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Dealership named ‘Best Place to Work’

The StaffDecember 6, 2017

Alamo Cycle Plex earns 2017 title

In the powersports industry, customers have a pivotal role in a dealership’s daily business. But, if that dealership doesn’t first take care of its employees, it’s even more difficult to be successful. During the 2017 Power 50 awards, the editors of Powersports Business selected one winner out of the top 50 dealerships in North America for its dedication to its team members. Alamo Cycle Plex, of San Antonio, Texas, was named the Best Place to Work after implementing several large-scale changes in 2016. To start off, the dealership began referring to its staff as team members, instead of employees.

“In 2016 we made a big shift in our dealership to focus on customer service and getting back to our roots of being ‘family-owned and operated’,” said Emily Sistrunk, general manager of Alamo Cycle Plex, in the dealership’s application. “I really wanted 2016 to be a great year for the team members at Alamo Cycle Plex. I believe that effects your customer service so much.”

Alamo Cycle Plex, a multi-line dealership based in San Antonio, Texas, was named the Best Place to Work in 2017 by Powersports Business. Photos courtesy of Alamo Cycle Plex

The dealership hosted its first storewide competition in history, which brought team members from different departments together to compete against each other. Each position would earn points in different ways, and those points went to the overall total for their respective teams. Administration staff could also earn points by cheering on their team members, which they did through making signs, providing breakfast for their team or through other spirit-lifting activities. The competition helped to create a better sense of team by allowing staff from varying departments to work together.

“It was awesome to see cashiers taking balloons and signs back to the technicians in service,” said Sistrunk. “The competition caused a lot of interaction between departments and everyone got really excited when scores were posted, so it was pretty neat.”

In addition to the points competition, Alamo Cycle Plex also reinstated a 10-foot rule, which requires any customer to be acknowledged and greeted by any employee who is within 10 feet of the customer.

(From left) PSB editors Kate Swanson, Dave McMahon and Liz Keener with Emily Sistrunk and Robert Sistrunk of Alamo Cycle Plex at the 2017 Power 50 awards. Photo courtesy of Powersports Business

The results of these changes have been extremely positive for the dealership. Sistrunk said that company morale has greatly improved, revenue is up over the previous year and CSI scores have risen as well. “I had a customer tell me that the energy and feel in our building is so much better than it used to be,” she said. “That was huge for me. The fact that a customer could tell our attitude and mindset was better was awesome.”

Along with the improved team member atmosphere, Alamo Cycle Plex continued to take care of its customers, bringing back popular events and additional staff to work on customer retention. The dealership added a Relationship Development Department (RDD) to the store, which currently consists of one team member whose sole focus is to create, maintain and improve customer relations. This new position reports directly to the general manager, which Sistrunk said allows customers to open up more about their experience and give honest feedback.

“The culture around our dealership is awesome. Each and every day we make small improvements to make ourselves and the store better. We don’t quit. This job and this industry can be taxing at times, but we power through together and succeed together because of it,” she said.

Alamo Cycle Plex hosted its first-ever storewide competition, which brought team members from different departments together to compete against each other, helping to create a better sense of team.

Back for another year, Alamo Cycle Plex keeps the fun momentum going with the return of its Chili Cook-Off every November. The event has grown with each year, and now includes a live band, food truck and a big parking lot party. Teams from the store enter the chili cook-off and customers vote on who they think the winner should be using tickets. The event has led to a boost in parts, service and residual sales for major units post-event.

Community involvement is also very important to Alamo Cycle Plex. In October, during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the dealership plans a Ride for Pink event. For the past three years Alamo Cycle Plex has made special shirts that customers can purchase, with proceeds benefitting the Susan G. Komen foundation. “We have customers that wear their prior year’s shirts into the store when we do our October open house and they are coming in to get their new shirts,” she said. “It’s becoming a pretty cool tradition. We have pink ribbons that customers can write the names of friends and loved ones and we hang them in the center of the store.”

Sistrunk said that in addition to being a third-generation family-owned dealership, one of the biggest factors that separates Alamo Cycle Plex from other dealerships is its team members and their work ethic. The team members are always striving to find new ways to work together and improve not only customer experiences, but the industry as a whole.

“I try my absolute hardest to create a work environment that makes people want to come to work every day. I want my team to be invested and love what they do – and I believe they do,” said Sistrunk. “My team and I love what we do, we hold each other to the highest standards and we deliver!”