Connecting with the millennial generation is often a top priority for business entities for a variety of reasons. It’s not just on a consumer level, either – many employers are also researching what they can do to make their career field more appealing to the average 18 to 34-year old. This rings especially true for car dealerships, where there’s a considerable amount of turnover and not many young people moving into sales. Roadster, an online storefront startup dedicated to car buying, recently conducted a survey to further discover what millennials look for in a career, which industries they gravitate towards and why. They surveyed 1,006 online respondents who fall into the 18 to 34 ‘millennial’ age group who had bought or leased a new car within the last year. The survey was geared towards dealerships specifically.

The Results

The Roadster survey found that most millennials would prefer a job in information technology or health care. In fact, 59 percent said they would avoid a job as a car salesperson. Interestingly, 60 percent still said they would accept a job at a dealership. Maybe most telling, 70 percent said that they would consider working at a dealership if it made good use of modern technology – iPads, touch kiosks, shared screens and the like. Once all the results were tallied and analyzed, Roadster surmised millennials would most prefer to work at a dealership if it was more like an Apple Store than the car dealership of yesteryear.

Why Technology?

When pressed on why millennials are so focused on technology when it comes to car buying, Roadster concluded that it has a lot to do with the fact that most young people were born into a digital world. Given the purchasing and communication power of smart phones, millennials expect the car buying and selling experience to be just as quick and seamless. It also has a lot to do with the pressure that comes with the traditional car buying experience. The use of technology minimizes and in some cases eliminates the traditional aggressive sales process for both the buyer and the seller. The results of the survey backed this up, as 61 percent of respondents said, “less high-pressure sales” would make them consider working at a dealership. Additionally, 57 percent said more salary and less commission-based compensation would help them consider a career in a car dealership.

In the Field

Modern dealerships are putting this newfound knowledge to good use. Across the nation, many dealerships are forgoing the traditional salesperson tactics in favor of putting the power in the buyers’ hands in the most convenient way possible. This helps tremendously with dealership employee turnover, as salespeople are less pressured to make frequent sales for commissions, resulting in less stress on the buyer as well. The first wave of tech-friendly car buying has come in the form of shopping online. That may not sound revolutionary, but modern auto sales websites offer a seamless transition from the lot to the customer’s computer screen, complete with extremely detailed photos, videos and specs. The entire buying process – from choosing a car to carrying out a payment or applying for financing – can be 100 percent completed online. Taking the car buying tech movement a little further, Roadster’s Express Storefront can be used by any dealership in the nation, providing buyers a modern and convenient car buying experience and giving dealerships a more stress-free selling experience that will potentially lead to less employee turnover and a more desirable workplace.

Miller-Nicholson Has the Technology

Miller-Nicholson Toyota is proud to be on the forefront of the technology-driven car buying movement. As a Roadster Express Storefront partner, customers can shop for a new Toyota car, truck or SUV in the most efficient and modern way imaginable. Browse the online showroom or feel free to contact the dealership by calling (206) 382-4300 for more information.