Pub. 12 2014-2015 Issue 3

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S I S S U E N O . 4 , 2 0 1 4 26 new jersey auto retailer The Dealer Principal is the ultimate decision maker. Does the Dealer need to hold an election every time they want to make a change in policy, processes or personnel? Do they really need anyone’s vote other than their own? Assum- ing a Dealer Principal owns their store, aren’t they the one who has made the investment in property, equipment, inventories, and personnel? If so, then doesn’t the Dealer deserve a good return on that investment? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then why do some Dealers think they need permission from any employee to make a change in anything? Let’s assume a ServiceDepartment’s productivity is running at 120%. The dealership has two open bays with lifts and the Dealer asks their ServiceManager to hire twomore technicians in an effort to sell more appointments, increase customer pay sales and, ultimately, raise the dealership’s service absorption. Potential, your manager’s response might be something like: “Ralph and George (technicans) each are using two bays and they would be very upset if we hired two more techs and gave them the other two bays, so I don’t think this is a good idea.” What does a Dealer do? Do they need the “buy in” of three employees before they can make a decision? BY DON REED You Are Not Running A Democracy