Carefully carried out studies have shown that if you don’t go to get the sales, you don’t sell at all, so you will want to strategize your automotive sales process to get more from it.. These same studies have found that if you do not follow a Sales process 100% of the time, you will get inconsistent results.
Don Reed, CEO of an Automotive Training organization says it best “Consistency get Results!” And if you are experiencing inconsistent results in your Sales and Service Departments, it may be time for you to examine the processes you are using.
For every Customer interaction there should be a process. It can be as simple as everyone using the same greeting on the telephone to how to show a Customer where the restroom is. If there is the possibility the Customer will have some sort of interaction with anyone at your Dealership, there should be a process for your employees to use.
For example, here are 5 processes that should be in place at your Dealership right now.
- A “Meet and greet” process for the Greeter along with the proper way to handoff the Customer to the Salesperson or Service Advisor who will working with that Customer. It needs to include how and what to say, some basic questions to ask and believe it or not, how to properly shake hands.
- A “Sales” process for the Salesperson to follow from the initial meeting to the delivery. Every Dealership will say “we have a process” but no one will be able to actually produce the written process which means for every Salesperson you have there is a variation of the current process being used.
- A “Service Drive” process for checking in Service Customers and generating a Repair Order. Every Dealer will say they have a process, but just like the above example, if it is not written then every Advisor will be using some variation of the current process.
- A “Service Delivery” process for making sure that every Customer has the Repair Order explained and is scheduled for their next appointment before they leave the Dealership.
- A “Training” process for providing regular and on-going Training for every person at your Dealership from the Dealer Principal to the Shuttle Driver.
However, it’s important to know that there’s more to selling and leasing cars than simply being an expert in automobiles. In the past, consultants needed little if any formal training to break into the field. In today’s market however, an automotive sales training course is increasingly critical, and gives graduates a step up on untrained candidates. Indeed, automotive sales and leasing consultants who begin careers in sales at car dealers often find that although they know a lot about the different vehicles on the road, they lack the customer relationship skills required to really be successful in the field. Fortunately, automotive training centers offer courses designed to help students become well-rounded sales consultants able to meet the challenges of the field, and be successful. Topics covered in these courses typically include:
- The sales consultant’s role
- The selling process
- The famous “Meet and greet” techniques
- The all crucial legal aspects of sales and leases
- Performance standards while retail selling
- Effective presentation skills
- Customer satisfaction setups
There are numerous methods sales personnel can explore and exploit to bring more sales to his or her dealership. There is the internet marketing which includes social media marketing (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), email marketing, there is the telephone marketing, the reach out to potential areas with prospective customers, and a couple more. While the opportunities will always present themselves, it takes smart and well trained personnel to snap up such opportunities when they come. So when putting your sales personnel through some sales classes be sure to employ the tutor with great experience, knowledge, enthusiasm and a good reputation, because if your firm depends on making sales you cannot afford to have knuckle heads tutoring your sales experts. It is also important to know that there are tools out there that help making sales more efficiently than ever so be open to embracing new opportunities.
A typical day in the life of an automotive sales and leasing consultant is busy and exciting. Newly employed consultants can be expected to be in charge of a range of tasks which include answering and following-up with existing and potential clients via the phone and emails as well. Consultants will also be required to keep abreast of automotive development for the brands they are responsible for – as well as the competition’s. They also have to be well versed in the technical aspects of creating leases with a dealership’s finance department. In addition to this, there is walk in traffic as well as day-to-day administrative tasks. Sound like a lot of responsibility? It is, but it’s also very rewarding, and fortunately, automotive sales training courses prepare students for every aspect of the position’s role.
Automotive sales and leasing is a dynamic and ever-changing field, and sales consultants have the luxury of being directly involved with the excitement that is the car industry. If you’re interested in cars and sales, it just might be the career for you. When you have processes in place and they are followed consistently, you will get results. If you are not achieving the Goals you have set for Profitability and Customer Service, maybe it’s time to start examining the processes you are using.
Leave a Reply