Automotive News Canada - January 2020 - 8

* J A N U A R Y 2 020

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA

Reap the rewards PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
of loving the community
BEST PRACTICES SPOTLIGHT ON

There's payback for
a P.E.I. dealership
group that's just
doing the right thing
for 'friends and
neighbours'
By STEPHANIE WALLCRAFT
TORONTO CORRESPONDENT

CENTENNIAL AUTO GROUP
began holding test-drive events
three years ago to benefit local
causes. These events are now
held year-round at each of the
group's nine dealerships on
Prince Edward Island, generating goodwill and sales, said
Eric Rodgerson, Centennial's
director of marketing and
technology.
"It really grew very quickly. It became just a thing that
we do now. People know us for
[the events]."
While community involvement is often motivated by a
desire to give back to customers and foster relationships,
it also is good for business,
according to a 2014 global survey by Nielsen. The study
found that 55 per cent of consumers are willing to pay
more for products and services

SALES TODAY, 2 YEARS LATER
provided by companies that
demonstrate a commitment
As for demonstrable return,
to making a positive social
each test-drive event results
impact.
in one to two sales on the day
During a recent testthat it's held, Rodgerson said.
drive event, Centennial
However, there are also lonMazda raised $3,000 for
ger-term benefits.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
"Some people aren't in
Charlottetown. Mazda Canada
the purchasing cycle at that
provided T-shirts,
point," Rodgerson
giveaway items and
said. "We could sell
other support.
a car this year to a
Community events
person that had a test
rev up around holidrive two years ago."
days with food drives
Steve Ramsay,
and charitable donageneral sales
tions. Centennial
manager for
Auto Group recently
Centennial Honda
sponsored a regionin Summerside, said
al hockey game and
that while fostering
offered 2,000 tickets
Eric Rodgerson: relationships within
to customers and oth- Each test-drive
the community beneers who wished to
event results in
fits business, he sees
one to two sales it simply as the right
attend.
on the day of the thing to do.
The group combines its own market- event, yet "we
"The automotive
could sell a car
ing on social media
business in P.E.I.,
with the efforts of the this year to a
and probably anyperson that had
organizations assistwhere, has changed.
a test drive two
ed by the fundraisIt's farther away
years ago."
ing, Rodgerson said.
from the showroom
PHOTO VIA ERIC
"We can give back R O D G E R S O N
floor than it has ever
to the community,
been. In our small
and we can also educate peomarket, especially, a lot of conple who may not have come
nections are made outside the
into our dealership otherwise
dealership.
on the brands that we carry,"
"It goes to our small marhe said.
ket. These are our friends and

Centennial Auto Group's test-drive events benefit local causes
and lead to sales. "People know us for [the events]," said Eric
Rodgerson, the group's head of marketing and technology.
PHOTO: CENTENNIAL AUTO GROUP

neighbours, and we see them
in the grocery store. This is
just another part of it."

PRIDE IN VOLUNTEERING
Another potential benefit to supporting charitable events is creating a more
appealing work environment
for a younger workforce.
According to a 2017 Deloitte
survey on volunteering, 89
per cent of workers think that
companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment than those that do not.
From that same group, 70 per
cent think that volunteering
is more likely to boost employee morale than company-sponsored happy hours.
Moreover, this trend is
strong among millennials.
People in this age group "who
frequently participate in
workplace volunteer activities

are more likely to be proud,
loyal and satisfied employees, as compared to those who
rarely or never volunteer,"
the survey said.
"Our average age at our
dealership is 31, and most of
our people want to make an
impact, and that's actually a
benefit," said Trent Hargrave,
general manager of Riverside
Dodge in Prince Albert,
Sask., one of Automotive News
Canada's Best Dealerships To
Work For in 2019.
"That should be part of our
role as an employer. It creates a culture of, 'It's about
more than me.' ... All of a sudden, not only are you part
of Riverside Dodge, but ... a
team that goes out and helps
Habitat for Humanity or whatever.
"Happy hour is awesome,
but ... a person's work has to
have meaning." - ANC

Canadian union distances
itself from FCA-UAW scandal
But lack of trust
could hang over
2020 contract talks
By JOHN IRWIN
TORONTO BUREAU

LAS VEGAS

EXPO

SATURDAY-MONDAY February 15-17

UNIFOR PRESIDENT JERRY
Dias said his union will be
unaffected by the ongoing
U.S. investigation into the
United Auto Workers union
and General Motors' lawsuit
against Fiat Chrysler accusing
FCA of labour corruption.
"We have a completely different structure in Canada
than they have in the United
States," Dias said. "The problems that they're having ...
are clearly their problems, but
they're not to involve us."
GM in November filed a
racketeering lawsuit against
FCA in United States federal
court, alleging the automaker
engaged in a "multiyear pattern of corruption" that undermined collective bargaining
and caused GM "substantial
damages." FCA denies the
allegations, calling it a "meritless lawsuit" that it will "vigorously defend against."
GM claims it suffered billions of dollars in damages

and ties the late FCA CEO
Sergio Marchionne and former UAW President Dennis
Williams to years' worth of
conspiracies. It alleges, among
other charges, that FCA essentially bought off top UAW
officials to raise GM's labour
costs while lowering FCA's,
making Marchionne's desired
merger of the companies more
likely.
The lawsuit, as well as the
U.S. Justice Department's
continued investigation into
the UAW, comes at a critical
time for both FCA and Unifor.
FCA is in the midst of a merger with France's PSA Group,
while Unifor will negotiate
with FCA, GM and Ford Motor
Co. during contract talks in
2020.

DIFFERENT CULTURE
Dias said FCA never
approached him or Unifor
with a proposition similar
to the one GM alleges FCA
agreed to with the UAW. He
said FCA would not "even
think about" doing so because
of the union's culture.
"The bottom line is we bargain hard," Dias said. "That's

SEE DIAS PAGE 9

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Automotive News Canada - January 2020

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