This wasn’t the first year Jim Ellis Automotive Group has held its annual CPO Product Presentation Walk-Around competition. However, it was one of the best attended. In its ninth year, the event, held on Nov. 6, was dedicated to veterans, a cause that organizers said drew a sizeable crowd.

What began as a walk-around competition designed to assess sales professionals’ product skill sets on CPO vehicles has evolved into one of the Atlanta-area dealer group’s largest philanthropic community events.

During the finals, the group was left with six CPO sales standouts to compete at its main offices in Chamblee, Ga.. The Walk-Around judges look at various factors, from greeting the guest and model comparisons to the walk-around itself and maintaining engagement.

The final top three winners from this year’s Walk-Around competition were:

– First place: Trey Lorenzen, Jim Ellis Porsche Atlanta Perimeter
– Second place: Jamal Green, Jim Ellis, Mercedes-Benz Atlanta South
– Third place: Mike Fresquez, Jim Ellis Mazda Marietta

The contest winners will be promoted in the local press and offered bonuses, with first place receiving $2,000, second place earning $1,500 and third place winning $1,000.

“To see some of the first-timers with their management team watching, with all of the fanfare going on and the cameras in their face — it was great to see them so focused on what they were doing,” Jim Ellis director of sales training Brandon Hardison told Auto Remarketing after the event. “So that tells me that they were practicing and getting through it with no stumbles and picking up points by the veteran judges. A couple of(the salespeople) told me that, ‘Yes, I was nervous, but I will be back next year.’”

Hardison was most impressed by the tactics of a first-time competitor and this year’s second-place winner, Green from Jim Ellis, Mercedes-Benz Atlanta South.

Every technician must sign off on the manufacturer point inspection before a certified pre-owned vehicle is placed on the lot. During this walk-around, Green pulled out his phone, opened the signed document, and had the technician on the telephone confirm that it was his signature and that the car was clean.

As Hardison plays the role of guest during the walk-arounds, he said, “I thought that’s clever; all of the judges thought that that was impressive. Here’s the technician saying, ‘Yes, that is my signature. I wouldn’t put it on there unless I believe that this vehicle was frontline ready to be certified.’ That was very impressive.

“That took the cake, and he got second out of nowhere because of that impressive move,” Hardison said.

The event attracts unique customers outside of walk-up or local traffic: online viewers. The Jim Ellis group, which was an early adopter of digital vehicle sales, livestreams the Walk-Around event.

“We could tell people were watching it live across the nation,” said Hardison.

That’s because viewers would call in to the Jim Ellis group dealership and request to purchase specifically from salespeople who participated in the Walk-Around competition.

“They would think, ‘Well, I like that salesperson showing that car. I want to buy a car from him or her,’ and they jump online,” said Hardison. “We do find an increase in interest when we do it, but the biggest thing is the community.”

When the Jim Ellis group leadership tasked Hardison with organizing the event, they wanted something that could make a lasting impact. Since then, the CPO event and diligence in the certified pre-owned arena have paid off.

“At that time (2017), only two of our dealerships were nationally ranked in CPO,” said Hardison.

That number has since grown to 12.

This year’s focus on veterans continues the group’s reputation as an advocate for employing and supporting U.S. military veterans.

One of the judging guests was Richie Bello, founder and CEO of ShopSmartAutos.com and The Richie Bello Institute of Leadership and Management. The Richie Bello Institute is a nonprofit that aims to recruit and train veterans in auto sales, service, and the technologies required at a dealership.

Bello is also getting involved in the tiny house movement and looking to build homes for veterans in Long Island, N.Y., and Atlanta. Although on a smaller scale, these efforts are similar to those at Towers for Tunnels.

“This event is truly special as it honors our military and recognizes the Jim Ellis team for exemplary understanding of their vehicles. I am grateful for being invited to judge and speak at this event,” said Bello in the press release announcing the competition.

The event was held this year as a pre-Veteran’s Day celebration, and the judges represented different branches of the military.

“This year’s event was livestreamed just like last year’s. Still, the difference was the veteran judges and the veteran VIP’s who showed and have businesses in the automotive space who came as far as Phoenix, Long Island, and Southern California,” Hardison said.

As for the focus on veterans this year, Hardison said, “They did what they were supposed to do for us, and now as Americans, we need to give back.”

The competition process starts in August each year. Hardison sends information to the managers of all 21 dealer group stores, instructing them to begin practicing with their CPO teams.

“I’ll remind them I’m coming to campus,” said Hardison. “I go to each store, and we see all of the best of the best. And one store winner competes against the other to see who will represent Marietta. Same thing for Buford, same thing for Kennesaw, etc.”

Last year, the event was held at a brand-new Jim Ellis Mercedes-Benz dealership located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

“And it was attended well because the educational partner, the high school Westlake High School, was very well known, not only for its academics but for almost every extracurricular thing that they do,” Hardison said. “They’re very well supported in the community.”

Involving veterans and hosting the event at corporate offices helped with attenance, with guests traveling farther to participate.

“There were VIP veterans as far away as Phoenix and up from Miami, because veterans support veterans, and we were feeding the first responders of Chamblee,” said Hardison. “And then there were friends and family of the local partnering high school, Chamblee High School. Guardians and some of the school’s friends were there to watch their little ones perform. So it was well attended.”The initiatives represented at this year’s event were well received, including the Richie Bello Institute, one of the most prominent supporters of veterans in the automotive space.

“Bello was there, and because he was there, there were naturally a lot of people in Atlanta working for Cox or working for Tunnels to Towers there to meet Richie (Bello),” said Hardison. “There were also a lot of veterans with small businesses who were there, also taking advantage of just the networking opportunity.”

As for whether we can expect the Walk-Around event to continue, Hardison says a definite yes. Although next year’s event will introduce a new theme, Jim Ellis will continue to support veterans throughout the year. In fact, the dealer group employs 50-60 veterans on the sales and finance side, and representatives from the Army, Navy, and Air Force were also represented in the competition.

The dealer group also participates in veterans’ career fairs throughout the year and is currently part of a planning committee focused on launching a career fair for veterans in the automotive space.

Hardison said the annual event also further illustrates Jim Ellis group’s dedication to CPO success.

“When it comes to certified pre-owned, 12 of the 21 of our dealerships in some form or fashion have been or are still continuously in the top nationally,” Hardison said. “So that is something we always want to keep pushing forward.”

Plus, he says, “The salespeople get a kick out of it. We like to compete in sales.”