17 Automotive General Manager Interview Questions and Answers

An automotive general manager is responsible for the overall operation of a car dealership. This includes managing the sales, service, and finance departments. Automotive general managers also develop and implement marketing plans to promote the dealership and its vehicles.

If you’re interested in becoming an automotive general manager, you’ll need to have several years of experience working in the automotive industry. You’ll also need to be able to answer questions about your experience during a job interview.

In this guide, we’ll provide sample answers to common automotive general manager interview questions. We’ll also give you tips on how to answer questions about your experience and qualifications.

Are you familiar with the products or services we offer as a company?

This question can help the interviewer determine whether you have researched their company and its products or services. It can also show how much you know about the automotive industry as a whole. When preparing for your interview, try to learn more about the company’s mission statement, values and goals. You may also want to research what types of vehicles they sell or service.

Example: “I am familiar with your company’s mission statement, which is to provide customers with quality vehicles at affordable prices. I’ve also read through your website and looked at some of your available models. I think that your company has a lot to offer drivers in this area.”

What are some of the most important qualities for a successful general manager?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the qualities they’re looking for in a general manager. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention some of the skills and traits that helped you succeed as an automotive general manager in your past roles.

Example: “I believe one of the most important qualities for a successful general manager is communication. As a general manager, I need to make sure my team members understand what their responsibilities are and how they fit into the company’s larger goals. Another quality I think is essential is problem-solving. In my last role, we had several challenges with scheduling our technicians, which required me to come up with creative solutions to ensure we were meeting customer needs.”

How would you deal with an underperforming employee?

An interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your management style and how you handle conflict. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation in which you helped an employee improve their performance or helped them find another role within the company.

Example: “In my last position as general manager of an auto repair shop, I had an employee who was consistently late for work. While I understood that there were some circumstances that contributed to his tardiness, after talking with him about the issue several times, I realized he wasn’t going to change his behavior. So, I decided to let him go so we could hire someone who would better fit our team.”

What is your experience with leading teams of employees?

The automotive industry is a fast-paced environment that requires teamwork. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience working with others and how well you can lead a team of employees. Use your answer to highlight any leadership skills or management techniques you’ve used in the past.

Example: “In my previous role as an automotive general manager, I led a team of 10 salespeople. My goal was to help them achieve their individual goals while also helping our dealership meet its monthly quotas. To do this, I held weekly meetings where we discussed our progress and set new goals for the upcoming week. I also encouraged collaboration among my team by asking each employee what they thought about certain ideas.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision.

When an interviewer asks you to provide an example of a time when you made a difficult decision, they are trying to learn more about how you make decisions and what your thought process is. This can be a great opportunity for you to showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to think critically.

Example: “When I was working as the general manager at my previous job, we had a customer who came in with a car that needed some repairs. The customer informed me that they were on a tight budget and could only afford $500 worth of repairs. After looking over their vehicle, I determined that it would cost them closer to $1,000 to repair everything.

I decided to offer the customer a discount so that they could get all of the repairs done for $750. They agreed to this price, but I knew that if I didn’t find another way to save money, then we wouldn’t be able to keep our business afloat.”

If we were experiencing a decrease in sales, what would be your strategy to increase revenue?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you might handle a challenging situation. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to make decisions under pressure.

Example: “If we were experiencing a decrease in sales, I would first analyze our current marketing strategies to see if there are any areas where we could improve. For example, I may decide to increase our advertising budget or change our target audience. If that doesn’t work, I would then look at our pricing structure to ensure it’s competitive with other local businesses. Finally, if all of those options fail, I would consider changing our inventory to include more popular items.”

What would you do if one of your employees was not following company policies?

Employers ask this question to make sure you have a plan for handling employee discipline. In your answer, explain how you would handle the situation and what steps you would take to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Example: “If I found out one of my employees was not following company policies, I would first meet with them to discuss the issue. If they were aware of the policy but chose to ignore it, I would give them a warning. If they continued to break the rules after that, I would fire them. I believe in having clear expectations for all employees so they know what is expected of them.”

How well do you understand our industry?

The automotive industry is a highly specialized field, and the interviewer may ask this question to assess your knowledge of the industry. Use your answer to highlight any experience you have in the automotive industry and how it has helped you develop an understanding of the sector.

Example: “I’ve worked in the automotive industry for over 10 years now, so I feel very comfortable with the challenges that come with working in this sector. In my previous role as service manager, I was responsible for training new employees on our processes and procedures, which gave me insight into what information they needed to know most. This led me to create a comprehensive employee handbook that outlined all of our policies and procedures.”

Do you have any experience with marketing?

Employers may ask this question to see if you have any experience with marketing strategies that can help them sell more vehicles. If you do, share your past experiences and how they helped the company’s sales. If you don’t have much experience in marketing, explain what other skills you have that could help increase sales.

Example: “In my previous role as an automotive general manager, I used a few different marketing strategies to help boost our sales. One strategy was social media advertising, which allowed us to reach new customers online. Another strategy we used was email marketing, which sent out newsletters to our current customers about special offers and discounts. These two strategies helped us gain more customers and boosted our sales by 10%.”

When was the last time you made a significant change to how things are done around the office?

This question can help the interviewer get a sense of how you approach change and implement new ideas. Your answer should highlight your ability to work with others, communicate effectively and lead by example.

Example: “At my previous job, I noticed that our technicians were spending too much time on their phones while they waited for customers to arrive at the shop. This was causing them to be late to appointments, which in turn caused customer satisfaction to drop. So, I decided to start a no-phone policy during business hours. At first, some employees complained about having nothing to do while waiting for customers, but after we implemented a few other activities like board games and puzzles, everyone seemed happier.”

We want to improve our customer service. Give me an example of how you would do that.

Customer service is an important part of any automotive business. The interviewer may ask this question to see how you would improve customer satisfaction at their company. In your answer, explain a specific example of how you improved customer service in the past and what steps you took to do so.

Example: “I once worked for a dealership that had low customer satisfaction ratings. I started by surveying customers to find out why they weren’t happy with our services. After finding out what was causing the dissatisfaction, I implemented new training programs for my team members to help them improve their communication skills and learn more about the products we sold. This helped us create better relationships with our customers and increased our sales.”

Describe your experience with using computers and other digital tools for work.

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your computer skills and how you use them in the workplace. To answer, think of a time when you used computers or digital tools for work purposes. Try to describe your experience with using these tools as clearly and concisely as possible.

Example: “I have extensive experience using computers and other digital tools for work. In my previous role as an automotive general manager, I used computers every day to manage inventory, track customer service calls and monitor sales reports. I also regularly used email and phone apps to communicate with employees and customers.”

What makes you the best candidate for this position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you feel you can contribute to their company. Before your interview, make a list of all the skills and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for this role. Focus on highlighting your most relevant skills and abilities while also being honest about what makes you unique as a candidate.

Example: “I am confident I am the best candidate for this position because of my extensive experience in managing teams and overseeing operations. Throughout my career, I have developed strong leadership skills and learned how to motivate employees and inspire them to do their best work. In addition, I am highly organized and detail-oriented, which helps me manage projects effectively and efficiently.”

Which industries or companies do you admire most and why?

This question is a great way to show your passion for the automotive industry. It also gives you an opportunity to talk about what you like most about working in this field and how it has helped you develop as a professional. When answering, try to focus on specific aspects of the company or industry that you admire and why they are important to you.

Example: “I admire Tesla Motors because they have been able to create such innovative technology while still remaining profitable. I think their ability to do so is really impressive, especially since many other companies struggle with this. I would love to be able to work at a company where we could make our own decisions and take risks without having to worry about losing money.”

What do you think is the most important thing a general manager can do to maintain a positive work environment?

A general manager is responsible for creating a positive work environment that encourages employees to do their best work. Employers ask this question to make sure you understand the importance of maintaining a good team atmosphere and how you would go about doing so. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to ensure everyone on staff feels valued and supported.

Example: “I think it’s important for a general manager to be approachable and available to all employees. I would hold weekly meetings where anyone can come with questions or concerns they have. I also plan to create an open-door policy where any employee can schedule time to meet with me one-on-one if they need help with anything.”

How often do you make mistakes?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your self-awareness. They want to know that you’re able to recognize when you make a mistake and how you fix it. In your answer, try to be honest about the mistakes you’ve made in the past and what steps you took to correct them.

Example: “I’m human, so I make mistakes from time to time. However, I always strive to do my best work. If I ever make a mistake at work, I immediately apologize for it and take responsibility for fixing it. For example, once I accidentally sent an email to all of our customers with incorrect pricing information. I quickly apologized for the mistake and fixed the pricing on our website. I also called each customer who received the email to personally apologize.”

There is a problem with a car part you ordered from a supplier. What is your reaction?

This question can help an interviewer understand how you react to challenges in the workplace. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others.

Example: “When I first started working as a general manager, there was a problem with one of our parts that we ordered from a supplier. The part was damaged during shipping, so I called the supplier right away to let them know about the issue. They sent us another part immediately, but it also arrived damaged. This time, they offered to send us a new part at no cost. I accepted their offer because I didn’t want to lose business with this supplier.”