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STEP Testimonial #1 |
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Attention: Brian Nelson
BMW of North America, LLC
Program Manager STEP
Hi Brian,
I'm writing to inform you on how successful the BMW STEP program has been for us. I know
from experience how often programs are scrutinized and excuses made, of how it won't work for me.
Well let me tell you, it's the answer to many Service Manager's problems of filling their shops with
quality technicians. I think the biggest task of implementing this program for most Service Managers,
is their and the General Managers buy-in. Fortunately; we have a General Manager that could see the
value of the STEP program.
We hired four of the first STEP students from New Jersey "five years ago". Today we still have
three of them. All three are excellent technicians that are members of the BMW TOP GUN recognition
program. In fact, our shop had 10 TOP GUN technicians over the last two years. Their CSI ratings have
been consistently in the "nineties" for fixed right the first time, with their weekly production at
a very acceptable level. We've even had one STEP student become one of our group leaders. Since
their employment we have hired four more STEP students, which now make up forty-percent of our
technician base. Our monthly service CSI ratings have been consistently above national average for
the last "forty months". We feel the BMW STEP program has been a contributing factor. The
BMW STEP program gives you a solid foundation of young energetic BMW enthusiasts who want to
be a professional technician. The only ingredients needed to fulfill their successes are: Quality
leadership, mentoring, fair pay and recognition. Over the last few years, I have noticed a higher
level of educated students coming out of the STEP program. I feel I have to credit the maturity
of the program and the caliber of students who are enrolling into the program
A couple more points I would like to share with you. First, I've seen the shop as a whole go to a
higher level with these young, aggressive, trained students coming into our shop with a positive
attitude demonstrating a willingness to become our future. Second, the students will only be as
successful as you allow them to be, by providing them with quality leadership, a mentoring program
that is patient with their performance and a willingness from management to make their program as
successful as we have. The investment we have made in the BMW STEP program has been a real value
monetarily and by retaining customer loyalty. We will continue to draft from the BMW STEP program.
Brian, I would like to thank you and your staff for an outstanding job in locating, training and
providing quality trained future technicians.
Sincerely,
Gary Long
Service Director, Leith BMW
Raleigh, NC
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| STEP Testimonial #2 |
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Attention: Charles Klasman
BMW of North America, LLC
Technical Specialist STEP
Mr. Klasman,
Just a quick note to offer you some of my views on BMW's STEP program. Starting out, I was not much of a proponent of the program. But over the last 2 years I have come to hire a number of step graduates. They have been wonderful investments to my operations. I started by sponsoring a young graduate from the STEP 2 program. He has been wonderful. 2 months later I sponsored my 2nd STEP 2 graduate. He also has been great. 2 months after that I decided to try a STEP 1 graduate from the 27 week program. He has been with us for 8 months now and has found his home. All together now I have three STEP 2 graduates and one STEP 1 graduate working for us. I have graduates from Orlando, Florida, Cleveland, Ohio and New Jersey. We are 100% on retention. I believe the program has been just what we needed to balance the shop. My plans are to continue using the step program and hopefully keep my 'no hitter' game going as we plan to add technicians. My plans for expansion are very aggressive and will include many more STEP students.
Regards,
Todd Margraf
The BMW Store
Cincinnati MINI
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