If you’re going to promote from within, it’s best to do it right. These distributors regularly promote from within, and share their experiences on tactics that work best in their businesses.
Allan Parrott, president at Tidewater Fleet Supply
When moving people to the counter or any sales position, Parrott says it’s important to select employees with strong interpersonal skills and an engaging personality.
“You need someone who has a desire to help customers,” he says. “They should be comfortable talking to customers, solving [their] problems.”
Bill Nolan, president at PBS Truck Parts
It’s also important to not promote employees too fast. Employees that gradually work their way up the ladder enter authority roles with a comprehensive under-standing of a business.
“It is very difficult to manage people, stores and operations if you don’t know a business from the floor up,” Nolan says. “You need to have a real understand-ing of how your decisions impact everyone.”
Dean Dally, president at Blaine Brothers
Regularly updating staff on open positions and future advancement opportunities show employees a path to long-term employment, says Dally.
“We talk with all of our employees about [career development],” he says. “We want them to know they can stay on with our business and as we continue to grow, they also will have every opportunity to grow their own career within our companies.”
