DrivingSales
Find Time to Lead
As a manager in a dealership, in any management position, you need to find time to lead and develop your people. But how do you find time in your hectic day to lead?
Many days I'd go home wondering what I accomplished that day. Such is the nature of the manager position. Prioritization is key, and in this clip we talk about how you can schedule opportunities to lead.
How do you engineer time to develop your team? Have you found keys to identifying leadership opportunities?
DrivingSales
What Are You Capable Of?
If you weren't able to attend DSES this year, you missed James "The Iron Cowboy" Lawrence. He owns the world record for completing 50 triathlons in 50 states......in 50 days!
We sat down with James to discuss what he was thinking. He says we have no idea what we are capable of. It is an exercise in pushing yourself and improving your mindset.
2 Comments
DrivingSales
I am sorry I had to miss DSES 2018. Looking forward to making it in 2019! Looks like it was an amazing event
DrivingSales
What Should Dealers Expect From AI?
Jason Knight discusses what dealers can expect when leveraging AI in their marketing. How can you see artificial intelligence aiding your dealership marketing?
No Comments
DrivingSales
Spireon Chief Technology Officer Rick Gruenhagen to Join Panel on Blockchain at AutoMobility LA
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2018—Rick Gruenhagen, chief technology officer at Spireon, will be participating in a panel at this year’s AutoMobility LA, held in Los Angeles from Nov. 26-29.
Titled, “Blockchain: The Connectivity Cure,” the panel will be led by Roger Lanctot of Strategy Analytics, on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The panelists will focus on how blockchain will play a major role in the auto industry’s increasing adoption of connectivity services like car sharing, white-glove service and subscription-based car ownership. The discussion will also seek to explore lingering questions relative to the application of blockchain across the industry, such as such as how the technology will work with newer car technologies, advanced car production and insurance and registration systems. Additional details, including a brief bio on Gruenhagen, can be found below.
Session Title: Blockchain: The Connectivity Cure
Speaker: Rick Gruenhagen, chief technology officer, Spireon
Date and Time: Tuesday, Nov. 27, 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA
About Rick Gruenhagen
Gruenhagen is responsible for developing the product and technology vision for Spireon’s IoT/connected vehicle hardware and software platforms, delivering connected car services for nearly four million vehicles. An industry veteran with over two decades of experience in developing and implementing innovative applications and services, Gruenhagen has a proven track record of building successful SaaS-based platforms that effective monetize big data and IoT solutions. He previously served in key leadership roles at PayPal, Amazon and Microsoft.
About Spireon
Spireon, Inc. is North America’s leading connected vehicle intelligence company, providing businesses and consumers with powerful insights to track, manage and protect their most valuable mobile assets. The award-winning Spireon NSpire platform supports nearly 4 million active subscribers across the company’s growing suite of products for new and used car dealers, lenders and financial institutions, rental car agencies, commercial and local fleet operators, and consumers. Learn more at www.spireon.com.
No Comments
DrivingSales
Oli Gardner on the Importance of Clarity
2018 DSES keynote speaker Oli Gardner discussed the importance of clarity on your website.
How can you make sure your website is organized clearly? What are some tips you have to make sure a web visitor gets what they're looking for?
4 Comments
Automotive Group
His keynote was so good at DSES. I think we can all learn a lot from looking outside the automotive world.
DrivingSales
Chris,
Agreed. I love his methodical approach to conversion. He had a lot to say. Have you been able to incorporate anything in your store?
Beltway Companies
Having a solid landing page is huge. A lot of "excuses" vendors will give for the *super* high bounce rate is "well it is a campaign, and there will be a lot of exits." Whereas, if the campaign is highly targeted, and has a landing page with relative, engaging content then the conversion should see an increase. But more often than not, when you click on "get the special now" you are directed to the home page, which means the customer has to click through the site to find what they are looking for. That will not get you good results.
DrivingSales
How to Keep Your Employees Longer
Are you pay plans leading to high turnover? Jason makes a case for altering your sales comp.
3 Comments
Beltway Companies
Great video! From my experience (in my last group) when we hired someone on a salary/guarantee they faced a lot more "pressure" to perform immediately. But the issue was - as you mention in the video - they did not receive enough training. Or they would have a trainer come in for two to three days, but as we know that is not enough training. As for obtaining higher talent, the biggest issue I offer that dealers face is that those employees are accustom to a certain culture, and when they experience utter chaos and disarray it is very off putting. That and our industry work/life balance is not known to be the best. Working 3-4 12 hour days is not appealing. No one wants to work bell to bell shifts. Not when they are making less than 50k a year. As a result, a dealer is willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep a revolving door. It starts from the top down, and there has to be solid leadership with a core vision.
DrivingSales
I feel like this is an easy topic to chat about but a little more difficult to implement. Where would you start?
Beltway Companies
I would first visit the turnover percentage. At that point, I would take a hard look at my management, and review the on boarding process. One of the biggest issues with on boarding is that it is a secondary task for many on the dealer level. Thus when you have an exorbitant amount of turn over it creates an incredible amount of work for that person, which can easily become overwhelming. That said, the dealer needs to focus on what they can do to assist them in on boarding the sales consultant. A solidified process will have a positive impact not just on the dealer, but also the new hire.
DrivingSales
The Basics of Career Mapping
What are the basics of mapping career plans for your employees? Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
2 Comments
GPA Training, Inc.
Really good stuff. So often overlooked and necessary for hiring younger staff--they demand it! Also suggest:
1) Create and give training content to identified staff before you have an opening in the role you see them potentially going to, so that they already have been trained for at least some of that role's requirements.
2) Identify personality strengths and weaknesses on your team as part of this process. Have some real tech savvy people on your parts desk but lack some people skills? Look for those skills. A balanced team where staff complement each other well is important; too much of certain skills can lead to holes elsewhere.
Thanks for posting!
3E Business Consulting
Great Tip on People Development and Succession Planning!
DrivingSales
Conducting a Productive One-on-One
As a leader, performing a 1 on 1 is one of the most valuable activities you can do....if it's done correctly. How can you improve the quality of your one-on-ones? Here are a few suggestions on setting your one-on-one up for success.
1 Comment
DrivingSales
I really like the "what do you think" question during a 1-on-1. I feel it makes the team member feel they are a part in this meeting and also makes them less defensive. Great topic!
DrivingSales
How Are You Building Your Brand?
Erika Simms, Vice President of Dealer Authority, discusses the importance of building your brand and some tips on on where to start.
How are you building your dealership brand?
DrivingSales
Sleepers: How to Maximize the Hidden Value of your Database
This is a guest blog by Jon Petron, Vice President of Advanced Services for Outsell.
Jon and Paul Schnell, the Digital marketing Director at Wilsonville Toyota and Wilsonville Subaru will be presenting a breakout at DSES titled, Sleepers: How to Maximize the Hidden Value of Your Database.
Your most valuable shoppers may already be with you.
Dealers can make the most of their data and capitalize on all the information in their CRM and DMS but often hesitate to implement a plan to get started. A surprising amount of your databases are comprised of unsold leads and prior customers (even when dormant), who can yield more profit than you expect once brought back to life.
You ignore these sleeping consumers at your peril because your competition is already implementing the tools and strategies designed to help you know when customers and prospects are back in-market, re-engaging them at the right time with the right content individualized to them.
Taking advantage of your data, however, starts with keeping that data clean, both for reaching new prospects and for leveraging real-time sales data to improve retention tactics.
Outsell recommends mandatory Data Appends as we’ve identified that less than 50% of our client databases have reachable records combining both CRM and DMS. An initial append can help increase that reach between 10-30%.
Once you are communicating regularly, leveraging the data behind engagements as well as activity across the web is what allows for relevant messaging. First, you need to ask: What do you consider a lead? And at what point do you move on to the next one?
Training your staff to communicate with potential buyers is also imperative, especially when using the data available about their behaviors and needs. One of the best ways to ensure accurate and relevant follow-up with prospects and customers is through marketing automation.
Marketing automation is software that provides more individualization and automated sending for email communications, while simultaneously letting the consumer drive the content they receive. Employing a marketing automation tool can give dealers a competitive advantage in retaining customers and unsold leads that blasting emails out of your CRM simply cannot.
But automation alone isn’t enough. Artificial intelligence allows for more robust lifecycle management, keeping you in front of consumers more relevantly with the least amount of hassle. Your dealership needs AI and automation that fits your specific needs to best utilize your existing data and go after the ‘sleepers’ you’d otherwise miss out on.
Learn more at my panel with Paul Schnell from Wilsonville Toyota and Subaru October 23rd during DSES where we’ll cover the secret value of data to drive more sales.
1 Comment
Beltway Companies
Great article, Jon! Dealers spend *thousands* of dollars to acquire customers to then let them sit there. Perhaps occasionally sending out an irrelevant email blast in which case the opt-out rate is usually high. There are even CRM's who have the AI built-in - that and as we know, it is much easier to sell to a customer who has already bought from us. And for those who haven't yet purchased from the dealer - - we can always append that data before marketing to them.
2 Comments
Mark Rask
Kelley Buick Gmc
it is tough….I find myself being way too reactive
R. J. James
3E Business Consulting
BAM!!! Making time to DEVELOP your People (REALLY HARD WORK) is the KEY to Success: Employee Job Satisfaction, Employee Retention, Better Customer Experience, and More REVENUE in Sales, Service, Parts, and other Business Units.