Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on July 6, 2011 at 4:38pm

Good one.....We bring success stories into our classes all the time,wonder if a family member would take the time to come in and relate how their lives and the lives of their family has changed for the better?

Permalink Reply by Glenn Wilkins on July 6, 2011 at 5:12pm

Thats a good thought Craig....One of the things i preach is to involve their spouses in success. When you celebrate a great month, reward your spouse in the celebration. Ive seen many times when the spouse would root for another great month again lol. I know theres so many other thoughts out there and all are appreciated !!

 

 

Permalink Reply by Bobby Compton on July 6, 2011 at 10:24pm

Great share Glenn!!!

I would be the example of what not to be. My dealership days were about being the first one on the job, and the last one to leave - ALWAYS. 

I will share a little personal information about myself, I've been married and divorced 2 times. My first divorce was Automotive related, but not from the car business. Kind of a funny story; I was married at 17 years of age and obviously way to young. We had my son when I was 19. I bought a hot rod Pontiac GTO, long story short I put all of my time and money into my first love - the darn car. LOL - Long story short due to being so young and openly admit I was extremely selfish is what caused my 1st divorce. Enough of that now, I will share reason for number #2 and was directly related to the car business...

Upon jumping into the car business I was obsessed, as if I'm not now. LOL

The sport of selling cars, the numbers and being number #1 to put it mildly ruled my life at the dealership setting. I truly drove my girl friends crazy, and yes my second ex wife. While the dealers I worked for demanded performance, I demanded more of myself than they. 

On a serious note, I truly sacrificed at my own discretion way to much time winning at car sales. I missed out on to many special times, holidays, time with my son and so much more due to my obsession with the car business. 

If I can share anything to help with the new generation of car people; take your time off when you have it. Do your best to stay fresh so that when you do have time off with your family you're not a walking zombie from exhaustion. 
There's no question that some dealers will demand more work than others, but I can promise you that when it's your time to go  home, don't be afraid to turn that deal or let your GSM or GM take over. 

My lessons from my life are lessons I choose to share to save others the losses that can never be replaced - time with family and believe it or not - self... 

Sell Sell Sell Like Hell... That's what I was taught... You can do both, sell and fulfill your family time - it's the most rewarding in the long run!~

Permalink Reply by Brad Alexander on July 6, 2011 at 11:54pm

You have to make sure your time off is TIME OFF.  When you are not at work make sure you are devoted to time with your family.  When I pull in my driveway I shut off my cell and nobody at work has my home phone.  My co-workers can handle anything pertaining to me and my customers in my absence; if not I'll take care of it when I'm at work.  The worst thing that could happen is the building burns to the ground; not much I could do to help with that scenario and when I return from my days off, I'll notice the building is gone.  As a sales rep I did my best to work only the hours I was scheduled (that was plenty) obviously if I was with a customer at quitting time and I had no specific plans I stuck around and finished the deal.  I didn't set appointments on my days off, if that is the only time the customer could come in then I'd make some money while I was with my family by getting a half deal.  I felt like if I couldn't make enough money in the significant hours I was scheduled than this wasn't the business for me.

You've got to communicate honestly with your spouse about the hours and especially if you are staying late etc because of customers, remember car deals don't happen in a half hour, give realistic estimates of how long it is going to take.  If you say you're going to be home in a half hour and don't get there for 3 and a half you may be greeted with an icy stare instead of a hot meal.

No career is worth losing your family.  In my 17 years in the business I have seen many families shaken, fractured and destroyed because of a lack of balance.  Work to live, don't live to work. 

I have been married for over 23 years, not without bumps in the road- for sure, but I believe making sacrifices at work instead of at making sacrifices at home have been a big part of it; certainly a large dose of God's grace and being married to the most amazing woman on earth helps!

Permalink Reply by NANCY SIMMONS on July 7, 2011 at 9:45am

Great topic Glenn, but a tough question!!!!  Dealer Principals and GM's/GSM's need to change their philosophy first that a salesperson has to work 60 hours a week to be successful... This might work for a couple of months without causing severe side effects...(trouble at home, disgruntal employees, low morale, etc).  A happy employee is a more productive employee!!!! Managing one's time wisely during scheduled hours is much more important and vital to success than merely hours "put in"!  Poll sales professionals who work ding to dong and ask them, honestly, how many hours of their 60-70 are they working proficiently? 

 

Sadly, the cycle that I have personally experienced, is this... Enthusiastic and passionate employee works more hours than necessary out of desire to succeed --->  Family life begins to suffer, arguments at home, etc... -----> employee now spends more time at dealership to avoid going home to unhappy family!  Nobody Wins!!!!!! (not even the dealership).

 

Every dealership has its own series of thoughts on this... If it was mine, my managers (acting as coaches) would ensure that the hours physically at the dealership were spent wisely and effectively.  I would promote job-sharing to offer reasonable hours for both males and females so they could enjoy a balanced career with family life....They shouldn't have to choose!!!! (dealership ultimately wins!)

Permalink Reply by Richard Emmons on July 7, 2011 at 10:13am

To stand alone with trying to sell every day is not easy. With support from Managers and co workers is much better. Support from your spouse is the very best of all.  I know!

Permalink Reply by Greg Creager on July 7, 2011 at 3:05pm

This is an endless cycle in every dealership all over the country. No matter what time the doors open or close is too much for the spouse. My thought on this subject is extremely simple. Communication. It has to be upfront. In every interview with a candidate this is a subject we go over to the extreme. If the spouse is not bought in the rep won't be. Put the workload on the table. It seems to me that a lot of managers want to dance around this issue because it might change a candidates mind. But, if the hours are a problem in the beginning it saves you months of training and time devotion to a salesperson for them to leave on you over workload. Next promote performance based time off. i.e... sell one go home, tracking your monthly forecast=time off, 90 day average is 20/month=C shift. (C you when I C you). If a salesperson misses their time off for lack of performance a spouse will be their biggest cheerleader to produce. Hope this helps. It works at my store.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on July 7, 2011 at 3:37pm

Like that Greg,"Performance Based Time Off" Willing to bet that whenever your busiest floor traffic,you always have ample coverage...

Permalink Reply by Glenn Wilkins on July 7, 2011 at 11:35pm

Great Info everyone and thanks so much for your input !! Not only will this help students overcoming these problems, it just gave me some very good info to pass on to dealers to help their retention!!

Permalink Reply by Fran Taylor on July 10, 2011 at 8:10am

Sell the two on the idea that it takes about two years on average to make it big time in auto sales. Long hours and a better than average income to start. Later big income and less hours at work. They should have a long term plan and be willing to give up something to get it. None of this will work if the dealer isn't willing to train them daily and have accountability.

Permalink Reply by Katie Colihan on July 10, 2011 at 1:38pm

I thought about this for a good few minutes, and even now, I cannot really craft an answer. In a day in age where the whereabouts of husbands and wives are in question, and the divorce rate is sky high, I think that it all comes down to making sure that your marriage comes first, and if it's not, then that means, well, it's not your priority, and that's a whole other story.

 

It might take a little bit of convincing to your spouse that what you're doing is something that you love. Reassuring them if they were going back to school and had late hours or lots of work, that you'd understand (and mean it!). I feel that we, as people in general need to be a bit more open to the passions and desires of others.

 

But as many have said in this thread, make sure that your time off is TIME OFF. You don't accept phone calls from work, unless it's an emergency. Quality time is so important.

Permalink Reply by Brad Alexander on July 10, 2011 at 1:48pm

 I wrote this a while back Glenn, but thought it was on point with your discussion:

There’s More to Life Than Selling Cars

     Heresy, you say?  I’ll never forget walking into a sales meeting filled with mostly new hires.  The manager who was also a friend, after he finished his meeting looked at me and said, “Brad, do you have any words of wisdom for my troops?”  I said, “Yeah, there is more to life than selling cars.”  His head dropped.  He regained his composure and looked back at me, “Why would you say that!?”  His eyes were saying.  So, I elaborated to avoid confusing him and his crew.  I don’t mean that selling cars is not important when you are at work.  Selling cars is our job.  While you are at work that is where you need your focus.  Always be looking for a deal.  Look for a way “in” to deals, not for a way “out” of deals.  That’s all good.  I have just seen too many people become absolutely consumed by this business.  I’ve witnessed personal lives destroyed, families fractured and marriages devastated all for one more deal.  We can always justify the extra hours and sacrifices of family and friends.  “You gotta make hay while the sun is shining.”  There’s nothing like rationalizing neglecting your family with an obtuse metaphor.  If you can’t provide for your family in a reasonable amount of hours, do something else.  Don’t reduce your value to a paycheck.  Picture your spouse and kid(s) at the table eating the wonderful dinner you have worked so hard to provide and in your place, propped up on your plate is your most recent pay-stub.  If that’s what this life is about, I’m off!  

     A manager at the dealership where I work was bummed out because the store blanked the day before.  Now, I know, nobody likes blanking, especially if you worked a bell-to-bell shift.  It sucks, no two ways about it.  He was really down.  He said that he went home, didn’t say a word to his wife or kids and just went to bed.  I said, “Man, there is more to life than selling cars.”  I picked up the store’s sales logbook and said, “Dude, this book does not determine your value.”  I added, “There is a Book that reflects your value (referring to the Bible).”  He agreed.  If you’re not there, the pictures you have in your wallet show your value.  If you don’t have a family then the mirror and your friends reflect your value.  Your family, your friends and your faith help determine your true value.  I know there are some cynics out there saying that your family, friends and faith don’t pay the bills.  “I can’t just walk down to the mortgage company and show them a picture of my kids.”  I realize that money is necessary; otherwise I’d be on the river fishing right now.  I’m simply saying what many have found out too late:  Money isn’t everything.  The car business is what it is, a means to an end.  Use the business as a vehicle, for lack of a better word, to get you and yours where you want to go.  

     I told myself early on in my career that if I couldn’t earn a living working the days I was scheduled then I was in the wrong business.  I have, over the years, had to remind myself of this.  I’d get on a roll and everything was clicking and I’d want to keep going and going.  Don’t stop now; you’re in the zone!  A couple of phone calls and hearing the disappointment in a child or my wife’s voice would usually be all it would take to wake me up.  It doesn’t matter how high the pile of money gets if I don’t have them around to share it.

     The “more to life” to which I refer is not family only.  That just tops the list.  You need you-time also.  Time to “Sharpen the saw” as Steven Covey puts it in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” or “Recharge instead of discharge” from Hopkins & Hilbert’s “The Janitor”.  You’ve got to step away and get refreshed.  Get a hobby, play a sport, read a book, go to church, write and spend time with friends*.  You’ll notice I put “and” in that last sentence not “or”.  You should be able to do all of these things.  Maybe not every day but you should be able to have a life outside of work.  We have all had those days where we didn’t eat anything and were busy from the word “go”.  We run on pure adrenaline all day, sell a bunch of cars and feel awesome albeit spent at the end of the day.  Those days will happen (hopefully).  But we cannot run at redline every day.  We’ll be burnt out fast.  Life is a marathon, not a sprint.  There is a point of diminishing returns.  I worked for a dealership where the owner hated using vacations as bonuses or spiffs.  He would say that when the top performers took the time off you were removing your best players from the game and assuring yourself a bad week.  Huh?  Did he honestly think if these guys didn’t win a trip somewhere that they would never take time off?  Evidently.  We all know he’s not the only Dealer Principle/Manager to think this way.  You get to the point of your job being your life.  Remember the old saying, “Work to live, don’t live to work.”  If your job is your life that’s not much of an existence.  Take time to rest, recharge, refresh and reload.  You’ll be more creative, more focused and more personable.  So, Managers and Dealer Principles; give your people time off.  In fact, make them take some time off.  Otherwise, at some point they’ll punch out for a permanent vacation from you.  Then how smart will you feel?

     *Spending time with friends does not refer to going to the bar with a bunch of car-guys after work and talking shop for 4 more hours while you drink yourself into a stupor.  If your friends are predominantly car-guys you need to have a strict “no-shop-talk” policy when away from the store.  Additionally, if all your friends are in the business-go get some new friends, really.

     So, go sell a car while you are on shift.  When it’s time to go home, go whether you sold something or not.  You can make up for missed sales; you can never get back time with your loved ones.  But really, go sell a car.

© 2008 "The Paint Won't Lick Itself: Simple Truths for Selling Cars"

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