Amazon triggers Advance Auto Parts call for outside help

Advance Auto Parts CEO Tom Greco on Tuesday said the company plans to bring in outside help to compete against e-commerce giant Amazon.

“So when you talk about Amazon particularly, we’ve had to recruit some people into the company who can really help us compete vigorously against formidable competitors like Amazon,” he told FOX Business’ Liz Claman on “Countdown to the Closing Bell.”

The company is trying to engineer a business turnaround by using its savings from the tax reform bill and is taking steps to step up its e-commerce program.

“We’re investing in e-commerce and our technology programs because we know that’s going to be important,” Greco said. “We certainly made big investments in customer service because the experience that our customers have both online and in the stores is critical and then in our people.”

According to Greco, one of the biggest focuses of the plan is to incentivize its employees.

“Overall, we have a plan that is going to invest significantly back in our employees,” he said. “We have front-line employees all over the country who are really important for us. We want the very best parts people in the business working for Advance.”

After President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which slashed the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%, companies began giving incentives to their workers including salary hikes to $1,000 bonuses.

As a part of the auto parts retailer’s turnaround strategy, the company introduced a stock ownership program that provides its top-performing employees with stock options.

“We actually introduced a stock ownership program for them for our top performers so that they can earn stock in the company,” he said. “We feel that is a really good retention move for us, and it has dropped our turnover significantly.”