One of the critical lessons many of our dealerships have learned coming out of the pandemic is the need to plan for the unexpected. While working through Covid-19 presented many unique challenges that were virtually impossible to predict, some business interruptions are much more predictable.
Often when the topic of succession planning is discussed, it is in the context of senior leadership. While certainly identifying your dealership’s next Dealer Principal or General Manager is critical, it is not the only area where this best practice should be applied.
If your Service Manager announced their departure from your dealership, is their successor trained and ready to assume the role? Have you identified a current associate working in the service department that would be ready to assume this position? The same question should be asked of all key departments that are vital to supporting our customers including Sales, Rental, and Parts.
The first step in the process is identifying potential associates who could be future leaders at your dealership. The next step is to quantify where they are in their personal development to fill a senior position. Does the associate possess all of the necessary skills to perform the role at a high level or do they need a development plan to enhance their skillset? It is not uncommon when doing succession planning to determine a qualified candidate is not currently on staff which, then opens the need to recruit for this role.
Taking the time to do succession planning at all levels of your dealership will ensure your business is prepared for a smooth transition and continuity when the time comes for new leadership.