This a guest blog written by Dave Druzynski, Chief People Officer, Auto/Mate.

He is a breakout speaker at the 2018 DrivingSales Executive Summit under our Fixed Ops category.

The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been for 10 years, which is great unless you’re trying to hire skilled and experienced employees—especially technicians. To overcome shortages, service directors often resort to poaching from the competition, which ultimately drives up local wages and shrinks your profit margins.

The reality is, technicians are like any other employees. One more buck per hour isn’t what motivates them in their job search. What they want is what every other person wants: autonomy, mastery, purpose and recognition. They want to work at a dealership where they know management cares about them and has their back. They want to learn how to be the best at what they do without being micromanaged. They want to feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. They want more than a job; they want a fulfilling career and the knowledge that their career goals will be supported.   

At the upcoming DrivingSales Executive Summit, I’ll be teaming up with my cousin Tom Druzynski, Director of Service Operations at New York’s largest dealer group, West Herr, to present “How to Win the Fixed Ops Talent War.”

In 2017, Tom successfully hired more than 100 technicians without poaching. He’ll share the strategies and programs he uses, including partnering with schools, internships and a five-level mentoring program that’s been key in helping to fill the technician void.

I’ll also give tips for recruiting in the digital age where help wanted ads no longer attract talent, and employment brand marketing is king.

In our presentation, we’ll discuss the importance of building a culture where employees love coming to work every day. Additionally, we’ll share best practices and tips for creating professional development programs designed to retain employees and grow their careers.

To win a war, you need to be armed with knowledge. We promise this session will be jam-packed with information and actionable strategies that have proven to work in the real world.

See you in Las Vegas!