How general manager Brad Wise adapted his hiring process to a post-pandemic world

Now that most of the industry has settled into working remotely or returned to the office, recruitment has been top of mind to fill those roles that might have become vacant along the way. Today on Inside Automotive, we discuss how to recruit and retain top talent at your dealership with Brad Wise, General Manager of Ferman Chevrolet Mazda.

In terms of skillset, Wise says he looks for salespeople who are tuned in to social media and can create content related to the dealership on their personal platforms. In fact, Wise and his team have discussed hiring content creators and then training them to be salespeople. That is one of the most important skills that has changed over the past several years, says Wise.

“What we’re trying to do is produce massive amounts of outbound, meaningful, and creative activity all day,” explains Wise.

From his perspective, Wise’s perfect candidate is a superstar that is underappreciated at their current store. That is the type of employee Wise wants to get in front of, he adds. Ferman Chevrolet Mazda has taken great strides in branding and positioning itself as one of the top places to work in automotive retail.

Once you recruit top talent to your dealership, you must retain them. Consistent and valuable training is essential to retention. Wise says Ferman Chevrolet Mazda holds training sessions daily starting at 8:30 am. He explains that many training sessions have nothing to do with selling cars. The training focuses on becoming better people and growing personally while growing professionally.

To recruit high-performers to your dealership, Wise says to look at restaurant, bar, and hotel personnel. These candidates are used to working on their feet, working hard, and typically have great people skills. Pay attention to the great service you get at restaurants or bars, and have some business cards on hand if an opportunity arises.

When it comes to staffing open management positions, Wise takes an unorthodox approach. He says that a great salesperson isn’t necessarily a great manager. A great manager is a motivator, a leader, an organizer, and treats people consistently, says Wise.

For more great insight from Brad Wise, General Manager of Ferman Chevrolet Mazda, watch our entire interview above.

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