Mike Rauscher

Chief Operating Officer

How do you bring core values into your role?

Integrity – is the basis for leadership, “people would rather follow someone who is always genuine versus someone who is always right.” - Craig Groeschel. In order to be genuine you must have integrity.
Growth Mindset – We must always challenge ourselves and those around us to look for way to be better. We are either getting better or getting worse, there is no neutral in life.
Process Loyal – As a leader it is your responsibility to be the keeper of the systems that protect the people and the business
Attitude – “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right” - Henry Ford
Coaching – a leaders job is to teach people. Teaching is coaching. You must also be coachable and remain a student of the business.

What are the top 3 operational barriers slowing us down today, and what would it take to eliminate them?

Every person, customer facing or not has to believe we only exist to serve the customer.
Our business is evolving and has changed more in the last 3 years than it did in the prior 25. We must always be on the mission of creating more efficient ways to take care of customers and employees.
How can we scale operational excellence while maintaining cultural alignment across all rooftops?
Each General Manager is responsible for being the champion of the operational systems we employ at Cable Dahmer. It is imperative that we teach and hold accountable each GM by location what operational excellence looks like and scale it down to all team members.

What 1–2 strategic shifts could double our execution speed or customer fulfillment?

Simplify the process for online buyers
Make doing business with a Cable Dahmer store, regardless of the department seamless end to end.

What metrics should every department obsess over to drive 30% net-to-gross?

Sales – Activity based lead measures, create employees who are maniacs for customer experience. When we get the experience right, we will get repeat and referral business
Service – Quality Walk arounds, Video Inspections, growing RO count. A team of people obsessive about customer experience
Parts – Stocking the right parts based on data, inventory turn, utilizing the systems to increase RO value

How are you building the next generation of operators under you?

We are really pushing the GM’s to operate like owners of the company, Take responsibility for the position they hold and to be accountable for the people they are fortunate to lead. Truly embrace the Maxwell leadership we are going through. And though it is cliché, leading by example.

What does a dealership run entirely on systems—not heroes—look like by 2028?

Customers will always dictate to us how they want the process to go, I’m unsure that we will ever be able to have a dealership completely run off of systems, so long as humans are involved.

How can you engineer operational excellence into our DNA?

Set the standard, develop the processes to be efficient for all concerned (adjust through KPI’s and customer feedback) and hold the people accountable to the process. The process carries the order, if you get the people right, have the right standards, operational excellence will naturally occur.

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