Two Houston Car Dealers Finding Success

The company has its headquarters in Houston and it owns and operates 142 auto dealerships and 182 franchises in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil. In Houston, the company sells 35 brands of vehicles and has over 1,300 employees in the region. The company announced that it is adding another 50 sales positions and 65 qualified service technicians.

“We are always seeking new talent to join our teams of great sales professionals and skilled automotive technicians,” Delongchamps said.

Another company experiencing success is that of Gillman Auto Group. The company has been family owned and operated since 1938. It represents nine manufacturers in eight stores. There are close to 600 people employed by Gillman in Houston. They currently have openings in the marketing, accounting, sales, finance and parts and service departments.

“In our sales departments, the role of an automobile salesperson has evolved,” said Jody Valentine, human resources director for Gillman. “Consumers have a high level of knowledge because of the amount of information available on the Internet, so salespeople have to be highly trained on how the car functions and especially all of the electronics that are now available as standard equipment on almost every vehicle. We look for people that have strong communication skills, are technologically savvy and have a strong commitment to customer service.”

Delongchamps also noted that technology helps with making sales today. “Technology and information-management systems are pervasive factors in our business. As such, we look for candidates that have the aptitude to understand the processes and the technology associated with sales and service. Ours is very much a people business, and your attitude can determine your level of success.”

Delongchamps noted that they are always looking for people who have excellent people skills, and are committed to teamwork and professionalism.

“Our sales positions provide new opportunities for professionals,” Delongchamps said. “Some of our dealerships will accept candidates with prior sales experience from a different industry, or college graduates looking to enter into an exciting and rewarding career.”

“We do hire experienced salespeople; however, some of our most successful salespeople had no automobile sales experience when they started at Gillman,” Valentine said.