Garber Automotive Group
Garber Chevrolet Linwood
Linwood , MI
General manager: David Tokarsky
Dealership group: Garber Automotive Group
Full-time employees: 33
Tokarsky on changes to employment practices because of recent industry disruptions like the inventory crisis: “We have kept the new-car department engaged by giving them extra time off, participating in golf outings and, at times, complimentary food trucks for the entire dealership. These activities help us all keep a connection to each other and also keeps us all rowing the boat in the same direction.”
Tokarsky on how employment practices could change with the industry shift to electric vehicles: “We have a dynamic sales force that has been great at adapting to change over the last two years, and we believe the same people can adapt to selling EVs. Our techs are always doing training to keep up with technology and changes in the market.”
Tokarsky on improving employee retention: “Simply put, leadership. We subscribe to servant leadership, which allows for our employees to be heard, and their ideas are listened to and acted upon. We also have their success in mind over our own, which is the biggest retainer for employees. We know that the employee will quit the leader before they quit the job, so we focus on servant leadership first.”
Tokarsky on offering a long-term career path: “We lay out a path from day one with boxes to check along the way. We also have a 30- and a 60-day survey that goes out to the new hire to ensure we are all on the same page and expectations are being met on both sides.”