Dealerships are experiencing an increase in sales, both in person and online, but many are still operating at reduced staff. As sales continue on the upswing, hiring more people isn't the solution — it's hiring the right people. The shift in consumer buying behavior has forever altered hiring skill requirements.
Today, the right hires have technical and people skills. Technical skills like managing dealership platforms can be taught, but soft relationship skills take more time to develop. The next hires need to know how to build personal connections — both in person and through digital channels, like dealerships' websites and text messages. Consider people with retail, hospitality or tech backgrounds — someone who views sales through a "customer experience first" lens.
Also consider the four C's of a candidate's attributes: Are they creative, coachable, competitive and curious? Can this person patiently nurture sales from online to in-person? Can they build a great rapport with customers? Digital retailing tools, like predictive analytics, can enhance this process by giving the dealership team the data and insight needed to have more intelligent and personalized conversations with customers.
