In today’s episode of Inside Automotive, we’re joined by Austin Conroy, regional fixed operations director at Rohrman Automotive Group, to discuss what’s driving fixed ops hiring and how to attract and retain top talent.
Analyze your business
Most dealers focus too much on resume sourcing. However, Conroy emphasizes that the key to attracting talent starts with analyzing the dealerships’ internal operations and culture. Leaders should ask themselves, “What am I recruiting candidates to?“
Some of the most critical aspects to evaluate include the workplace culture, employee benefits, and the dealership’s value proposition as an employer. Even the most aggressive hiring strategies will fall short if those areas are lacking.
When leaders work together to build a workplace where people want to work, they’re far more likely to attract new talent through organic means, like word-of-mouth and employee referrals. These internal endorsements are often more effective than paid listings because they come from trusted sources inside the organizations.
Referrals are especially valuable in fixed operations, where finding qualified talent can be challenging. Encouraging existing employees to recommend others builds a stronger team and fosters a sense of ownership and pride among staff.
The hardest role to fill in fixed-ops
Conroy notes the most challenging role to fill is the service manager.
This role is second only to the GM in influence and is critical to dealership performance and customer satisfaction. Service managers often oversee more than half of the dealership’s staff and require leadership skills, business acumen, and the ability to mentor others, making them difficult to replace.
Expand the talent pool
To find the best candidates, dealerships need to widen their hiring funnel.
Effective strategies include:
- Providing relocation support: Candidates are more likely to move for a role if they receive help easing the transition.
- Leveraging social media: Promote open roles on platforms where candidates already spend time, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
While internal promotions are ideal for long-term retention, it’s critical to approach every hiring decision with due diligence. Leaders should evaluate internal candidates fairly and be willing to look outside the organization to ensure the best fit.
Building a strong dealership culture
Building a strong workplace culture is the key to attracting and retaining top talent. Rohrman Auto Group follows the “T.I.P.S.” model, which stands for Transparency, Innovation, Personability, and Servant-mindedness.
- Transparency: Give team members access to data and metrics to understand their performance and take ownership of their departments.
- Innovation: Encourage continuous improvement and idea-sharing that enhances operations and customer experience.
- Personability: Foster a friendly, welcoming, collaborative team environment.
- Servant-mindedness: Prioritize the well-being and needs of customers and colleagues.
Rohrman Auto Group’s mission statement, “driving relationships, awesome experiences,” reflects the strong internal culture and the experience they aim to deliver daily.
Retaining talent
Attracting the right people is only half the battle; retention is where long-term value is realized.
One major driver of turnover is long hours. Conroy limits his advisors to around 40 hours per week. He balances it with time off during the week or early leave days if they work Saturdays.
He believes healthy and happy employees perform better and stay longer.
Technician recruitment and retention
With the ongoing technician shortage, retaining as many techs as possible is essential. He urges leaders to create a clear, growth-oriented technician career path.
Rohrman’s plan includes bi-annual career reviews, defined advancement steps tied to pay and bonuses, and investments in training.
The first three years are when turnover typically occurs. But by the five-year mark, technicians often stay long-term, making that period critical for retention efforts.
Conroy emphasizes the importance of supporting techs through training and leadership and ensuring they feel valued.
"Employees are better when they're healthy– and healthy means physically, mentally, spiritually, that entire package. You can't get that when you're working 60 to 65 hours." – Austin Conroy
