All dealerships want to have a successful sales team, one that works smoothly and efficiently. However, in so many areas this is not being tracked as well as it should be, and in some cases it’s not being tracked at all. No longer can dealership management excuse this need for accountability, given the large amount of technologically advanced software kept in place to better hold the sales team accountable. Transparency is essential, and the brutal truth is in the dealership marketplace, without a transparent employee accountability set in place, certain staff members may be able to thrive off of the dealership without bringing much to the table.

Turnover rate will always be high in this industry, but it should be SMART turnover rate. For this to happen, there must be an umbrella of oversight that can determine who is providing the most benefit for the overall dealerships’ success. As I’ve said previously, it’s the entirety of the dealership that must flourish for all personnel to succeed.

Without a transparent benchmark, a standard sales team will provide the same results when expectations are set by management. Therefore, there must be a transparent device withstanding inside the dealership; most cases this will be the dealership’s CRM. Certain CRM’s will have the ability to not only provide the overall management of sales personnel, but also give the higher-level staff the chance to take a transparent picture of the entire dealership, with no room to hide for employees. A few functions of these advanced CRM’s will be key in building a powerful sales team that will be integral in the growth of any dealership.

Warm Leads. Having the ability to provide interested leads rather than random leads will provide a stronger conversion rate than ever before. If there is a group of random leads and a salesperson “picks” a call, the chances for success is already limited. This is why the CRM is in place. If the software provides the staff with a better calling list, sales representatives will be better prepared for that lead turning into a sold customer. It’s up then to the management to oversee this process and keep the sales team on track, driving them to choose the “warm” leads rather than randomly selecting.

Pooling Leads. A CRM that pools leads will always have an advantage for the sales staff, and the management team. When the leads are put into a pool, oversight can be modified to provide better staff accountability. A CRM that can pool leads for ALL sales staff to have a chance at, create lead response reserve time, and set limits on the number of leads an employee can have at one time, will allow management a transparent view of who is succeeding on the same playing field. This function will help those staff members who are succeeding to shine through. More importantly though, this will target those employees who are struggling to shine through as well, for the wrong reasons.

Sales Representative Call Playback. Every time an internet/sales/BDC staff member makes a call, they are representing the entire dealership, and the names associated with it. This is why a crucial part of the oversight in a dealership is the transparency of call playback. With this option available in your CRM, the management staff can make certain that the brand message being portrayed by their employees is staying on-point. Managers cannot be in all places in the dealership at once, and this prevents any inappropriate and/or mishandled calls to be reviewed, and repaired if needed.

Monitor employee statistics, for all stores. When a dealership is stand alone, or part of a group, an overview of all parts is crucial. This is where your CRM fits in as the integral function. With proper access, certain management level staff will have the ability to keep accountability on not just sales staff, but also each other dealerships’ managers as well. Because, while in many instances the sales staff may be the issue when performance is low, sometimes it’s the leadership roles that are not performing. Having the ability to keep EVERYONE accountable is the only way that EVERYONE succeeds.

An advanced CRM can offer a complete picture of a dealerships operations, and also the employees involved. Certain CRM’s allow low performing staff members to hide among the successful staff, “pass the buck” on customers, and allow leads the chance to fall through the cracks. With a CRM that provides lead pools, warm leads generation, and one that prevents customer ownership, the dealership has a much more opportunistic chance of intelligent growth. In addition, some dealerships allow the sales staff to have a say in a CRM that will be used, helping in the decision of which software to choose. This must never occur. Sales personnel having a say in what CRM will be used is like asking your children if they want homework. The answer will always benefit the lazy. When choosing the CRM, base it partly on accountability and the entire dealership will see a change, for the good of everyone who’s providing a vital function.