Transcript 0:00 This is In The Dirt with ASOTU. [car revving] All right. I'm here with probably more of a friend than actually our LinkedIn profiles would reflect because we're not connected, but we're about to be. 0:12 This is Ally Peters with the Cavender Auto Group, and I believe you are our first fixed ops director, uh, on this podcast. All right. Well, thank you. This is an honor. Oh. I appreciate it. 0:22 [laughs] She, she also wants to make it very clear she's the fixed ops director of one Cavender store, not all the Cavender stores. [laughs] That's right. Which store is that? Yes. 0:28 I'm with the Jaguar Land Rover store in San Antonio right now. Oh, so she's bougie. I mean, just a little. [laughs] She said just a little. Just a little. [laughs] So, um, let, let us know. So you're in fixed ops. 0:39 There's a lot of talk in fixed operations about, you know, like, making that, um, very substantive part. Well, it is a substantive part. Mm-hmm. But there's a lot of more focus on it- Right... 0:48 in recent years because of what happened with sales and inventory. Mm-hmm. How has that affected your perspective on the department? 0:54 So honestly, I don't necessarily know that it's changed my perspective, but it has made me more proud to be a fixed ops director because I finally feel like we have the support of everyone that's outside of fixed ops. 1:06 Ah, so now everyone else is like, "Oh, that's what you've been saying." Yeah, yeah. "Oh, fixed ops, it's important. Oh, yes. Service is great." "Oh, shh. But not as fun." R- right, right. It depends on who's doing it. 1:17 [laughs] Right, right. But yeah, no, absolutely. So now, I mean, even just the value in what we do, you know, we learn about fixed absorption when we're growing up as a manager in this role. And now finally 1:28 other people realize, "Oh, hey, it is important," and you do bring value. 1:32 And what you do back there to maintain and retain these customers and it provide the experience actually helps us on the front and helps us in the long term. 1:39 So it's been fun, I think, for everyone else to have a pers- a perspective shift on how important fixed ops is. 1:46 Okay, what is, what is the way you lead your department when it comes to how people feel when they have an experience in your service department? Yeah. So people, it's my favorite thing, my favorite topic. 1:58 I mean, y'all's shirts last night, that was my favorite. Um, so for me, it's all about taking care of our associates and sincerely making them want to be at work. 2:06 So understanding who they are as people and how they fit into the puzzle piece of our department. Because I sincerely believe if you take care of people, they're gonna take care of people. 2:15 And so that ultimately is an extension of me and my desire for that exceptional customer experience through our associates in our team. Okay. So with that, with that kind of, like, premise being set- Okay... 2:29 what other industries do you look to, to in- Do- or if you... I don't wanna put words in your mouth. 2:35 Do you look to other industries to inform the way you treat people or the way you treat customers coming in or even your own team? Yes, that's a really great question. 2:42 I think for me, I will say that sometimes it's very small. So, like, Chick-fil-A, we love that. We love that process. We love that structure, that consistency. Mm-hmm. 2:51 Um, how people care, or at least I as a consumer feel that they care about me even if they really don't. Um- I always go in there and I feel like, "Hey, you really are happy"- Yeah. Yes... "to take my order"- Yes... 3:02 "or clear my greasy waffle fry tray away from me," right? Exactly. I want people who care about people. Mm-hmm. Um, I like the idea... And I guess maybe that's it, the consistency piece. 3:11 I like when I go into other places, whether that's an Apple store or H-E-B in Texas, shout out there. Yeah. It's just that experience that you get where the people that work there feel like they wanna be there. 3:23 Oh, is that it? 'Cause I've never... I, I never knew whether you pronounce it HEB. Oh, yep. H-E-B. It's H-E-B. So I- It's actually his initials. Okay. Mm-hmm. 3:30 And so when you walk in there, you're saying there's a d- there's, like, Chick-fil-A vibes. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So when you talk to people who work there, they're very nice. They're very caring. They're sincere. 3:38 When you talk to people about working there, they can't say enough about how wonderful they feel treated and how they feel valued. So I think that's- Do you try to, do you try to hire people from there? 3:47 So [laughs] I, I do. I have. Busted. [laughs] Yeah. I have. I actually met someone that was high up and I was like, "I'm so sorry, but I really like taking your people." [laughs] But I do, 'cause I do. I just... 3:57 Like I said, I think that if you find people who care about people, we can put them in the process and they can be successful in the car business. I think that's- Okay. So here we are. We're at Digital Dealer- We are... 4:07 in Tampa. My first time. And you... Oh, really? Yes. It's your first time at Digital Dealer. My first time. Yes. Yes. [laughs] And you get the interview and all the whole experience. I know. It's so fun. 4:14 [laughs] Yesterday you went to the Mastermind- I did... which was a new thing for them. Mm-hmm. And they had... How many people do you feel like are in the room? About 80? I wanna say about 80. Yeah. 4:21 About 80 dealers in the room. Mm-hmm. And they had two people kind of, like, emceeing the event. They did. What were your big takeaways from that time? 4:27 So I think for me, it was reassurance in what we're currently doing at my store and in my group, which is great, which is talking about taking care of people in that, in that employee retention piece. 4:37 Because if you make a great place to work, people wanna work there, and then people wanna bring their friends, you know? I feel very, very grateful. 4:43 I'm actually not in the majority right now where we're talking about recruiting technicians. I actually have more technicians than I have work. She just said she has more technicians than you have work. Yes. 4:53 I haven't heard that said from anyone in the auto industry in at least two years. I know. And I feel like I need to knock on wood or, like, cross a finger or something because- You're doing something right... 5:02 well, and the last six, uh, additions to our team were referrals from people who work on our team. There you go. So I, I felt really good about that. And I think for me, I learned a lot of, about the marketing space. 5:12 I'm not as familiar- Mm-hmm... or comfortable in that. And so I even learned, like, CTA means call to action. I love that. I knew what a call to action was. Right. 5:20 I just never have heard it in an acronym form or- I love it. Yeah. So I think for me it was a, like, marketing 101. 5:26 I got some really good information that I'm gonna go talk to Colby about and say, "I know you know this, but now I know. I like that." "But look what I know." Yeah. [laughs] "Let me show you how much I know." Yeah. Yes. 5:33 Well, thank you so much for giving us a few minutes today. Thank you. I love your energy and your enthusiasm for fixed ops. I appreciate it. Thank you. [laughs] Thank you for listening to In The Dirt with ASOTU. 5:44 We love the automotive industry and the people who make it run day in and day out. We would love to connect with you more through our daily dose of fun, a free email that you can sign up for at asotu.com. 5:55 That's A-S-O-T-U dot com. We put our heart and soul into it every day. Thanks again for listening. Join us next time for more conversations In The Dirt with ASOTU. [upbeat music]
