A Calling 1 | Page 31

CAREERS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COLLISION & PAINT ESTIMATING EXPLORE ONLINE FINANCE & INCOME MARKETING PARTS DEPARTMENT RECONDITIONING SALES SERVICE DEPARTMENT TITLES & ACCOUNTING PREFERRED QUALITIES OUTGOING PERSONALITY POSITIVE ATTITUDE GOAL ORIENTED GOOD PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS ABILITY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS DESIRE TO LEARN NEW THINGS “We have many opportunities and you can make a great living in this business.” explains. “People don’t shop for cars like they used to. They don’t go to five or six dealerships and look around. They shop online first.” That change led Lewis to hire business development coordinators. “They’re responsible for chatting and emailing with our online shoppers to schedule VIP appointments,” Lewis says. “Those customers expect a different kind of buying experience, and we want to give that to them.” The marketing department also plays an important role. “We don’t just focus on buying ads and digital marketing,” Lewis explains. “We also support our schools and sponsor as many local teams, events and charities as we can. It’s more of a grassroots effort to invest in our community.” The company’s ability to evolve extends to restructuring other departments like sales. “It used to be that if you were in sales, you worked 60 hours a week and each weekend,” Lewis says. “People don’t work like that anymore. We created different levels within our sales department where you can start out as a product specialist or delivery specialist to grow your knowledge and move up. You also start at an hourly rate, so that relieves the burden of working only on commission.” The service department at Lewis Automotive has also changed over time. “Our technicians use computers a lot of the time,” Lewis explains. “It isn’t crawling under cars and rebuilding them. The job is becoming more high-tech, and it’s tough to find people with the skills we need. We invest about $20,000 in training our technicians over two or three years.” That investment includes specialized training from the manufacturer that teaches technicians how to work on their specific products. You don’t need a lot of experience to start a career at Lewis Automotive. You just need the right personality and attitude. “People who have worked in the restaurant industry do well in sales roles because they’re good with customers, can think on their feet and have an outgoing personality. Our people also tend to be goal oriented,” explains Angela Comstock, the dealership’s human resources manager. “In many positions, you can earn bonuses based on your performance.” If you like working with cars, taking an automotive repair class could give you an edge. You also need to have good problem- solving skills, follow directions and be willing to learn. No matter what you do at Lewis Automotive, you’ll find opportunities to grow. “All of our current managers were promoted from within,” Lewis says. “We will help develop your talents and give you the time, tools and training you need to succeed.” FAYETTEVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | 29