New recruitment company Job Co-op Automotive says a ‘double the average’ staff turnover rate is ‘crippling dealer profitability’.

It has conducted research showing that employee turnover in franchise dealerships is typically a fraction under 30%, compared to 15% for most UK businesses.

This means that almost one in three dealership employees are effectively ‘new’ within any 12-month period.

Ken Trinder, director of possibilities at the Castle Donington-based firm, commented: “You must consider the weary treadmill of having to spend a disproportionate amount of time getting new staff up to speed, and then leaking expertise as others leave.

“These factors play a large part in stunting dealership performance. It means dealer staff are often poorly equipped to meet management and customer expectations.

“What is needed is a complete shift in attitude where a more structured approach to recruitment is adopted by dealers, so they find people who are a better fit for their job specification and then invest in them in the expectation they will stay.”