car sales executive

automotive technician

parts specialist

lot attendant

customer service representative

EchoPark Automotive

I was part of the original Experience Guide crew at the Houston location. the nearly year and a half that I worked there was pretty amazing. For the first time in 15 years, I had found a work place that I truly enjoyed going to everyday. The culture was great, my fellow employees were easy to get along with, and there was a huge sense of family among the staff.

Due to COVID-19 and economic downsizing, I, along with a good portion of the staff, was laid off. I was sent to an office where the GM and Controller were sitting. They told me what was going on and that I was being let go. I asked if I had done something wrong, or if it was a performance issue. They both assured me that my performance was not an issue and that I had done nothing wrong. They also told me that once things bounce back, I would be able to return to work.

Two months after being laid off, I heard that some of the staff had started returning to work. I tried contacting the GM several times over the course of the next couple of weeks. I did not get the professional courtesy of a return phone call. I then was a ble to get in contact with one of the Sales Managers to see about returning to work. He informed me that they weren't bringing anyone else back onboard at that time and told me to check back in three weeks. After three weeks passed, I called him back and he said he would discuss it with the GM and call me in a couple of days. A week went by and I had not received a call, so I called him. He told me that they were not going to bring me back onboard. This confused me because I was previously told that I would be able to come back. I asked him to have the GM call me so that I could speak to him directly. Again, I did not receive the professional courtesy of a return phone call from the GM.

Now, let me tell you about me as an employee at Echo Park. I was always early to work. I always did my daily phone calls without having to be hounded to do so. I went out of my way to assist other employees, because I was huge on the Echo Park family culture. Depending on where I was on the "on point" system, I was always where I was suppose to be. The coaches did not have to hunt me down. As far as my sales were concerned, I might not have been the number one sales person, but I was no slouch either. I had a bad month here and there, everyone does, but for the most part, I was in the top half of the sales team.

To add insult to injury, they brought a couple people back onboard who were known for cheating the "on point" system. One of which was previously fired and escorted out of the building for insubordination. Another person was brought back onboard that walked out on their job when they previously worked at the Dallas location.

You can see, after all this, the reason for my two star review. Although it was a very enjoyable place to work and a great place to have a career, the decision making there as of late has been questionable. There has been a lot of favoritism going on. I am not the only person, still employed or not, that feels this way either.

Having been a part of this establishment for slightly over a year now, I must say that the management here is truly exceptional. They are not only approachable, but also possess remarkable leadership qualities. 

It is indeed quite feasible to earn a six-figure salary at this particular branch. I distinctly recall that, in the past, we used to sell just a little over 200 units per month. However, as time has progressed, we have managed to surpass that number and are now selling over 300 units per month. 

This is truly an astonishing achievement, especially considering the fact that our store does not engage in any advertising activities. And let me assure you, we have no intentions of slowing down. In fact, I firmly believe that within the next five years, we will be averaging anywhere between 800 to 900 cars per month.

Admittedly, we may not be earning as much as a traditional dealership might, but it is worth mentioning that a select few individuals have managed to make over $90,000. Moreover, the fact that we have every single Sunday off and requesting time off is incredibly convenient definitely compensates for any financial disparities.

The management here is dedicated to fostering a positive work culture. They ensure that we have all the necessary resources to succeed, to the best of their abilities.

The camaraderie among my co-workers is truly astounding. However, as is the case with any job, there are those individuals who take pleasure in gossiping and spreading negativity. Hopefully, they will eventually grow and come to appreciate the tremendous opportunities available at this location.

Guests come in or set an appointment to come in.  As an Experience Guide you will be "on point" which is in line to take a guest.  They don't mention this in the Rose Garden ad, but you must maintain a close ratio of 70% or you will be removed from point.  I have seen employees go for weeks without being permitted to take a guest.  It's a perversion of any sales business norms I have ever seen, but it makes perfect sense to them. Top management live inside of a box: it's black or it's white.  There is no grey.  You get compensated Not for selling the car, but selling products - such as extended warranty and GAP.  You can not discount by as much as a penny.  This is another area where you will be under pressure to get guests to take very expensive products that are overpriced.  If you discounted you may have made an additional profit of $400 on that deal, but the management  (in all their brilliance) won't allow a discount, so that's potentially zero dollars profit.  You will not have a work life balance.  But if your skin is thick and you are okay working open to close, and sometimes staying until midnight, working outside in excessive heat,  then you can make much more money than average sales jobs.  One last point: leads come in that are worked by the finance team, and then handed (fed) to favorites.  It's not fair, but be prepared for that.

This company seemed amazing on paper and outside of people in your same position it is extremely divisive. There is a very clear sense of favoritism amongst managers especially the GM. Essentially the only way to move up in the company is to run errands for the GM, take him golfing or on other adventures throughout the state, or be his best buddy. Multiple current employees have stated that if the pay structure wasn’t what it is they wouldn’t stay working there. They preach a family environment but that couldn’t be farther from the truth the second things get difficult they look for excuses to get rid of people they don’t care for and replace you with new employees to “mold into the brand”. My warning is to just be careful with working at a place like this. You can make decent money at the expense of your family and home life no matter what anyone says there is no work life balance so be prepared.  And if you aren’t willing to commit to that lifestyle get ready to be shunned and ridiculed until you have no option but to quit because they will not fire people unless it’s a truly heinous act and even then that’s in question. If you work here you have to be a shark to survive.

They start the day with a "morning meeting" every morning for the repair technicians which is a waste of time. When the oil boxes are empty the technician has to change it themselves when there are 3 people in the parts department sitting doing nothing for 8 hours a day. The parts department employees seem to have very little experience in how to get the parts needed or knowing anything about the cars they are ordering the parts for. Then they expect you to meet your production time when you have to take out the time to change a box of oil or you get pulled away from the work you are doing for a "Team Meating" that may last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. The information in these meeting are rarely useful for the job a technician performs. They hire you in saying you will be paid as a salary employee but when you get your pay check stub it shows you are being paid hourly. I could go on and on but you make your own decision about applying for a position at the Chesterfield location of this company.

As someone who has been working at car dealers for almost 20 years, I've always dreamed about working with a group that realized the potential of having work/life balance.  Most dealers are happy to grind you up 12 hours a day 7 days a week.  At EchoPark, you have the opportunity to have 2 days off most weeks and work a normal schedule.  Literally can't ask for anything better than that in a retail sales environment where you serve customers at all hours. As with any sales job, there will be quotas to hit but knowing that we are closed Sunday, I can plan things with my family. Pay is more than fair and everyone in the building has the opportunity to contribute to the team and make a living wage.  Building workplace culture is never easy or instant.  At EchoPark, they make it a priority by providing the framework for team bonding to happen.  All you have to do is bring the positive attitude and be ready to learn.  The business model simply works and the fact that they choose to pursue doing business the right way means EchoPark is growing like wildfire.  The branded used car dealer space is going to be massively growing over the next decade and advancement opportunities will be all over the place for those that participate.

I am approaching a year with this company and I truly content and happy to be a part of both this team and this culture. The tone that was set during my interview for breaking the Auto Industry mold is alive and well. We treat our guests like family in our own home and live and breath a culture that is all about support and bettering one another on a daily basis.

Salary based guides (sales people) make for a better process and environment not just for the employees, but more importantly for the guests. I have seen multiple people be both promoted to new roles on my team and raises given to those who exceeded the expectation on a consistent basis. Career-pathing is alive and well.

The icing on the cake is some of our guests who walk in the door guarded and unsure and end up leaving happy, informed and a customer for life based our experience. This occurs on a daily basis and is not typical for the rest of the auto industry. Being able to earn that trust the right way is very fulfilling.

At Echopark life is transparent.

Echopark promises a different environment for technicians from the flat rate world but with 10 hour shifts and the base salary pay, you don’t make much. Management (service manager/shop foreman) are always to busy to change anything for the better, they promise to care but do very little when you come to them with problems. There is also little incentive to work hard if you are a top performer. Their bonus plan structure is always changing and doesn’t benefit the technicians. Echopark Thornton has constant turn over and anybody in the shop will tell you most guys don’t last more than a year. You will work holidays and miss out valuable time with family& friends, for example corporate will give everyone 4th of July off but not give you the following next day (Friday) off to enjoy a nice 4 day weekend. All technicians here do the same type of “C-level” work, but some older technicians get paid Significantly more for the same type of work and if you’re a younger technician there is little to no advancement opportunities for you to make more $$$. I would not recommend this place for a fellow mechanic.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Company as a whole is not that good. They promote culture, but don’t really hold up their end of the bargain when it’s needed. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Upper Management allows the employees to run the place and does not allow their selected managers to develop and hold employees that’s are not successful accountable. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It’s more ra ra than an actual motivation place. Midday chants are more important than you actually being with your customers, which pays your families bills. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Come to work, get together for a meeting. Then sit an a meeting that should have been an email. Then meet again for what could have been another email. Then go to another group chant session, before another meeting. Then meet again before the days over to see if the team actually had a successful day. All awhile taking phone calls from upper management about things that again could have been an email.

This company was sold as the next big thing, a change from the traditional way of selling cars. However, it is the same stuff on a different plate. They do have a few things revolutionary, salaried employees for example, but everything else is exactly like any other dealership. High pressure sales, constant hounding from upper management about why you and your team didn't sell to every "guest" who came in. An offsite call center to do followup, because they don't trust their employees to do it. Worst of all, everything they say is non-negociable actually is, if they need the sale that day and if the customer causes a big enough stink about it. I watched the Vice President adjust a trade in value after asking the customer, "What would it take to get this deal done today?" That right there is old school car sales at it's best.

If you are ok with traditional sales without the benefit of an unlimited earnings potential then this could be a good place for you. Just don't believe the hype they sell you in the interview about changing the industry.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Car sales executive 1 salary reported	$95,000 per year
Automotive technician 1 salary reported	$60,000 per year
Parts specialist 1 salary reported	$42,500 per year
Lot attendant 40 salaries reported	$15.91 per hour
Customer service representative 2 salaries reported	$15.00 per hour

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