by Tina Sink – Finance Manager, unpaid therapist, and reluctant night shift worker at Cars To Go
Let’s talk about productivity. Or as I like to call it: “How many flaming hoops can I jump through before noon?”
People often think working at a Buy Here Pay Here dealership means sitting at a desk all day sipping sweet tea and counting stacks of money. Spoiler alert: the only thing I’m counting is how many people forgot their payment is due… again.
The Myth of 9 to 6
Our posted hours say we close at 6pm. Cute, right?
That’s adorable.
The truth? I’m lucky if I see work in my rearview mirror before 7:30 or 8pm. Because right at 5:59pm, Ding! — someone walks in to pay with a jar of coins, ask about a repo, or tell me their third cousin’s dog sitter might be willing to co-sign if we can just wait till Tuesday. It never ends.
I’ve closed deals in the dark. I’ve processed payments while eating cold pizza in my office. I’ve signed contracts in the parking lot under the glow of a streetlight like I’m in a scene from a dramatic Netflix crime doc.
Time Management Tip #1: Embrace Controlled Chaos
Want to be productive? Accept that nothing will go as planned. Ever.
Just when I think I’ve got a solid to-do list:
- Someone’s car got impounded because their uncle borrowed it to “run a quick errand” to Illinois (even though that’s a violation, sweetie).
- Someone’s autopay declined because they switched banks and forgot to tell anyone.
- Someone wants to know why their payment didn’t go through, but also “doesn’t do email or text or voicemail or mail.”
Flexibility is the name of the game. So is duct tape.
Time Management Tip #2: Triage Like a Pro
Imagine being a firefighter, but instead of flames, it’s:
- A title issue from 2022,
- A customer mad we “double charged” them (we didn’t),
- And someone wondering if they can still lease a car even though they technically moved to Tennessee last month.
Prioritizing is key. Handle the fires first, then go back for the slow burns. Also: keep chocolate on hand.
Time Management Tip #3: Learn the Magical Power of Saying “Nope”
A big part of productivity is knowing what NOT to do. Like:
- Don’t answer your phone at 10:30pm because “it’ll just be quick.”
- Don’t agree to help someone “figure out their insurance app” while you’re trying to close out the daily ledger.
- Don’t attempt to fix the printer. That thing has been possessed since 2017.
Set boundaries. Or at least try. Sometimes the only boundary is whether I’m answering emails from the couch or the bathtub.
Time Management Tip #4: Multitask Like a Legend
I can be on hold with a tow yard, filing a title, texting a customer about their past-due account, and writing this blog post all at once. (And yes, I reheated my tea four times during that process.)
If you work here, you’re not just multitasking — you’re multi-thriving. Sometimes that means handling five things at once, other times it means handling one thing really well: like taking a break before you cry into your keyboard.
The Work Doesn’t Stop at the Door
Here’s what most people don’t realize: even after I lock the door and boot the late stragglers out, I’m still working. I’m calling people back, answering emails from my phone, and reviewing contracts in my fuzzy slippers while pretending I’m “off the clock.”
I’ve had more meetings in my pajamas than I’d like to admit.
This is not a 40-hour-a-week gig. It’s a lifestyle. A weird, chaotic, sometimes hilarious lifestyle that involves more text messages about missing license plates than any one human should receive.
In Conclusion: I’m Not Superwoman, But I Do Own a Cape
If productivity were a sport, I’d be on the all-star team — wearing mismatched socks and surviving on caffeine and sarcasm. The truth is, running a Lease Here Pay Here dealership takes stamina, patience, and a support group of memes, snacks, and coworkers who understand that “I’ll be home by 7” is a bold-faced lie.
So next time you see someone at Cars To Go still working after hours, know this:
We’re not just managing time.
We’re wrangling chaos, making magic, and trying not to lose our minds in the process.
And we wouldn’t trade it… well, not all of it… for anything else.
Until next time, stay on schedule, stay paid up, and maybe bring your girl a vanilla coke if you come by after 6. ☕
— Tina Sink, Your Favorite Finance Manager (and possibly a part-time wizard)