Keep your pipeline full-

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst-

We’ve all heard of or lived through the horror story of the dealer buried in turmoil and strife for six months or longer recovering from the untimely loss of key management personnel.

*Salespeople who do not “keep their pipeline full” typically incur discouraging slumps that create undue emotional and financial stress.Sales managers are notorious for chiding sales people when this occurs.

*Sales Managers who do not “keep their pipeline full” are all too often left scrambling when, for a myriad of reasons several sales associates are suddenly separated from their employment. Upper management chides sales managers when this occurs because it inevitably negatively impacts both primary responsibilities of the sales manager--sales volume and profits.

*Upper management however, in the arena of management staffing,often needs a good chiding.

 In order to break away from the painful ‘do as I say not as I do’ trap, upper management’s responsibility is to minimize the odds of becoming the next horror story, and protect their dealership(s)from lengthy and huge losses of profit.

#1) Establish a plan designed to quickly interview replacement candidates for all key personnel.

#2) Hire a recruiting coordinator. Someone who is very diligent and can be trusted with sensitive information.

#3) Inspect what you expect with your recruiting coordinator.

*A recruiting coordinator is a requirement to remain competitive in today’s auto sales landscape.

*Assign crystal clear core responsibilities to your recruiting coordinator.

*Working the free agent wavier wire and contacting potential free agents –DAILY.  

*Design effective employment ads. A time investment in research goes a long way to avoid over dependence on trial and error. The ads may vary due to specific opportunities or locations but are required to capture qualified applicants at a high rate.

 Ad placement skills are at the top of the recruiting coordinators responsibilities.

The fee for ad placement can get expensive so it is paramount the ads be placed in the most prudent manner, taking advantage of all feasible special rate reductions, and packaging offers.

The recruiting coordinator must constantly (daily) advertise for, contact and/or interview potential management team members.

Each management position in the entire dealership or group must be addressed and each position must have a current, updated and viable roster of potential replacements.

The recruiting coordinator is the insurance. The insurance is in place so that at no time an abrupt departure would cripple or devastate the dealership or the group.

The recruiting coordinator’s responsibility is to have a prepared roster with potential candidates for each position at all times.

Typically, Service Managers, Controllers and Sales Managers are physically hired by various upper management, their jobs are substantially assisted by the roster supplied by the recruiting coordinator.

An up to date roster of quality management personnel to be interviewed as potential replacements for your managers is a difficult task. However, it can be achieved through diligent ad placing and constant contact.

The recruiting coordinator must be held accountable for establishing relationships with potential candidates in all phases of dealership operations, therefore an occasional spot check is sound advice.

It’s as simple as making this random request- “Please email me our roster of service manager candidates in the area , or who are willing to relocate to the area, along with notes from your most recent contact with them.” 

Do this as often as you feel necessary, but be sure to do it. This will insure you not if, but when you are next faced with a sudden departure of key management personnel.

* An added advantage you will undoubtedly be thankful for-Rather than just utilizing the roster of potential candidates for emergency purposes, you will find them handy for improvement purposes.

The next time a department is floundering and you are getting filled with excuses or attitude, you simply upgrade your weaker management personnel rather than holding on to them.

You will also be in a much stronger position in the event of key management personnel demanding raises or behaving badly.

Having a recruiting coordinator provide you with updated rosters of potential management candidates will enhance your ability to operate at a fair profit, and will help you sleep at night.

*Coaches tips

-Tip #1) The “Hater”

Beware of the candidate who remarks –“I hate thieves” because more often than not, you are listening to one.

Psychology teaches us people tend to harbor ill feelings for flawed characteristics or behaviors with which they internally identify.

*Tip#2) The “Victim”

The potential candidate who obviously wants you feel sympathy for them, and easily and comfortably paints a picture of being some sort of “victim” at their current or last employer is likely to be all too familiar with that role. Typically, real victims are uncomfortable seeking sympathy, and can not easily paint them selves as victims. Instead they focus on what they have accomplished, rather than what accomplishments were wrongfully taken from them or what they could have achieved but were wrongfully blocked from achieving.

*Tip #3) “Trust Issues”

When encountering the potential candidate with severe trust issues it is best to remember this tip-“Those who can not trust, can not be trusted.”

Ben Franklin said "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail." 

Let's be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

Good luck and good selling!

Roger Williams

The AutoMotiveCoach

Corporate Sales Manager

Fletcher Auto Group