Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 6, 2010 at 1:08pm

Part of my duties as a Professional Sales Trainer is to prospect for business.
Interesting statistic: This past Tuesday (between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM) I visited 7 dealerships in my local area. My suit is pressed and I’m looking sharp –and I’m not carrying a brief case to give away that I am a vendor. In 6 of those stores, NOT ONE SALESPERSON approached me to welcome me to their dealership! I actually walked out of one store (after waiting on the showroom for 10 minutes). In the 7th store – I walked right up to the desk, and the Sales Manager asked, “Can I help you?”!!
No wonder the auto industry is suffering! No one desires to assist a “walk in consumer” or at least welcome them. How much does it cost the Dealer Principle in advertising for each walk in client? Is it still true that when a consumer makes up their mind to buy, that he/she/they will do it within a 72 hour period?
My eyes have been widened. I did not know (in this example), that 100% of the time I would not be treated with the respect (as a consumer) that I deserve. This needs to stop! IMMEDIATELY!
If you are involved as a manager (and above) please WATCH YOUR LOT! Give the consumer what they want – a professional, warm greeting, followed by a true desire to assist them with their transportation needs.
I will be in the field again today and will report my findings.

Permalink Reply by Stanley Esposito on August 6, 2010 at 2:07pm

Wow! I am guessing they were not busy... Have you ever been to Reedman-Toll?

Permalink Reply by Richard Emmons on August 6, 2010 at 4:29pm

The 10 foot rule should apply in all stores. Any person that is with in 10 feet of you gets a welcome. This is taught even at West Marine boating stores. That is real scarry!!! The word welcome has been proven to be the best 1st word out of anyones mouth. J.B.Cooper 101

Jake Fisher said:

This is so scary, but is becoming more of the norm than the excepiton. That alone scares me, being a true car guy like myself, I tend to visit other dealers. Usally to see some old friends and mainly to see how they are doing. I very rarelly ever get greated by anyone and I if I do get greated it usally the old CAN I HELP YOU. I don't know what happened to profesionism in this business, but it seems that in the last few years in gone down the tubes. I hear it over and over again from sales managers that I just don't have the time to train them. That is the biggest cop out I have ever heard. What could be more important than making sure your staff is trained on handling a guest properly. You can see it all over the country dealers shutting down, mainly because their opperating profit is too low. Well the only way I know how to change that is to sell more cars and to sell more cars you need more customers and to get more customers you have to treat the ones you have like gold. The easiest way to do this is to train your people. Zig Ziglar once said motvation is like bathing you have to do it daily, well so is training.

Craig Lockerd said:

Part of my duties as a Professional Sales Trainer is to prospect for business.
Interesting statistic: This past Tuesday (between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM) I visited 7 dealerships in my local area. My suit is pressed and I’m looking sharp –and I’m not carrying a brief case to give away that I am a vendor. In 6 of those stores, NOT ONE SALESPERSON approached me to welcome me to their dealership! I actually walked out of one store (after waiting on the showroom for 10 minutes). In the 7th store – I walked right up to the desk, and the Sales Manager asked, “Can I help you?”!!
No wonder the auto industry is suffering! No one desires to assist a “walk in consumer” or at least welcome them. How much does it cost the Dealer Principle in advertising for each walk in client? Is it still true that when a consumer makes up their mind to buy, that he/she/they will do it within a 72 hour period?
My eyes have been widened. I did not know (in this example), that 100% of the time I would not be treated with the respect (as a consumer) that I deserve. This needs to stop! IMMEDIATELY!
If you are involved as a manager (and above) please WATCH YOUR LOT! Give the consumer what they want – a professional, warm greeting, followed by a true desire to assist them with their transportation needs.
I will be in the field again today and will report my findings.

Permalink Reply by aaron kominsky on August 6, 2010 at 4:39pm

It is very scary! Too many salespeople rather hang in the sharkpool with the veterans who poison their minds ! They talk about how bad buisnes is, and the mgrs and the owner and the product and every negative thought you can think of! Well I'll tell you this If Iam an owner and I saw that It's all over for everyone ! Totally rude, inconsiderate, and disrespectful to watch customer enter your dealership area and not be greeted PROPERLY! This type of behaviour don't happen even at the supermarket !

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 6, 2010 at 4:56pm

Gentlemen I agree with everything you have all said here.I had a conversation with a 37 year car vet that is coming onboard with AutoMax as a Trainer and we got to talking about subjects like these.I think,and he agreed that right now what we have are a lot of managers that maybe got into management in say the last 10 years.....well those years did not prepare them for current market conditions...A lot of us were around during oil embargo and 20% interest rates...I can remember being at a Plymouth store with a lot full of Gran Furys...yes there was a car called Gran Fury kids.....lol....Govt had just come out with MPG on the stickers,gas was being rationed and these cars got like 7 Miles to a Gallon.....lol...I was GM of a Caddy store when rates were at 20% had the biggest year they ever had in 40 years in business.....Newer managers need trained...on how to develop these new salespeople.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 6, 2010 at 4:57pm

They need to manage their process....if they have one

aaron kominsky said:

It is very scary! Too many salespeople rather hang in the sharkpool with the veterans who poison their minds ! They talk about how bad buisnes is, and the mgrs and the owner and the product and every negative thought you can think of! Well I'll tell you this If Iam an owner and I saw that It's all over for everyone ! Totally rude, inconsiderate, and disrespectful to watch customer enter your dealership area and not be greeted PROPERLY! This type of behaviour don't happen even at the supermarket !

Permalink Reply by Steve Richards on August 7, 2010 at 6:02pm

I visit stores, where I'm not known by the sales people, 20-30 times a month in Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, AL, Mobile, AL and Orange County, CA. it is RARE that I am not welcomed quickly by a member of the sales team. What part of the country were you visiting Craig?

Permalink Reply by Dan Seelye on August 11, 2010 at 5:19pm

It happened again! Walked into my local Cadillac store - dressed to kill. No one greeted me, I stood on the showroom for 7 minutes (watching a Salesmanger behind the glass in his office - too busy to come out and say hi) - no greeting, no nothin'! I walked out - no one followed to ask if I needed any assistance. COME ON!
Walked into a Kia store and was greeted promptly and courtesouly.
Hard to believe that dealers let money walk right out he door.