Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2022 54 W hen it comes to talent acquisition, there are so many pieces to the puzzle. The challenges include writing job descriptions that are legally compliant and relevant; advertising in multiple media and platforms; and interviews – many of which are now virtual; interview questions you cannot ask, and those you should; assessing the employee candidate to determine if they have the "right stuff." And when you finally hire someone, the whole onboarding process includes everything from background checks, to orientation, to training. It's a long list of to-dos, and it's difficult to ensure that you've covered all the bases. Service Leaders Network (SLN), the appliance service support division of Nationwide Marketing Group, is addressing that piece of the workforce acquisition process. SLN has two Performance Groups, consisting of appliance dealers who are also service providers. The question was posed to all 20 of them: "Do you have a defined and documented process to perform the hiring, onboarding and training process?" The majority answered: "No." Our next question was: "Do you know of all the various resources available to accomplish this?" Again, the answer of the majority was: "No." I got in touch with two of the largest appliance trade associations and asked the same question of their approximately 6,000 combined members. The answer was the same. In short, there are no defined and documented programs for an appliance service company (and most other trades) for them to use as a resource. Only those companies that are larger, with an HR person or staff, are fortunate to have these resources, and even then, their expertise stops at the onboarding piece, since HR doesn't typically understand the technical training part. SLN is changing that for our Members. Through the collaboration of our Performance Group Members, the NMG HR division and the service history and experience of the SLN leadership, SLN is creating a "hiring, onboarding and training" program. Although the initial emphasis is on appliance service staff, the program is applicable to most retailers' hiring needs. The program offers a defined and documented process that lays out the steps from A to Z of how to navigate the "hiring, onboarding and training" process. And it's designed to be customized for each dealer. Below are just a few of the components that are included: • Pre-written and customizable job descriptions provided by our Performance Group Members. There are job descriptions for service managers, technicians, CSRs, parts managers and other service staff, as we continue to add them. • Job advertisement samples • A recommended list of interview questions – and a list of those you should not use • Example assessment tests and background screening • Onboarding orientation schedule • Technician training schedule with training resources and discounts • An example training budget This program is the first of its kind in our industry – and one that we plan to continue to grow and evolve over time. If you're interested in learning more about SLN and what we offer appliance servicing dealers, you can email me at: mark.pollitz@nationwidegroup.org. Mark Pollitz Service Trends ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF FINDING SERVICE TALENT RO Mark Pollitz, Director of Service, Nationwide Marketing Group

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