Archive for January, 2010
A day in my life…
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
I woke up this morning and realized that I am very much like most adults who are the parents of two young children who work full-time. I rise with the thoughts of just wanting to go back to sleep because I was awoken 3 times during the night by my teething little boy and my daughter who decided it would be fun to sleep with mom and dad at 2am.
I get up, shower, get dressed and within 45 minutes my adrenaline for the day kicks in (aka strong coffee). I drop the kids at the babysitters and realize I need to be on my A-game for the next 9.5 hours because nothing happens in my world until a vehicle is sold.
I begin my day at one of our dealerships and meet with our service department about an internal contest that I am managing. It’s early so we keep the meeting short and sweet, and before I know it, I am in the car on my way to our corporate office for a daily review with my account manager to see where we are focusing our efforts today. We strategize and put together a few lunch ’n learn programs for two of our most supportive accounts. Our goal in doing these is to inform and educate the employees of these organizations so they know the resources available to them and to provide a platform that provides honest answers and sets expectations for our program going forward.
Now I am off to a luncheon in Brookfield that helps women in business thrive and strengthen their leadership skills. I arrive and realize how empowering it is to be involved with a network of ladies that care not only about me personally, but also want to see me succeed professionally. We discuss our goals and objectives as a group for the year and plan many meaningful and educational programs to further our development. I then meet with one of our group board members to discuss a possible partnership between a non-profit that supports safe teen driving programs and my employer. The possibilities are endless and our brainstorming session further validates what my role is not only within our company but with our community.
After I have checked my blackberry to scan through over 30 emails(in a 3 hour timeframe – geez!), I drive expeditiously to another one of our locations because I have a sales team meeting. Our plan today is to cover what our customers expect from us and how we can deliver the solutions our customers need without “selling” to them. After all, we are in the transportation solutions business. The sales associates bring needed input and opinions to our process and the value received only makes us a stronger team, even when each store has a different culture and clientele. By the time our discussion comes to a close, I realize that the day is coming to a close and it’s time to head home.
As I drive to pick up my kids, I further realize that it’s a blessing to be involved in an industry that constantly evolves and challenges us, as people in business. Each day brings about new opportunities and it’s up to me to decide how I am going to make the most of them. I enjoy what I do and the people that I help. Can most people say that at the end of the day?
To contact me directly, send me an email – cihde@ewaldauto.com. I welcome your comments.
Tags: automotive, car dealership, cortney ihde, Ewald
Posted in For Employees | 1 Comment »
What our training means for you
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
For most people, the thought of an all-day training event sounds like some sort of punishment. However, I am an odd ball and I actually look forward to training sessions! For me it is another chance to learn and improve what it is I do at work and I always seem to walk away with something new to apply. So, when I heard about a training event to teach employees about their three responsibilities to a customer, I jumped at the chance to attend.
As I listened to the three things that we must provide each of our customers, I realized that the same training we were receiving could be applied to helping you buy your next car. Here are the three things we are responsible to our customers for and how you can apply them to your next vehicle purchase:
Identify the correct vehicle: Most people walk into a dealership with an idea of what kind of vehicle they want, it is our job to narrow that down to the exact car you are looking for. In order to do this we will help you by walking around the vehicle with you to ensure it is what you are looking for, allow you to drive the vehicle, ensure you understand the features and benefits and ensure it is the vehicle you need. This is your time to make sure any questions you have about the vehicle are answered.
Work within the customer’s budget: This is what gets most people worried. They do not want to find the car they really want unless they know it will be in their price range. What we advise people to do is find a car they want and then we will find a way to fit it into your budget. For most people, their budget comes down to the amount they pay per month. So if they know they can afford $500 per month it is more important to get financing terms that will meet this than a lower price with a higher monthly rate. That said, have a realistic understanding of how much vehicle your monthly payments will buy (a general rule of thumb is $100 per month for every $5000 of vehicle). It is our job to find you the correct vehicle and get it within your budget, not figure out your budget and put you into a car to match it.
Work in a timely matter: How long should it take for you to own your new vehicle? This can be fairly open to interpretation, depending upon the customer’s purchase time frame. Some people expect car buying to take a month and others think they can buy a car in 30 minutes. While both scenarios are extremes, we see them every day. It is important to have the correct expectations going into the deal and finding someone you can build rapport with who will educate you as you go through the purchase process. We follow a strict procedure to ensure that you walk away completely satisfied every time and because we know our customers approve.
Knowing what some of our responsibilities are will help you understand how you can improve your vehicle purchasing process. Should you ever have any questions, please feel free to email me: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Tags: Auto, automotive, Automotive Advantage, car buying, car dealership, Ewald, new cars, vehicle sales
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AAAAHHHHH Memories… My First Car Buying Experience
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
At a very young age, I discovered what my dad and extended family did for a living. They sold and serviced automobiles. It was cool when I was a little kid because my dad would bring home the latest and greatest cars for us to explore, he even let us steer the wheel a few times on drives around the neighborhood.
As I approached my teenage years, I had the opportunity to work at one of our dealerships in the office. I learned about work ethic, how to file a service repair order by the vehicle identification number and that a warm office is most often underappreciated, since our file room wasn’t heated and I needed a space heater.
After a few years of learning the administrative support structure in our store and graduating to part-time receptionist, I realized that eventually I would need a car to get where I needed to go, including work, golf team and socializing with my friends. My dad advised and taught me that in our business “There’s No Such Thing as a FREE Lunch” so I planned to put away the money I was earning to make that first car purchase.
When the time came, my parents sat down with me and explained the responsibilities of owning a vehicle and asked me if I thought I was ready for that responsibility. Undoubtedly, I said YES! So, we took a look at what I had saved and looked at what I could afford and settled on a BRAND NEW 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier!
My dad had to find the right one for my budget but it worked out and I was so excited. It was teal, the real turquoise color that everyone wanted in 1996. It was a 2-door coupe with a CD player! What a great option to have! And it was brand new. I was the first person to drive it out of our dealership. At the age of 16, I was a vehicle owner and I had done it all on my own!
As I reflect on that one experience, I realize that many other people get quite nostalgic about their first purchase experience and it makes me curious about what you might like to share with others. If you have a story to share, please do!
To email me directly, cihde@ewaldauto.com or visit my blog at www.ewaldautomotiveadvantage.com/blog.
Tags: automotive, car buying, car purchase, Ewald, first time car buying, new cars
Posted in For Employees | No Comments »
Is a perks and benefits website the right move for your company?
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
When your employees have questions about their benefits or perks where do they turn to? Do they have a person that they can ask about what is available to them? Unfortunately, I have seen a trend lately to shrink HR departments and move benefit and perk information to an outsourced website. Not all companies have chosen to make this move; however, the ones that have are missing the boat on the true intent of having voluntary benefits – added value to the employee. I am a strong believer that this resolution is the wrong move.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand the desire to move benefit information to one place. Companies are looking at expenses and becoming leaner as far as employee count. There is a strong desire to outsource benefit information to a website. I also understand that it is far easier to update a website with new information and the mentality that employees will have a central location to find out about their perks and benefits.
All that said, I still believe that relying on a website is the wrong move. It’s impersonal. It doesn’t reach out to your employees and say “Here is what we are offering you, in addition to everything else!” Although they could go to a website to find out, a website will not stay in front of them and remind them of everything that you are doing for them.
I have noticed that very few employees actually check websites and rarely know when their benefits or perks change. So, if a perk or benefit is no longer available, has been altered or added, they will likely not know about it, unless your company, or the one you hired to manage this website, does a stellar job of communicating. Although this may not seem like a huge problem, it can be if an employee was planning to use a benefit that is no longer available. Also, why would you add a new benefit if you don’t want your employees to know about it and use it?
So, do I understand why companies are moving to web based perks and benefits websites? Absolutely. Do I believe that it is the correct way to assist your employees? No way. If you have no intent on communicating perks and benefits, why have them? Just something to think about when considering a benefits website.
Tags: Auto, benefits, Employee benefits, employees, Human Resources, perks
Posted in For Employers | 1 Comment »
My New Years Resolutions
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Don’t worry, I don’t intend to talk about my new weight loss plan or how this year will be the year I finally quit smoking (mainly because I don’t smoke and don’t need to loose weight!). Although personal resolutions are great, this year I decided to focus on what I want to change professionally. Perhaps, some of my resolutions will resonate with you and aid you to approach the people around you in the new year with a new vigor.
Realize other people’s strengths: So often it is easy to assume that because we are good at something, everyone should be good at it. To us, the job is simple, so it is hard for us to understand why anyone else doesn’t find it to be the same as we do. However, this year I want to focus on the fact that we all have our own unique strengths. Some people are better at conflict resolution than others. Some people are IT savvy, whereas I know there are many of us that are not. When you enable and encourage people to use their strengths, you are inevitably strengthening the company as a whole and allowing the individual to grow professionally.
Ask for help: This one is going to be hard! Even when I find myself buried in work and completely fed-up, I still find it difficult to ask for the help I need. I fully understand that I need assistance, and I should probably delegate the task, but the asking for it doesn’t seem worth the relief that it will bring. This year I resolve to make a habit out of asking for the assistance I need, before I become overwhelmed.
Communicate more: Obviously, I use social media and technology to communicate but at the same time I need to make a conscious effort to increase my human-to-human communication. The very act of picking up the phone or stopping by an office can make such a difference in today’s world. Whether it is my colleagues or my clients, the time it takes to talk face-to-face can mean a lot to people. It is my goal to not rely on technology as much this year and force myself to make the effort to talk face-to-face whenever possible.
Collaborate: This one is mainly focused on my clients. I often try to work with my clients to best serve and inform their employees but I often feel like I am asking something of them instead of providing something to them. This year I want to find out what my clients want and then collaborate with them to make that happen. I am positive that by working hand in hand I will reduce their burden and better serve their company and employees.
Follow-up: On busy days, simply checking your voicemail can seem like a herculean chore. The time it takes to return a phone call or reply to an email may be minimal but when there are hundreds of emails and phone calls to respond to, it adds up. This year I want to set aside time to make sure that I can timely follow-up with every correspondence. I know this will allow my brain to process information, requests and conversation more effectively, which helps me the best I can be in my role.
What do you want to accomplish in 2010? Personally, what is hindering you that only you can fix? What goals and resolutions can you set for yourself? Think about it and then let us know. You never know, maybe I can help you or you can help me…
Until next time, have a Safe and Happy New Year. I wish you much success in achieving what you desire!
Tags: Auto, automotive, Automotive Advantage, Ewald, New Years, Resolutions
Posted in For Employees, For Employers | No Comments »