Women breaking stereotypes at TX Lexus dealership
Scoot over, Jack. At Park Place Lexus in Plano, Texas, (an affluent suburb just north of Dallas) youıre just as likely to find Jill in the driverıs seat and on the showroom floor. In an industry where men have traditionally dominated, Park Place Lexus encourages women to excel in the automotive field. ³People donıt think of women in prominent positions in the automobile industry,² says Sherry Miller, vice president of human resources for Park Place Dealerships. ³But there is tremendous potential in our company. We hire for attitude then train for success. Weıre less interested in prior experience and more focused on finding highly motivated people who want to succeed.² Out of 47 female members at the dealership, there are currently six women on the sales team, and Park Place Lexus would like to see those numbers grow. Currently, there are 228 total members employed at the dealership. The six women in sales at Park Place Lexus represent a wide range of backgrounds from estate planner to corporate sales and retail. Although several had never sold cars before, the constant between them is passion. ³How does anyone get up in the morning without a passion for something?² asks Jamie Klein, who was in sales at a record label before coming to Park Place Lexus six years ago. ³My clients appreciate my directness. Iım willing to go the extra mile to discover their needs. You might say I mother them a little.² ³Itıs not a battle of the sexes,² explains Ms. Miller. ³Itıs about offering our clients more choices. Some people find it easier to relate to a man when buying a car, and some are more comfortable talking to a woman. Their sales figures are indistinguishable.² Park Place puts a great deal of emphasis on screening and testing to find the right member, the companyıs internal designation for employees. The average Park Place member undergoes more than 100 hours of training per year. ³Itıs in our best interest and the candidateıs best interest to select the right person for a specific job,² explains Ms. Miller. ³Once hired, we invest a lot in our members to help them grow in their area of expertise.² While the women represent a wide range of ages and personalities, they all share a passion for perfection. As Kim Bergman said, ³My success is a direct result of the leadership we have here. Park Place Lexus makes sure I have the training to be the best at my profession. And thatıs what led us to be the first automobile dealership to ever receive the 2005 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.² Park Place Lexus will be honored in mid-April when Vice President Dick Cheney presents the Malcolm Baldrige Award, the highest level of national recognition for excellence. Park Place Lexus was named the recipient in the small business category. Park Place Lexusı member satisfaction rate of more than 90 percent has led industry giants such as General Mills to benchmark Park Placeıs processes. Compared to a 55 percent employee turnover rate in the auto industry, Park Place Lexusı turnover is less than 22 percent. ³I love Park Placeıs philosophy,² Angela Zateeny says with a smile. ³We welcome people into an environment thatıs more like a home than a car dealership. Itıs all about choices. And in the luxury market, thatıs what sets us apart from our competition.² Park Place has created an environment that encourages clients to spend time at the dealership. The client lounge resembles a comfortable living room with overstuffed chairs and plasma TVs. A complimentary beverage bar offers gourmet coffee, soda and bottled water. Clients have access to computer stations, wireless internet, telephones, personal DVD players and movies. Programs, such as the Park Place Lexus ³50-50 committee meetings², allow an open forum where members devote 50 percent of the time to ideas and concerns, and 50 percent to solutions, thus the members not only point out problems, but also provide solutions. Founded in 1987, Park Place Dealerships is comprised of nine dealerships representing a dozen high-end brands in Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. In addition to Lexus, Park Place represents Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar. Park Place Dealerships employs more than 1,000 people. Park Place Lexus Plano opened in 1991 and has undergone more than 10 expansions. For more info, go to www.parkplacetexas.com/careers/.