Business View Magazine | July 2022

179 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 7 A uto Boutique was established in 2014 as a new kind of automobile dealer that tries to change the pre-conceived notion that many consumers have about the experience of purchasing a used vehicle. For the first two of years of its existence, Auto Boutique spent the time and money needed to perfect the model for long-term success and those investments proved invaluable. Today Auto Boutique is a premier wholesale car auto group with thriving locations in Florida, Ohio, and Texas. It proudly competes directly with traditional new and used auto dealers, offering a mix of online efficiency and onsite versatility with the car buying experience. The secret behind Auto Boutique’s success is its people and processes. With nearly 250 employees, Auto Boutique often focuses on hiring professionals with little to no experience in the auto industry. For example, many new salespeople are hired without a background in sales. “We have a culture of empowering employees early in their career and then promoting them internally,” says Auto Boutique CEO Alex Levitsky. “We want to hire employees who we believe we’ll be able to promote and who will stay with us for a while.” In fact, if a qualified candidate is interviewed but management does not feel that she or he will be a long-term employee, they likely will hire someone else. “We don’t mind if our store becomes a training ground for employees who are new to the auto industry,” Levitsky avers. Sales processes give customers a unique way to purchase a vehicle There are several ways that customers will notice the difference with Auto Boutique. First is that the sales team earns a salary rather than commissions. Their job is to help customers find the vehicle that best fits their lifestyle and needs, whether that is a used sedan under $20,000 or a new luxury vehicle. Customers feel no pressure to buy and sales professionals may be working with multiple customers at a time. AUTO BOUTIQ