OpenRoad Auto Group named one of Canada’s best companies to work for according to Aon Hewitt’s top employer survey.

VANCOUVER, BC (Nov 20, 2014) – OpenRoad Auto Group has been recognized as one of the best Canadian companies to work for as part of the 50 Best Employers in Canada survey. The annual survey ranked OpenRoad eighth out of 50 top Canadian employers, making this the third time in five years that the B.C.-based automotive retail group has received the prestigious designation.

Conducted by Aon Hewitt, a global firm specializing in human resource solutions, the 2015 list of the country’s 50 best employers was compiled based on responses from nearly 350,000 employees in 259 participating private and public-sector organizations. Sharing the Best Employers in Canada recognition with OpenRoad this year are industry-leading businesses like Cisco Canada, TD Bank Group, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and WestJet.

The annual survey measures employee engagement based on their levels of commitment and how motivated they are by their company’s leaders, managers, culture and values. The survey also analyses performance in six key categories that influence employee engagement including Employment Brand (the strength of a company’s reputation as an employer); Leadership (which organizations have highly effective senior managers and leaders); Performance (how well an organization manages, recognizes and provides opportunities for employees); The Work (how well an organization equips employees to do their jobs); Company Practices (leadership development, HR practices, etc.) and The Basics (including supporting work/life balance).

Employees at OpenRoad Auto Group reported high levels of engagement in all categories citing examples of specialized programs that support professional development, along with exemplary systems for employee recognition, internal communications and special employee events.

“At OpenRoad, we not only put our customers first but also our employees,” said Christian Chia, President and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group. “For us, it’s a practice that creates positive, supportive work environments which foster happy, motivated employees who, in turn, are building loyal customer relationships at each one of our dealerships.”

Amy Li, Assistant Sales Manager of OpenRoad’s Richmond B.C. Lexus dealership, echoed Chia, saying that the auto group has been able to keep its staff happy and engaged over the years. “I am excited and proud to be a part of a progressive organization. OpenRoad has provided me with countless opportunities to advance and grow,” said Li.

Earlier this month, OpenRoad Auto Group’s newest Porsche retail centre, OpenRoad Porsche Langley, opened its doors to the public. The group also recently announced the acquisition of three Vancouver dealerships, including The BMW Store, MINI Yaletown, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver. In 2015, OpenRoad will also open new Volkswagen, Jaguar and Land Rover dealerships.

For a complete list of the 2015 Best Employers in Canada, visit the Aon Hewitt official results page: https://www.aon.com/canada/products-services/human-capital-consulting/con…

About OpenRoad Auto Group
 

In 2000, OpenRoad Auto Group formed to offer car buyers and owners an experiential automotive retail service. With sales and service in multiple languages, OpenRoad Auto Group encourages a car buying experience based on openness, participation and expertise. One of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, CADA Laureate and multiple Canadian Best Employer Award recipient, the OpenRoad team of over 700 associates represents 12 import brands at 15 dealership locations across B.C., Canada. Visit www.openroadautogroup.com.
 

For more information, please contact:

Ben Lovie (604-232-5347)

OpenRoad Auto Group Ltd.

marketing@openroadautogroup.com

VANCOUVER, October 2, 2014 – OpenRoad Auto Group has acquired three iconic dealerships in Vancouver: The BMW Store, MINI Yaletown, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver, becoming the number one automotive retail group in B.C. for new vehicle sales volume. The award-winning OpenRoad group now represents 12 brands at 15 dealerships in the province.
 

This announcement gives OpenRoad its second pair of BMW and MINI dealerships, in addition to their existing BMW and MINI dealerships in Langley, B.C. The BMW Store in Vancouver was the first BMW dealership to open its doors in Canada and remains one of the largest volume dealers in the country. MINI Yaletown is urban, iconic and youthful — three characteristics that are well suited to downtown Vancouver. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver is the only authorized Rolls-Royce dealer in the city and adds the first ultra-luxury brand to the OpenRoad portfolio offering of import automotive brands.
 

“We really look forward to welcoming them to our team of now more than 700 associates. Having a presence in
downtown Vancouver and Kitsilano has been a dream of mine for many years. By adding three iconic brands and some of the best automotive professionals in the industry, it makes for a very bright future at OpenRoad,” said Christian Chia, President and CEO of the OpenRoad Auto Group.

 
“The BMW Store is the pre-eminent BMW retailer in the country — it was of the one of the first and has been a landmark in the community. Rolls-Royce is a proud company that celebrated 110 years of history this year. We are proud and excited to be the only retailer in Western Canada.”
 

The announcement comes as welcomed news at The BMW Store, MINI Yaletown and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver. Dimitri Kotsalis, General Manager of the three dealerships, said, “The 130 employees that have proudly represented these three distinguished brands have greeted the acquisition with open arms. I look forward to the world of possibilities that lay ahead of us as part of this celebrated automotive group.”
 

The three dealerships were previously owned by the American company Fields Automotive Group, and officially become part of the Canada-based OpenRoad Auto Group on Oct. 2, 2014.

 About OpenRoad Auto Group

In 2000, OpenRoad Auto Group formed to offer car buyers and owners an experiential automotive retail service. With sales and service in multiple languages, OpenRoad Auto Group encourages a car buying experience based on openness, participation and expertise. One of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, CADA Laureate and multiple Canadian Best Employer Award recipient, the OpenRoad team of over 700 associates represents 12 import brands at 15 dealership locations across B.C., Canada. Visit www.openroadautogroup.com.

For more information, please contact:

OpenRoad Auto Group Ltd.

marketing@openroadautogroup.com

Shim Ching was the driver of the OpenRoad Audi R8 LMS in Macau, China, at the City of Dreams Macau GT Cup. The race took place in November 2013.

Learn more about OpenRoad Racing.

Daylight Saving Time has passed and your car’s clock is still one hour behind. You are terrified of being late for appointments because you’re unsure whether your wrist watch is correct or your car’s clock. We have a guide for various clock systems in vehicles, on how to change your car’s clock for Daylight Saving Time.
 

Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time was first proposed by George Vernon Hudson in 1915. Implemented by various countries since 1916, the idea really caught on during the energy crisis of the 1970s.

Advocates of Daylight Saving Time state that because the evenings have more daylight and the mornings less, there are benefits to retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours.

Opponents claim that because society on a whole doesn’t get enough sleep these days, losing an extra hour during Daylight Saving Time can be dangerous not only on the roads, but also when it comes to making important work or life decisions.
 

Changing Your Car’s Clock for Daylight Saving Time

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, the reality is that it’s here to stay for now and as a result, we have to go through the potentially arduous task of changing the clocks in our cars at least twice a year.

These days many clocks are embedded into and controlled via the satellite navigation headunits. As a result, changing the time may be more complicated than you think depending on which vehicle you drive.
 

1. Traditional Digital Clock Readout

If there are a couple of small markings or buttons next to the clock readout, namely “H” and “M” these indicate Hour and Minute adjustments respectively. 

Pressing the “H” button is all you will need to advance the clock ahead by 1 hour to the correct time for Daylight Savings purposes. The “M” advances the minutes, and the “R” resets the clock to the closest hour. Most Hondas have the “R” button, but not all manufacturers share this same arrangement. Many Hondas also use the “FM” button as the clock reset/setup button.



All Mazda vehicles are also set up this way, regardless of whether they’re equipped with the navigation option. This makes it extremely easy to change the main vehicle clock within seconds. (The picture below is from the 2014 Mazda6).
 

2. GPS Satellite Navigation Smart Clock

If you have a car with a virtual clock in the satellite navigation system, or in a smaller multi-function screen, your car may be smart enough to know what the Daylight Saving Time calendar is. Therefore you may not have to switch the clock at all if this auto setting is activated. Your car will do it for you automagically! 

Moreover, many higher end luxury cars with factory GPS systems use the GPS satellites’ time to synchronize the car’s clock, thereby eliminating the need to adjust the clock. Ever!

Simply ensure that your car’s clock or GPS synchronization settings are set correctly from within the settings menu.

If you do need to manually reset the clock for whatever reason, there is likely a manual override in the System Settings menus and the clock submenu.

If you have a decorative analog clock in the dash with no obvious way of changing the time near the clock face, it is likely that the analog clock is integrated into the satellite navigation headunit. Therefore, follow the same instructions as above to change the analog clock’s hour hand as appropriate.
 

3. Non-GPS Navigation Headunit With Integrated Clock Function

If you have a slightly more sophisticated headunit but without navigation, such as on this 2014 Hyundai Tuscon, there is likely still a settings menu that you can easily access via a dedicated button.

In the case of the Tuscon, one uses the “Tune” button to scroll through and select the clock option to make the appropriate adjustments to the time. Simple, right?

All of the scenarios above will likely cover 4 out of 5 of the vehicles out there on the roads. However when in doubt, always consult your owner’s manual or give your service department a call to change your car’s clock for Daylight Saving Time.

In the meantime, enjoy the extra hour of sunshine after work!