NCM wants to know: Where Has All the Automotive Sales Talent Gone?

Rarely do we come across a dealer today who claims to have a sufficient number of vehicle sales personnel. When adding the word “quality” to “vehicle sales personnel,” the dealers’ claims of staffing success turn pretty ugly. Why is it so difficult to attract quality people for automotive sales positions?

Several years ago, I was working with a client in Southern California and conducting one of my rare sales training meetings. The subject of the meeting was "Developing and Engaging Your Circle of Influence." I had just finished explaining to the sales staff that everyone you know needs to become aware that you are an automotive sales professional who wants to earn their business. One member of the retail sales staff (whose dealership career was immediately shortened that morning) said, “I’m not doing that!” The GSM asked why, and the salesperson responded, “I don’t want my neighbors and acquaintances to know that I am just a car salesman.”

Was that salesperson unique in his opinion of his job? I think not. There are probably far too many people in vehicle sales departments who haven’t taken ownership of their profession and aren’t sincerely proud of how they earn their living. And I think that’s the fault of dealers, GMs, sales managers, and automotive resource professionals (consultants) who haven’t done an effective job in recruiting, onboarding, training, nurturing, and, in general, connecting with today’s potential automotive sales professional.

There seems to be a persistent perception that automotive sales is a job of last resort, and we have allowed that perception to exist and grow. We should be tired of it, and we need to do something about it! When we convince someone to choose an automotive sales career (or when a qualified applicant drops into our lap), he needs to clearly understand that he’s not settling for a second-rate job. Automotive sales is a challenging profession that a person can and should be proud of. And it comes with many rewards.

Unlimited income potential: Few other jobs allow an individual to determine how high his income will go, sometimes even surpassing that of his sales manager.
Independence: As long as the car salesman is meeting or exceeding expectations, most good sales managers will let them set their own goals, create their own plans and manage their own time.
Sense of satisfaction: This comes from being an automotive expert and helping people solve their unique transportation problems.
Personal growth: With markets, technology, and product offerings constantly evolving, the automotive sales professional is always growing and learning something new.

I know you already know all this, as I do. Since we know it, why don’t we do a better job promoting it...not only in our recruiting efforts for new hires, but in “re-recruiting” efforts with our current vehicle sales personnel? Here’s a question for you: How many of your current vehicle sales personnel would you be willing to employ in a “reverse interview” process with a potential new sales hire that you have already pre-qualified? I would love to hear from those of you who are happy with your answer.

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Comment by SCOTT TYNER on June 27, 2012 at 2:36pm: Good post! I have been able to relate to the salesman who was probably fired in this post...but no longer. I am proud of what I do for a living.

Comment by Ray McGowan Sr. on June 27, 2012 at 12:59pm: @Garry: Thank you for recognizing the fact that we no longer have a talent pool we once enjoyed. I could elaborate on many key factors as to "why" the talent has taken another path and chosen a different employment alternative due to many conditions the dealers and manufacturers have ignored. The salespeople cannot survive on making a marginal living. They need to be "trained" on a repetitive basis and the entire "team" should be helping each other to obtain that goal. There was a time when the "Car Salesman" was respected and paid well. There are still dealers "using" people for their advantage and not giving them the "tools" that other industries provide their salespeople. We are living in a modern world where making sales has become more difficult. They have become more difficult due to the salespeople not being "readied" in all aspects of a selling process. I'm not talking about the 10 steps to a sale process, I'm talking about educating them in "proper" selling solutions. There was a time when every salesperson in our industry drove a company demo. Salespeople drove what they sold. Today you have salespeople driving a Honda to work and their selling Toyotas. How can you sell your neighbor a Toyota if you drive a Honda? Really? There are many changes that "should" be made to attract "great salespeople" that could be respected for what they do for a living. Until these changes come about, it's a "true" fact that we will stay in a mediocre stage and have inadequate people representing our industry. Please do not mistake this for being a negative statement, but the facts are the facts. There are truly some great salespeople making a living in our industry, but most of those had a mentor that schooled and trained them on the proper way to sell. Thanks again for a great post.

Comment by David T. Gould on June 27, 2012 at 11:58am: Great post Garry,

Here are a few starter questions to every dealership owner, gm, gsm, sales manager and those in authority at dealerships everywhere.

What effort(s) has your dealership made to make the car salesperson's job a career for them to be proud of?

Do your sales people have their own work space to sit with customers?

Do they have their own phone with an extension directly to them? Listed on their business card and on website?

Are your sales professionals taking your calls on their own cell phones on and off hours? Are you contributing to that expense?

Do you have car salespeople or certified customer consultants?

Do you invest in and require your consultants to remain updated with training? (Certified representatives)

Do you have your salespeople listed on your dealership website with bio's and positive customer reviews?

Do you provide them with the bare essentials to survive week to week... or are they constantly scurrying to survive? The $75 mini gets what it pays for. A career requires the ability for the sales professional to have sales eb and flow without choking out. We are all familiar with the difference between the 2nd and 4th week of any month.

Does your dealership accept a 50%+ turnover annually sales floor? (The cost of this is brutal)

Professional sales representatives are getting harder to find because the industry (as a whole, not all) does not recognize and require that their contribution be a mid to long term honorable career. You need to make your dealership's car sales consultant's job a career. Treat those who accept that position with the respect of someone you expect to spend the next 10 years with. Insist that they do the same.

Our industry has changed. The economy has changed. The perceptions of younger potential employees has changed. The status of older potential employees has changed. Personal day to day expenses have changed.

What has your store done to adjust and encourage sales professionals to make their career with you?

Good Selling,

DTG

Comment by Scott Hengtgen on June 27, 2012 at 11:23am: All the automotive sales talent have gone to dealerships that are not affraid to invest in the training of theit people. The dealerships that has a well oiled management staff that can train their people to be successful. The sad truth is most sales managers do not know how to motivate or train the sales staff which leads to the blind leading the blind. Our industry needs a hugh culture change that starts from the top. When you teach a salesperson to be successful and earn a good living the last thing they want to do is go some place else. When a great salesperson gives me reasons to keep them I also have to give them reasons to stay. As in Fran Taylor's blog on the shortage of good sales managers, their all at the same dealerships that have the great salespeople. Both these ingrediants go hand in hand.

Comment by Bill Gasson on June 27, 2012 at 10:49am: Garry,

You have to train them properly,and we all must take pride in what we do .

Comment by Kurtis Smith on June 27, 2012 at 10:42am: Gary - I love the article!

I love it because it echos Fran Taylor's points on the shortage of good sales managers as well. The trend that seems to be coming to light is that the Guards are Changing and there are a shortage of qualified replacement available. What I mean by this is that although we may have bodies, the content and the environment to develop the next generation of selling and management professionals, either does not exist or is out of reach by those in need. Yes the observation is valid and on point, so I am glad that places like DE can allow the dialogue to take place with thought leaders to come up with a solution before we are revisiting scenarios like that the one we just exited with True Car.

Comment by Chris Saraceno on June 27, 2012 at 10:06am: Another excellent Blog from NCM