Automotive News - September 23, 2019 - Best Practices Supplement - A15

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 | 15
PRINCIPLE AUTO, SAN ANTONIO

Learning about business and life
Classes from breathing
therapy to negotiation
help employees grow
Published in Automotive News Feb. 4, 2019

Danielle Szatkowski
autonews@crain.com

eing outgoing wasn't natural for
Yvonne Garcia, and sometimes she
felt intimidated - which can be a
problem for someone in retail.
So the sales associate at Principle Auto's
BMW of San Antonio took a class - one of many offered through the group's Principle University - in which she had to sing, act, dance
and share personal stories in front of her peers.
After the course, she sold more than 20 autos
each month for a year, making her the company's No. 1 client adviser. She has since been
promoted to new-car sales manager.
"After taking many of the classes, I can now
say I have completely changed from the person I was when I first started seven years ago.
These classes have helped me overcome some
of my challenges by having me deal with them
head-on," Garcia said. "In my new role as
manager, my training has allowed me to help
my associates gain trust in themselves and
push themselves harder in order for us to accomplish something beyond our goals as a
team."

Softer skills
While companies often have training for
new employees or to standardize practices in
specific departments, the San Antonio dealership group's Principle University also addresses softer skills such as financial literacy,
breathing therapy, how to dress for success
and the Dale Carnegie class that got Garcia to
open up.
"No matter what each associate's experience is when they start a career with us, they
will grow personally and professionally while
enhancing their desire to take care of our customers by all means possible," said Abigail
Kampmann, CEO and co-founder of Principle
Auto. "We understand how important it is for
our associates to gain and retain effective
tools to successfully take care of our customers every day."
The fast-growing group has improved sales,
profits and retention since starting Principle
University in 2015, she said. Overall employee

Yvonne Garcia, left, became a better sales associate after a class gave her confidence. CEO
Abigail Kampmann, right, vows employees will grow personally as well as professionally.
Principle Auto in San Antonio
amplifies employee satisfaction
through classes on financial literacy
and breathing therapy as well as
sales negotiations and parts
logistics.

turnover dropped by 12 percentage points
since then.
The group taught more than 500 classes in
2018 and expects the program to continue
growing across its seven store locations in
Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee, including
classes taught remotely.

Outside teachers
New employees quickly become aware of
Principle University because that's where they
go for a mandatory course, offered once a
month, called Principle Practices. In addition
to learning the company's benefits and policies, they get to meet its leaders, including
Kampmann and COO Mark Smith, the other

co-founder, to learn the company's history
and its guiding principles, Kampmann said.
Some classes are specific to a department -
sales associates study negotiations, for example - or location and might be taught by an
in-house expert.
Other times, Principle hires outside teachers, such as those from Dale Carnegie or the
SmartTribes Institute. That Mill Valley, Calif.,
firm taught the sales and leadership teams
neuroscience-based techniques, such as mirroring the gestures and vocal styles of dealership guests to better comfort and connect
with them.
Kampmann said her aim is to provide employees with resources that will promote unlimited opportunities for both professional
and personal growth.
Garcia, the newly confident sales manager,
said it makes a difference.
"Abigail always ensures that her associates
are knowledgeable, comfortable and supported," she said. "It's a comforting feeling knowing that Principle Auto takes such great care of
us." a

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