Dealership staff, thank you for your hard work
With Christmas and the holiday season upon us, I want to take this opportunity to send a message to a group of men and women who often do not receive much recognition.
I am talking about the 45,000 individuals who work at the 1,100 new car dealerships across Ontario. The retail automobile industry is one of the most important contributors to the Ontario economy.
These people are sales and leasing consultants, business managers, digital marketing personnel, automotive technicians, service advisers, greeters and receptionists, lot attendants, human resource managers, controllers, sales managers, shuttle bus drivers, collision repair technicians, parts operation consultants and business development experts.
On behalf of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association, and myself, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to each one of these men and women for the work they do and for helping to serve our valued customers, day in and day out.
Often when customers visit a dealership to buy or service a vehicle, they interact with only a few individuals. However, behind the scenes at a typical dealership, dozens of people work in various positions to ensure that customers’ needs are meet in a timely and professional manner.
It is the automotive technician, who performs all-important maintenance and repairs and who figures out what is making that unusual engine noise.
Sometimes, advanced diagnostic tools will only get a technician so far and an accurate diagnosis requires handson troubleshooting and a reliance on gut instinct.
It is the controller, who provides financial statements, arranges daily bank deposits and processes payroll, among other responsibilities.
At some dealerships, the controller is also responsible for general accounting and human resources.
It is the parts consultant, who monitors the flow of all automotive parts in and out of the dealership, and maintains the security of the inventory.
Whatever their roles and responsibilities, whether they work on the front lines or behind the scenes, all dealership staff have one thing in common: they are all part of a high-performing team.
At my dealership, I am the dealer principal, but I am only one of 72 people who make up Mississauga Toyota. All 72 team members have clearly defined job descriptions, and no single individual can do his/her job without relying on the collective skills and efforts of the entire team.
It takes many people with an extraordinary range of skills and talents to make a car dealership function successfully and to deliver an optimum customer experience.
In fact, the customer experience has become the single most important factor in the car-buying process.
This is especially true of millennials (21-35 year olds), who have altered the rules and expectations for the retail car industry.
A J.D. Power study revealed that customers will drive more than 30 kilometres for a great dealership experience.
What is the definition of great customer experience?
It could be a seamless experience for the customer from online to in-store, where the customer experience during all points of contact matches the customer’s expectations. It could be a customer’s relationship with a sales consultant or a service adviser.
It could be the conveniences and services, such as drivethru bays, comfortable lounges with free Wi-Fi or the quickness with which staff members return calls or emails. The men and women who work at dealerships in Ontario are constantly redefining what great customer experience is all about.
They continue to evolve with the times and to move our industry forward.
And once again, the TADA is proud to support Prostate Cancer Canada.
This year, our association has donated a brand new 2018 Acura NSX (valued at $235,158.65). The Rock the Raffle draw will take place at the 2019 Canadian International AutoShow. For ticket information, visit rocktheroadraffle.ca.
Wishing everyone a happy holiday season, and please drive safely.