collection representative

sales associate

office clerk

manager in training

automotive detailer

Americas Car-Mart

At 1st I was reluctant to start my car mart journey I was comfortable with my job at the time and the town I was living in is where I was born and raised with most all of my immediate family living there as well as my friends when one of my friends started their carmart journey all he talked about was how amazing this company was And continually tried to get me to join as well he would tell me about the amazing advancement opportunities in the extremely generous compensation potential.  to me all he was telling me sounded too good to be true how on Earth could a high school dropout with only a GED from Rogers Arkansas with no college degree be looking at a 6 figure income So again I was reluctant. though my friend cared for me and wanted to share his amazing journey with me he truly believed it would be better for myself and my family and I remained reluctant and complacent One day I went to pick up my friend to have lunch and he asked me to wait his office for a second he had forgotten something it was then the general manager came in and introduced herself. My first thought was this tricky devil conned me into an interview.The general manager told me that my friend had told her that I was a great fit for the company and would do well in the role And she asked me what was stopping me from  Turning in a resume I responded with I'm happy with my current job she then told me her story. she was born and raised in Springdale Arkansas and all her family and friends live there as well She said that she opened a dealership in Texas and was extremely successful and when the 2nd springdale location was opened she was then offered to come back home to take over the dealership. It was at that moment I realized my biggest concern would taking the leap was leaving my nest, my comfort zone, and most of all my family and friends support,But I've got this lady telling me that this massive company with all their wheels turning in all their cogs moving remember where she was from And made it so she could come home. Now to me this was an outlandish notion I had worked for plenty of major companies where you became simply a number on a spreadsheet "no more than an asset" So the idea with hard work I had the potential to return home is what pushed me to turn in a resume within 2 days of turning it in I found myself meeting with a recruiter and within 4 days accepting a job offer to join America's car mart future major program. I started in fayetville Arkansas's a future manager where I work for 3 months while learning the company's mission, vision, and values and in depth about each role. I then found myself in Springfield Missouri as an assistant manager during that time my father had become very ill and was in a hospital in Florida and it was believed that he would not make it. I wanted to go be with my father and mother as they were going through this terrible time but I did know I was very new to this company there would be no way they would give me time off to go be with him. But I thought I could at least ask. Well I was wrong the time off was a no brainer but what they did next still truly defines this company to me they asked how I was getting there. I explained that I was going to pawn some items and myself and brother were going to purchase a plane ticket there. To my disbelief I was told that will absolutely not work, and I was forbidden to pain any of my belongings.  within 3 hours I had the director of associate development at my lot where he purchased a round trip plane ticket for not only me but my brother as well. also a rental car and i was told to stay until he is out of the hospital "paid". Well happy ending  After 4 brain surgeries my father made a full recovery and I got to be there to support him and  My mother  Thanks to car mart. After 6 months as an assistant manager in Springfield Missouri I was offered several different locations to become a general manager where accepted the general manager position at Greenville Texas. After running the Greenville Texas  Location for about a year and a 1/2 I was then offered  The opportunity to take over one of the Texas flagship  Dealerships in Sherman Texas Where am still located today. during my journey so far i have been given countless opportunities to return home to Northwest Arkansas but I have fallen in love with my current location and the staff and have no desire to leave at this time. now I tried to sum up my voyage as best as possible but I must admit I love sharing my story with others and the culture that is car mart so if you are thinking about joining this amazing company and find yourself reluctant as I was or maybe have some questions please give me a call at the car mart of Sherman Texas Or if you have the ability to stop by the dealership I am an open book and would be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns as I have been there myself and and am here to tell you it's not too good to be true it's    CAR-MART

Your experience will depend on which lot you work at. I worked at 3 and they were all different. The first one was okay, but had some serious problems. The next two were terrible. They were run by the same General Manager. She was great if you were a female and stroked her ego or didn't want to work and stroked her ego. She blocked the advancement of deserving people, who earned promotion, if it benefited her. Unfortunately for those people she cheated her superiors just go along with what GMs say. I saw racism, sexism and nepotism there. I was told it would be investigated, but it was not. When some money was mishandled and some came up missing they were all over that investigation and subsequent firing though. They had the nerve to call and offer me a transfer after I quit. I declined, because the problem wasn't just her. I was the culture of the entire company. They preach about leadership, but show none. It's a good ole boy/girl network. They preach about the values of respect, compassion, integrity and excellence. I didn't need anyone to tell me those were important when I came to Car-Mart, but it sure was annoying listening to people who didn't practice them lecture me on them when it was convenient, especially integrity. The cars are junk. Our mission was to earn the repeat business of customers by providing quality automobiles... If quality means not hold purchasing agents or vendors accountable for anything and throw stuff out on the lot knowing it has problems and when it's not running two days later take 3 months to fix it and act like the customer messed it up then sure, they sell quality automobiles. I saw people make on time payments on a vehicle we had for repairs for a couple of months. After a couple of months of paying for other transportation they got behind on a payment or two and their delinquency was the excuse given to not fix their car. Training is a joke. Especially the manager training program. You sit around watching outdated videos and reading outdated manuals they don't even follow and are supposed to get something out of it. There are some good systems if you learn them, but as soon as you become a manager and try to actually follow them you are told to do it another way that is less efficient or to not do it at all. There is a policy and manual for everything, but no uniformity between lots. A general manager basically has absolute power to do what they want on the lot as long as it's legal, despite having actual uniform policies. If the general manager decides to do illegal or unethical things a blind eye is turned as long as their lot is making money. Assistant managers are treated like idiots. Half the ones they hire are, but no need to treat the rest of us that way. We were talked at not to. They even started holding regional assistant manager meetings to "show us we are important" then a week later tell us to do the exact opposite of what they told us in the meeting. When asked about the contradiction it was just talked around. The origins of the company were actually in helping people, but now the company just takes advantage of customers and associates.

Let's start with the good. The work-life balance is heavily promoted and they back it up. Wonderful if you need to leave early for appts or work from home randomly. This is the case in corp roles, but not at the lot (usually) due to staffing and some smaller locations have too few associates. That said, you won't be paid for Jury or FMLA. One more good: some executives are really nice and there is a "Christian" feel about their demeanor, they are pleasant and I've seen some talk about faith and even pray for good decision-making during meetings. These ones have a good head on their shoulders, but I am not convinced by their fruit too often. 
To the not-so-good: The pay is only "ok" and the upper management ratio of pay is WAY unbalanced. Bad medical coverage and costs, especially if you need to use your medical (very high deductibles!). The 401K matching is a joke and they make it like they are handing you gold, same goes for stock purchasing (it's a discount), no stock given to you as a lowly associate, that's for managers only, you don't get that. Opinion - managers and executives are highly regarded and all others are basically pawns, I don't think they would care if any individual contributor just left the company. If you do not take your time off (PTO) then it disappears but you often feel like you can't even take a 3-day weekend because of workload and (again) feeling like you have to prove something just to stay afloat. The same goes for lunch, take it! because they will overwork you. No celebrations in the good things done, it's just right onto the next thing. To that end, do not expect pay raises to be good - if at all - and expect instead that they will ask more added duties and never increase your pay, much less even talk to you about the option... i.e. just do it or leave, they don't want to pay you for it. Some managers are very inept and have no idea how to lead. Lots of lies and/or just dragging things out (like promotions, hiring, raises, etc), and lots of false promises with nothing to back it. Let's end with the worst, POLITICS, yes, it's all over corporations and it's sad, but when we hire based on "friend of a friend" instead of qualifications or hire because it's a family member but state in policy we don't do that, I raise a red flag, something not right there. And politics continues far beyond that with certain departments getting preferential treatment while others are treated like step-children in Cinderella. I still work here and sometimes am ashamed to say so... I wouldn't recommend to others, is what I am saying.

Being a Service Writer for this company is pretty horrible. You have to deal with every incoming phone call and  customer, which usually means you're dealing with someone who is upset from the get go. Some appointments  are just for routine oil changes, tire rotations etc., but the majority of appointments are diagnosing more complex issues with the vehicles bought from the company on the front car lot. This wouldn't be an issue if there was more than one technician allotted for customer vehicles or if there weren't 2-4 tow-in vehicles a day. The customers that purchase from this lot are those that literally cannot purchase elsewhere due to credit ratings etc. and therefore when they have issues with their vehicle they are unable/unwilling to leave the vehicle long enough to get an accurate diagnosis, much less to get whatever issue the vehicle has fixed. Further, a large ratio of vehicles that come in for service either require an engine/transmission or a repair that will take 1-5 days based on parts availability, and the customers do not handle these situations well. As the service writer, you are in a constant state of getting yelled at by both appointment, tow-in, and walk-in customers alike, and the company does nothing to make the situation better.  Problems like these could be mitigated by simply adding another technician solely for customer vehicles, but the company refuses to do so, leading to a much more stressful working environment than an entry-level, low-paid service writer should have to endure. Plus, on top of dealing with customer vehicles and the endless calls that ensue due to said vehicles being in the shop, the service writer is also expected to procure all parts for vehicles being serviced to put on the front lot for sale. This includes all mechanical and cosmetic parts, many times requiring the service writer to procure said parts from multiple vendors while also making sure that costs do not skyrocket by checking prices from multiple vendors. The supervisor of the service writer, whose responsibility it is to get cars out on the lot for sale, takes almost no part in getting the vehicles to the lot. The service writer is responsible for everything. 

Car-Mart operates with small staffs, so your relationship with your colleagues will be the biggest factor in your overall happiness with the position. Trust me, the job itself wont keep you there--it'll be the people you work with. They will be your family. Branches usually staff about 5-7 people. 

Operates on a quota system with everyone from GMs, Account Reps and Sales Associates. Everyone has to meet these quotas every month. So when it comes down to the wire, there will always be a blame game for who didn't do what and a chest beating match over whos quota is a higher priority. Can't avoid it, the hammer has to fall somewhere when standards aren't met. 

Home life is not really an option here. There are no consecutive days off, so family time falls short and you do bring work home with you. Working 9-6pm isnt a family friendly schedule, and 8/10 times you'll have to stay late or arrive early. Keep this in mind when applying. 

Sales reps and GM's can make decent money with commission and bonuses. They don't pay account reps or office managers anywhere near what they deserve for the amount of work they do-- (and I was a sales associate, so no bias here).   

There is a ton of micromanagement and policies change as much as the weather. The GM makes a rule, but the Area Manager who visits every week overrules that rule and so on and so forth-- there needs to be clear lines in the sand where power ends and begins at Car-Mart. This is mainly for management, but it's the associates who get the brunt of it for non-compliance... 

The goal with car-mart is to eventually be management. But the road isn't easy-- especially for sales. Everyone must enter into the MIT (manager in training program) which for sales people often results in more hours and a pay cut! You'll be on-call like an assistant manager to every branch in your area and sometimes even across state lines. It's a tough gig and i've seen many people get stuck in that stage and get tired of being moved around and quit. 

For a career starter this is a good place to get a feel for procedure and daily chores. As a career though-- there are much better places to have your dignity challenged and you patience tested.

If you are a "people person", this is a rewarding career. Very competitive environment amongst other lots. Room for fast advancement throughout. BUT...... always remember "FAIR is what you pay to get on the bus (fare)". The tenured managers gets away with producing hostile work environments, as long as they are selling cars and profitable.  Do not count on this company to "look out" for you or care about you being treated badly. HR and corporate is there to protect the company (ei top producing managers) and not anybody who may be effected by his or her manager's poor leadership, untouchable and demeaning rhetoric spewed on them, violent outburst and fits (not to mention yelling and throwing thing) that is somehow being translated by his/her superiors as "passion", getting your job threatened once a week and plain ole everyday, dark cloud and uncomfortable work environment. You will consistently be told you "have no integrity" but the same ones that lie to you everyday about something. 
Most of these very tenured GMs are considered "unapproachable" but their own managers and associates. Formal or informal complaints against them are not taken seriously with no investigations/interviews and usually swept under the rug. Which tells me all I need to know in the years I've worked for Car-Mart. They're core values DO NOT match their unspoken actions. You will get snatched under the bus if you are not liked by the wrong person, no matter how good your work history and likability is within the company. I want to have a long career at America's Car Mart, but they are still stuck in the 90s "boiler room" tactics of car sales and employee/employer relations. The new CEO is a good man and proven. I'm not sure if he knows what's going on at the lot level with these issues.

The work day is usually the same as far as what is needed to be done. Inbound and outbound calls, data entry, customer service, etc. Management is great at the location I worked at, they offered support that went further than just the job. I feel like we are treated more than just a worker by lot level management. The thing that made me want to be a Car-Mart employee was the way they treated their customers. The ability to help raise money for a struggling Mother, or to provide Thanksgiving dinner to a family is something that I hadn't had the privilege of experiencing in other jobs I had previously worked, but I felt over time Car-Mart's image had changed. At least our location had. I felt as though the image had strayed away from what our Mission, Vision, and Values were. The hardest part of my job would have to be the field visits. This isn't the first job in which I had to make field visits, but in some situations the field visits can put you in harm. Not always is this the case, but in the climate of today, it is extremely dangerous especially when you are alone. 
    As an Account Representative, you are the hub of the company. You communicate with the customer in regards to their ability or inability to pay - but it doesn't end there; you become a THERAPIST. You become an ear for the customer, a problem-solver, critical thinker, a financial planner, and most importantly, you become apart of their family all while making sure you are meeting Company expectations. The best part about the job is that I get to build these great relationships with our Customers, and our Community. Car-Mart definitely stands out above the rest, but that does not mean their isn't room for improvement. 
    It also makes it difficult to work for a company that only allows you to advance to another position if you are willing to locate. That is truly unfortunate, and leaves you with no opportunity to move forward with a company you truly enjoy.

I've been in the workforce for quite some time and after a career change I landed at Car-Mart four years ago. I saw that their company values lined up exactly with my personal values so I took a chance. Best decision I've made. I can easily see why there are so many folks here who've put 20+ years into the place. I've never worked at a company who are so genuine in their commitment to their associates. Every single person in the corporate structure is dedicated to your success. Their training plan is built to pair you with talented general managers and a regional training staff that follows you from onboarding to promotion. They even have a GM trainer role that helps you build a solid foundation in your new position. They've really put a lot of time and effort into giving you the best tools to make the best business decisions possible.   

When these folks say we're like a big family, they mean it. I've played paintball with the CEO. The COO gave me his personal credit card to go buy lunch for our team. When I lost my mother I received handwritten sympathy cards from department heads all over the company. You just don't get that kind of relationship with the executives at most places today. On a local level we're all like brothers and sisters too. It's great!

It's the first place I've felt truly empowered. It's also the first place I've ever been compensated fairly. At the General Manager level your compensation is really based on your own ability. Once you get to that level you're expected to operate as a business owner and make the best decisions for the business and your customers. Run a successful business and you'll see that reflected in your salary. The sky really is the limit. 

I could write ten more pages about how great of a place it is to work but I'll let you figure the rest out when you show up on your first day. Bring a pen, a notepad, and a desire to contribute to this awesome organization. 

Car-Mart is not a terrible place to work. But it is all depending upon your situation, credentials, and what you know or are willing to learn about cars. If you have sales experience; or an education that would help with sales, and can get a sales position you can do okay. If you have office experience/education and can get an office position, you can do okay. If you already know things about cars it will help you a lot, especially in the position I have, which is Inventory Associate. However if none of these things apply to you then it will be rough and you will have little chance of moving up in the company, if you are looking to do so. Especially from the lowest full-time position which is the Inventory Associate position. If you are not wanting an outdoor working position or just don't know anything about cars it can be hard to start at this bottom position. Especially if you have credentials that are for jobs far above this and are only trying to work this job temporarily it can be a frustrating experience. If you have the ability to do any kind of office job, sales job, or job that involves using a computer more than anything then starting at the bottom will be very difficult. I have a Bachelor's Degree and haven't found anything with it yet and took this position thinking that after a short while I would be able to move to an indoor sales position at some point. When the time came around I got a raise in my position but somehow; at around the same time, when a sales position opened up my boss gave it to the other Inventory Associate that had only been working there half as long. Biased behavior can definitely happen in this company and I do not recommend taking a position from Car-Mart unless you have the exact things you need already and/or are willing to make sure you gain favor from everyone there, especially your boss. You might end up with a favorable job experience or you might end up hating yourself for trying. As the title implies this is a mixed bag experience.

They paint an awesome picture and make very large promises that will never be delivered upon. While i can say that I did enjoy my job and working with and helping customers and employees be successful. If you are luck y to get a good location you can do well and make great money. However if you are not one of the select few and end up with a small lot in a poor area like the lot I ended up with in Forrest City AR. You will struggle from day one. I did have success and was the manager of the month which was a first for that location and I won several other awards as well. They ultimately decided to close my location down and I was relocated to Springfield Mo. as an assistant Manager. The general manager position came open around that time as well and I was not even considered for it and they stuck a guy in there that had never ran a lot. He had been an AOM for a few years but there is a lot of things about running a lot that he didn’t know. If you are lucky to be handed the keys to a store like Springfield North a six figure salary is very easy to attain. They do try to live up to their mission vision and values however they are getting so big they have lost sight of it all. I was treated like I had done bad and that my store closing was all my fault, however at the time all I had was praise and pats on the back. In this company it’s all about who’s butt your kissing and that’s all there is to it. It is hard to hire and keep decent employees because they don’t pay well at all...unless you are in management and if you are you are in constant fear of loosing your job. They are now making a transiston to having a GM run more than one store, but only that select few golden boys. Take it from experiance and don’t fall into this trap and run fast the other way.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Collection representative 173 salaries reported	$14.41 per hour
Sales associate 125 salaries reported	$44,160 per year
Office clerk 126 salaries reported	$11.07 per hour
Manager in training 9 salaries reported	$34,000 per year
Automotive detailer 54 salaries reported	$13.72 per hour

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