SAN FRANCISCO — Being a car dealer (59%) ranked behind being a politician (64%) or a tax collector (62%) as occupations millennials prefer to avoid, according to a new survey. But the news wasn’t all bad for the car business, as results, published this week by Roadster, also showed that 59% of millennials surveyed would change their tune about dealerships if they utilized more modern technology in the sale process.
Conducted in mid-October by research firm Survata on behalf of the ecommerce solution provider, the survey included online responses from 1,006 millennials on job satisfaction, the industries that most excite them, and which occupations they’d like to avoid.
“In order to attract the right talent, dealers need to pay attention to what millennials want, and that’s access to technology,” said Roadster CEO Andy Moss. “Our dealer partners have told us first hand that integrating technology like iPads into the sales process has not only infused a new level of excitement into their sales force but has also helped them retain talent. In an industry known for its exceptionally high turnover, it is time that we truly cater to digital natives and improve the car-buying and selling experience.
Roadster’s survey also found that almost two-thirds of millennials are currently employed, with almost half (49%) actively looking for a new job. And, when thinking about their ideal job, more than 90% said having access to technology was important. In fact, when asked to model a car dealership after another retailer, millennials listed Amazon (37%), Apple (23%), and Starbucks (11%) as their Top 3.
The survey also pointed to other elements about the car dealership experience millennials would like to see changed, including less high-pressured sales (61%), more salary, less commission-based compensation (57%), a more predictable work schedule (30%), and more transparency (26%).
Results of the survey also revealed interesting insights about how millennials view the job market. For instance, the industries that most excite millennials include technology and healthcare at 29%, following by business services/media at 26%, hospitality at 22%, and accounting/finance at 19%.
As for the Top 3 occupations they’d like to avoid, millennials said they would favor becoming a dentist (50%), a stockbroker (55%), a lawyer (59%), and a teacher (60%) over becoming a politician, tax collector, or a car dealer.
Additionally, less than 2% of women think they’ll find their ideal job in the automotive industry, while 67% said they would take a job in the car business if dealerships got rid of their high-pressure sales tactics. As for men, only 8% of men think they will find their ideal job within the automotive industry, and 595 of males polled said they would reconsider accepting a job at a dealership if it offered more salary and less commission-based compensation.
