Best Dealerships to Work for
AutoNation
Land Rover Fort Lauderdale
Pompano Beach , FL
Overall Rank for 2014: 54
General manager: John Evanicki
Full-time employees: 48
2013 new-vehicle sales: 562, even with 2012
Cool perk: Each year when the dealership wins the manufacturer's recognition program, the whole staff is taken to a restaurant to celebrate.
Evanicki on showing employees that they are valued: "We make every effort to keep associates informed on the latest happenings -- everyone wants to feel like they are in the loop, and we share as much info as possible.
"In addition, associate feedback is welcome. If people know that their contribution makes a difference, they are more likely to be engaged, which creates greater job satisfaction.
"We encourage associates to think out of the box to create a better customer experience. Success stories are broadcast, and not-so-successful efforts are carefully and quietly coached so as not to bruise anyone for trying. They all know that it's OK to make a mistake as long as they had the right intentions and they don't make the same mistake twice."
Evanicki on a change in response to staff requests: "We had a self-contained single-cup bean-grinding coffee system that was noisy and not reliable -- but it was inexpensive. The machine was near our service cashiers, and the noise from the grinder was overwhelming, often drowning out conversations in person and on the phone. We switched to a Keurig brewer and moved it to a location away from working associates. Our associates and customers were delighted."