As many as 56 people’s jobs at Dealer.com’s Burlington offices are in jeopardy because of a change in business strategy by parent company Cox Automotive.
The “digital strategist” position is being eliminated in favor of a “performance management model of client services,” Cox spokesperson Lisa Aloisio told Seven Days.
The company is eliminating 112 digital strategists across five locations. Half of those positions are in Vermont, Aloisio said, but affected employees will have “a really good amount of time to apply” for the new jobs.
Dealer.com creates and manages websites and online inventory systems for car dealerships nationwide. It was founded in 1998 and sold for $1 billion in 2013 to Dealertrack Technologies. Cox Automotive bought that company for $4 billion in 2015.
Aloisio said the company plans to hire more than 112 people to replace existing digital strategists, but she refused to comment on whether all 56 Vermont jobs would be replaced.
According to a written statement from Cox Automotive, “impacted team members will be given an opportunity to apply for a Performance Management Operations Specialist role or enroll in a three-month trial program for a Performance Consultant role.”
Digital strategists who don’t qualify for the new roles or don’t want them “will leave [the company] and receive transition and separation support.”
Aloisio didn’t provide specifics on how the “performance manager” responsibilities will differ from the work of digital strategists, but she said the new jobs will employ “a significantly different skill set.”
“The biggest difference is … you need some hands-on experience with dealer operations,” she said, refusing to elaborate further.
Part of the reason the company is so tight-lipped about the new jobs, Aloisio said, is to give internal candidates “first shot at the new roles.”
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ForestGimp, BED has the lowest electric prices by far. Nice to know what “energy” prices you’re talking about when the main work is information-based.
First, the article talked about eliminating jobs over five locations, and 50% of the eliminated jobs are in one location; Vermont. 30% more than the average.
Second, just because the article doesn’t explicitly refer to taxes, and spell it out for you, does not mean that additional 2.5% isn’t a factor. In business, that 2.5% matters.
Third, it’s not an assumption, it’s a presumption, based on the facts and ample precious evidence that all points to Vermont being a high tax, high cost state to do business.
Keeping your head buried in the sand won’t help Mr. Hoffer.
Doug Hoffer,
Vermonts business climate isnt exactly welcoming. With an 8.5% business tax, a local tax in many cases, higher energy costs and the act 250 nightmare. Lets not forget that were (Vermont) competing with other states to lure new businesses to our state and keep the ones we have from relocating. Furthermore, Being critical of VEPC incentives in a high tax state isnt exactly rolling out the red carpet.
“A few years ago Dealer.com was the poster child of the Chamber and Business Roundtable- a model for the future. Nice judgement.”
Dealer.com employs 900+ people. Just because a business lays off people doesn’t mean its overall presence isn’t a good thing. Do you not like businesses? What are you saying? That its existence here isn’t a net plus? That its presence here isn’t a good thing? That Burlington doesn’t benefit from the hundreds of jobs it provides? That it isn’t e net benefit to the Chittenden County economy? That it shouldn’t be here at all because it has the nerve to lay employees off?
Mr. Gimp – First, the article said nothing about moving facilities or jobs. Indeed, since jobs will be affected in five locations, one could be Georgia. Second, it said nothing about taxes. Third, state taxes are a tiny part of business overhead and are dwarfed by wages and other factors. It’s easy to assume that state taxes are the cause of such business changes, but there is precious little evidence to support that.
One wonders if this enterprise will continue to maintain its elevated visibility in the community vis a vis sponsorships of events such as Burlington Discover Jazz…or did those derive from tax breaks, incentives etc. in the old ‘one hand washes the other’ syndrome?!?!?
Cox automotive based in the state of Georgia enjoys a 6% business tax compared to Vermonts 8.5% business tax not including local taxes. Its a pretty easy decision to make.
As we keep going with these BTV Ignite Festivals every year in an effort to encourage the growth of the tech sector in our “Gigabit City” we’d be wise to look into how to create sustainable, cooperative, long-term viability in the era of capitalist hyper-accelaration.
Otherwise, if we stoke this essentially ephemeral market sector without paying attention to how abrupt bubble busts can raze entire enterprises, then we risk the bottom falling out from under our feet.
VEPC awarded Dealer over $6 million in “incentives” over the last ten years.
A few years ago Dealer.com was the poster child of the Chamber and Business Roundtable- a model for the future. Nice judgement.