Automotive News issue of June 5, 2017 features Amy Wilson's interview with legendary dealer Carl Sewell.

We thought it timely to re-introduce Sewell's landmark 10 Commandments in "Customers for Life", which has sold more than 900,000 copies worldwide, to the modern retail community:

There are many stories of successful business leaders and dealerships using it as their bible and giving copies to all their staff.

“Customers for Life” is eminently readable with short chapters, plenty of anecdotes and no management science gobbledygook. Just common sense principles that work.

Here are his rules, as written by this world-class retailer:

1. Bring ’em back alive. Ask customers what they want and give it to them again and again.

2. Systems not smiles. Saying please and thank you doesn’t ensure you’ll do the job right the first time. Only systems guarantee you that.

3. Under promise, over deliver. Customers expect you to keep your word. Exceed it.

4. When the customer asks the answer is always “yes.”

5. Fire your inspectors and consumer relations department. Every employee who deals with clients must have the authority to handle complaints.

6. No complaints? Something’s wrong. Encourage your customers to tell you what you’re doing wrong.

7. MEASURE EVERYTHING. Professional sports teams do it. You should too.

8. Salaries are unfair. Pay people like partners.

9. Your mother was right. Show people respect. Be polite. It works.

10. Japanese them. Learn how the best do it: make their systems your own. Then improve them.

Center for Performance Improvement dramatically improves the performance of key employees in the automotive, indirect-lending and healthcare industries. Get our report on improving CSI and SSI scores through in-store processes and immersion coaching: https://www.centerforperformanceimprovement.com/