NMADA News
BYÂ ELIZABETH TUCKER / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, JUNE 25TH, 2022 AT 2:51PM
Power Ford is the No. 5 mid-size company in Top Workplaces for 2022.
Description:Â Power Ford, a privately owned auto dealership, was founded in 1994. The dealership has 162 employees. This is the company's fourth year on the Top Workplaces list.
From the organization:Â "We're passionate about helping people find and maintain the car or truck of their dreams. For over 30 years, we've served people by connecting them to the things, people, and places they love. We love celebrating our employees success and helping them thrive. We also like to have fun and host several company events throughout the year where everyone is invited and encouraged to bring their family."
From the employees:Â "I am able to come to work and be in an environment that feels less like 'work' and more like a 'family' dynamic," said one employee. "Everyone has an encouraging attitude, and a willingness to learn and be better than the day before!" Another said, "I love that at Power Ford we have a forward-thinking team, who realizes their employees are their greatest assets."
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Power Ford Managing Partner and General Manager Rob Sneed, whose comments have been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
How do you feel the culture at Power Ford has changed during the pandemic?
"The pandemic changed the way that people interact with one another. We've really chosen to view those changes as opportunities for growth. When others are struggling to survive, we've really taken the approach that we wanted to thrive, so we've embraced a more 'team-centric' solution to serving our clients over the past few months, and we're doubling down on what's working. I'd say that our team members are really proud of the adjustments we've made so far, because they're promoting shared ideas and problem solving. One of the things that we say is that we'll do anything, everything or nothing at all in order to serve our guests. The unintended consequences of all that is that the work-life balance has been drastically improved. And I think that's good for our clients as much as it is for our team members."
 Power Ford's annual company softball experience at Isotopes Park in June. (Courtesy of Alex Tran Photography/Power Ford)
What's the best way you've found to boost your staff's morale?
"The reality is that during the pandemic we weren't always able to get together during those times. And so now that we can, we do. Our team loves to party - whether it's hosting everyone and all of their families at an Isotopes game or planning team lunches to Top Golf, throwing next level, blow-your-mind company softball games or even just handing out pizza and two liters at the end of a work week. We try to take the pressure off of our team, but we also like to celebrate big. And when it comes to celebrating, we always do it big."
In what ways have your staff stepped up to meet the needs of clients and the community at this time?
"Our business requires a lot of in-person customer service. It's impossible for a technician to service a vehicle remotely, and during a repair, parts are almost always needed in addition to labor. That means that we need team members to order, receive, stock deliver parts - it's just a very intensive business. What we've tried to do is take our business to our customers. So we now offer mobile service and pick-up and delivery. That's something that very few dealerships in New Mexico provide, but we do it because we know that that makes the ownership experience stress free. And any way that we can reduce the stress, makes the experience better."
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