The dealership, which sold 918 new vehicles and 855 used vehicles in 2021, no longer receives customer complaints about parking, Jones said.
It was “really a minor suggestion, but for that service customer that pulls into the lot, it’s a huge deal,” he said.
Small changes suggested by the committee add up, Jones told Automotive News.
A salesperson’s idea to have employees and their families gather quarterly has contributed to a family atmosphere at the dealership and aided new friendships, Jones said. And those kinds of attributes help reduce turnover and are a factor in Faulkner Subaru Harrisburg’s perennial accolades on Automotive News‘ list of the 100 Best Dealerships To Work For, he added. The store was No. 17 on that list in 2022. The quarterly gatherings suggested by the committee have included activities such as bowling or miniature golf.
The dealership’s open-minded atmosphere inspired the committee, Jones said. Committee meetings were meant to formalize the brainstorming that was already taking place in fragments when employees conversed between helping customers or when on lunch breaks, he said.
And the discussions at committee meetings have continued to be conversations — not lectures — around employees’ ideas for improving dealership operations, Jones said. Ideas can be worked on over several meetings, and employees delegate tasks and work with their departments on implementation in between meetings.
“The frontline guys that are out there, that do it every day, they have your best idea,” Jones said.
