Are your managers and sales associates well versed in the art of the T.O.?

I double dog dare you to visually inspect what you expect. If your team flunks these 7 steps YOU ARE MISSING LOTS OF BUSINESS! There are no reasons only excuses. This is 100% controllable. Managers must get back in touch with the "sales" side of "sales management."

Mastering this nearly extinct skill is both the quickest and surest way to raise your sales numbers.

Most dealerships perform some facsimile of sales associate training, regardless of how misguided, or under supported, there is at least an attempt. However less than twenty percent of dealerships train managers. After all they have a management title, THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS! Besides who could possibly train them? Doesn't that title insure they are so proficient at what they do that improvement is not an option?

How often does your dealership practice the sales to management hand off known as the T.O. (turn over) in our industry? Isn't prioritizing what is important an ownership/ management function? I can assure you when your dealership implements proper T.O.s the closing percentage and grosses will go up significantly. Suddenly EVERYONE will agree on the importance of a proper T.O. and say "why didn't we focus on this sooner?"

All too frequently as I go into stores I see areas where money is left on the table, one of he biggest is the lack of performing proper T.O.s 

7 steps for productive T.O. "Handoffs". 

1) THE MANAGER MEET AND GREET-Sales Managers must roam the showroom and shake EVERY prospects hand, thanking them for coming out and planting seeds of hope and positivity.

Some form of "Hi I'm Roger the sales manager here, thanks for coming out to our (blank) sale,what's your name(ask all party's and shake all hand's)  I see you are with John, you couldn't have picked a better day or a better salesperson, thanks again for coming out and I will see you soon".

*Please be advised- This is not a T.O. and is not a long conversation, it's a MANAGER MEET AND GREET.

Typically if the customer asks about skipping steps or is in a "hurry" i.e. asking for an appraisal or any other mode of step skipping the manager can deflect the question, and pass it back to the sales associate, "John be sure and get me a trade appraisal with all the information on it and I will personally evaluate Troy and Brooke's trade, Troy, Brooke, due to commodities exchanges being more valuable than an out right purchase, low wholesale auction value is always the outright purchase price, but the good news is I may be able to offer you $500 to $3000 more for your trade depending which of our vehicles you select and test drive. John, please bring me the stock number and I will personally handle the proposal". Thanks again for the giving us an opportunity to exceed your expectations, I will see you in a few minutes"....This doesn't take long and gets the manager moving to shake other hands as well as tee's up the T.O

 2) NO BLAME GAME ALLOWED- The manager is not allowed to make the sales associate chase him/her down for a T.O. and must not be grilled for five minutes about "why you need a T.O.?" or "Why are they already at the door." etc. Who's fault it is and why the customers made it to the door are of lesser importance than saving the deal. THE TOP PRIORITY IS SALVAGING THE DEAL BY GETTING FACE TO FACE, NOSE TO NOSE, AND BELLY TO BELLY WITH THE CUSTOMER ASAP! Typically this is BOTH the managers lack of attention to the deal and the salesperson being afraid, or untrained. However, the Manager and the sales associate must learn to execute the "handoff"properly. The associate must learn to remain seated if the customer stands from the negotiating table. Asking the customer to "Please have a seat for me, I have an idea." After the customer sits down, the associate gets a manager, upon management introduction the associate is to be quiet during the T.O. process. All associates must be trained to nod his/her head appropriately when the manager is asking questions, but talking or unsolicited answering of questions is prohibited. The actual introduction must go something like this, John, Jennifer, this is Roger, our Manager. Thats all the associate says unless specifically addressed by the manager. If the customer gets up and does not sit back down the sales manager is forced to introduce themselves without a proper introduction, that introduction is strategic as well. The manager walks straight to the clients positioning the meeting to take place between the client and the door. Upon introducing him/her self the manager is forced to quickly take control and ask the customer to have a a seat for a "moment of your time." If the manager or the associate is chasing the customer to the door the likelihood of a successful T.O. decrease dramatically. Regardless of whether the associate introduces the manager or the manager introduces him/her self the associate remains silent. The managers attention to sales floor is of tremendous importance here. Associates are not allowed to verbalize the reasons the customer is leaving without buying. They are not allowed to answer any of the questions the manager ask the customer. The associate must be trained to walk towards the designated seating area simultaneous with the manager while the manager is asking the customers to have a seat. 

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3) All T.O.'s happen when all forward progress halts. Progress could stop at step #1 at the meet and greet. Maybe it stops at step #2 or anywhere through step# 7. Regardless of where it stops, the manager must get involved right then without fear or hesitation. The manager then assist the customer towards the next step of the sale. This is why managers must be managing the showroom floor and why managers must be FOCUSED and paying attention to each customer. I always laugh when dealerships have large flat screen monitors to watch each CRM entry, then they page or chase the salesperson down after the deal turns "red" or the time frame appears out of whack. Really? So exactly what purpose did that large CRM monitor serve? An opportunity to chew a salesman's butt or fire him? A written sales log with the time the up was taken on it would have accomplished the same thing. Paying attention to the lot and the sales floor is and aways will be the most effective way to manage each deal.

Managers must even be part guard dog on the lot. Having a manager who is proficient at getting customers into the showroom is a tremendous sales tool especially on high traffic days when so much can go unseen. If you have ever read my material you know I strongly believe in a managed sales floor. If managers are involved early and often is miraculous how much smoother things go and how many more customers are entered into CRM, written up, closed, delivered and followed up with.

4)  The manager must quickly take control of the situation on the T.O. - After greeting all parties involved with a hand shake and a smile, the manager asks questions to get the customers "open" before ever attempting to close them. A quick evaluation of body language and few questions will allow the manager to know exactly what the customer is feeling. The manager already knows the answer to many of these questions, but the idea is to get the customer talking. Opening the sale is the beginning of closing it. Following the customer towards the door is toxic to a car deal, the customer must be asked to have a seat.

The manager cannot be over bearing, talking too much and listening too little, rushing the process attempting to power close the customer while standing up and without due process. It's a fatal move, a deal killer. Immediately after the manager handshake ask the client to "Please do me a favor, have a seat right here for me." If the customer objects to having a seat, the manager responds, "I really appreciate your time, and your desire to shop around, please allow me a few moments to show you the entire deal so you have all the information to think about, I promise I will work quickly, I wouldn't expect you to buy without all the information, c'mon, I insist. (Walking towards the desired seating area) Would you like water, coffee or soda?"

5) QUESTIONS ARE THE ANSWER  -   After sitting the customer down in the showroom the manager asks the same fact finding questions a sales associate asks during step two of the sales process. The manager can go through these quickly determining which route is best for putting a deal together. The manager must be able to  "Matlock" genuinely showing interest while asking questions he typically already has the the answers to, and listening intently while the customer lays out a road map of how to sell them a car. Remember the T.O. happens at different stages of the process, from step #1 through step Here are some sample questions;

How has Johnny salesman treated you? What questions do you have?Do you have a trade? Is it financed, if so where, what is he payoff/payments? What equipment was on your trade in(previous car) that you would like on your new vehicle?Have you test driven a vehicle? If there was one reason why you aren't buying a new car right now, what would that reason be? Which of my vehicles could you see yourself owning? If #1 was you leave here without making a deal and #10 is you buy the car right now what # would you say you are?What would does it take for me to get you to get to 10?

The four Ps PERSON- I certainly hope I haven't offended you in any way, you'd buy from a car from me wouldn't you?(Oh no, when we get ready we are buying from you) PLACE- You'd buy from our dealership wouldn't you? PRODUCT- You did say you like the car well enough to own it didn't you? - PRICE- Gosh (In your best Matlock) Mr. and Mrs Customer it seems to me you have found the sales person you want to buy from, found the dealership you want to buy from, and found the right car you want to buy. Hmmm let me guess what you are going to think about is making this make sense in your budget, am I correct? 

If they are looking for something in particular that you do not have, for instance a color or equipment package, they must drive something similar while you figure the best switch unit, dealer trade, or order unit, in that sequence. Always make every effort to sell what you see rather than you see what you can sell.

-Often the manager must use F.O.R.M. (Family Occupation, Recreation, Me) to open the customer, most customers will easily open up to questions about their family, their recreational interest, their occupation, or themselves.

There are dozens of other questions but obviously the T.O. happens at different stages of the process and ultimately the managers job is continue the step process with the customer.

6) KISS Keep It Simple Stupid - Often times the objection is easily overcome simply by being the manager and asking for the order, just make sure the customer is seated and the body language is right. Some people enjoy talking to the manager and feel they got the best deal, even if the sales associate hasn't presented an offer yet! Some customers are  much less likely to say no to a manager. The manager always holds gross better when they are in the habit of talking to 100% of the customers. Most dealerships have plenty of hard rules for sales associates and FEW if any for sales managers. Its time to make your manager's personally manage the sales. The results will surprise you.

7) Sales Manager's  MUST PAY ATTENTION and be cognizant of every deal, ready, willing and able to JUMP INTO ACTION - constantly making mental notes on things like the body language of both the sales associate and the customer. As remedial as this sounds the majority of dealerships I go into the managers are not paying attention to the lot nor the showroom. It's likely at your dealership, you assume this isn't a problem. If you think CRM is managing your showroom you are wrong. Typically most dealerships only log customers in CRM when the deal is about to be penciled. Managed floors take "SALES-MANAGERS" Who are truly professions, who do not rely on the sales staff to manage them selves nor the sales floor. SALES-MANAGERS who assist in the selling effort from the word "GO."

With technology improving so many follow up techniques and customer contacts etc. It is imperative to understand managed floors are the wave of the future. Allowing technology and the information age to deceive you out of having your managers do what they are supposed to do best is a sure fire way to mediocrity.

Roger Williams

Automotive Coach

Corporate Sales Manager 

Fletcher Auto Group