Happy Employees Leads to Happy Customers
BY RONNIE WENDT, OWNER OF IN GOOD COMPANY COMMUNICATIONS There’s something different about Hendrick Automotive Group that elevates its automotive dealerships above its peers. The dealership group topped the list of all U.S. publicly or privately held groups in the online Reputation study released in October. The brand earned the highest sentiment and visibility score to gain a Reputation score of 836, compared to a score of 769 for the second highest overall and private dealership group, Holman Automotive Group. Hendrick also had an impressive showing in Reputation’s Top 100 Dealerships with eight of its dealerships in the Top 10. Hendrick Lexus Charleston rose from No. 2 in the last report to No. 1 in the 2021 report, followed by Hendrick Volvo Cars of Charleston in the No. 2 slot. Hendrick Lexus Kansas City took the No. 4 spot while Hendrick Lexus Northlake took No. 5, (BMW of Southpoint (No. 6) Hendrick Lexus Charlotte came in at No. 8 and Hendrick Lexus Kansas City as No. 9. (Lexus of Pleasanton (No. 10) Greg Gach, president of Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Companies, first thanks customers for trusting them with their business, noting it’s their reviews that put the company in the No. 1 spot for online reputation for three consecutive years. But he adds that values focused on customers also led to these rankings. “Providing the very best customer service
and taking care of people is at the heart of our company culture, and our 11,000 teammates live out these values every day,” he says. “They are why we have both the top-rated dealership overall and the top dealer group. At every level, our people make the difference. We are so proud of them for this amazing achievement.” CULTURE CHANGES CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS Upon learning of the Reputation scores, Chad Jernberg, vice president of Customer Experience at Holman Automotive, said, “Holman is—and always will be—a customer-centric business where delivering an exceptional experience remains our top strategic priority. The voice of our customers serves as a catalyst for change, and we’ve made a concerted effort to amplify their feedback across our entire organization in order for our service-oriented culture to thrive and evolve.” This focus lives and dies on company culture, says Gach. “We see ourselves as not in the car business but in the people business. The people part of our business begins with taking care of our employees,” he says. The culture of taking care of your own starts with the chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group, Joseph Riddick “Rick” Hendrick III. “He tells us repeatedly that our people are our most important asset, and he takes that to heart,” Gach says. So much so that during the pandemic, the dealership group of 93 car dealerships didn’t furlough anyone. The company provided 80% salaries to those employees in areas
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where health guidance prevented businesses from operating. “We had some dealerships in California that had to close their doors and Mr. Hendrick made sure everyone got paid, which was huge,” Gach says. Every dealership also hosts monthly luncheons that recognize outstanding performers and give all employees a chance to win prizes. The events develop comradery that carries over to customers. “Employees prioritize people over profits in their customer interactions,” he says. “Obviously, we must make profits to keep the lights on. But if you treat employees well, they are excited to come to work. Customers see that excitement and have a much better experience.” A commitment toward continuous improvement represents a core value. Here, the automotive group also stands ready to deliver. The Ricky Hendrick Scholarship Fund, for example, has provided education assistance to over 3,200 employees. And Hendrick University provides online training to staff and partner with local technical colleges to help technicians hone their skills. It’s these efforts that lead to satisfied employees and little turnover. Though the dealership turnover sets a little higher than the management company, Gach reports it is still far less than their peers. “The proof in the pudding is that we have hired many quality people because of referrals from existing teammates. These people enjoy working here so much that they referred us to their friends,” Gach says.
