Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 16, 2010 at 9:14am

Ernie you are so right,teams.....There will ALWAYS be enough coverage at the busy times,salespeople are not stupid.Teams gives you the ability to do more daily training, quick 15-20 minute meetings .Better follow up and appointment setting....list goes on and on..And they don't get killed by the hours,allows more females to be salespeople!

Ernie Kasprowicz said:

Tim, you bring up a good point about the number of hours worked. Is it possible or feasible to create a "two person team" schedule covering all hours the dealership is open with a pay plan equitable to both people where both will work as one and at the same time limit the number of hours each person is required to work? Yes, a dealership would need to have more sales people on staff, and yes, that would increase operating expense with benefits, etc. However, reduced salesperson turnover can and will produce increased sales for a variety of reasons.

Tim Pendergast said:

I agree, I don't know how many managers I have heard tell salespeople I made 100k my first year,,, Dude it's not the eighties anymore...lol Tell them the law of averages and the good ones will exceed that and be happy and so will the other halfs...

Dan Creamer said:

Thats a good point. I have also seen sales managers sell someone the job by creating false expectations like you can make 100K! Two and half months later when they are tracking eighteen to twenty-five thousand and the wife wants to know where all the money is you see them at the tower too hat in hand.

Tim Pendergast said:

With the first 90 days being so critical in a NEW salesperson development, I have often wondered why more places do not have spouse or significant others sit in on first interview. Let's face it, with the hours we all put in and the stress a new person deals with in the first 90 day's, If they do not have understanding and support from home, they are way behind the 8 ball to start with.

How many times in our careers have we all had a salesperson who we knew in our Guts was going to be a good one, walk up to you at the tower and say, "this is not for me! The hours are killing me and my wife is having a fit because I'm never home."

I think most of us have all heard this or something similar in our careers a few too many times.

Maybe if we explained to the other half what Sammy the salesperson is in for the first few months, we might save a few of the good prospects, instead of losing someone we have trained and spent hundreds of dollars on.

Maybe I am way out in left field, but my gut tells me otherwise.

Permalink Reply by Tom Wadler on October 24, 2010 at 1:05pm

In all honesty, it is imperative that the managers are "dialed in" to the new green peas that have recently hit the floor. By "dialed in," I mean that these managers have to stay between their ears on a consistent basis. They need to train on a continuous basis.
They need to constantly give them direction and keep them from hanging around the current salespeople (The "CANCER") for the most part so that they don't get poisoned. All too often these managers are too busy to work with these new green peas. They let them sink or swim for the most part.

I truly believe the monetary commitment (student fees - tuition) from your contact, G.M., dealer and so forth is as important if not more important than the commitment of the new hires. With that being said, I believe if the dealership has a monetary investment in the new hires I think the dealership would be instrumental to making sure these managers do what they need to do in order to keep them on track and keep up the retention rate. (Full pay from the students and NO pay from the dealership is not the answer.)

Everyone must have skin in the game!

Permalink Reply by MANNY LUNA on October 25, 2010 at 12:03am

If I had it my way they would have to work with (not under) a Training floor manager. That way they would be there if needed to help on the other things that come along with the biz, and all the in's and out's of car sales.
Just think about it, you can't feed a baby steak 90 days after birth.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on October 25, 2010 at 4:52pm

...right you are Tom
Tom Wadler said:

In all honesty, it is imperative that the managers are "dialed in" to the new green peas that have recently hit the floor. By "dialed in," I mean that these managers have to stay between their ears on a consistent basis. They need to train on a continuous basis.
They need to constantly give them direction and keep them from hanging around the current salespeople (The "CANCER") for the most part so that they don't get poisoned. All too often these managers are too busy to work with these new green peas. They let them sink or swim for the most part.

I truly believe the monetary commitment (student fees - tuition) from your contact, G.M., dealer and so forth is as important if not more important than the commitment of the new hires. With that being said, I believe if the dealership has a monetary investment in the new hires I think the dealership would be instrumental to making sure these managers do what they need to do in order to keep them on track and keep up the retention rate. (Full pay from the students and NO pay from the dealership is not the answer.)

Everyone must have skin in the game!

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on October 25, 2010 at 4:54pm

..Manny that truly would be a perfect world
MANNY LUNA said:

If I had it my way they would have to work with (not under) a Training floor manager. That way they would be there if needed to help on the other things that come along with the biz, and all the in's and out's of car sales.
Just think about it, you can't feed a baby steak 90 days after birth.

Permalink Reply by Rick Bryant on October 29, 2010 at 10:49am

I agree, a helpful desk as well as a finance department will go a long way to help keep the green pea's attitude positive, which in my opinion the the key to their success. Rome was not built in a day and neither is ANY career.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on October 29, 2010 at 11:18am

They do need "All hands on deck" early on to help them . We seem to fall in love with new salespeople for like 2 weeks and then figure they are good to go, when the fact is they along with ALL salespeople need constant and consistent deveopment Rick Bryant said:

I agree, a helpful desk as well as a finance department will go a long way to help keep the green pea's attitude positive, which in my opinion the the key to their success. Rome was not built in a day and neither is ANY career.

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