Introduction

While each New Car Dealer of British Columbia is unique, there are six different categories of jobs that can be available:

• Sales
• Service
• Autobody Repair and Refinishing
• Parts
• Administration
• Management

Have a look at current job listings:

Sales

Sales Associates

When most of us think of dealership sales, we think of new car sales. But “sales” is often broken down into six different departments, each with their own distinctive clientele: New, Used, Commercial (business customers), Fleet (business customers who buy many vehicles), Rentals & Leasing, and Finance & Insurance.

AUTOMOTIVE SALES ASSOCIATES are frontline professionals representing the dealership as well as the products’ manufacturer. They must have an understanding of the products they sell, finance, provincial and federal laws, warranties and the automobile industry in general.

Sales Associates are organized self-starters who can stick to a tough daily routine and prospect for new customers by telephone, mail, and personal contacts. Most important, the sales staff should be excellent communicators who truly enjoy working with people.

In essence, the Sales Associate’s job is to discover the potential customer’s needs and priorities, counsel the customer on the best vehicle choice to meet those needs, and influence the customer to buy or lease that vehicle. All this requires excellent product knowledge, listening skills, integrity and the ability to establish rapport and trust.

After a new home, a vehicle is the second largest purchase a person makes so customers demand professionalism, honesty and personal attention from their salesperson. When they meet those demands, Sales Associates are rewarded with many happy clients, referrals, and years of lucrative employment.

To keep the sales staff up-to-date on the latest product developments and sales techniques, dealers and manufacturers conduct regular training sessions and encourage Sales Associates to take advantage of a wide variety of outside sales and business courses.

Sales Associates are certified professionals who must have a Motor Dealer Council of B.C. retail vehicle license. Sales Associates training generally takes place at the Dealership itself. There are no formal training requirements. In addition to some sales experience (not necessarily automotive), most dealerships demand a minimum of a high school diploma but many also look for college diplomas or university degrees, usually in business administration or marketing.

Pay structures differ at each Dealership. Wages may be based on a flat salary, a base salary plus commission or entirely on commission. An average wage is $50,000 but sales associates can earn well over $100,000 per year.

Business Manager

After a customer has made the decision to buy or lease a certain vehicle, the Business Manager, also known as the FINANCE AND INSURANCE MANAGER, steps in to help the customer arrange financing and select protection packages such as: life and disability insurance, mechanical breakdown insurance, extended warranties, under-coating, etc.

A strong candidate for the Business Manager’s position has all or a combination of a background in insurance, banking, or vehicle sales, as well as a college diploma or university degree in business or commerce.

Business managers can earn salaries similar to those of Sales Associates.

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Service

The service department is one of the most important departments in a dealership. It is a key profit centre with more people, facilities and equipment than any other department. It is also the key to the success of a dealership. If customers do not receive prompt, courteous and reliable service, it is unlikely that they will come back.

Today’s SERVICE TECHNICIAN job is more skilled and challenging than ever before. New cars and trucks are far more complex than they used to be, and a modern service bay is beginning to look like a science lab, with expensive, sophisticated diagnostic and repair equipment, including computers.

The “grease monkey” image is a thing of the past. Although hand skills remain important, physical work is no longer the major aspect of automotive servicing. Today, the emphasis is on diagnostics, a process that requires an ability to think through problems in the abstract. The ability to diagnose the source of the problem quickly and accurately requires good reasoning ability and a thorough knowledge of automobiles. In fact, many mechanics consider diagnosing “hard to find” troubles one of their most challenging and satisfying duties.

As automobiles are becoming increasingly complex, a person who chooses a service technician career is committed to life long learning to keep up with rapid change. Technicians are well-paid (frequently based on skill and speed) and are in high demand.

If you are interested in a career in this field, you should be mechanically inclined, have good reading comprehension and strong math skills, and enjoy working on cars and trucks. High school and technical school training in auto mechanics is an advantage of course, as is training in chemistry, electronics, physics and computers.

If you have no previous training in auto mechanics, you can get started in a dealership as a porter, lot attendant or car washer, helping to prepare new and used cars for delivery and familiarizing yourself with the way the dealership’s team works.

The next step is APPRENTICE TECHNICIAN where, under the close guidance of a qualified technician, the shop foreman and the service manager, you will learn the trade thoroughly in order to advance to the job of LICENSED JOURNEYMAN TECHNICIAN. There are four levels of apprenticeship, each requiring a combination of on-the-job experience, eight weeks of classroom instruction and passing an exam before you move on to the next level. As you graduate through each of these levels, your responsibilities and skill-demanding assignments will increase at the dealership.

Because it is more difficult today for the service technician to make all necessary repairs on cars and trucks, many large dealerships employ SERVICE SPECIALISTS who concentrate their skills in a single area such as tune-ups and diagnosis or brakes.

Because the job is challenging and the pay and benefits are good, many service technicians are content to remain in these positions throughout their careers. But this training and experience may also be used as a step to becoming shop foreman, service advisor or service manager, which require excellent communication, organization and supervisory skills. Plus, some of the best Sales Associates come from the service department.

The SHOP MANAGER or FOREMAN is usually the best service technician. He or she supervises and trains other technicians and makes sure that their finished work is done properly and promptly. Large service operations may also have a SERVICE DISPATCHER who assigns the work to mechanics and directs the flow of cars through the shop.

SERVICE ADVISORS combine mechanical knowledge with communication skills. Think of them as the service department’s Sales Associates. They meet the customer, gather the information the technician will need to diagnose and repair the problem, write the repair order, estimate the cost and time needed to do the job, handle customer complaints and help bring new business into the service department.

They are the communication link between the customer and the technicians and are well versed in both “languages”: the customer’s and the technician’s. Although some service advisors are licensed service technicians, it is not a requirement. Some automotive training is a definite asset and sometimes people move from service department administration positions, or the parts department, into the service advisor’s role. There are a variety of career paths available.

The service department presents one of the most promising career opportunities in a dealership, with a clear line of advancement for those with ambition and skill.

An Automotive Service Technician at a New Car Dealership earns an average wage of over $50,000 annually and can earn as much as $70,000 per year.

An apprentice typically earns $27,000 per year while in training.

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Auto Body Repair and Refinishing

Auto Body repair is also a licensed trade which, like the service technician, requires a combination of work experience and classroom instruction in order to earn your license.

Using hand and power tools, the AUTO BODY TECHNICIAN replaces, repairs and refinishes damaged body parts and vehicle frames in accordance with factory, dealership and insurance company specifications. Some autobody technicians specialize in either repairs or painting.

Unibody frames, plastic and aluminum parts, and environmental regulations have made the job of the autobody technician more complex. Today’s technician must be able to research information from manuals, books, bulletins, and resource people.

The more education you have, the better your chances are of being hired as an apprentice and succeeding in the trade.

Getting a job as a SHOP HELPER and taking autobody repair classes in school is an excellent way to start.

An Autobody Technician earns an average annual wage of $55,000 and can up to $90,000 per year.

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Parts

A well-run, efficient parts department is essential to a successful dealership. Not only does it support service and sales operations, but many large parts departments aggressively sell parts and accessories to the public and to other dealers and independent repair shops.

A sound technical background, an ability to work with people, a keen sense of organization and attention to detail are the key qualities of parts employees. You can enter this field by becoming a PICK-UP and DELIVERY PERSON, PARTS HELPER, or SHIPPING AND RECEIVING CLERK. But often the best experience is acquired in the service department, where knowledge is gained in the frequency of repair and parts replacement of the cars and trucks sold by the dealership.

This knowledge is important for COUNTER SALES ASSOCIATES, who must not only be able to work with the service and body shop managers and technicians, but also act as troubleshooters for customers doing their own repairs.

When they wear their “salesman’s hat”, they suggest complimentary products and ensure that the customer is exposed to the full product line. Partspeople keep track of inventory, replenish stock when necessary, provide price quotes and keep up-to-date on new products.

OUTSIDE PARTS SALES ASSOCIATES represent the dealership’s parts line-up when calling on independent repair stations and other dealers and do most of their work off-site.

“Partsman” is also an accredited trade requiring the same three year combination of work experience and classroom instruction as an autobody technician.

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Administration

Franchised dealers employ a variety of administrative staff necessary to support and coordinate operations. Competitive pay and opportunity for advancement are available to office managers, comptrollers, information systems managers, secretaries, accounting managers and clerks, cashiers, warranty administrators, receptionists and more.

All administrative positions require excellent time and business management communication, and computer skills. Computers are used extensively in auto dealerships to assist in record keeping and accounting, pre-owned and new vehicle sales, finance and insurance sales, parts inventory management and repair order scheduling.

The OFFICE MANAGER is responsible for organizing, supervising and coordinating administrative operations. This includes payroll, accounts payable and receivable, inventory control, benefits management and human resources. Often he or she has worked their way up from an entry-level position.

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Management

The CONTROLLER is a member of the senior management team and is usually a Chartered Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, or Certified General Accountant – all of which require university or college education. He or she is responsible for the overall financial picture of the dealership including: budgeting, financing, tax management, investments, and more.

The overall responsibility for the reputation, efficiency and profitability of the service department rests with the SERVICE MANAGER. He or she is responsible for controlling costs, building a loyal clientele, maintaining good employee and customer relations, setting and obtaining sales and profit objectives and maintaining service records. This is a demanding management position that may lead to fixed operations director (in charge of the service, parts and body shop departments), general manager or even dealer principal.

The PARTS MANAGER hires, trains and supervises all department personnel. Controlling inventory, security merchandising, displaying and advertising are responsibilities of the parts manager, as well as interfacing with commercial customers. Like all management positions in a dealership, it is a demanding, well-paying job that can lead to the position of general manager or dealer principal.

VEHICLE SALES MANAGER (i.e. new, pre-owned, fleet, etc.) plan, organize and coordinate the activities of their respective staffs under the direction of a GENERAL SALES MANAGER, who ensures that the dealership meets sales objectives. They are responsible for hiring, training and coaching their staff, as well as planning advertising and promotion strategies.

There may also be a full-time CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER who handles those promotional duties as well as managing “customer contact programs” such as newsletters, special events, and community relations.

The top management post is GENERAL MANAGER, who is often the dealership owner as well. He or she is responsible for the successful operation of the entire dealership. This position requires excellent business management skills and experience in all dealership departments. Knowing how to pick the right people to be department managers is a key skill and makes their own success much easier to achieve.

Finally, ultimate responsibility for the success of the dealership rests with the DEALER PRINCIPAL or PRESIDENT. Franchises are awarded only to individuals who demonstrate that they will be good representatives of the manufacturers in their local communities. This takes proven automobile experience, management skills, personal integrity and financial backing. Keep in mind that, although many dealerships have been in the hands of a family for generations, more and more dealers come up through the ranks, starting at the bottom of the dealership ladder and progressing upward through hard work, talent and ambition. You can too!

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Current Positions Available

www.working.com is a great place to find a job in the industry. Check out the web site, click on Automotive Jobs and look for the NCDA jobs to find jobs currently available from New Car Dealer Association of BC members.

Link:
http://working.canada.com/vancouver/sectors/automotive.html

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