#SheDrivesCochran: Vickie Desmond

#SheDrivesCochran: Vickie Desmond

You are on the road to a new vehicle. You have made the decision to upgrade and sifted through the seemingly infinite options. You have fun picking out the colors, options, and the best part: the test drive! Before you can set cruise control, you run into the Tunnel Monster: Finance.

Numbers are genderless—but the people leaving showrooms with the keys are mostly female. Women buy 62-percent more than half of all new cars sold in the US. Having women like Finance and Insurance Manager Vickie Desmond, who understand and reflect that power as well, is important to both dealerships and customers.

The Monroeville native started as a Sales Consultant at our Mazda store in Wexford in late 2017. She is now the Finance and Insurance Manager at both INFINITI and Audi in our new Monroeville location. Desmond’s role requires her to explain the manufacturer’s warranty and all the additional benefits available to ensure that customers have the best ownership experience possible.  In between that, she can be found in the middle of the showroom, building relationships with customers, and finding out their needs.

“I am kind of the gatekeeper,” she said, “It’s my job to maintain a legal and ethically sound business office to protect the dealership and the privacy of the customer.”  The goodwill is not only for customers. Desmond says that it is also important to have a good working relationship with the banks. This move ensures that she can get the best financing options for our customers

Desmond says that her time at #1 Cochran has been fun and has given her opportunities to accomplish things she never thought possible. “It’s given me so much opportunity for growth, “she said, “and I have met so many new friends that now feel like family!”

The manager admits that she never imagined she would be working in automotive; Desmond’s professional path started in dental hygiene. She has been fortunate enough to have someone encouraging her at every turn. Her father was a Chrysler Technician who sparked her excitement about cars. He made sure that she knew how to change a tire and how to complete her own oil changes.

She briefly did furniture sales, where she met then- Mazda General Sales Manager, Brandon Rocco.  He believed that her personality and sales talent would make her a great fit. She said, “it took a long time for him to convince me to give it a try, I was more than a little intimidated!” Desmond said it ended up being the best decision.

Desmond said the fierce competition among her male colleagues pushes her to do better. “It makes it feel more like a sport than a job sometimes.”  She said that her presence in the showroom is a welcomed sight to many customers. “I have had many customers request to work with a female sales consultant, simply because they feel more comfortable working with us.”

Men may have played a positive role in leading her to automotive, but her greatest mentor during her time in this industry has been a woman: Director of Finance, Dianne Pampena. “[Dianne’s] values are much like mine: loyal, hard-working, and driven.  She talks tough but hugs soft! She keeps us all in line, she keeps us compliant. Best of all, she is there for us, no matter what, to help us with anything we need.  She has been with the company for 36 years and truly defines the company’s standard of values.” Mentors can provide professional learning opportunities, support, and direction. Personally, according to Dr. Rubina Malik, mentorship relationship, “helps an individual feel recognized, engaged and that you are investing in their growth.”

Desmond understands the importance of being an inspirational figure to other women. She successfully holds that position for her two teenage daughters, one of whom is attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania with plans to become a Special Education Teacher. “I know that it inspires them to see my success and drive, “she said, “They always tell me they are proud of me. I love that because I know it’s making a difference in the choices they make, and it is helping build their confidence as well.”

She wants women considering an automotive role to know that they can make a successful career in this industry. Her advice is to not let cars or technology make them second-guess themselves. “There is plenty of training to help with that,” she said, “just be yourself and put your customers first, the rest will fall into place.”