We Partner With Autocar Great Women
As part of our International Women's Day celebrations, we are proud to announce our partnership and sponsorship of the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars 2023.
Autocar's Great Women initiative recognises and celebrates the best female talents in the motoring industry who are on the fast track to success. With several new categories introduced this year, there is an extensive cross-section of the automotive world involved.
As well as sponsoring these prestigious awards to shine a light on the fantastic female talent across the automotive industry, we want to shout about our own Great Women within Lithia UK. We have launched our own nomination process so anyone in the business can celebrate the fantastic women they work with across all divisions, departments and dealerships.
We want to support our great women in gaining external recognition too. Once the internal nomination window closes, a prestigious judging panel of Lithia UK senior executives and our Gender Equality Network co-chairs will review the submissions, selecting the very best to go forward to be entered into the Autocar Great Women Rising Stars 2023 awards, on behalf of the company.
Inclusion
We are proud to announce the launch of our first LGBTQ+ network.
Our network offers our people the opportunity to unite as one in championing and celebrating respect, inclusivity and supporting each other to do the right thing.
We are grateful to the CarStore Chesterfield dealership who recently hosted our launch event, as we livestreamed a panel discussion across the Group - from head office to dealership teams and technicians!
We are so proud of our amazing Co-chairs, Kieran and Lucy, and Senior Sponsor Lizzie (Chief People Officer), as they discussed the importance of being your true self at work, shared their plans, hopes and aspirations for the network and answered questions posted by our Associates.
Now that it has officially launched, the roadshow celebrations begin!
We Launch Our Gender Equality Network
We are proud to introduce Lithia UK’s Gender Equality Network, of which Kim Costello, our Chief Marketing Officer, is the Senior Sponsor. Along with co-chairs, Claire (Retail Sales Leader, Stratstone Wakefield) and Emily (People Consultant, People Function), the team are looking forward to shining a greater light on gender diversity throughout the automotive industry.
Kim says, "Rarely do we see parity of representation across roles in businesses, especially in leadership positions. This needs to change. It doesn’t stop with employee retention; increased diversity also translates to the bottom line. Companies with higher rates of both gender and racial diversity are 29 per cent more likely to have increased profitability. We are here to support this.
“At Lithia UK, we want to drive beyond the possible. This means we need to breakdown the gender stereotypes and raise awareness of the benefits that gender equality provides, no matter how you identify.
“We will create opportunities for our Associates to get involved and engage in discussions around everyday life and the milestones that many of us face, such as maternity and paternity support or the specific gender related issues in relation to health, and mental health.
“We need to unite as one to drive progressive change that benefits all, regardless of gender."
Lithia UK Recognised with Reputation.com 800 Award
We are thrilled to announce that Lithia UK has been recognised with the 800 Award from Reputation.com, the global leading provider of reputation experience management solutions and an industry indicator of customer satisfaction.
This award recognises businesses that prioritise customer experience and is measured using various factors such as review sentiment, volume, recency, response, and more. Businesses that receive this award have achieved a score of 800 or higher, indicating their focus on high customer satisfaction throughout the past year.
40 of our Evans Halshaw, Stratstone, and CarStore locations were honoured with this prestigious award, demonstrating a commitment to our customers that has seen us take the number two spot on the ‘best of the best’ list for the UK. These 40 locations consistently collect, understand, and act on customer feedback to make data-driven decisions that improve the customer journey.
Our dealership network is supported centrally by our expert Reputation Management team. This team of specialists not only deal with the more complex customer experience concerns; but also analyse the reputation data from across the business before making personalised focus-area recommendations for each store, in turn helping them to continuously improve.
Commenting on this award, Chief Customer Officer Kim Costello said:“We are incredibly proud to have received the 800 Award from Reputation.com for our exceptional customer satisfaction. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Associates across all our Evans Halshaw, Stratstone, and CarStore locations.
“I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to each and every one of our dealership-based Associates for putting the customer at the heart of everything you do. Please keep up the fantastic work, and let's continue to set the gold standard for customer-centric businesses. Together, we can achieve even greater success for our customers and earn this award year after year."
Time To Change
We support Time To Change, having made a pledge as a business to help end the stigma surrounding mental health. It’s been a chance for all of us to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.
We encourage all our associates to ‘be in their mate’s corner’ – recognising when their colleagues aren’t themselves and starting conversations! The more conversations we have, the more barriers we can break down, helping to end the shame, isolation and worthlessness that too many people with mental health problems find themselves feeling.
To support our associates with dealing with mental health in the workplace, our HR and Learning & Development teams run regular Mental Health Workshops. Available to leaders within the business, these workshops make our leaders more aware of mental health, whilst helping them spot early signs of mental ill health within their own team.
All our associates also have access to the EAP (Employee Assistance Plan), via which they can speak with qualified, impartial counsellors about any problems, work or personal related, 24/7.
Every year we support the Time To Talk Day – this year, our Head Office associates enjoyed coffee and home baked cakes whilst chatting to their colleagues openly about mental health. Associates from all areas of the business were also encouraged to make a pledge on our giant foam board speech bubble, which made for a great talking point!
We Celebrate National Apprentice Week
We recently celebrated 2023 National Apprenticeship Week, recognising some of our fantastic apprentices throughout our retailers and central teams and appreciating the difference that they all make to the business.
We have apprenticeships across a huge range of roles, including Retail Sales, Customer Service, Parts, Finance and Service Technicians, meaning there is something for all skills and passions. We currently have 66 apprentices within Lithia UK, spread across various departments. This year we have piloted the Sales Apprentice programme in partnership with BMW MINI. We are one of the first dealer groups in the industry to start a sales programme and are excited to be growing the number of apprenticeships we have available.
We are proud to be able to enable young people to take their first steps in the automotive industry through our apprenticeships, as we support them to learn on the job and gain qualifications along the way.
Meet Our Graduates
Armed with a degree and ready to hit the working world? Our graduate schemes are a fantastic way to start your career, fast-tracking you to a leadership position whilst learning skills throughout the business along the way.
Don’t just take our word for it though – we caught up with some of our graduates to hear exactly what they think about the scheme!
Owen, Retail Management Graduate
“The grad scheme is one of the best things I’ve ever done. Leaving university without any clear path meant that coming onto this scheme was a perfect choice. The program features regular training and reviews, at set intervals, so that your targets are always clear.
“More importantly, no two days are the same, as you have to react to changing circumstances or relocations in order to progress. For example, I have moved from Yorkshire to Nottingham to test myself in a different capacity in a separate part of the business. With some store closures and reorganisation of the business, emphasis and responsibility has been placed on myself and on the other graduates, lending us a great deal of experience that will serve us well going forward in our careers.
“If you want a challenging but rewarding career, I would seriously consider applying for this graduate scheme. Lithia UK is a fantastic company to work for and I would do it all again if I had my time again!”
Nakeeb, Commercial Vehicle Sales Team Member on the Retail Management Graduate Scheme, Evans Halshaw Ford Wolverhampton
“I started the Lithia UK Retail Management Scheme in March 2019. Prior to that, I was working for Lithia UK as a Customer Service Assistant within the Car Store division.
“The scheme is structured well with lots of exposure to various parts of the business, different franchises and manufacturers. You know exactly where you will you be placed and how long you will be there for, also what your role is and the reason why you have been placed in that particular location or dealership. Each scheme is different and you will never be doing the same thing as another graduate.
“I was fortunate to begin the journey with Car Store, beginning with the implementation team travelling the country, opening and supporting new sites while gaining experience in different departments and in leadership positions. Travel costs are subsidised and relocation support is sometimes available, depending on the job role.
“Currently I am working within our Evans Halshaw Ford Division in Commercial Vehicles, and then moving to a Stratstone Porsche Centre.
“You will have regular reviews from the Graduate Team, looking at what you’ve covered so far and how you wish to develop further; however the development is all in your hands and the more work you put in, the further you will go.
“The Training and Development Team at the Lithia UK Training Academy is really supportive and hold lots of training courses and modules, looking at things like Leadership Development and Customer Service, which can really transform the way you operate within a dealership. They also hold manufacturer specific training.
“The training sessions can be booked online by yourself or by your leader. They are also a fantastic way to build rapport with people all over the business, from other dealerships to other colleagues at our head office or CX Hub, to see how they operate.
“The graduate journey can be very demanding at times as a lot is expected from you. So, what I’d recommend to new graduates is to be open, honest and ready for new opportunities. You should view every dealership move as a new start, adapting quickly and implementing everything you’ve learned each time you move. You will make mistakes but the key is to learn from them fast and make sure they do not happen again.
“You must be ready for constant changes and adjust accordingly, while having the ability to work with and build rapport with different people quickly. Being flexible in terms of travel and relocation will also help you explore opportunities which can aid development in the larger scheme of things.”
Fundraising
Fundraising is a big part of Lithia UK and our associates love getting involved in charity events to raise valuable funds for local and national causes!
Here are some of our most recent fundraising events:
- A donation of a brand new BMW i8 from Stratstone BMW Leeds, contributing to the £160k raised for Cancer Research UK as part of the Stand Up To Cancer live show
- Beautiful bakes by our associates across the country raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning, including at Porsche Centre Nottingham (pictured)
- Support of the global MINI Big Love event, which aims to influence social change and bring positivity to the world around us. Our MINI retailers raised money for their local charities, including the Harrogate Homeless Project
- £100s raised for Save The Children, by our associates donning their most festive Christmas jumpers
- Feed Our Community pre-Christmas food bank donations by CarStore Exeter, who asked every customer to donate an item when coming in to store to buy, sell or service their car, collecting enough supplies to fill the boot of a MINI
- Donation to Leeds North & West Foodbank by Citroen Leeds, who forgoed their £10 secret santa gifts to each other in favour of a donation instead, which was supported by their customers too!
- Donations to the North Clywd Animal Rescue by Ford Chester, who delivered a car full of goodies to brighten up the animals' festive season!
Our Evans Halshaw Teams
At Evans Halshaw, we represent numerous automotive brands throughout nationwide locations. We’ve driven the industry forwards with innovative ideas, and we’re proud to work with many of the UK’s most exciting manufacturers, offering you the chance to get your teeth stuck into everything automotive.
Whether it’s customer service, sales, aftersales, technicians, leadership, accounting, administration or facilities that fuels your motivation, our people love working here for lots of reasons, but one outshines the rest – no one stands still with us. Recognition and investment in our people form the basis of our success – discover just how far your career can take you!
Our Stratstone Teams
A career with Stratstone gives you the unrivalled opportunity to get up close and personal with the types of vehicles many people can only dream about. Having provided high quality cars and services in the unique Stratstone style since 1921, we’re passionate about providing every single customer who walks into our showrooms with an unrivalled, personal and exceptional service.
In one of our numerous retailers across the UK, you’ll play a key part in taking our prestigious brands to the next step, and in return, you’ll be supported at every step of your career journey.
Whether it is customer service, sales, aftersales, technicians, leadership, accounting, administration or facilities that you’re looking to progress within, no one stands still with us - start your Stratstone story.
Porsche Hosts Record Breaking Track Day
Donington Park's lap record was recently broken at an exclusive track day held by Porsche Sutton Coldfield.
Attending on the day was the JCR Developments team who enjoyed some valuable track time and networking during the day. The Sutton Coldfield team and Porsche GB also allowed JCR a special slot over the lunch break to attempt to break the lap record for a road legal car in their GT2RS MR in its Neptune Blue paintwork. The current fastest lap time stood at 1:34.29.
The fine weather was on the team's side and with an empty track they set off on the hunt of a new record. It didn't take long as their second flying lap beat the current fastest lap time by 1.42 seconds and secured a new road car lap record of 1:32.71.
JCR believe there is an even better lap time in the GT2RS with a more track-focused set up but as this car is driven to every event, road compliance is as important to them as ultimate lap times.
Driver, Jonny Cocker, said: "We're running the car with very mild camber settings so there's plenty of pace in the pocket in case we need to find some more speed in the future!
He continued: "It was a great day had by all. Thank you to Porsche Sutton Coldfield for a fantastic day and the opportunity to demonstrate what the JCR GT2RS MR is capable of!"