Stepping into a car dealership for the first time can be overwhelming, especially with the number of people working at any given moment. We covered a few of the need-to-know terms when it comes to working in the automotive industry in a previous blog, but what about the front-end staff that keep a car dealership firing on all cylinders?

Learn a little more about the friendly faces who make the car-buying process as pleasant and efficient as possible.

The Dealer Principal serves as the business’s first line of management. They determine ethics and business policy, along with internal personnel policies and procedures. They communicate with franchises and manufacturers and handle community relations.

In the Sales Administration department, you’ll find the General Manager, who is responsible for managing the staff of both the New and Used Vehicle Sales departments, along with Finance and Insurance staff. General Managers oversee the advertising of vehicle sales and strive to maintain high customer satisfaction ratings.

Dealerships staff two separate Sales departments: New Vehicle Sales and Used Vehicle Sales. The manager in each department hires and manages their respective staffs, but beyond that, their responsibilities are a bit more split.

The New Vehicle Sales Manager comes alongside salespeople during customer negotiations, monitors inventory levels, and orders new vehicles. In addition to a team of salespeople, the New Vehicle Sales department is supported by Lot Attendants who move vehicles and set them up for delivery to customers.

The Used Vehicle Sales Manager appraises trade-ins, sets the criteria and resale prices on vehicles, and buys pre-owned vehicles at auctions. In addition to a separate team of salespeople, the Used Vehicle Sales department is supported by Detailers who clean used vehicles and touch up minor scratches and dents.

A dealership’s Finance and Insurance (F&I) department is made up of F&I Managers who sell financing, service contracts, insurance, and spare parts and accessories for vehicles (a.k.a. aftermarket items, like floor mats and luggage racks), along with completing sale and lease paperwork.

The dealership’s Business Office is overseen by the Controller, who controls spending across the dealership, produces financial statements, and prepares tax forms. They’re the key decision maker when it comes to anything dealing with finances across the business.

Other possible positions on the Business Office team include a Payroll Clerk who processes paychecks and files tax reports, an Accounts Payable Clerk who pays vendors and puts together invoices, an Accounts Receivable Clerk who handles customer statements, a Vehicle Biller who enters vehicles into stock, a Title Clerk who submits paperwork for the titling of all vehicle sales, and an Office Cashier who receives and records payments and puts together bank deposits.

Of course, these people only make up part of a dealership’s staff. Along with the front end of a dealership, most have the Parts department, Service department, and the Body Shop, which combine to make up the back end of the dealership (but that’s another post for another time …).

Now that you have a handle on some of the roles in a car dealership, make an impact on the automotive industry and browse Reynolds job openings page here.