The staff at John Patterson’s OC Auto Team weathered huge victories and inflationary hurdles in 2023 as the dealership group expanded by one.
Guiding them with “beautiful balance” is the namesake and president of the four-dealership group, John Patterson.
His employees in a survey of Top Workplaces in Orange County repeatedly commended their boss for creating a friendly environment that appreciates them, offering support, training and consistent leadership.
“JP is fully engaged,” wrote one employee. “And by him showing face and shaking hands with the higher ranks and showing support to those beneath has a big impact on feeling like we are a team.”
“Like any good relationship, there is communication and growth,” wrote another.
Patterson’s Tustin Mazda dealership is celebrating 20 years of business come early 2024. A commitment to the team and the community has put the company back on the Top Workplaces program for the third year in a row and the 15th overall.
Leadership for Patterson comes from the heart and his faith. “This is God’s business and it’s my job to take care of his business,” he says. That means helping his team see the differences between a moment of happiness and a life lived perpetually with joy.
Patterson says that while he can’t control the forces moving up interest rates and driving up costs for consumers (and car buyers), he can help his team control their attitudes.
“We try and provide an environment where our teammates feel valued, and our guests feel valued,” he says. “Our business model is much more than selling and servicing cars. It’s about giving back to the community. It’s about taking care of a number of those different community services that have done so much for so many people.”
We asked Patterson to share his strategy for keeping a sales team motivated during an economy that’s been buffeted by supply chain and cost issues. His answers have been edited for length.
Q: The market…
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