Digital Dealer - February 2020 - 22

E XC LU S I V E I N T E RV I E W

and retaining customers, which many underestimate in both cost and time. Dealers are in
business to give customers what they want and
need. And to do this, we have to understand our
customers and their preferences - not only on the
sales side, but also on the service side.

DEALER MAGAZINE: Why do consumers
love Ricart?
Customers love Ricart Automotive because
we have great people and a spectacular culture.
We've been honored by Columbus CEO Magazine
as one of the area's best workplaces for seven
consecutive years. We've placed in the top four of
the Large Employee category all seven years and
were awarded the No. 1 large employer in 2016
and 2019. The culture we've developed is directly
related to our high customer satisfaction. With
the help of Ford Motor Company's CEM (Consumer Experience Movement) program, our training

for when hiring new talent for your stores?
For me, I want to always employ people with a
passion for learning, who want to learn the business and hone their skills to grow professionally.
I always ask that new employees stay at least
three years. And after that time, if they decide
that the auto retail industry isn't for them, I
understand. I want people working at Ricart who
find the industry rewarding and see it as a career
path and not just a job.

DEALER MAGAZINE: What's ahead for
automotive retail in the next five years?
I think the auto retail industry has a spectacular five years ahead. Dealers have been working to
keep pace with the digital age. Through continued education and exposure, dealers will become
more sophisticated with their digital operations.
Additionally, I see that the traditional auto
retail business model, a sales-orientated business

" I think the auto retail industry has
a spectacular five years ahead. "
has accelerated our company's customer oriented
culture to new heights. Our culture is focused on
compassion towards peers and colleagues, which
translates into compassion and understanding
in serving our customers inside our long-term
sustainable business model.

model, will evolve with service and fixed operations serving at the foundation of a dealership's
business. I see many dealers building their fixed
operations particularly in light of more complex
and sophisticated automobiles entering the market, which will require specialized service.

DEALER MAGAZINE: Dealers are among
the most consistent and generous community supporters. Why is it important for
dealers to invest so heavily in their communities and is it worth it?

DEALER MAGAZINE: After so much experience, what do you still enjoy most about
being a car dealer?

I think every dealer in the United States is a
community leader - whether that be a leader in
their church, a leader in their city, a leader in their
schools, or a leader among a philanthropic cause.
America is the greatest place to live in the world,
but America does have holes in its clothing that
need to be patched. The best way to repair these
holes and solve problems in our communities is
for the private sector and private citizens, such as
dealers, to fill the gaps with not only our financial
resources, but also with our intellectual resources
and time.

DEALER MAGAZINE: What do you look

[ d i g i t a l d e a l e r. c o m ]

Back in the 1980s, the automotive retail industry was somewhat archaic, and what excited me at
the time was finding better, more efficient, more
customer-friendly ways of operating our business.
In the 1990s, I was excited by the acquisition of
other businesses, which made our business complex and interesting to manage and grow. And
then in the 2000s, I felt I hit my stride and really
knew how to run auto dealerships, but I had to
start thinking about the next generation.
What excites me today is that I get to be a
teacher. I went from being a tactician to a teacher
and mentor - not only the next generation of
Ricarts in the business, but also to the next generation of employees and next generation of new
automobile dealer.

February 2020

http://www.digitaldealer.com

Digital Dealer - February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - February 2020