Cochran Auto Group Case Study

Industry: Auto

Location: Monroeville, PA

Employee Size: 1,500

ProScan®

TeamScan®

JobScan®

To reach their ultimate goal of becoming a century company, #1 Cochran Auto Group needed a reliable succession plan to transition not only to, but through and beyond the next generation. Consistent operational processes had heavily contributed to their 58-year longevity thus far, and leaders recognized the lack thereof for confidently matching the right people to the right roles.

Prior to PDP, #1 Cochran didn’t have concrete insights into the motivations, strengths, and communication styles of each individual. They were limited to mapping employee development on whiteboards and spreadsheets, which involved guesswork on who would follow which career path. Especially with a diverse, five-generation workforce to consider, performance in team environments added another variable when predicting how successful someone would be in their next role.

To improve communication, develop their employees, and plan for succession, #1 Cochran began searching for a verified people management platform.

#1 Cochran Auto Group turned to their network for solutions and received a recommendation of Dan at the Rawls Group, who is a PDP Global provider. The PDP platform offered modules like ProScan_®, TeamScan_®, and Side-by-Sides to assess employees' traits, communication preferences, and how they interact within teams.

Impressed by PDP’s 98% accuracy rate and scientific research, PDP’s emphasis on personal development and the humanity of an individual further resonated with #1 Cochran:

“A lot of other personality indexes only focus on the person's role within the organization,” noted #1 Cochran’s Director of Talent Development, Ryan Koch. “We’ve looked at the Enneagram and DiSC, but PDP really stood out on the human aspect. PDP is about more than the individual in the organization; it focuses on the person you're talking to right then. You’re looking at them as a whole whether it’s career, personal, financial…That made PDP feel really authentic.”

With #1 Cochran’s company values of continual learning and respect, PDP felt like the right fit for their organization.

The Implementation

Two factors significantly contributed to #1 Cochran’s successful implementation of the PDP system: strong leadership support and an intentional rollout. The C-suite had a steadfast mindset of developing their people and saw PDP as the practical instrument to follow through on it. They took time to explain PDP’s purpose and function, incorporate it throughout all levels of the company, and tie it to company values. Their diligence prevented employees from feeling overwhelmed and made PDP easy to integrate into regular processes.

Lower Turnover Than the Industry Average

Increase in Internal Management Promotions

of Managers and Executives Complete a ProScan® Annually

Eager Attitudes and Self-Awareness

The most common reaction after an employee receives their ProScan results is “Wow, that really does sound like me!” PDP has guided stabilized growth to 1,500 employees and provided considerable self-awareness for many individuals. Often, someone will adjust their mindset once learning about their trait pairs, strengths, and communication tendencies. #1 Cochran appreciates that PDP provides information for someone to be a better person, not just a better employee.

Team Culture Growth Over Time

Before PDP, there was no way for #1 Cochran to measure, track, and develop team culture. Now, after using the PDP system for over five years, there’s enough data available to support trends of how certain areas are shifting. For example, if one location notably grew its productivity over the last year, PDP reports show correlating changes in behavioral makeup. Other locations can use those insights to improve also or identify the unique framework that works best for them.

Integral Part of Operations

The leadership team was so impressed by PDP’s impact during the succession that it has become a core part of their business. All levels of the company from new hires to executives complete a ProScan®. PDP enhances several functions starting with onboarding all the way through to retention based on uncovered behavioral knowledge. Where there was no consistent process before for improving team culture, employee development, or communication, PDP provides an easy and effective method.

"We’ve looked at the Enneagram and DiSC, but PDP really stood out on the human aspect. PDP is about more than the individual in the organization; it focuses on the person you're talking to right then. You’re looking at them as a whole whether it’s career, personal, financial... That made PDP feel really authentic."

Ryan Koch

Measurable Results

System

Certification

Workshops

DynaMetric Assessments

Web Application

Compare

Measurable Results

System

Certifications

Workshops

DynaMetric Assessments

Web Application

#1 Cochran Auto Group

Employee Development Process Leads to 46% Increase in Internal Management Promotions

Company Overview

Instruments Used:

The Challenge

The Solution

The Implementation

Managing PDP In-House

Monthly Management Bootcamps

PDP Representative Support

Expanding PDP Capabilities

The Results

Eager Attitudes and Self-Awareness

Team Culture Growth Over Time

Integral Part of Operations

PDP Global

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