Automotive News - October 16, 2017 - Supplement - S45

OCTOBER 16, 2017 | 45
R I C A R T F O R D , G R O V E P O R T, O H I O

ENGAGING EMPLOYEES

Ford program helps Ohio
dealership transform
ties with its workers
Printed in Automotive News Aug. 14, 2017

Michael Martinez
mdmartinez@crain.com

ive years ago, Jim Moshier, general
sales and service manager at Ricart
Ford, thought the dealership's 200
employees were happy.
He thought wrong.
In an anonymous survey that shocked
Ricart Ford employees bond inside and outside the dealership, including at an Alzheimer's walk
management at the Groveport, Ohio, dealerin Columbus, Ohio, above, and healthy cooking classes, below.
ship, workers lambasted the store's leadercuss concerns. It also installed a Subway
ship style and employee outreach. Long
franchise on its 67-acre campus, added a fithours and demanding bosses made employness center and healthy cooking classes, esees feel like they weren't cared for.
tablished a charity for down-on-their-luck
"When you think you're doing it the right way,
employees and instituted a flexible scheduland you're doing it the wrong way ... it was just
ing format. The result: less turnover, better
crushing," Moshier said. "You just pretty much
sales and numerous awards from Ford.
have to suck it up and realize you have to start
"We thought providing them with a great
listening."
paycheck and a great showroom was all it
Moshier used Ford's Consumer Experience
took," Moshier said. "What we found was
Movement to come up with some solupeople really want to be part of
tions. The program was designed to
something."
engage employees and create
Store uses
In addition to the on-site facilworld-class experiences for
Ford's Consumer
ities,
management at Ricart
customers.
Experience
Ford started organizing group
Ford says more than 700 U.S.
Movement program
bonding events. The store now
dealers have gone through the
to improve relations
hosts a track night each Sepprogram, which it started in
with employees and
tember at a local drag strip so
2010. It includes a designated
customers.
employees can (legally) race
coach, paid for in part by the aueach other. It also provides two
tomaker, who helps each site deMustangs for workers who don't have
velop practices to boost relations with
everyone wanting to get together," Moshier
their own track-ready cars.
employees and customers.
said.
Employees have formed their own stock
Yochens said he has noticed a drastic
clubs and go racing together on weekends.
change in the work environment.
Changing minds
About three years ago, the dealership set up
"I think we're at the point now where there's
Chad Yochens, who started at the dealership
a charity called One of R Own, designed to
a different level of respect," he said. "The lines
as a sales manager in 2011, said he had noticed
help employees with everything from utility
of communication are open. Before, it was althat upper management wasn't receptive to
bills to health issues. Since then, Moshier
ways really about today. Everything we do
new ideas. Through the Ford program, he recsaid, the company has handed out a number
now is about building longer-term relationommended more dialogue with employees,
of checks from $300 to $15,000.
ships internally and with the customers."
from the newest salesperson to the most veterIt also installed a flexible work schedule, alFord has noticed significant improvement,
an executive.
lowing some employees to work three or four
too. The dealership won the 2016 President's
"It was very close-minded," said Yochens,
days a week, depending on their other comAward, which Ford gives to dealerships that
50. "Management felt that [new hires] aren't
mitments.
exhibit excellent customer service, satisfacgoing to come in and tell us how to run the
tion and overall experience.
business. It was, 'This is how we've done it,
"Buying a car is probably one of the most
and this is how we're going to do it.'"
Building relationships
stressful things you can do," Moshier said.
Ricart Ford, which sells about 3,600 new
All together, the efforts created a much
"The biggest thing is the environment, and it's
and 8,000 used vehicles per year, began hostmore engaged work force. "It started from
changed entirely." a
ing monthly meetings so workers could distop-down, to everyone making decisions and

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