Good technicians don’t come from trees but that doesn’t mean they can’t be grown.
That’s the theory behind Lakeside International’s new DieselTech Academy. Announced in July, DieselTech Academy is Lakeside’s answer to the technician ‘shortage’ conundrum faced in service shops across trucking. By creating its own technical school, Lakeside believes it has developed an enticing entry point for anyone interested in a technical career.
President and CEO Bill Reilley Jr. acknowledges that’s a lot to invest into a new program. But he believes the upside is worth it. Lakeside has a strong internal culture that thrives on employee engagement, and Reilley believes employee development is a “cornerstone” of the company. Employees who commit to careers with Lakeside are rewarded with financial and professional success, which drives the business forward.
It’s that focus on the future, and investing internally to grow externally, that has helped the company grow from a single location in Milwaukee to an eight-store network across Wisconsin and Illinois celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It also now has helped the business to be named a finalist for the 2024 Successful Dealer Award.
“I think we’ve always been a business that’s open to growth, but for us growth isn’t just about expansion,” says Reilley. “It’s about what are good fits for our business, our growth objectives, our employees and our customers.”
Lakeside International announced its DieselTech Academy in July, which the dealer believes will give it a leg up in recruiting the next generation of tech talent.
He adds, “We’re always focused on what we already have. [Growth] is about supporting that and expanding our capabilities to better support everything we do.”
What Lakeside does is expectedly impressive. Beyond its eight full-service dealerships, Lakeside also has a centralized parts warehouse, growing mobile service fleet, body and collision services and a 600-power unit lease and rental fleet operated as Badger Idealease.
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It’s a large operation, one that requires cohesion, communication and cooperation to perform its best in the market each day. Lakeside strives to position itself as the expert in its marketplace, and Reilley says the company invests accordingly to build the most educated and capable workforce a customer could meet.
“I think one reason why people hold us in high regard is because they see that investment” in employees, Reilley says. “When we are interviewing someone for a role in our business, we’re not just thinking about the role we are interviewing them for, but all the ways they could help the business.”
By investing consistently in its workforce, Lakeside keeps its employee retention levels high, which ensures the business can provide excellent customer service across all departments and locations.
Vice President of Marketing and Human Resources Rob Durham agrees.
“At the end of the day, a truck is just a truck. We believe it is the service we provide that makes customers want to buy that truck from us,” he says. “We want to be a partner, a transportation expert for customers and future customers.”
The DieselTech Academy is just one example of that commitment.
Lakeside also holds leadership retreats, has an internal mentorship program and holds innovation challenges. Members of the company’s leadership team serve on International dealer councils that help develop, test and implement dealer training programs. The company also hosts weekly vendor training for its sales teams.
The consistent education supports employee morale, says Director of New Truck Sales Cassidy Sommer.
“People want to be kept up to date,” she says. “Being the person the customer can call, the person they can count on, means a lot to people here.”
Employees are rewarded for that hard work. Lakeside uses real-time market analysis to set compensation and ensure the company is a market leader, offers multiple bonus programs and free annual health screenings, along with a strong insurance plan.
Lakeside also encourages employees to speak up about ways to the improve the business, both through annual employee surveys and regular interactions with management. Employees who feel heard and valued are far more likely to provide the level of customer experience that Lakeside wants to present, Reilley says.
Lakeside has eight eight locations covering Wisconsin and northern Illinois and supports those locations with a central parts distribution center and large lease and rental fleet.
“We are very open minded to change,” adds Peter Klein, vice president of operations. “And not just across leadership. We have people who have been here more than 20 years who are still open minded about how to get better every day.”
“There’s a real continuous improvement mindset here. It’s really refreshing,” says CFO Keith Brill. “People are not siloed. Everyone is willing to jump in to help.”
Reilley says that’s why he believes the company was nominated and selected as a Successful Dealer finalist, and why he was honored as finalist for the 2024 ATD Truck Dealer of the Year in February.
“These awards aren’t about me; they are about the employees of Lakeside International,” he says. “It’s validation we are doing something special.”
The 2024 Successful Dealer Award is sponsored by Automann, Interstate Billing Service, Karmak, National Truck Protection and Premium 2000. For more information on the award program, go to the award story archive.
