Fixed Ops Journal - August 2021 - F4

FIXED OPS JOURNAL
Managers who encounter good customer service leave a carTALENT SCOUTS
M
DAN SHINE
dan.shine@crain.com
Fixed Ops Journal editor
any dealerships' fi xed operations
departments are
overwhelmed with work,
as we point out in this issue's
cover story, on Page 10.
But more work often requires more workers.
And that has been a problem for a lot of
industries - including automotive. A study
released in June showed that 72 percent of
franchised dealers surveyed said fi nding and
hiring the right employees was a challenge.
Kat Wolverton, human resources director
at DeNooyer Automotive Group in
Kalamazoo, Mich., about two hours west
of Detroit, knows how hard it is to recruit
good talent. She uses various job recruiting websites to fi nd new hires
for the group's Ford, Chevrolet, Jaguar and Toyota dealerships.
But in addition to her " post and pray " ritual, she has enlisted the help
of leadership from each store to be recruiters and armed them with a
simple business card to assist their eff orts.
One side of the card has the name and logo of the dealership and the
words " You're amazing. We should talk. " Th e other side commends the
person for " excellent " customer service and mentions the dealership.
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The cards encourage the recipient
to contact the group about a job.
d behind
Th e card goes on to say the recipient is the type of person DeNooyer wants
to talk to and encourages a visit to the dealership's jobs Web page if they're
interested. It ends with: " Th is could be the start of something great! "
Wolverton encourages her colleagues to hand the cards out if they receive
outstanding customer service at a local restaurant, store or any other business.
While this card could be used to hire sales personnel or someone for
the fi nance and insurance offi ce, it could also be eff ective in the service
department. Last year, David Long, executive general manager of Hansel
Auto Group in Santa Rosa, Calif., told Fixed Ops Journal that he and
other dealership managers often look to the hospitality industry, " or any
industry that requires good customer service, " for service advisers.
Wolverton can't take credit for the idea and can't remember where
she fi rst saw it. She worked with DeNooyer's marketing team in 2016 to
refi ne the wording. Th e cards " are a way to personally reach out to people,
to encourage those in the community who have provided exceptional
service " to consider a career at DeNooyer, she says. " It makes
people feel special, unique , kind of sought after. "
Wolverton has not tracked how successful the cards have been at
bringing in job candidates, but she does know of a handful of folks who
have interviewed - and been hired - after receiving a card.
In a tight labor market, the more traditional job sites aren't as eff ective, she
says. DeNooyer's recruiting card diff erentiates the group from other companies.
Says Wolverton: Prospective job candidates " want and expect more. " 
Part 1: The State of the Industry
Part 2: Strategies for Customer
Retention
Part 3: Turning the Corner on Collision
and Parts
Part 4: Rethinking the Technician
Shortage
Part 5: Shifting Shopper Perception
at the Dealership
See Pages 24-29 for coverage
com/fi xedops. See more than fi ve years
of archives - 32 issues in all - at
autonews.com. Look for the Fixed Ops
Journal box on the
right side of the
home page.
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> Letters to the Editor
Give Dan Shine a piece of your
mind, or suggest story ideas, at
dan.shine@crain.com.
> Website
autonews.com/fi xedops
PAGE 4 AUGUST 2021
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Fixed Ops Journal - August 2021

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