Org chart
The sales and service branches under the general manager are shown in depth, down to consultants, advisors and technicians. Spare parts, finance and insurance, marketing, HR and accounts are drawn one level down. Each showroom and workshop repeats this pattern.
Levels and designations
| Level | Typical designations | Span of control |
|---|---|---|
| L1 Leadership | Dealer Principal, Managing Director | 1 to 3 reports |
| L2 General management | General Manager, Spare Parts Manager | 4 to 8 reports |
| L3 Department managers | Sales Manager, Service Manager, Workshop Manager | 6 to 20 staff |
| L4 Supervisors | Sales Team Leader, Service Advisor, Floor Supervisor | 5 to 15 staff |
| L5 Staff | Sales Consultant, Technician, Parts Executive | no direct reports |
Approval chains
| Request | Approval chain |
|---|---|
| Leave | Sales Consultant → Sales Manager → HR Executive |
| Attendance correction | Technician → Service Manager → HR Executive |
| Overtime | Technician → Service Manager → HR Executive |
| Reimbursement | Sales Consultant → Sales Manager → Accounts Manager |
| Hiring | Service Manager → General Manager → HR Executive |
How the structure works
The dealership runs three profit centres side by side. Sales is a showroom team where a sales manager leads team leaders and consultants who greet walk-ins, give test drives, arrange finance and close deals against monthly targets. Service is a workshop where a service manager leads advisors who receive vehicles and technicians who repair them, measured on jobs done and customer satisfaction. Spare parts runs a counter and store that supplies both the workshop and outside buyers. A finance and insurance desk arranges loans and cover on new cars. Marketing brings enquiries, and HR and accounts support all three streams.
How it changes with size
A single small dealership may be an owner with a few salespeople, a small workshop and one accountant. A mid-sized group adds a general manager, separate sales and service managers, a parts department and a finance and insurance desk. A large multi-brand group adds a chief executive over several dealer principals, separate outlets for each brand, a used car business, and central marketing, HR and accounts. The three streams of sales, service and parts stay distinct at every size, because each is measured and paid differently.
Common problems
Sales and service run on different clocks under one roof. Consultants chase month-end registration targets and work late on the last days, while the workshop runs steady daily jobs and opens early. Technicians earn on productivity, so their hours on jobs are tracked closely. Test drives and outdoor sales take consultants off site. Month-end brings overtime in sales and long counter hours in parts. The steady fixes are separate shift rules for sales and service, one department manager as reporting manager per person, and overtime approved against a cap at month-end.
- Separate shift and attendance rules for sales and service
- Technician hours on jobs tracked for productivity
- Month-end overtime in sales approved against a cap
- One department manager as reporting manager per person
Set up this structure in ZeniaHR
- Add each showroom and workshop as a branch, and create departments like Sales, Service, Spare Parts, Finance and Insurance, Marketing, HR and Accounts.
- Create designations such as Sales Consultant, Sales Team Leader, Technician, Service Advisor and Service Manager, and use grades to hold pay bands.
- Give every person a reporting manager, the sales manager for showroom staff and the service manager for workshop staff, each with an HR partner.
- Build shifts that fit showroom and workshop timings, set weekly offs, and roster staff since service opens early and sales runs late at month-end.
- Use biometric or kiosk punches at the showroom and workshop, and set grace, late and overtime rules that suit each department.
- Keep leave, corrections and overtime on the reporting manager then HR route, and add the general manager as a hiring approver above department managers.
See it on your own data
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Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What is the organizational structure of a car dealership?
A car dealership is owned by a dealer principal and run by a general manager over three streams: sales, service and spare parts. Sales has consultants who sell in the showroom, service has advisors and technicians in the workshop, and parts runs a counter and store. Finance and insurance, marketing, HR and accounts support all three. Large groups add a CEO over several dealerships and a used car business.
Who does a service technician report to?
A service technician reports to the service advisor or workshop supervisor, who reports to the service manager. For leave and attendance corrections in ZeniaHR, the technician's request goes to their reporting manager and then to HR. Because the workshop runs daily jobs, the service manager plans cover before approving leave, and productivity hours are tracked for pay.
How are sales and service staff managed differently?
Sales consultants work showroom hours that stretch late near month-end registration targets and often go off site for test drives. Service technicians open early, run steady daily jobs, and earn on productivity. So the two are set up with different shift and overtime rules, and both punch at their location. Leave for both still routes through the department manager and then HR.