Flexi-Bell or Bell to Bell???
Regarding Sales Hours: Should sales consultants be scheduled to work ding to dong or be offered job sharing or flexible schedules? What does each of these scenarios mean to the auto industry and attracting quality sales consultants? What would this mean to attracting more females to entertain a rewarding career in automotive sales?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on -
This has been a vexing question for years and years. Few other industries require the scheduled hours the automotive retail sector demands. I believe a dealership will get more productivity by attracting better quality sales consultants who make the most of the limited floor time available. People won't be as willing to waste their valuable floor time if it is limited. Less time required at the dealership allows flexibility to live a life and further develop relationships with buyers both in person and through social media.
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Permalink Reply by NANCY SIMMONS on
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Ernie...Fantastic! I agree with you whole-heartedly! I think sales consultants will be proficient and efficient with the hours "worked" making the most of each hour. Psychologically, when they know they are in for a 12 hour day, they are already devising a plan to waste a few of those hours...coffee shop, picking up the dry cleaning, smoking, etc...
Ernie Kasprowicz said:This has been a vexing question for years and years. Few other industries require the scheduled hours the automotive retail sector demands. I believe a dealership will get more productivity by attracting better quality sales consultants who make the most of the limited floor time available. People won't be as willing to waste their valuable floor time if it is limited. Less time required at the dealership allows flexibility to live a life and further develop relationships with buyers both in person and through social media. -
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Permalink Reply by Gail Sproul on
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Nancy,
Great discussion. Of late the ladies I have tried to recruit for training have decided to not go into Automotive Sales because of Saturdays. I believe and have shared its the best Sales day of the week but alot of the women are single and they choose to not work the day their children are out of school. If we could just get them in the door working I believe they would see the value in the day. -
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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on
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To reap the rewards of financial success one needs to put in time...and this industry along with many others that involve sales involve longer hours than a 40 hour week.
However, back to back 12-15 hour days are nonsense,10-15-20 ++++ salespeople on the floor at 830 am each day just because makes no sense. I think new recruits need to put in the time, actually as many as they can to learn all that they need to and to get their careers jump started. I think that after perhaps 90 days or so a performance based pay plan and work schedule be put into place.
The last selling job on the floor I had, I was fortunate enough to have a GM that understood what professional salespeople need to perform at their MAX potential,we had a "Flex-Bell" schedule and we all were there when it was busy,when we had deliveries and we were all fresh,motivated and very productive. I sold with 12 other people and 10 of those are now business owners,high level managers in and out of the business,2 are still at that store running it.
We will never increase the low number of females in the sales dept with 65-80 hour weeks. Can somebody tell me why shifts can't work? Late ins and early outs? 45-50 hours .Meetings each shift, focused on appointment setting,follow up,help always available....come on Car Biz...we talk about OLD SCHOOL selling systems....these are the very same managers,dealers and vendors that say work them till they drop, they are "free employees" and I can just hire more to replace them....I better stop,I'm getting hot now!!!!!!....lol..one more thing...Customer service....salesperson is at end of 70 hour week,customer comes in with an issue, large or small...how is the saleserson going to handle that???? You can train all you want ,have every great customer friendly process in the world and if it"s me as the salesperson,well...there is a breaking point for anyone!!!! -
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Permalink Reply by Glenn Wilkins on
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5 Day work week with 2 consecutive days off would probably resolve that problem.
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Permalink Reply by Abe Hopper on
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The Real Estate business attracts a huge number of sales people, because of flex hours ... and they work weekends !
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Permalink Reply by Joe Brunner on
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What a great topic Nancy... I would like to share something that I have actually practiced as a "closer". There were three of us. We worked 2- close, 2- close, 8- 5, 8- 5, OFF, OFF... A "row, row, row your boat" schedule, if you will. When one of us was 2- close, the other was 8- 5, and the third was off. The schedule rotated on a six day frame rather than seven. At the end of the month the commisions were divided evenly between us. it lasted for two years until I went to finance. That was by far the best schedule I have EVER worked, and the three of us formed a bond that we still have today. We bought into the idea and worked as a team. At the end of every shift we left knowing that one of the other two had our back. We never made less than 5 figures a month and no one worked any harder than the other one. Having a fresh manager in front of a customer at all times put money in all of our pockets and gave us a life away from work. If I owned a dealership, I would implement this tomorrow!
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Great point Gail, or if we could convince dealers to perhaps give them a Saturday or two off per month...for the whole sales force, after all, dad want to be with their kids too, attending sporting events and everything!
It is a touchy subject for sure!
Gail Sproul said:Nancy,
Great discussion. Of late the ladies I have tried to recruit for training have decided to not go into Automotive Sales because of Saturdays. I believe and have shared its the best Sales day of the week but alot of the women are single and they choose to not work the day their children are out of school. If we could just get them in the door working I believe they would see the value in the day. -
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That sounds awesome Joe...Makes a lot of sense, gives everyone a life so to speak, and creates true teamwork! I like it! What do you all think of this?
Joe Brunner said:What a great topic Nancy... I would like to share something that I have actually practiced as a "closer". There were three of us. We worked 2- close, 2- close, 8- 5, 8- 5, OFF, OFF... A "row, row, row your boat" schedule, if you will. When one of us was 2- close, the other was 8- 5, and the third was off. The schedule rotated on a six day frame rather than seven. At the end of the month the commisions were divided evenly between us. it lasted for two years until I went to finance. That was by far the best schedule I have EVER worked, and the three of us formed a bond that we still have today. We bought into the idea and worked as a team. At the end of every shift we left knowing that one of the other two had our back. We never made less than 5 figures a month and no one worked any harder than the other one. Having a fresh manager in front of a customer at all times put money in all of our pockets and gave us a life away from work. If I owned a dealership, I would implement this tomorrow! -
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True Abe, but not every weekend if they choose! They kind of work for Me, Inc. and can set up appointments according to schedule! Great Point!
Abe Hopper said:The Real Estate business attracts a huge number of sales people, because of flex hours ... and they work weekends ! -
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Like it Glenn...Do you mean for them to all work every weekend?
Glenn Wilkins said:5 Day work week with 2 consecutive days off would probably resolve that problem. -
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Awesome reply Craig...and Yes, there is such a thing as "BurnOut"! Great answers, huh?
Craig Lockerd said:To reap the rewards of financial success one needs to put in time...and this industry along with many others that involve sales involve longer hours than a 40 hour week.
However, back to back 12-15 hour days are nonsense,10-15-20 ++++ salespeople on the floor at 830 am each day just because makes no sense. I think new recruits need to put in the time, actually as many as they can to learn all that they need to and to get their careers jump started. I think that after perhaps 90 days or so a performance based pay plan and work schedule be put into place.
The last selling job on the floor I had, I was fortunate enough to have a GM that understood what professional salespeople need to perform at their MAX potential,we had a "Flex-Bell" schedule and we all were there when it was busy,when we had deliveries and we were all fresh,motivated and very productive. I sold with 12 other people and 10 of those are now business owners,high level managers in and out of the business,2 are still at that store running it.
We will never increase the low number of females in the sales dept with 65-80 hour weeks. Can somebody tell me why shifts can't work? Late ins and early outs? 45-50 hours .Meetings each shift, focused on appointment setting,follow up,help always available....come on Car Biz...we talk about OLD SCHOOL selling systems....these are the very same managers,dealers and vendors that say work them till they drop, they are "free employees" and I can just hire more to replace them....I better stop,I'm getting hot now!!!!!!....lol..one more thing...Customer service....salesperson is at end of 70 hour week,customer comes in with an issue, large or small...how is the saleserson going to handle that???? You can train all you want ,have every great customer friendly process in the world and if it"s me as the salesperson,well...there is a breaking point for anyone!!!! -
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