Company culture tends to be one of those "all or nothing" aspects of a small business, regardless of the industry – either you know exactly how to define your company culture, or you have no idea.
This can also be referred to as the personality of your business – in this case, your powersports dealership. It's the environment in which you and your team exist, and that includes not only your physical environment (think squeaky clean tabletops vs. oil rags in sight; a customer lounge with reclining seats vs. coffee bar with a barista) but also things like employee habits, beliefs, and communication styles. At a deeper level, it could be your dealership's mission statement and vision for the future.
Why is it important to have a company culture?
- Employees feel a sense of belonging when they're able identify the bigger picture. They understand the goals they're working toward, they see where they fit into the puzzle, and they feel motivated to help push your dealership forward.
- Customers gain a personal connection to your dealership. Not only do they love your motorcycles, but they also feel at home when they walk through your doors. They know what to expect (a welcome and a hot cup of coffee from your greeter, or maybe some friendly banter about last night's basketball game with your sales manager) and it's that personal touch that makes them want to come back.
I don't know what my dealership's company culture is, and I don't know where to start in trying to find it.
- Forming your dealership's mission statement is usually a good place to start. This could be something simple, like: "To provide the best products and buying experience for motorcycle enthusiasts in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs." Or it could be something much more specific, like "To increase our market share in the greater Chicago area by 25% in the next 5 years." It's up to you!
- Along with your mission statement come your dealership's values. Think, "Every customer feels welcome" and "We take care of our customers' needs before they have to ask for it."
- Follow through on those values with actions. Using the examples above – make sure every customer who walks through your dealership is greeted within one minute; offer free first-time service appointments. These values in action is where customers and others in your community can see and identify with your company culture.
Having a strong sense of culture is important for both your employees and your customers, making it ultimately very important to your bottom line. Employees feel a sense of belonging. They know what the reason is behind their daily work, and they have the motivation to deliver results. Customers grow to genuinely like your dealership because they identify with your culture and enjoy their time there. This makes customers want to buy from you, and employees eager to help them.
Happy employees, happy customers, and a thriving dealership business – now that's a company culture we can get behind.