Thursday, July 12, 2007

Life: Scary Big Changes

So I just had a meeting with my boss... or rather, the man who may not be my boss for too much longer. No, I didn't screw up big time and get canned or something. I just was informed by the big man that he and our co-owner (my other boss, they are also my 2 salesmen here) have sold their shares, and thusly the dealership to a larger dealership. This will be the new owner's 9th dealership. We aren't yet sure when they will take over, but we imagine that they will wait until after the insurance company is done with the rebuilding from the fire.
We get to meet them today, they will be down here this afternoon for a bit of a meet and greet sort of deal. It's going to be interesting for sure, the boys in the mechanics shop are worried that everyone may lose their jobs, but Garry (our boss) assures us that they intend to keep all our current staff, except our accountant/secretary. She had intended to retire in April, but stayed on longer due to the fire. She plans to retire when the new owners take over and she is greatly looking forward to that. So as far as we are informed, we are safe in our jobs unless they determine that we are unqualified/unsatisfactory down the road. We have all been here for a while, the least amount of time for one employee is just coming up to a year in August I believe, so we've all learned how to perform our jobs and have done well for Todd and Gary for long enough now that we shouldn't have to be worried.
I hope now that we get the perks that a larger dealership normally brings, such as a better health plan, employee incentives (bonuses), and - especially for myself being part of the sales department - sales department demonstration vehicles. That would be sweet. I hope that they also allow me to use some company vehicles for our wedding day transportation. Garry had already said that he would let me pick some vehicles off the lot for use on our wedding day, crossing one item (ie: expense) from my list. I hope that the new owners will be just as good and still allow me to do that.
So, I'm nervous but hopeful. I hope that the meeting this afternoon goes well, although they have already opened a new post office box under the dealership and have begun ordering new signs as we won't be Dinsmore Dodge anymore. I don't yet know the new name yet, they do not name all their dealerships the same, so we'll see what they pick and what kind of people they seem to be.