Millennials, broadly categorized as those born between 1980 and 2000, have made up the largest chunk of the American workforce since 2015. As of 2016, they are also the largest generation in the United States at 75.4 million people, and that number will only continue to grow due to the recent increase in immigration to the U.S. If car dealerships want to stay competitive and continue adding quality workers to their rosters, millennials are a population that simply can’t be ignored.

How Millennials Feel About Car Dealerships

The sad truth is, the auto retailing industry can feel sluggish to millennials no matter how fast the cars are. In a survey conducted by Roadster, a startling 59 percent of millennials said they would avoid working as a vehicle salesperson, though 60 percent confirmed they would take a job at a car dealership. There may be a few reasons for their preconceptions. Firstly, traditional car dealerships don’t exactly have a great reputation, and millennials aren’t the only consumers looking for a change in the way we buy cars. When many people think of visiting a dealership, they imagine a pushy salesman and stacks of paperwork. While this stereotype is outdated, it’s still important for dealerships to address these concerns in order to attract reliable new employees. Back in 2015, a 10-thousand-person survey by Accenture revealed that 75 percent of respondents would consider buying vehicles entirely online to avoid the long wait time, paperwork and general hassle of dealership transactions. After all, the actual car-buying process itself can take 2 to 6 hours just on the day of the purchase, let alone research time. Being more of an instantaneous generation that generally distrusts large businesses and organizations, it makes sense that millennials would flee from auto retailing. From the employee standpoint specifically, 61 percent of millennials don’t like the burden of making “high-pressure sales” and 57 percent would want “more salary” and “less commission-based compensation” at a dealership job. In other words, an unfavorable compensation structure is enough to keep millennial job seekers from setting foot in the door, but changes in this structure would render them more open-minded to such a job position.

What Millennials Expect

There is no one-size-fits-all catalog of what millennials want, just as there is no standard Baby Boomer or Gen-Xer. Many workplace stereotypes about millennials, like their supposed proclivity for job-hopping, are exaggerated or blatantly untrue – but one that’s not?

Love of tech.

This isn’t to say millennials don’t get frustrated with learning curves or don’t become apathetic when bombarded with a constant influx of digital information – they do, just like everyone else. The main difference is they grew up in an era where computers were common in homes. Many younger millennials had access to laptops, tablets and smartphones in their teens and learned to communicate with friends via text and social media. As a result, millennials simply expect high quality technology from a burgeoning industry. As it turns out, tech could be the saving grace for auto retailers looking to attract and retain millennial talent. In the same Roadster survey that detailed millennials’ disdain for dealerships, the researchers also found that 70 percent of millennials would cast aside their doubts and work for a dealership if there was more modern technology available, such as tablets and kiosks. By taking a tech-savvy approach, auto retailers can increase their relevance in the minds of the younger generation.

What Honda of Seattle Does Differently

Keeping all those stats in mind, we at Honda of Seattle have decided to do things a little differently. We’ve enhanced the standard dealership process with the inclusion of an online Express Store that aims to make car buying and selling more convenient and transparent for everyone involved. That means no more waiting at the dealership and no more haggling with car salespeople looking to upsell you on models or add-ons you don’t need. The premise of the Express Store is simple – just go online and select one of our available cars or customize your own dream vehicle. You can complete your payment online, including cash, finance and lease options. Before you know it, your car will be delivered to your home, or if you’re outside the delivery radius, you can come pick it up right from the dealership. We’re also a one-price dealer, which means the price you see is our lowest and only price. As a result of incorporating technology into the car buying process, we have seen more interest from millennials, easier training for newcomers, a decrease in worker turnover and happier customers. That’s a win-win-win-win! If you’re interested in purchasing a new or pre-owned vehicle or trading in your current vehicle, visit us online or call 206-382-8800 today!