Completing a training course or being mystery shopped is only one part of the equation. Taking that first step by offering your team training is great, but what happens after the session? All too often we revert back to the same old habits – not answering the phones correctly, for example – because we've failed to tackle the root cause of the issue. Pointing out the areas of opportunity is one thing. Fixing the break-points and staying in front of the people with it is what changes their performance. To enhance their performance, it's critical to have ongoing and situational active coaching.

Think about it, your Sales Consultant gets mystery shopped, and before you know it, they're sitting in the GM's office getting "the talk." That "talk," though, is not "coaching" and is usually a situation where the Sales Consultant or BD Agent is sitting there defending themselves. Especially if they're caught off guard. Instead of taking the approach of sitting behind the desk berating them on what they did wrong, offer them a path to success. You can provide them "answers" and "tips & tricks" all day long – but if they don't have the solutions in their back-pocket to reference when handling the same objections as muscle memory, they're not going to perform any better. And the “tips & tricks” of what the shop company is looking for really doesn’t address the root cause and that’s fixing what’s really wrong…. What’s really wrong? Doing better consistently! Not just “beating the test” or “faking a score” but truly seeking to understand and then supporting that with changed behavior, improved scores and better numbers. Because at the end of the day, you’re there to make money. Profit isn’t a dirty word and all the “education” offered should be doing one thing, helping you to make more money.

And before we blame the "mystery-shop" and how it wasn't a real situation, let's talk about the real problem here: The problem is that your teams are not effectively trained to answer the phones. Using a mystery shop by itself also isn't enough training. Quality training is active coaching sessions that use the mystery shops as examples as one piece of an overall strategy. Working on the break-points in the call. Everything from the greeting needs analysis, to asking for the appointment, to overcoming objections and making sure you’ve offered proper directions to the store which has a method. These core steps must be effectively and efficiently accomplished in one call and it’s absolutely possible to do it within the average duration of an inbound call of 3.25 minutes. Make no mistake, each mystery shop offers valuable insights on how to handle that break-point in the future. But you see, unless there is follow-up – through active coaching – it's easy to fall back into the same pattern they're accustomed to when handling the phones.

Another of the many benefits of active coaching is that it’s entirely virtual. Long gone are the days where the trainer needs to come into the dealership. All your Sales Consultant or BD Agent needs is a quiet place, a computer, and a pair of headphones. It's these "check-points" (active coaching) that can build their confidence, knowing that they have a training session scheduled just for them. Whereas when you have the trainer in the dealership, you (the GM) usually pull them aside multiple times, getting them off track, to ask questions, or inquire about other break-points you'd like them to address. Because let’s face it, you just can't help yourself from getting involved. Let the Sales Consultants and BD Agents complete their active coaching session online and work with them to track each session's progress. You'd be surprised as to how many of your Sales Consultants & BD Agents want to do better at their jobs. They (being some) just don't have the courage to ask for more training or know how to ask for it. And for some, they just don't think they need training!

Imagine if the times you did pull one of your Sales Consultants or BD Agents into your office that it was to discuss how they've enhanced their performance. Where the feedback is positive and a chance for you to connect with your teams. Believe it or not, most of your Sales Consultants or BD Agents would love the opportunity to sit down with their GM to ask you questions on how to improve their skill-set based on what they're learning. But again, if you're only using these opportunities to do a throat-punch and not offer the tools to better their performance, they wind up leaving your office more deflated than they already were. Don't be reactive, be proactive, and you won’t just see results but you’ll see sustainable results!

Are you ready for an Active Coaching Method for your team? One that consists of mystery shops, listening to actual customer calls, critical coaching and personalized one-on-ones? Your prospects sure are….

The General Manager role isn’t an easy one, nor is it a role for the faint of heart. You need thick skin…. But that doesn't mean we don’t try our darndest to succeed and approach each and every day with a smile. Whether we were prepared for the position or not, adequately trained or not, it's a role we took on, and through the years, we’ve learned a lot from it. One of the biggest struggles GM's, humans, are still facing today is taking responsibility for their shortcomings. These shortcomings take many forms, such as lack of training, and then you have to find the time and make an effort to work on them. No one is perfect, and no GM has it all figured out on day one, if ever. But what we can do - whether you're a veteran or new GM - is make a conscious choice to not play into what "everyone" thinks a GM is or should be. Most notably, we don't want to be the GM that our teams or vendors say, " you will only have him for 5 minutes before he loses interest." As if we have a "condition" that our teams use to excuse us from the way we interact with our staff, colleagues and vendors.

Having been one of those "GMs" when I first started (and throughout the better part of my career), it's critical that we work on this "condition" (a mentality) that's used to excuse the way we approach our profession. Whether it's dealing with the excuses people make for us behind our backs, "only having 5 minutes" to offer, or confronting the reality of the situation, which starts with the willingness to break the mold and not be the GM they think you are, but being the GM you need to be.

So, where to start? Changing the way you lead is everything from dealing with ineffectively managing your time to not properly observing your teams to not creating and building a culture for success to not investing in the right training. Or, the worst one of all, micro-managing your managers to the point where they cannot make a decision without second-guessing themselves or without coming to you. The reality is this is no way to effectively manage your dealership's growth and success. As the GM, it has to come from the top - YOU - and your time must be invested appropriately. Now, before someone hits me with the "one-off" examples or the advanced time management bucketing techniques whereby you dedicate time to tasks based on importance, yeah, I get it. I'm not referring to those. Like my old self, somebody may speak up and hit me with their respective accomplishments with said "condition," but I’ll ask this: if you're doing “so well” doing it wrong, how much better could things be by doing it right? And, if you don’t believe you’re doing it wrong, why are your people, your vendors and your colleagues making excuses for you? Why are they also making fun of you behind your back?

Instead of playing into what you think a GM should be, be the GM you need to be to manage your dealership effectively.

You Only Have him for 5 Minutes: This is one of the most commonly used excuses your management team uses when working with a vendor or even your sales staff. Sure, it might be a punch in the face. Or, you might laugh it off as a joke. But this isn't a joke, and certainly not something to simply laugh off, implying that as a GM, you have this innate "condition." Importance, nope. That’s definitely not it. Instead, ask yourself - taking a step back - have you taken the time to understand why this is such a common statement? If you are going to participate in a meeting or vendor demo, make sure you are prepared and invest the time. Sure, this doesn't mean that you need to be in every meeting. After all, if you trust your sales managers, you don't need to be in every meeting or make every decision. That's what you have sales managers, no? Or did you hire them wrong? Perhaps another meeting (interview) you weren’t paying attention in? More importantly, if you're taking the time to meet with your sales managers or sales consultants, allow them the time needed that isn't interrupted with several phone calls, or a time where you're entirely distracted and not "present" in the conversation. There is nothing worse than trying to communicate with an unengaged GM. Pay attention. Observe what they are saying. Offer positive critiques. More importantly, use this time to mentor your sales managers. Sharing your overall growth strategy and how they fit into the bigger picture. The more your sales managers feel a part of the bigger picture - as their work directly impacts it - their performance will increase.

Training: This is not a role your sales managers need to play. Yes, your teams should observe the Sales Managers’ performance and reflect it in their own work. But even your sales managers need training. As the GM, it's your responsibility to cultivate a culture that encourages training and provides the necessary resources for training on the dealer level. If your Sales Managers are not adequately trained, how can they manage their sales consultants? And how can you expect them to train their sales consultants? Investing in quality training on the dealer level for inbound and outbound calls, internet leads, F&I, and product knowledge is invaluable. Building a properly equipped team only means better results for the dealership. And isn't it about not just cultivating a quality team but also increasing your dealership's profitability? Make no mistake, trying to increase profits on a broken foundation is not only short-lived but will only cause a chaotic environment with high turnover. Think about it, have you ever experienced a situation where your sales consultants are going through a revolving door, but not your Sales Managers? Is it really all your sales consultants' fault? Or is it because you failed to provide proper training, is that your sales consultants’ fault?

Vendors: As the GM, you shouldn’t be managing the day-to-day tasks with the vendor. That’s the job of your sales managers or Business Development Manager (for those that have that role) or the respective department head based on the specific vendor. Let them do their job so that you can do your job! If you're trying to manage the day-to-day tasks for a vendor, it doesn't effectively allow you to manage the bigger picture. The other unintended consequence of managing the daily decisions or tasks is that it can - in many cases - create a "micro-managed" environment, which stunts growth and leadership opportunities for your sales or business development managers. It's like moving ten steps forward to then fall down the stairs and have to start all over again, injured, with each step having its own set of issues and unnecessary obstacles to deal with. It's also essential to effectively delegate tasks so that each sales manager (or Business Development Manager) has a clear understanding of their role and individual responsibilities. Again, this goes back to empowering your teams to effectively manage the vendor relationships so that you may continue to focus on the bigger picture and what that looks like for the dealership.

Time Management: The GM, in many ways, is the face of the dealership. You should be spending time observing, mentoring, and, more importantly, spending time developing the next steps, setting the strategic direction of the store, developing a plan to achieve and executing against that plan. It's those next steps - based on your observations working with your management team - that can get your dealership to the next level. But this cannot be done if you're playing the role of what everyone "expects from a GM" and not what you need to do to be a successful GM. Having the right managers in place and investing in quality training will positively impact and cultivate a culture that enables all of your teams to succeed.

Bottom Line: If you effectively cultivate a culture that promotes growth and development through observation, empowering your managers, and spend time planning the next steps for your dealership, imagine where you'd be? This doesn't happen overnight, and it certainly doesn't happen by playing into the role of what you think a GM should be. Be the GM you need to be with those five minutes available to strategize and get your dealership to the next level.

It's ingrained in most of our DNA to answer a lead as soon as possible and for good reason! With the lead unanswered, every minute that goes by decreases your chances of getting in touch with the customer. But make no mistake, the quality of the response - especially the email - is just as important given that our first impression can make or break the deal. When answering an internet lead, it’s essential to check a few core items. Ones that can help you get a response that can help sell the vehicle!

Read the Lead (my personal favorite)

In most cases, the customer might complete a generic form on the website they inquired on. But it's important to know where the lead came from! If the lead came from a third-party site, the customer might not be expecting a response from your dealer directly. That's why it's so important to read the lead and know where the source came from. In doing so, you can identify that you are a partner with "x" lead source and assist them with their inquiry.

If the customer did ask a question, be sure to answer/address it before pressing send. Taking the time to answer the customers' questions shows that you are paying attention and are willing to assist them! Not to mention, if the customer were to get a generic response that does not answer their questions, you could be starting off on the wrong foot.

Subject Lines

Email still remains effective when corresponding with customers. According to Oberlo, in "2019, global email users amounted to 3.9 billion users (Statista, 2020). This figure is set to grow to 4.3 billion users in 2023 (Statista, 2020). That's half of the world's population. This statistic clearly shows that email marketing is an opportunity that you shouldn't be missing out on." So, to stand out, you have to have core elements that attract your customer to your email. One of the best ways to combat email fatigue is by offering a relevant, attention-grabbing subject line. One thing that stands out the most is using the customer's name in the subject line.

“[customer name], Important information on your [vehicle]!

By using the customer's name, and "your" (which refers to the vehicle as theirs) can easily grab their attention vs. using something to the effect of "thanks for your inquiry at [dealership]"

Out of the two options, which one would, you most likely open?

Brand Value Statements

With so many options out there from which the customer may choose, it’s essential to have attention-grabbing brand value statements that set your dealership (and you) apart. One of the best ways to offer your dealership's value is by showing the potential customer what your current customers are saying about you. There are tools out there that allow the customer to review you personally. By including testimonials from your existing customers, it can help you stand out from the competition.

Even if you take just one actionable item away from this, such as the email subject line, it can increase your open rate. Increasing your open rate means you have a better chance of working with the customer to sell them a vehicle!

Helpful Hints

Whether or not the “experts” agree, pay attention to links, pictures/images and attachments on initial emails. One article says the word to link ratio is “x” and another says it doesn’t matter but at the end of the day you don’t want to end up in spam.

Does your signature line have your company Facebook link, your picture, your rating site, a map site link and maybe a redundant email link in it? Sometimes they’ll get through, sometimes they won’t and sometimes your audience is trying to open that email with a poor signal on a mobile device. So, be mindful of these things and adjust accordingly.

What other things have you done to help make your emails stand out from the competition?

Handling customer objections isn't always easy. Especially when the customer is calling you on the telephone; knowing what to say and how to approach the customer's objections can make or break whether or not you sell the vehicle. To handle customer objections with confidence takes training and experience. Part of training your team is regularly conducting one on one role-playing sessions. The goal and purpose of having one on one training sessions are so that your managers can create relevant scenarios that are relatable to your sales consultant or BD Agent. Especially given that everyone has their own unique challenges and hurdles to overcome. 

It's more than just listening to a call.  Use an objection that gets your team stuck! 

Here’s an example of a common objection and how you can help coach your team with a One on One: 

Don't get me wrong, recorded calls are a critical resource and tool to use for training. But before you get to tackling the recorded calls, you need to assist your sales consultant or BD Agent on what gets them stuck (topics before situations). Not only will this empower your team to handle objections confidently, but they'll start to pick up on why the call could've been better, and more importantly, how they'll handle the call differently the next time! Think about it, when the customer calls into the dealership, they're most likely doing their homework. That’s checking availability, price shopping, etc. If your team isn’t equipped with the right word tracking, they can quickly derail the conversation and not get the results they're working so hard for! 

In this one on one example, let's say one of your sales consultants gets stuck on the pricing objection. The customer calls in, and before you can confirm availability, inquire about flexibility, etc. the customer goes right to "what's the best price you can do on x vehicle?" This can go one of two ways. The first way (where your team can get stuck) is offering the "price" without confirming any of the above information. This can derail the conversation and opportunity for reasons we (those who have the experience) often don't think about. The biggest thing to note is that the vehicle the customer initially inquired on is often not what s/he ends up purchasing. Not to mention, they might not be comparing the exact same car with the various dealerships, nor may each dealership be using the correct rebates, incentives, etc. Lastly, as you know, pricing - despite being the go-to objection - might not even be the customer's hang-up! 

One of the best methods and ways to equip your team to change the conversation's path is to offer the following instead: 

"Mr. Customer, here at [dealership], we make pricing easy. I can certainly provide that information to you. Before I get ahead of myself, was this the only make and model you were inquiring about? I want to make sure I provide you with the most accurate information possible. This vehicle ranges in price depending on the trim level and package options."

Using a statement like this is not defensive, and it inquires about the customer's flexibility – to which the customer might instead reply with: 

"I’m looking for 'x' vehicle, but it needs to have the premium package, and I want it in black. I’m also considering the next model up with third-row seating. The other one I’m looking at doesn’t have the third row." 

As you can see, in this one on one scenario, the customer just offered that they have not even seen the third-row vehicle! Yet, that's what they want pricing on, a car they have not seen, and might not be their final choice depending on their thoughts on the third-row seating. At this point, in the coaching session, you can offer your sales consultant or BD Agent that by simply changing the word tracking, and inquiring about the flexibility you now have a better understanding of how to quickly and effectively handle the objection! 

Here's a way you can reply: 

"Great News. I do have that vehicle in black with the premium package, and third-row seating available. Are you available this afternoon or evening to test drive and take a look at the third row?" 

Notice how in the reply you confirm that you have the vehicle they are looking for, but instead of just offering the price you're now inquiring about flexibility, and encouraging the customer to come into the store to take a look! 

Response: "no, just price shopping - what's the price on this vehicle." 

BD Agent/Sales Consultant Response: "The price for this vehicle, depending on the third row, and other options starts at 'x,' we have excellent deals this month! I also have other options that could save you money, are you available this afternoon or evening to come in for a test drive". 

Notice in this response, instead of giving a "number" that is not comparable to their current contender, you provide a range. This allows you to be transparent to the customer and informs them that depending on the options s/he chooses, and ultimately decides on will obviously change the price. 

Response: Not available this week

At this point, in this example, you've asked the customer twice about an appointment. At this time, they are not committed to coming in. That does not mean that we give up! Instead, it is crucial to confirm the next steps. That is getting their contact information and securing a time to follow-up with the customer. This is also the hard part where a little more confidence can go a long way in making sure you get to the next steps! 

BD Agent/Sales Consultant Response: I understand, what I would like to do [customer first name] is to send you more information about this vehicle. In addition to other money-saving options. What is the best email to send this information to? 

Response: Sure, send it to [email], and my cell is the number I called on. 

Now that you've properly received the customer's email address, the last step is to secure a time to follow-up and inquire whether they have a trade-in. Something as simple as nonchalantly bringing up the trade-in could be what's deterring them from wanting to come for an appointment! You don't know what you don't ask! Sometimes the objections are not the obvious! 

BD Agent/Sales Consultant Response: Great! One last thing, did you, by chance, have a trade-in? I ask this because we're looking for quality pre-owned vehicles right now, and are offering incredible trade-in values! (always the what and the why)

Response: Yes. I have a 2014 [vehicle] with 58k miles on it. But the offer I got online was nowhere close to what I will accept for it. It is in mint condition. 

Bingo! Of course, this is an example, and not all scenarios will play out this way, (of course). But for this example, you hit the jackpot in dealing with customer's real objection by inquiring about flexibility and a trade-in. Now, you can work with the customer to complete a trade-in appraisal giving you a means of offering the next steps!

BD Agent/Sales Consultant Response: That's great! We just had a customer inquire on that [vehicle] the other day, but it sold! I'd like to send you a link for the trade-in, it only takes five minutes. Are you available tomorrow morning or afternoon to come in so we can appraise your vehicle? 

Response: I can do tomorrow afternoon 

As you can see, in this one on one role-playing session - it could have easily ended in the beginning when the customer asked for "the best price," and you gave it to them without getting any of their information. But instead, because your BD Agent/Sales Consultant effectively handled the objection - with proper word tracking - they could inquire about flexibility, trade-in, and secure the next steps. It's these sorts of scenarios in your one on one training sessions that can help you increase your sales. Not to mention, it gives your team more confidence to effectively handle these objections, which will only make your sales team and BD Agent that much better! 

*Disclosure: these are scenario examples and are situational in nature. Obviously, never lie to a customer! And never lie to your manager!

In a perfect world, the customer would answer their phone on the first call. But that’s not always the case. If the customer doesn’t answer their phone, you want to make sure you start with a voicemail that gives your customer a reason to call you back. Once you’ve left a voicemail, it's time to send the email. Here are the key items to include in both your voicemail and email.

What to Include in Your Voicemail.

When leaving a voicemail, be sure to say, "Good [morning, afternoon, evening] this is [name] with [dealership]. Great News! The [vehicle] is available. Are you available [option one] or [option two] to come in for a test drive? We are located [location - this is *KEY*, you don't want the customer to get confused as to where you're located]. I can be reached at [number] and will follow-up with an email shortly. I look forward to speaking with you [customer name].

The end-goal is to get a hold of the customer and to make that happen, you have to give the customer a reason to call you back, creating a sense of urgency. It's also just as important to include the above information. That is your name, dealership name, confirmation of the vehicle, directions, and a clear outlined follow-up. We have to remember that the customer could have inquired from a third-party lead source (or multiple stores). So, when you do call them and don’t mention your dealership name, they might not know what dealer you're calling from.

Key Elements to Include in Your Follow-up Email.

Let's face it, we all get a lot of emails daily. Having a compelling subject line, and a solid email can make or break whether the customer responds or calls you back. It’s also equally important to read the lead first. That's making sure that “if” the customer has asked a question, you address it in the reply email. By doing so, the customer can easily acknowledge that you’re assisting them!

Here's an example of an email you can send your customers

Subject Line: you want your email to stand out to the customer, and more importantly, that your email lands in their inbox and not the "promotions" folder, or worse, a spam folder. To combat this, you want to make sure your subject line is both catchy and relevant.

For example, if the customer inquiries on a pre-owned Toyota Camry your subject line could be:

[customer name], your Toyota Camry is available!

Using the customer's name + vehicle + availability makes your email stand out, and it can also pique the customers' interest.

Example Email:

[first name],

Thank you for inquiring on the [vehicle] here at [dealership]. Great News! Your [vehicle] is available! I confirmed that your [vehicle] does have CarPlay! Here is a video I created for you.

[Insert inventory link] - (you can also include one or two other options to inquire about flexibility or if you have other value options.)

What time works best for you to come in this morning? I have both a 10:15 or a 10:45 AM available.

Keep in mind, [first name] here at [dealership] it is about - YOU! We offer hassle-free appointments, a VIP Program which includes maintenance, and so much more.

We are conveniently located at [location]. In the meantime, [first name] check out what our customers are saying about us! (insert review page link).

We look forward to working with you!

Regards,

[signature line]

As you can see in the email, it answers the customer's question and lays out next steps. That’s coming into the dealership to test drive (or a home/office sanitized test drive, whichever is applicable). The email also made sure to offer where your dealership is located, value statements (how your dealer stands out from the competition), and, more importantly, a reason for them to respond!

What are some of the call-to-action's you include in your email responses?

Part of handling inbound phone calls is dealing with the customer's objections. The more equipped your sales consultants and BD agents are, the better your chances are of securing the appointment/meeting. There are many ways to handle objections, but here's an example of one of the top objections you'll come across and how to respond.

“That's Okay. I'm Just Price Shopping.”

Most of us have heard this objection before, right? The customer calls into the dealership on a specific new car, and after asking for the appointment, the customer says:

 "that's okay. I'm just price shopping…."

At this point, the conversation can go one of two ways. This is the customer’s way of ending the discussion with you. In which case, the sales consultant or BD agent might not have received their contact information to secure a time to follow-up.

When this happens, here are two ways your sales consultants or BD agents can handle the objection.

Response One: That's great! Here at [dealership], we make it easy offering the best price available. Now let me ask you, is this the only make and model you were considering? If so, I have [vehicle options] that could potentially save you money! What time works best for you to come in and meet with my manager? I have this afternoon or evening available. *

As you can see, the response is tackling the customer's objection head-on. And by doing so, it gives you the chance to inquire about the customer's flexibility. But to get to this point, you have to tackle the objections with confidence!

*for those of you who are offering "at home test drives," be sure to mention that option!

Response Two: I understand and respect that. But here at [dealership] we are fully transparent with our pricing. By the way, are you trading in a vehicle? We need pre-owned vehicles like yours, and are always offering top dollar! The appraisal process takes less than twenty minutes! What time works best for you to come in and meet with my manager? I have this afternoon or evening available.

In this response, you're not only tackling the objection head-on, but you're asking the customer more questions, which can (and in most cases) lead to more answers with the goal of getting to the appointment.

Both responses are tackling the objection. More importantly, despite the answers being different, the approach remains the same. That is getting the appointment. The point is that the more comfortable you're at handling customer objections, the easier it will be to maintain control of the conversation. And remember, remain positive on the phone! The customer can easily pick-up your tone and possibly feel that you are disinterested.

Lastly, remember the customer picked up their phone and chose to call your dealership! They called you!

There’s more to a quality phone script than just words written down for your dealership to follow. A quality phone script aims to help coach your dealership's Sales Managers, Sales Consultants, and BDC Agents on how to handle the phones effectively. If your dealership’s phone skills improve, it can turn those inbound phone calls, and Internet leads into sales. But before that can happen, you have to outline the expectations and the role your Sales Managers and GM will play in the overall process. Otherwise, you’ll continue to have the same inconsistent results. 

Consistency is Key in Sustaining Results. Phone Training is Not a One Time Thing. 

If your Sales Consultants or BDC Agents are handling the inbound phone calls and the Internet leads inconsistently (and most are), the lack of results will show. Do you ever wonder why some months - perhaps after a training session - their set-rate, show-rate, and sold-rates are higher? It’s no secret that the phone scripts and quality training make all the difference, which has a direct impact on your sales. 

The idea that the more familiar your Sales Consultants and BDC Agents are with the script, the more second-nature it becomes in how they handle the phones and Internet leads, it becomes muscle memory. Think about it for a minute. If you’re unsure of yourself when answering an Internet Lead or an Inbound call, the customer can easily wind up leading the conversation but they’re the one calling with questions. However, if your team is well trained, and the script is second nature, they’re handling the inbound calls and leads with confidence. Having confidence on the phones is what can set your dealership apart from the competition. In which case, you’ll see an increase in your set, show, and more importantly, your sold rate. And, your customers will hang up feeling satisfied with the outcome, refreshed with the experience and looking forward to doing business with you.

So How Do I Get My Sales Consultants & BDC Agents to Follow A Script If I Cannot Get My Sales Managers to Do the Same? 

This is easier said than done. Training your Sales Consultants, BDC Agents and Sales Managers should be a top priority. After all, your dealership is likely spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to drive traffic to your dealer's website. If those leads are not handled properly, you could be losing more sales than you realize. Not to mention, if there isn’t a clear-cut policy on how the phones and internet leads are to be handled, you’ll wind up having inconsistent results. Another issue many dealers face is a lack of accountability from their management teams. Namely, sales managers do not believe they need help or a refresher on their phone skills. If your dealership's sales managers have this feeling, it will be difficult to change the culture. One of the best ways to combat this issue is having your Sales Managers go through the phone training process first. After all, how can they coach or mentor their Sales Consultants or BDC Agents if they do not have a refined process in managing inbound calls and internet leads? Once you’ve outlined the expectations for your Sales Managers (how they will be involved), and they have completed the training, it's now time to train your sales consultants and BDC Agents. 

Keep in mind, training your Sales Consultants and BDC Agents is by no means a one-time event. In fact, to keep their results on par with your expectations, it should be an ongoing occurrence. The idea that once your Sales Consultant and BDC Agents are better equipped in handling inbound calls and Internet leads, you can work towards refining their objection handling techniques. To get this process started (as mentioned above), you have to outline your employees' expectations, giving them a purpose for why they are to complete the phone training. And more importantly, making sure that you - the dealer owner - have your Sales Managers on the same page. If your Sales Consultants and BDC Agents see the buy-in from the Sales Managers, they are more likely to partake in the efforts to refine their skills. 

One of the other critical components to making this a success is not using this training process to beat up your Sales Managers, Sales Consultants, and BDC Agents. If you use this training to negatively say "they are terrible" or "they should just not handle the phones," that will not change anything. In fact, that will easily disenfranchise them from the entire process, which is not the goal. Instead, remember to offer them encouragement and set individual goals that can and will have an impact on their results. All of which can increase their individual income depending on their pay plan! 

Once your Sales Managers, Sales Consultants, and BDC Agents have completed the training, it is also essential to have role-playing sessions or one-on-one coaching sessions to assist them with their own struggles. Remembering that each of your Sales Managers, Sales Consultants, and BDC Agents, has their own unique challenges to address. And by outlining those challenges - for them to overcome - you are providing a clear, defined road map for future training. 

When is the last time you approached phone training with your Dealer Teams? If not, today is the day to get this started! After all, who doesn't want to increase their dealership's sales while offering exceptional customer service?