HERNDON, Va. -

Revealed late last week, Audi of America will be forming a new educational partnership with the National Automobile Dealers Association.

NADA, the OEM and its U.S. network of 278 dealers will be “working together to improve dealership operations and, ultimately, customer service,” officials noted.

What does this new collaboration entail?

Audi is “the first automaker to subscribe to NADA University’s premium online training package (NADAvt) on behalf of its entire dealer body,” officials explained.

And by participating in the package, dealership employees can also receive certification from Audi and in some cases are eligible to receive financial benefits to take the training.

"Audi of America is very proud to be the first automaker to partner with NADA University that includes not only the OEM staff but takes it to a new level by making the educational offerings available to all employees of the Audi dealer network," said Reinhard Fischer, director of strategy at Audi of America.

"It’s a true expression of the priority that training and development has become for Audi with the ultimate target delivering an outstanding customer experience,” he continued.

And as for the reasoning behind the move, Audi noted that it goes hand-in-hand with its mission to deliver a standard of "customer delight" to its shoppers. 

"Part of achieving customer delight stems from equipping Audi staffers and Audi dealership employees with the knowledge they need to deliver an unparalleled brand experience with confidence and competence," Fischer explained. "Knowledge about dealer operations and performance excellence is a foundation for great customer service."

Ed Tonkin, an Audi dealer in Portland, Ore., and a past NADA chairman, chimed in, noting "This is a big win for Audi of America.

"Audi, as a major manufacturer, will benefit greatly because their personnel, whether it be in sales or service, will have a far better understanding of the retail business from the dealer’s perspective as a result of their NADA University training. In turn, all interactions between dealership and Audi employees will be far more productive, beneficial and meaningful. I applaud Audi for taking this visionary step,” he continued.

NADA also offered their take on the new partnership, noting that NADA University’s online training courses can "fill the educational gaps that the automakers do not provide their dealers or company employees who call on dealers,” according to Bob Kostkan, senior director of business development for NADA University.

"NADA University offers all types of online training courses covering all of the departments within a dealership. Automakers typically provide training for service technicians and product training for sales consultants, but the biggest opportunity today is helping dealers in the management ranks, such as learning how to run a dealership more effectively," Kostkan stressed.

He also went on to note that apparently, the management areas at dealerships requiring the most improvement is training in fixed operations and analyzing financial statements.

"The parts and service departments always get neglected when it comes to training," Kostkan added.

And some of Audi’s dealers voiced their enthusiasm for the virtual training courses, as well.

Michelle Primm, an Audi dealer in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and chair of NADA’s dealership operations commitee, noted,  "Audi employees need a better understanding of how dealerships operate and the pressures dealers face from other sources other than just the manufacturers, such as legal and regulatory compliance.

"Most company employees truly don’t understand how a dealership operates on a day to day basis," Primm added.

Also of interest, the NADA partnership with Audi  allows dealership and company employees to conduct cross training.

"Whether you’re a dealership manager, sales consultant or a factory representative, everyone has access to the exact same online training courses from NADA University to build their business acumen," Kostkan added. "A parts person at the dealership can learn about service. Sales consultants can learn about the parts and service side of the dealership.

"NADA University’s online training courses provide industry participants who want to be students of the business with professional knowledge on all vital aspects of dealership operations required to become more productive, develop critical thinking skills to analyze problems, apply proven best practices to resolve issues and capitalize on opportunities," Kostkan went on to say.

Audi Names New Communications Officer

In other news from Audi of America, the OEM also announced late week it has hired a chief communications officer. Tapped for the position is Joseph Jacuzzi 

"Jacuzzi brings to Audi more than 21 years of communications experience, including assignments at General Motors, Ford, Mitsubishi, as well as agency work with Nissan and Infiniti," officials shared.

Commenting on the new hire,  Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America, said, "Joe is a seasoned veteran in automotive communications, with experience both domestically here in the United States, and internationally.

"Beyond that, Joe brings with him integrated marketing and communications expertise, with a specific focus on how customers get information and build relationships. We welcome Joe to the senior management team here at Audi and look forward to his valuable insights and support as we continue to strive to take Audi to its full potential here in the U.S.," he continued.

Highlighting the new hires background in the indutry, Jacuzzi was most recently general manager of Lincoln Communications at Ford Motor Co.

Prior to his accepting that role, Jacuzzi spent two years at PepsiCo, most recently as vice president of communications for the beverage unit.

Moreover, Jacuzzi spent eight years at General Motors in increasingly responsible positions, both domestically and internationally. He also spent seven years at Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, and another two years serving Nissan and Infiniti while working at Bob Thomas and Associates in California.