Hiring the right people is one of the most important investments a dealership can make. Your employees are the face and backbone of your dealership. Having the right people in place with the necessary skills and attitudes can transform your workforce and elevate your dealership's success. Conversely, poor hires can hamper operations, damage your reputation, and impact the bottom line. That's why implementing a smart hiring process should be a top priority. Here are 5 ways a strategic hiring approach can improve your dealership.

Prioritize Technical Proficiency

When hiring for roles like technicians and service advisors, prioritizing candidates with strong automotive systems knowledge and repair skills is key. Taking the time to thoroughly assess each applicant's technical competencies rather than relying solely on years of experience will help you build an exceptional service department.

Be sure to evaluate critical abilities that align with responsibilities like:

• Diagnosing and troubleshooting vehicle issues
• Performing common maintenance and repairs
• Reading diagnostic reports and repair manuals
• Handling specialty services like transmission repairs
• Staying up-to-date on the latest automotive technologies

Candidates who excel in these technical areas will provide superior customer service through accurate diagnoses, high-quality repairs, and decreased comeback rates.

Hiring techs and advisors who know their stuff also improves customer satisfaction by ensuring repairs are done right the first time. It also minimizes comebacks, saving time and money. Customers appreciate dealerships with staff who understand their vehicles and can clearly explain mechanical issues and solutions.

Emphasize Relevant Experience for Sales Roles

For sales positions, there's no substitute for relevant experience. While interpersonal skills are important, proven success in dealership sales is the best indicator of future performance.

Ideal sales candidates will showcase:

• Multiple years of recent experience in dealership sales
• A track record of meeting and exceeding sales targets
• Strong product knowledge about your dealership's vehicles
• The ability to discover customer needs and match them to the right vehicles and products
• Polished presentation and relationship-building skills

Checking references can provide invaluable insights into a candidate's abilities that you can't glean from an interview alone. Speaking with previous managers can help verify strengths and red flags. This extra step is key for sales roles, where past performance is the top indicator of success in your dealership.

Make Teamwork and Collaboration a Key Hiring Criterion

The ability to collaborate across departments is vital for all dealership roles. Sales, service, and finance departments must work closely together to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Technicians and service advisors must coordinate to fix vehicles quickly and keep customers informed. Sales staff need to work with managers, finance and insurance personnel, and administrative staff to deliver a smooth purchase process.

When hiring, emphasizing teamwork capabilities will help you build a cohesive environment.

Look for those who:

• Express positivity and patience working with others
• Actively listen and communicate clearly
• Show consideration and respect for colleagues
• Display adaptability handling interdepartmental requests
• Exhibit dedication to dealership-wide success, not just their own department
• Possess communication and problem-solving skills

Hiring for teamwork fosters an environment of support rather than competition. Your staff will be invested in helping each other provide better customer experiences. Moreover, you'll have less conflict and higher morale – leading to higher retention.

Invest in a Structured Interview Process

Many dealerships lose out on top talent by taking a haphazard approach to interviews. Have a structured process that takes a holistic approach to interviewing so as to gauge all relevant skills. Include role-playing scenarios to evaluate sales abilities and technical knowledge.

Conduct thorough reference checks to verify candidates' backgrounds and experience. You can also take the extra step of hiring professional help for dealership recruitment and staffing. The returns will be a more assured outcome.

Make Training a Priority

Your hiring process doesn't end once employees start. Ongoing training keeps staff skills sharp. Technical staff should continuously update their knowledge on new vehicle technologies. Arrange for sales and finance personnel to take customer service and relationship-building courses regularly. Additionally, invest in leadership training for managers.

The quality of your staff directly impacts your reputation, sales, and ability to deliver exceptional service. Remember, you are only as strong as your weakest link. By taking a smart, strategic approach to hiring – one that focuses on skills, collaboration, and professional growth – you can build a team that takes your dealership to the next level. Reach out to us to learn more on how Vanguard Dealer Services can support your dealership hiring and training initiatives.