It's like kicking off the first pre-season for the NFL.
Why is now the recruiting season?
Why is now hiring?
You know, if I had a crystal, it's all the time,
but for some, you know, summer's winding down.
You know, the numbers are coming in for the year
and we're going for that final Q3, Q4 push.
All right, so as we come into the Super Bowl
of hiring and recruiting,
I also think there's probably people who are realizing,
hey, they're frustrated
with the financial performance of their store.
They've spent all their resources
and they're at a disagreement with whoever
or whatever they work in
and they're just like open to something else, right?
And maybe that's part of it
as we get closer towards the second half of the year.
What are some best practice recruiting tips
that you could give us based on your expertise?
And also, if you would, CDG,
you've got a compensation report.
Maybe talk a little bit about that,
but what are the three best practices?
Well, the best practice is actually,
you know, they link to compensation, right?
Compensation's not the only thing.
You don't want to sell an opportunity,
not just the paycheck.
You know, top performers really want money,
but they also want a clear path to growth, right?
Dealers who highlight culture, growth path
and modern perks stand out right now.
So that's one.
You got to know the market you're recruiting in, right?
You got to know where the money's going to land,
right?
And that's kind of where we provide that data
and that compensation report.
It's to recruit talent, right?
Here's where the percentiles are, 50 percentile.
It means that, you know, your average, right?
So, and keep in mind, Sam,
that, you know, this is a production-based business, right?
So everything we do on the vendor side,
everything is based on production, right?
And it's also right now,
what we see is in the hiring processes,
they're too dragged out, right?
So you got to move with speed and you have to vet, right?
So you have to call those references.
You have to check the people out.
That's the best thing that, you know,
could we can't just go off word of mouth anymore
with what people are telling us?
Just like a dealer, you know,
has to prove themselves to a top tier candidate
is why they need to come work for them.
You know, the dealers who are moving quickly
are doping up the best talent right now.
So know your market, move with speed,
sell the opportunity, not just the paycheck.
You talked about the comp report.
Why is it important to understand compensation
in the marketplace and what is the compensation report
and how do you get ahold of it?
Yeah, so our compensation report we have,
we'll share the link.
It's all over, you know,
you got to go to CDG Card dealership guys website
and it'll say to do our compensation report.
And if you go to CDGrecruiting.com,
we have it on there too.
You can also DM any of our recruiters
and we'll send you the link,
which this compensation report has,
we've, it's been out there for about a month now.
And really where it stands is,
you know, it's showing the demand
and, you know, what you can get
for what you're paying right now
and where you compare in the market
based on our recruiting data.
Okay, so why is it important?
I mean, obviously you need to know
what different jobs and roles pay.
Do you have a strategy as it relates
to whether you pay market,
do you pay under market, do you pay over market?
Like, what do I do with that report once I've got it?
Yeah, well, right now what you got to do
is you got to be within the market of 50 percentile.
In order to secure top talent right now,
you got to be a little over the 50 percentile.
So 75 percentile is what we're seeing.
And then 90th percentile is people that are,
you know, that are in a dealership right now
and they're cranking, right?
So elite talent, so to speak, right?
All compensation plans are very similar, right?
But what we're looking for,
what we're looking to show you in this report
is basically how you can be,
how you can, you know, make sure you're competitive, right?
And this is based off of, you know,
actually offers made and negotiations we do
on behalf of our dealers with candidates.
So I got a question for you.
Obviously you've got a recruiting service.
You've placed a lot of people all across the country.
One of the things that fascinates me is, you know,
the person that says, hey, I'm frustrated in my current role.
I want another opportunity.
They put their name in a hat, it gets out, right?
How do you, and I've never,
you and I have never really talked about this before,
but do you have any strategies
for like maintaining confidentiality
as you go through it, right?
Because if you are a high performer,
like people talk everywhere in automotive, right?
As soon as somebody drops on the street
or as soon as somebody signals
it's tough to not have it get out.
How do you keep it either as a prospective employer
looking to engage with someone
or you in a recruiting role?
How do you keep a confidential in a world
that there's no confidentiality?
Well, you know, we hold our clients
and our candidates to confidentiality, right?
And we, you know, we execute an agreement
that states that, you know,
this is confidential on the candidate
and the dealer side, right?
And people, I'll tell you that people understand it, right?
Is like, hey, you know,
we wanna make sure that this isn't getting out
because like 75% of the work we're doing right now
is confidential, meaning that the dealer
does not want anybody to know
they're hiring for this position, right?
And they're not posting it, it's not out there.
You know, so that's why we use general terms
when we're posting online about the job we have
is we wanna make sure that we're,
you know, not breaking that and selling the beans, so to speak.
And Stephen, it seems to be that's part of your secret sauce
is that confidentiality piece, that huge discretion piece
because as people move around in automotive,
you don't want just those that churn,
like have a new job every three to six to 12 months.
You wanna find that person that's willing
to make a career in a home
and in an organization like ours here at Ziggler,
we find those right people
and then we cultivate them, we grow them,
we develop them, we give them opportunities
for growth development like Ziggler University.
There are other groups that have very similar
and our philosophy is probably similar to yours.
Once you get into a group like that
and you find a home like that,
it's very low chance that you're gonna go anywhere else, right?
Yeah, no, we carry about over a four year period
where you retain 75% of our placements, right?
Because of our vetting process.
And, you know, we wanna know everything,
we're not held to the same standards as Ziggler
would be as far as HR goes, right?
So we can ask questions that generally
a hiring person can't, right?
So we wanna know about the candidate's family,
we wanna know everything, right?
Before we make that placement,
so we can one know what we're getting into when we place them.
So last question, and thanks for your perspectives
and insights today.
Controllers, the toughest,
what's the toughest number two and number three position?
Ooh, so I would say from our perspective right now
is the fixed, is finding fixed people
that, you know, can really drive the numbers
and hey, a fixed operations manager or whatnot,
their job is to recruit and retain technicians, right?
So if you look at that, when we get a call for technicians,
which we generally don't, you know, we don't do a lot of,
but hey, we have to look at top down
is why are technicians leaving
and why aren't you able to recruit technicians?
Yeah, well, and by the way, that fixed ops director,
there is no better role to create that culture
that brings people in.
So vis-a-vis that it's hiring
for every single position across the group.
So Steven Adronia, general manager at CDG Recruiting.
Thanks for being on the show,
sharing your perspectives.
Controllers, fixed ops directors, fixed ops.
David Spiesak and you agree on that.
Controllers, that's a fascinating one.
So thanks for being on the show.
Thanks, Steven.
That's fun.
So GM, he didn't call out general manager on any of them.
Like Steve Spiesak didn't say that.
He didn't say it.
So maybe I'm wrong.
But again, I think general manager,
it's like people are looking for that spot.
They're looking to jump.
I think controllers have their head in the books.
You know what I mean?
They're not out perusing.
So to your point, you know,
there's a lot of top talent out there
that is doing their job maybe well or exceptionally,
but maybe they're feeling a little underappreciated
or maybe they're not compensated enough.
And then Steven calls at the right time
and connects those beautiful dots.
So before we go to the breakdown with Anna,
I just want to go to a couple of comments
that we're seeing online, but then next we'll go to Anna.
So Matty Max Daddy says, good watch.
Scott Simmons says, David Spiesak is an automotive legend.
We saw that today.
By the way, he's got a great voice.
So I'm jealous of that.
And he's got a great mic as well.
Lauren Klein, are you seeing less demand
for AI-enabled roles like Service BDC?
That's a great question.
We'll have to ask that.
And then Cardiola Ship Guy posted a link
to the CDG Recruiting Compensation Report,
which is cdgrecruiting.com forward slash comp
and noted that it is free from there.
But with that, let's transition over to our very own Anna.
Anna Delvilar.
Anna, welcome to the show.
Hi, guys.
So good to be back.
So joining today, doing well, is our roving head
of editorial content, Anna Delvilar,
to discuss an OEM.
I'm going to set you up here, Anna,
that went from virtual bust to one of the coolest OEM
turnaround stories in all of automotive today.
I'm super intrigued by this.
What you got for us, Anna?
Yeah.
For years, Buick hasn't really been
able to catch a break.
As many of us know during the 2008, 2009 great financial
crisis, Buick's parent company, General Motors,
almost shuttered the brand completely.
But it held on, nestled kind of awkwardly
in between Chevy's mainstream appeal and Cadillac's luxury
positioning.
However, by 2022, Buick's US market share
had cratered to 0.8%.
And leadership knew something had to change.
So they told every Buick dealer either
invest hundreds of thousands in EV infrastructure
or take a buyout.
And roughly half the dealer network walked.
But the dealers who stayed were quick to buy up inventory
from the stores that had exited.
And they got a lot more kind of territory,
is what I've heard from quite a few dealers.
Sarah Automotive was telling me that one of their leaders,
Tyler, was telling me that the closest Buick
store used to be 20 minutes away.
And now it's about an hour.
But buyouts were only phase one.
Between 2023 and 2024, Buick redesigned all of its four
models in just 14 months.
And the vehicles got sleeker, more tech was added,
and they were using higher quality materials.
And as a result, Buick saw the largest first half sales
increase of any mainstream brand this year.
They're up 29%.
And sure, Buick's overall sales are much lower compared
to, say, Honda, for example.
So the growth is more noticeable by comparison.
But the brand has made big strides in product market fit.
However, Buick has some hurdles to face.
Three of its four models are built overseas.
And with tariffs rising, the brand's pricing edge
could disappear fast.
Right now, dealers are telling me
that Buick is eating those costs to stay competitive.
But that's not likely a long-term solution.
GM could shift more production to its plant in Lansing, Michigan.
But that takes time.
They can drop models.
But the lineup's already pretty thin.
And they could raise prices, which
could put off maybe some conquest fires.
So no easy options here.
And not everyone is convinced that this
is a true kind of resurgence.
I was reading the comments and the feedback from that we
got on the story.
And yes, we read every single comment.
But many people think that Buick is still
destined to go the way of Oldsmobile.
And that's a real possibility.
But I'm looking at it more from a glass half-full perspective.
And I think the next 18 months will determine
if this turnaround is more of a permanent fixture
or if it's just kind of a false start.
But so far, really, really encouraging stuff from Buick.
It's a very cool and interesting story.
As you were going through that, Anna,
one of the kind of tests, I guess,
would be at a rental car.
Because I rent cars all the time.
Is there a rental car under that brand
that you really want to drive?
And either the best brands in my mind
either aren't on the rental car lane at all
because they don't engage in that to sell cars.
Or they've got a car that's pretty cool
that you enjoy driving.
And here's what's interesting.
Buicks are a heck of a lot of fun to drive.
And their integration with all the different
is that the heads-up display and the navigation system,
the glass cockpit, as well.
It's very cool.
It's forward-thinking.
It's well above and beyond what you see
in a lot of other, maybe, like Chevy's
and some of the other GM products.
And then you have the Invista for $26,000.
So it's one of the most affordable price to new cars.
And that is definitely giving them a boost.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, Anna, thanks for sharing your research with us.
It's fun to have you as always.
We'll be excited to hear what you come back with later
on this week or next week in your latest research.
Anna Delvalar, thanks for being on the show.
Thanks, guys.
Very cool.
And a note as we wrap up today from Nate, the truck driver.
I did see your DM on social media.
He says, I'm here again today, Sam.
I'm being a sponge as usual.
And I've sent you a DM on LinkedIn.
I'm ready to park it.
So he's a parts driver.
I think he delivers parts, trucks, or a Toyota parts.
And he wants to get into automotive.
And I'll tell you, Julie, that's the great thing
about this auto industry that we're in
is once you find a group where you're comfortable,
you feel like you're part of the culture or vision values,
you can grow.
There is no ceiling for growth in great automotive groups.
That's right.
And it's pretty cool that Nate is continuing to listen.
I'll get back on the DMs and respond back to you.
Or Nate, reach out to CDG Recruiting, too.
They'll bring you in somewhere.
Cole said, I saw a murdered out in Vista on the highway
and was blown away by how cool it was.
I don't know what murdered out means.
This is not.
Like blacked out, all black emblems, black windows,
stuff like that.
I got to say, completely unrelated.
But when I think of something that couldn't be turned around,
to me, totally subjectively, Volvo
was an exceptional vehicle, I mean forever.
But I remember in the 90s, the bricks,
you were like, OK, so they run 500,000 miles.
But they're the worst-looking cars ever.
And then they turned around aesthetically.
They started making really beautiful cars.
The look to me is that it went from nothing to, wow,
I'm starting to see a lot of these cars on the road.
Pretty cool.
Pretty cool.
But that's not always evidence of a successful brand long term.
I think of Oldsmobile, right?
Before they weren't, there were a ton of Oldsmobile,
like the Alero.
I remember a year old Alero you
could sell for $99.95 as a lease buyback or a buyback
from the rental cars.
And they were enormously successful,
but just didn't quite make it long term.
So yeah.
Listen, my mom had a Buick Park Avenue back in the day.
And I remember it was the first car
to have dual zone climate control.
And in the passenger side, I had two little buttons.
You could go a couple degrees hotter,
a couple degrees colder.
So it's interesting.
And then final comment up today.
Lauren Klein says, train and retrain.
And I love that as a comment to David Spiezeck's piece,
is I don't care what tech you have,
I don't care what AI you have.
If you don't have well-trained people
that understand their purpose, their role, their job,
and they're leaning into executing on it,
the whole thing's a disaster.
I don't care what AI you implement.
It's a problem.
So yeah.
You can buy the best calculator,
but if you don't know how to use it, it is worthless.
A calculator what?
I remember the calculator.
And I said, you can buy the best calculator.
No, I know.
You don't know how to use it.
Yeah.
All right, well, hey, everybody, thank you for watching today.
The Daily Deal Alive, where we break down
the biggest moves in the car business as they happen.
Don't forget, we're here live every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday, so we'll be back Wednesday.
So if this is your world, hit like, subscribe,
turn on notifications so you never ever miss a beat.
And we'll see you next episode.
Thanks, everybody.
See you Wednesday.
See you, guys.
About this episode
The episode dives into the challenges of hiring in the automotive industry, focusing on the toughest roles to fill, particularly technicians and controllers. Guests David Spiesak and Steven Adragna share insights on the importance of finding the right talent and strategies for retention. Spiesak discusses the impact of AI in automotive, emphasizing the need for practical solutions over hype. The episode also covers recent automotive headlines, including Buick's turnaround and the evolving market dynamics, making it a rich discussion for industry professionals.
Today's show features:
David Spisak, President/CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, LLC
Steven Adragna, General Manager at CDG Recruiting
This episode is brought to you by:
Prime Dealer Equity Fund - Prime Dealer Equity Fund is providing a limited number of accredited investors with $100,000 or more the rare opportunity to invest directly into franchised auto dealerships; the offering can only be made via the Private Placement Memorandum under Regulation 506(c). Led by seasoned operators with deep experience in both dealership operations and fund management, the fund is designed to deliver consistent cash flow and long-term capital appreciation. f you’re looking to diversify into this asset class—this is your chance. Check out https://primedealerfund.com/CDG/ to learn more.
Disclaimer: This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Any investment can only be made through the official Private Placement Memorandum and only by verified accredited investors. Nothing stated here should be considered investment advice.
—
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/
Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com