWords and Facebook ads, CarGurus, social media and web traffic.
According to Sarah, when an online lead comes in, the customer has usually conducted most of their research by that point in choosing a make and model. These customers are familiar with the brand — in some cases, they have owned the type of vehicle they want to buy.
In facilitating online sales leads, Sarah evaluates where the customer is in the carbuying process. She may provide information about a particular vehicle, answer questions, share a personal video (which we produce in-house), or prepare a quote.
Sarah’s other responsibilities include managing our social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. These marketing platforms are an effective way to connect with customers and prospects.
When Sarah responds to an online sales lead, her responsibility is to engage with the customer to ultimately book an appointment for them to come to the dealership to purchase a vehicle. She will introduce them to a product adviser upon arrival.
At times, she also puts on her product adviser hat and actively works with that customer, with the hope of selling him/ her a car. As a trained product adviser, Sarah is part of our sales team.
Like many in retail automotive sales, Sarah worked in other positions before becoming a business development co-ordinator and product adviser.
While attending university, Sarah drove a forklift truck for Chrysler. While working at my Toyota dealership, she has been a service adviser and a finance manager. She performed these jobs well and gained invaluable experiences, which helped prepare her for her current roles.
When Sarah began working in the auto industry, she sought out mentors who could help her grow and advance her career. For several years, I have had the privilege of mentoring Sarah and have watched her achieve great success.
For Sarah, being a business development co-ordinator and a product adviser has been extremely gratifying, both professionally and financially. One of the most interesting parts of her daily challenges and responsibilities (apart from working with customers and colleagues) is the thrill of constant learning and development.
This idea of continuous improvement is known as kaizen, a Japanese philosophy that is practised throughout the Toyota organization, from executive suites to assembly plants to dealerships.
Sarah regularly attends webinars hosted by Toyota University, where she learns about new models and technologies. She attends automotive conferences in Canada (hosted by the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association) and in the U.S.
When Sarah speaks with students today, she is pleased to share her story and convey the message that our industry is looking for accountants, controllers, service advisers, automotive technicians, human resource personnel, product advisers, managers and marketing experts and more.
Sarah is a perfect example of someone who entered the retail automobile industry unaware of the many career options available and, through hard work and dedication, has carved out a fulfilling and successful career for herself.
This column represents the views and values of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association. Susan Gubasta is president of TADA and is president/CEO of Mississauga Toyota. Write to president@tada.ca or go to tada.ca.