Baierl Ford Improves Employee Satisfaction with Ford SMARTT Program

In Zelienople, Pennsylvania, Baierl Ford works hard to present customers with the best cars, service, and prices in town. Employees take the time to ensure that their customers have the best car-buying experiences when choosing new Ford models, and they also make sure that each of their clients obtains a car loan with ease.

Service Director Frank Smith has been with Ford since 1993 and with the dealership since 2012 and knows what his customers and employees need to stay satisfied. So when he was presented with the opportunity to implement the Ford SMARTT program, he jumped on it. According to Smith, “We had watched the videos and read the literature, and after analyzing our processes here, we decided to see what SMARTT could do for us.”

Prepared and Intelligent Trainers

At Baierl Ford, the transition to the Ford SMARTT system began with training, and lots of it. Smith states, “We had to make sure we completed all of our training so that we were ready to go when CDK Global was. We wanted to be informed and prepared since we were investing so much time and energy into the program. We also made sure that all the employees were on board, making them aware that our customers will always expect us to change with the times. We had just moved into a new service center, too, so they were used to a little bit of chaos. It was really the perfect timing for us to push another change.”

He continues: “This change, while exciting for us, was also somewhat scary, but CDK provided trainers who were really, really good. They had a game plan when they arrived, but as you might expect, processes adapted after the trainers saw the size and layout of our new store. They did an excellent job of making our employees and technicians comfortable with the changes that were coming, even those who were somewhat resistant to change.”

Hard Work and Dedication Pay Off

For Baierl Ford, the scariest part was the day they went live. Smith admits, “We were scared to death. We had prepared and planned and worked hard, but you just never know what can happen. CDK was here for us, though, and walked us through everything. It helped that we went live during a slower time of year for us, and our CDK team answered all our questions and helped us adapt as needed. By the time the trainers left, we knew we could do it on our own.”

Smith credits CDK with making his team’s transition a smooth one. “There has been a learning curve, and some are still adapting to processes, but each department gets better every day and is working really hard. We already knew we had great people who worked well together, but CDK made that even more of a reality for us. For us, that’s a major key factor in our success.”

"CDK provided trainers who were really, really good. They did an excellent job of making our employees and technicians comfortable with the changes that were coming."
— Frank Smith
Service Director Baierl Ford, Zelienople, PA

To learn what the Ford SMARTT program can do for your dealership,
call 888.424.6342, email DS.Telesales@cdk.com or visit cdkglobal.com.