Automotive News Canada - October 2023 - 18

18
* OCTOBER 2023
Best Dealerships To Work For
Kia Victoria
Victoria, B.C.
lPresident: Greg Churchill
lManaging partner: Brad Ostermann
lNumber of employees: 42
Riverside Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep plans numerous staff events a year, such as
bull riding, lunches, awards dinners and paintball. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Riverside DodgeChrysler-Jeep
Prince
Albert, Sask.
lDealer principal: Trenton Hargrave
lNumber of employees: 36
Partner/CFO Cameron Bates on
unique benefits and perks for
employees: We offer unlimited paid
sick days to all employees. We host
several employee events per year,
including a year-end party, bull-riding
events, awards supper and staff
lunches.
Bates on improving employee retention:
We formally review all staff compensation
twice a year and make necessary adjustments.
We offer a merit-based compensation
plan, which pays individual staff for
their performance. We have a team system
in the sales department as well as for
our technicians, which improves training,
quality control and structure for our staff.
Bates on steps the dealership takes to
recruit service technicians: We have implemented
a very attractive pay plan and benefits
package for our service technicians,
and we're committed to improving retention
of technicians. We have hired several
technicians by word of mouth from our
current employees who are happy and successful
at our dealership.
Marketing Manager Bethan
Ostermann on management's
approach to recruiting and retaining
female employees: We place a real
focus on hiring and retaining female
staff. Our approach is really simple:
Our dealership operates with such
integrity and sincerity that you can't
help but feel welcomed. We are fortunate
to have women hold three of
our department head positions, providing
leadership, mentorship and
trailblazing the way for other women.
Like they say, if you see it, you can
be it. Plus, we offer guaranteed pay
plans and flexible hours and shifts to
accommodate working families.
Managing Partner Brad Ostermann on
management's approach to incorporating
diversity, equity and inclusion in
hiring and employment practices: We
believe that our staff should reflect
our diverse society and so we focus on
hiring and promoting a diverse team.
We feel that diversity is strength and
different ideas come from different
backgrounds. We celebrate the cultures
of our staff by hosting culturally
themed meals and events. Some examples
are our Juneteenth lunch and
our Mexican Independence lunch.
It's a family affair at Kia Victoria, with
Marketing Manager Bethan Ostermann
and her four sons delivering a $2,000
cheque and three Kia Souls filled with
nonperishables for the Mustard Seed Food
Bank as part of the annual Soul Food
campaign. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Brad Ostermann on departments/positions
facing the biggest hiring/retention challenges:
The sales department traditionally has
the highest turnover, so we really focus on
making sure that every sales associate has
an opportunity to make money. We focus
daily on improving their skill set and their
paycheques to ensure job satisfaction and
long-term careers. The service department
has the hardest time finding journeyman
technicians, so we focus on growing our
own. We have four apprentices who are in
the program and working toward becoming
Red Seal Technicians over the next two
years.
Automotive News Canada - October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News Canada - October 2023
