Dealer uses meditation to tackle stress on the sales floor

At Beyer Family Automotive Group, Monday meetings begin with the lights off and managers on the showroom floor for 60 seconds of guided meditation.

Meditation. At an auto dealership. Just stop and contemplate that for a minute.

After 60 seconds, the managers plan their weekly goals and finish with a discussion of their latest book club reading.

It's an unorthodox way to start the week in a retail business, but Bridget Beyer, COO of the Morristown, N.J., group, swears by it.

While her competitors were hosting celebrity autograph events to generate foot traffic, she wanted to find ways to connect with her customers on a more spiritual level by focusing on mind and body wellness, starting with exercises to help managers feel more relaxed.

"Simple meditative techniques help our employees overcome challenging interactions with customers," Beyer said. "Meditation practices help our employees find peace within themselves, which can then be transmitted to our customers."

Beyer, who initiated the practices after the group acquired Ford and Chrysler stores in 2011, doesn't expect a weekly minute of meditation to transform her work force, especially those who have been in the business for a long time. But, she said, the meditation exercises have shifted their behavior over the years, and the managers are less stressed and kinder to their staff.

Ralpha Twam, the Internet sales and marketing manager for all of Beyer's stores, said the meditation has helped him deal with multiple managers and the stress of change.

For example, Twam started as a rep in Beyer's business development center but was soon transferred to the sales floor. He said he worried about his lack of auto retailing experience coupled with the sales floor's different pay structure. But that changed as he interacted more with Beyer, the COO.

"Once I got on the sales floor, I got much closer to Bridget and that's when I was introduced to more of the health and wellness part," Twam said. "She's provided me with advice when I opened up to her about my medical issues, too. We've also had health coaches and spiritual counselors visit on-site that have been forthcoming with great information."

He added: "These mindfulness and wellness practices have helped boost my confidence and shown me how to have more patience toward others."

The meditative and wellness practices also are offered on a volunteer basis to other employees and customers. The retailer has invited multiple meditation teachers to its stores to coach employees and customers in mindfulness meditation, which involves relaxing the body, concentrating on one's breathing and trying to keep the mind from wandering.

Motivational speakers have visited to discuss topics such as domestic violence and better living.

Beyer said her employees are also provided with body wellness resources. To instill healthier eating habits, the dealership group collaborated with a personal fitness and wellness coach on an eight-week health guide and created a cookbook of its employees' favorite recipes.

Beyer isn't above the celebrity autograph event, but in her case, it was nutritionist Kimberly Snyder who visited to talk about food, wellness and meditation. More than 140 people attended her 2017 book signing.

"When employees care about themselves, they are able to care about their customers," Beyer said. "It's like watering the roots. You water the roots, and the plant is going to continue to grow."