Dealership management system software company Auto/Mate Dealership Systems works to keep employees happy in the current challenging environment for attracting and retaining employees. Auto/Mate employees receive perks such as an onsite gym, tuition reimbursement, casual dress environment, wellness program, employee discount programs and paid time off for volunteering.
The company also hosts events to make the work experience fun for employees, such as Hawaiian Day, happy hours, Bagel Thursdays and visits from cupcake and ice cream trucks.
Because of that work, the Albany Business Review recognized Auto/Mate as one of the 48 Best Places to Work in New York State’s Capital region.
Auto/Mate’s chief people officer David Druzynski says a strong company culture does not happen by accident.
“We focus a lot of our resources into creating an environment where people want to come to work every day,” said Druzynski said in a news release.
He continued, “The effort is worthwhile as we continue to attract highly-qualified job candidates and our employee turnover rate is very low.”
Auto/Mate won the Albany Business Review award for the 10th straight year. The company is one of 12 honored in the “large companies” category with more than 150 employees.
Auto/Mate president and chief executive officer Mike Esposito said the company won the award in the small-business category in the first few years. But as the company has grown, Esposito said its focus on employee satisfaction has continued.
“If you have happy employees, you have happy customers, so it’s no coincidence that our customer retention rate is 99%,” Esposito said.
Each year, the Albany Business Review honors 48 companies with the “Best Places to Work” distinction. The business journal partners with Nebraska-based research company Quantum Workplace to conduct anonymous employee engagement surveys.
The people at Acura understand that its customers have busy lifestyles. The third and latest generation of its smartphone-based AcuraLink service and app features offers access to cloud-based services, information, and music, including the ability to make vehicle service appointments.
It also offers subscription services such as vehicle remote starting, geofencing and speed alerts for parents of teen drivers, a stolen vehicle locator, enhanced roadside assistance, automatic collision notification and even a personal concierge service.
Now, owners of the 2019 and 2020 model-year Acura RDX with an active AcuraLink service and Amazon Prime memberships can have their Amazon packages delivered directly inside of their vehicle, rather than left on their doorstep or elsewhere.
They can use that option through Key by Amazon In-Car Delivery.
Other examples of the the in-car Amazon package-delivery option include select Ford, Lincoln, GM, and Volvo vehicles.
“The addition of Key by Amazon In-Car Delivery as a service enabled by AcuraLink expands the service’s convenience features, allowing customers to focus on getting where they need to go without worrying about package delivery,” said vice president, automobile operations Art St. Cyr.
At no additional cost, Key by Amazon In-Car Delivery is available for subscribing RDX owners or to those with an active trial to the Remote Package of AcuraLink services and are Amazon Prime members who live in one of the 50 cities and surrounding areas that Key by Amazon service currently supports.
Here’s how it works: Members download the Key by Amazon app to their smartphone, use their credentials to log in, and then enter their vehicle’s year, make, and model. Through AcuraLink, the Key app authorizes the account. Customers can shop on Amazon.com and select the ‘In-Car” delivery option at checkout once they complete setup and register a delivery location.
On the scheduled day of delivery, customers park within two blocks of their selected delivery address. They will receive a four-hour delivery window and at the time the delivery driver approaches the customer's vehicle, they will receive an “Arriving Now” notification. When the customer’s car is within range of the delivery address, the driver will use a GPS location to locate the car. After identification of the vehicle, the driver scans the package, requests for the vehicle to be unlocked, places the package inside the vehicle and requests for the vehicle to be relocked.
Upon completion of the in-car delivery, the customer is notified from the Key app, telling him or her that the car is locked with the package waiting inside.
After placing their first Key In-Car Delivery order, Amazon customers for a limited time will receive a $10 gift card.
The newest generation of Acura’s cloud-based connected car system AcuraLink debuted on the 2019 RDX. The required connectivity for AcuraLink’s various features is created by the RDX’s embedded system, the owner’s compatible smartphone and their data package (standard and fee-based features).
To allow them to stay connected with their RDX no matter where they are, AcuraLink works with the owner’s compatible smartphone and data package. AcuraLink is available with four levels of service packages: Basic, Security, Remote and Concierge.
