When starting over, you need the right People, Processes and Product to be successful

Capacity reductions, dealer consolidation, brand eliminations and a couple of bankruptcies later on, mean life will be truly different.

In a dealership, if you understand the processes behind the work you do, the profits will follow as directly as form follows function in a well-designed automobile. Nowhere is that more evident than in the service department.

The second interview will involve more preparation, more interviewees, more questions, and more pressure. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare:

Most business managers working in dealerships today have been trained to be great salespeople. They sell extended warranties, vehicle protection, insurance products on loans or leases and a myriad other aftermarket goods or services.

There is going to be a drastic change in the dealership landscape very soon, so when I ask what side of the fence you are on I mean: are you are trying to keep your current customer base or are you are trying to steal customers away from your completion?

Mandatory disclosure requirements found in section 42 of Regulation 333/08 will be one of the biggest changes for dealers. These disclosures must be collected during the appraisal process and then disseminated to the next customer who purchases that vehicle - be it a used car customer, a wholesaler, another dealer or the auction.

We live in a world of lifelong learning. It used to be that once we graduated from school and entered our chosen profession, we rarely returned to higher learning, or changed careers. Once a teacher, always a teacher; once a car dealer, always a car dealer. Changing professions never crossed our minds.

Some Internet sales consultants use too much caution in contacting the Internet customer and assume anything outside an e-mail will blow the deal. If a phone number is provided, by all means use it.
Start with permission-based marketing by asking “Have I got you at a good time?” and then continue the conversation with “Did you receive my e-mail price quote?”

You would never ignore a customer who walked into your showroom, so don’t delete any customer who happens to initiate contact via the Internet.