Looking back to when I first started in the Automotive industry – fresh out of college – I thought I knew it all. Having confidence is one thing, but coming into any job with the attitude of knowing everything is not the best way to start. A little more than two months into the industry, I switched from being a sales consultant to become a BDC Agent. Not because I was knocking it out of the park, either. But rather, it was because I was not afraid to answer leads or answer the incoming calls. Dealers had a need, and I saw an opportunity.  Sure, I was doing okay (after all – BDC's were something new in 2011/2012), but my phone skills were indeed not where they are today. 

I will never forget the first mystery shop I got from Phone Ninjas. Instead of being eager to enhance my phone skills, I was combative. Now mind you, I still was a "green pea," with no industry – let alone any career experience, and yet here I was – nasty and condescending to the Phone Ninjas coach. Fortunately for me, the Phone Ninjas coach saw something in me. And for that, I am grateful. 

When I say I was combative and nasty, I would spend more time writing emails trying to "debunk" their coaching email/training session than simply taking the training. After roughly four or five bad scores, I got a call from a new mentor who painted me a clear picture. Offering that while you have potential and talent does not mean it gives you the right to be obnoxious and combative. Take the darn training.

I had to ask myself if was really going to throw away the chance of building a career,  discrediting myself because I was "too good" to take the training. 

At that moment, I realized (and thank god) that training had merit, and more importantly, it had a purpose. Not long after, I fully embraced the Phone Ninja's technique going from a 1.4 to score near perfect scores (sometimes hitting that perfect 5, yes, that is the competitive nature in me). Using the technique and taking the training seriously – in part – helped build my career. After the dealership saw my results, it allowed me to build a BDC department for the dealership. At which point, we worked hard – with the Phone Ninja Coach – to train our new BD Agents, where the set rate went from the mid to high twenties to the high forties collectively. 

Once I built the BDC Department, I soon expanded my role and delved into marketing and Business Development, becoming their Business Development Manager. Over the years, this lent itself to working with the OEMs directly, digital marketing, CRM Experience, free-lance writing, presenting key-notes conferences, and developing onboarding guides for dealerships. 

Fast forward, some eight years later, and I still use the Phone Ninja's technique in my new career and everyday conversations. So while I could say "if I could go back in time" and change the past – it is the past. However, if there is one thing to take away from this, it is taking the training seriously. Understanding that while you might have talent, you can always improve your approach and refine your skills. 

Besides, who doesn't want to be a Ninja? 

Week after week, dealers tend to have the same meeting. That is the GM sitting down with each department manager to review where they are at, projections, and things that need attention. Anything needing attention is then addressed individually with each department manager, which seems harmless but can cause tension and animosity. More often than not, it just means that the department managers involved need to sit down and work it out. However, that cannot happen in individual meetings. Here are some of the top reasons to avoid the Island approach and how to have a productive, actionable meeting.

What is the Goal of the Meeting? What's Being Discussed? Did You Give Your Managers Enough Time to Prepare? Or is it A Run Through of Daily To-Do's?

The meeting is often seen as a hassle or waste of time. Knowing that for every minute they are trapped in the GM's office the less money they will make at the end of the month. So to avoid the meeting taking up too much time, they quickly go through the same checklist. Once the checklist has cleared, they rush the door and get back into the lane or on the desk – all while the GM thinks all is good. But that is not usually the case. Instead, there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. Ones that are often not discussed with the GM, but are discussed amongst the employees, which can cause frustration and tension between the various departments.

If You Have A Group Meeting Stick to the Agenda. Give Everyone A Chance. Do Not Interrupt.

The purpose of having an agenda is to ensure that all topics are covered and make sure no one goes down an endless rabbit hole that leads to nothing other than forty minutes of wasted time. That having been said if you do have an agenda, make sure everyone turns in ahead of time what they would like to speak about. This gives the GM the time to review the request making sure it is in alignment with the meeting. If the topic is deemed personal and/or a conversation to be held privately, it takes away the chances of the meeting going from good to bad. Another reason to have an agenda - that is planned - is that it gives each manager a chance to voice their concerns, or questions effectively. More often than not, an argument between departments could have been avoided had there been better internal communication. This cannot, however, be accomplished if the manager is not given the time of day. As interrupting or talking over another manager is disrespectful, it can also show that you do not support that manager.

Do Not Use the Meeting to Attack Your Co-Manager. Not All Issues Need to Be Made Public.

It is no secret that there is a lot of competition on the dealer level. It is a dog eat dog world, but there is nothing worse than bringing your co-worker down in front of everyone else. Especially given that while you might not care for them - what they are allegedly doing wrong might not even be wrong. However, as the GM if you allow the employee to bad-mouth their co-workers in front of their peers it can in many ways send a signal that the behavior is not only allowed, but encouraged. All of which can and will create an eggshell environment. So, if you do have issues with your co-worker it is best to speak with them first. If you are unable to handle it with them directly, at that point you need to meet with your GM.

Bottom Line: Take a minute to get with each one of your managers and allow them to contribute to the meeting's agenda. In doing so, each of your managers will feel like they are a part of the team. Having group meetings amongst management will also help ensure that there is no miscommunication amongst the various departments.

How do you handle manager meetings? Do you review the same agenda each time?  

Working on the dealer level, we know firsthand how difficult it can be as a "customer" to pay our repair order or get our own vehicles' status. Let alone what our customers go through when paying their repair order or inquiring about their status. As a customer, I wanted to pay my service repair order but was stuck on a conference call. Sure, I could call the dealership after the call, but they were on their way with my vehicle. It dawned on me if the dealer can text me to let me know my car is ready - why can't they text me with a link to pay with Apple Pay? (or for those with Google, Google Pay; there are vendors out there!). Instead, the dealer kept calling my phone until I texted my sales guy, and asked if the could tell service that I could not call them back until after my conference call, which left me a little on edge as I was trying to juggle both situations. Not to mention, the "text" notifications regarding my vehicle was "one way," and I could not reply to it. What could have been a simple, easy situation got a little frustrating. I wanted to pay the repair order and take care of it, BUT I couldn't! 

We continue to talk about what "digital retailing" means, but often forget about simple fixes that could create a smooth, painless experience for our customers. Imagine this. The dealer sends you a text that your vehicle is ready, and you can click "pay" within the text message. At which point, you get a confirmation text that your RO is paid! 

Instead, I had to wait until I was off the call, placed on hold for 20 minutes, to then finally pay the RO. And because the total was what was discussed earlier by a significant difference, I had to wait another 18 minutes to speak with the advisor. That's 38 minutes to simply pay an RO. All of this could have been through a text, which would have saved all of us time. I do not mind being on hold, I get that the dealer is just as busy. But imagine if I were able to text the question regarding the new total, get the reply, pay, and be done? 

And look, this pain point certainly does not mean I (or our customers) won't go back to the dealer, I will. But it's these pain points that create a distraction to the customer. Working on the dealer level, you often see the customer calling you before calling them with an update. If you can effectively manage the updates in near real-time, you are proactively communicating with the customer before they contact you. In doing so, the customer might even be more inclined to purchase more since they are not distracted by worrying or thinking about their vehicle's status - or the process of paying for their car. Especially if the customer is picking up their vehicle after service closes. That's another topic for another article. 

So, how do we make this happen? What's holding us dealers back from making a move to offer online or payments via phone? There are vendors out there doing this - and think about it, regardless of the customer paying online or at the dealership, you still pay fees. Sure there is a fee to use the service, but imagine how much time we as dealers could save if we were not tied up on the phones taking payments/explaining charges? This also brings up another concern, which is taking credit card payments over the phone. Taking payments over the phone is not only a security issue, but there are also other security issues to think about. If the customer does not actively insert their "chip" into the card reader, they can easily dispute the charge online. Whereas, if they use the app on their behalf, there is now a paper trail, making it a little harder for the customer to abuse credit disputing. 

Bottom Line: If we can minimize one pain point at a time, imagine how this will impact our customer's experience? Imagine how much easier we are making it for our customers to do business with us? Imagine how much time we would be saving on the dealer level? Not to mention, this goes back to bringing the dealership to the customer. Instead of the dealership interrupting the customer playing phone tag, it could have all been done in a few texts. If this is the one change your dealer makes this year, it is a change well worth the effort! 

For those dealers that have launched a mobile/online payment system, what kind of success have you seen with it? 

When we are hit with an unprecedented situation - out of left field - it can easily derail your dealer's efforts. Sustaining everything you have worked on is no easy feat. More importantly, to maintain your efforts, you have to have empowered managers who become empowered leaders. Have you empowered your managers to make decisions? Have you allowed them to be a part of making decisions regarding processes you are currently devising? Have they assisted you in implementing these new processes ensuring that their teams are on board? 

Here are the top three ways you can empower your managers. 

The GM is One Person. They Do Not Have All of the Answers. No One Does. Work Together. 

All too often, every single decision - down to the header of an email - is the sole decision of the GM. That mindset - even when business is good - is toxic and detracts from your managers from growing and evolving if they cannot make decisions. Now more than ever, it is essential that you allow your managers to make informed decisions - working with you, not for you - to get through this situation. Remembering that they, too, are just as stressed. We are all stressed. Giving them support is critical. 

Keep Your Managers Informed. Keep. It. Real. 

No one likes secrets. The longer you wait to keep your managers informed about what is going on, the less likely they will buy in to the process. Keeping them informed also shows that you trust them, and view them as an integral part of the dealership's success. Not to mention, their buy-in is paramount in making your current processes successful. 

Create A Weekly Round Table Discussion. Stop Looking at All the Reports. They Are Not Going to Help You. 

Now is not the time to be worried about YOY reports, or solely worrying about the set, show, & sold rate. Instead of focusing on percentages/numbers, focus on results. Given the current circumstances, the best way to connect all of your departments is by holding a weekly round table discussion. 

Empower your managers to share what they have accomplished with their departments for the week. Having your teams share everything from current prospects, service work, potential leads, and potential leads for other departments. For example, you can have your sales consultants call previous customers and ask them how they are doing and if they need service work, etc. A simple care call and lead to a service appointment. The customer is also likely to remember that you took the time to call. 

One of the other things you can do is ask for marketing ideas! Each week, we get new ideas from having a conversation. Those conversations surrounding marketing ideas turn into actual creative content, which has turned into results. Keep in mind that having this weekly round table is to unite everyone as a team vs. the typical siloed approach. 

Bottom Line: Empowering your managers is what enables them to become leaders. They cannot lead if they cannot manage. Now more than ever, your managers need to know they have the Owners & GM's support. Your support inspires them to go the extra mile, make it happen, and move the needle. We will get past this, what will make or break your dealer getting past this sooner is working together as a united front with empowered leaders. 

How Have You Empowered Your Managers? 

While each dealer presumably will and or has already responded differently to COVID-19, it is essential for all dealers to respond. Offering a front-facing customer and employee message. There are still many dealers who have not responded at all or even updated their Google Business Page. 

Regardless of what decision(s) you have or will make - offering your customers and employees, a message can help you move/transition into the new way of doing business during this unprecedented time. 

There are several unique challenges that we are facing today. But these challenges have not stopped us before, no? So let's not stop now, there are several ways to combat these challenges, and here are the top things to consider: 

Online Purchasing 

Instead of the conversation being stuck on auto-loop, make the bold move and offer your customers the ability to complete several of the steps   online. Work with customer to start the trade-in process, and try and offer the ability for you to appraise their vehicle at their home, or at least pick up the car to appraise it. It is no secret that there several facets that make up a deal, but the more flexibility you offer the customer, the easier it is to get the deal done. 

Flexibility with Your Sales Consultants and BDC Teams 

With several states mandating appointments only, offer your sales consultants the flexibility of working from home, allowing them to call customers and book appointments remotely. This will also help with reducing foot traffic in the store to be in alignment with social distancing guidelines. 

Bottom Line: There is no one right answer or solution, but proactively working to assist your customers still is better than not doing anything at all. More importantly, now is the time for dealers to refine and build a united front with their respective teams. 

How are you building a united front with your team? Have you offered your teams the ability to work remotely? 

We are handling unchartered territory right now when it comes to handling the processes on the dealer level. But that does not mean we have to cease communicating with both current and prospective customers. There are ways for your dealer to communicate effectively with both your staff and customers. Here are the top three things you can do. 

Make Sure Your Online Appointment Services Are in Working Order. 

Most dealers leave their third party tools on autopilot. Now more than ever, it is essential that your online forms are in working order. In addition to ensuring they are still relevant and practical. That said, I strongly encourage you to take a moment and use the form(s) as if you were the customer. 

Another thing to consider is how these leads are being handled. Is your staff fully aware of how the appointments are to be handled? If not, I strongly suggest making sure that everyone who is working with the customer is aware of the new changes. In doing so, it eases the tension and frustrations on both ends of the spectrum. In which case, ensuring that you are still offering the customer a comfortable experience. 

Social Media Posts. What Can Your Customers Expect? How Can You Give them Peace of Mind? 

It is essential to make sure that both your customers and employees are aware of how you are handling service appointments, test drives, deals, etc. One of the most effective ways to channel these processes that are front-facing is to create short videos. Sure, you can send an email blast, BUT most inboxes are already being flooded at the moment. So rather than remain un-opened in an email inbox, take the time to create a video. 

Update Your Google Business Page. Turn on Customer Messaging. 

There was a great post the other day about both using and updating your Google Business page. In doing so, it will help keep your customers informed as to how you are handling the current situation. Not to mention, you can also create posts that inform your customer of everything from updated hours, and both your sales and service processes. 

One other thing you can do is consider using a tracking line on your Google Business page. If the phone number is clearly listed on your dealer's website, Google will most likely approve that number. In doing so, you can have a better handle on how your calls are being handled. All to ensure that your customer(s) needs are being managed effectively. 

Bottom Line: having the most up to date information readily available will offer assistance in streamlining your current processes. Namely, it can, in some cases, also provide your customers peace of mind as there might be an increased demand in both servicing and maintaining their vehicles. Lastly, remember, this is unchartered territory for both you and your customers. So if there is any way to make this easier for both of you, it can have a positive impact. 

When it comes to CRM reporting in the automotive industry, there is no shortage. The idea that you can get a report for any one piece of data in your CRM system that you are using. However, just because we have all of these reports does not mean it will have a positive impact and or change the way you do business on the dealer level. In fact, arguably, each time we get lost in a new report, it can, in many ways, distract you from getting anything accomplished. That said, here are two things to consider when using reporting. 

Not All Reports in the CRM are One Size Fits All. 

It seems simple, you get a report emailed to you every day at 8AM on the dot. It looks to be perfect, but it is no secret that looks can be deceiving. One of the biggest frustrations with a lot of the CRM report subscriptions is that by the time you have reviewed the report, the data has changed. In that, depending on whether or not your sales consultants or BDC Agents have updated the leads, merged leads, or reconciled data, the numbers will change. So instead of focusing on what is pertinent, you wind up spending more time reviewing leads/notes that are otherwise taken care of. 

So instead of wasting time by reviewing several reports in your email, here are some of the best ways to get that data. 

Sold Leads. Merge the CRM & DMS Sold Deals. 

It happens, the customer fills out a coupon lead in the showroom for a gift card. The spouse/partner filled out a lead inquiry awhile back - or there was a lead for the credit application - all of which means you could easily have five or six leads pertaining to one customer. And while there is a lot of conversation surrounding lead attribution, which is essential, but it is also just as important as having a clean database. That said, start by cleaning up all of the duplicate leads, ensuring that all of the lead sources remain within the CRM. For those CRM's that enable you to choose multiple lead sources, you can easily notate which lead was the last submitted, or better yet what lead led to the showroom visit or appointment. 

By cleaning the above data points (leads) up in your CRM, you are already looking at a more accurate picture. Wherein, if you are continually looking at set and show rate versus sold rate, a five to fifteen lead swing can have a significant impact on those rates. Namely, the whole point is that data in the CRM changes by the minute, so if we do not take that into consideration while reviewing these report subscriptions, you lose focus on what is actually happening; or customers that you can still work with. 

In Bound Call Reporting. The Same Phone Number Is Not Two Leads. 

So many of the reporting subscriptions - regarding what the phone vendor sends out - do not remove duplicate callers. In that, if I were to call a dealer twice in one day, it would count as two phone leads, and let's say I got one appointment on the first call, which is great. In essence, I would not then get credit for having already booked the appointment on the second call. Therefore, the lead count would be off for the set, show, and sold rates. All of which can cause a lot of frustration. Or worse, the GM or manager reviews the 'one' call that showed not having an appointment set, calls the BDC Manager or Employee in - catching them off guard - ripping them a new one for not having an appointment - all while they DID have an appointment. This happens far more than you would think, and it was all due to reviewing an inaccurate, otherwise irrelevant report. 

So before you use the report as the only means of reviewing numbers, take the time to look at the actual data - that is, reviewing the CRM to see if the customers call had already been logged in the CRM. 

Bottom Line: this is not to say that reports are not important, but what this is offering is that simply review a report subscription does not, by any means, always paint the whole picture. And rather than only review the report, it is best to review the actual data and outcomes. All of which enables your team to focus on what is important, which is increasing sales through effective correspondence with the customer. 

Planning and setting goals for the year ahead is hard considering we tend to plan month by month especially when it comes to measuring success. So instead of focusing simply on one month at a time, perhaps it is best to have overarching growth goals for the year. Not to mention, by planning for the year you can create more defined goals that are long-lasting vs. in the moment fixes that don’t stick!

Here are the top three growth opportunities your dealer should consider in 2020. 

Selling More Extended Warranties in Finance

If you are not selling extended warranties you are leaving money on the table. Whether you have your sales consultants sell the extended warranty or have it be apart of your sales process the more warranties you sell the better chances you have in the customer returning to the dealership to have their vehicle both serviced and repaired. For the customers that do not purchase an extended warranty at the time of sale, you can easily create campaigns in your CRM. Once you have sent the customer an email about the extended warranty have either the sales consultant or finance manager follow-up and offer the warranty! 

Sell More Service Contracts vs. Just Offering Free Oil Changes! 

For the dealerships who give away free oil changes with the hopes of the customer coming back and spending more money - that is not the best way to increase retention. In fact, in many cases when the customer gets a free oil change they think of the word “free,” which does not always entice them to spend more money with you. Especially if the “free” oil change does not include the shop supplies that the customer usually winds up paying for - instead focus on selling service contracts at a discount. This way the customer is paying for their service - albeit, at a discount, but it increases their chances of not just coming in for service, but spending more in service. Not to mention, if you sell the customer a contract it often does not often increase their monthly payment by much at all making it that much easier to sell the contract. 

Don’t Lose Financing Deals With Customers Bringing In Their Own Finance 

One of the trends noticed in the last year or so is the number of customers bringing their own financing to the table, which means you lose out on the reserve from the lender. If the customer does bring in their own financing always be sure to offer matching it and or trying to beat their offer! Not to mention, in most cases the customer is not aware of the many stipulations their offers present - i.e. the vehicle cannot be over a certain year, and/or have too many miles. All of which can limit their selection. 

Bottom Line: Every dollar counts and selling extended warranties, service contracts, and financing the deal for the customer is revenue towards your dealer’s bottom line. And if we simply focus on one month at a time we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. In that, when you look at processes from a month-to-month concept you actually wind up falling short of one process to increase on another! As you are not actually changing the culture and or training them to do better! Whereas if you have growth goals, and offer training in the above areas (or whatever they may be) throughout the year it increases your chances of being successful. 

Hiring the right sales candidate is never easy - everyone comes to the table with a unique background & new perspectives. Measuring the success of that new hire, however, is not easy in that there are several things to take into consideration, such as training, sales goals, experience, and overall plan of action for the first ninety days on the job. Without a unified plan of action for their first ninety days, it is tough to measure their success. Much less understand what the trending breakpoints are in the overall hiring process - i.e., what is the cause of their leaving the position other than it "not working out." 

Here are the top things to consider when measuring the quality of a new hire 

Have A Consistent Process for New Hires 

I get it, you need to fill that hole on the dealer level, and "hope" they can sell the eight to ten units required to hit the OEM objectives. Simply hiring someone to fill that hole and hoping they do not sink is not a cost-effective method, nor will it do your dealer any favors. Another critical issue dealers face when letting the new hire hit the floor is their having only completed the OEM training (if they even completed that). Or worse - letting an experienced sales consultant hit the floor without having even started the OEM sales training. 

You might be scratching your head with regards to not letting an experienced sales consultant hit the floor, BUT the fact of the matter is that while they have the experience, they do not know your process!! A process that, if not followed, can and will cause unnecessary breakpoints in both the sales process and, more importantly, the customer's overall experience. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the "experienced" sales consultant who is new to the floor offer customers products, or "We-Owes" that would have otherwise not been allowed. All of which can cut your profit and cause frustration on both ends. Not to mention, the "meeting" in which the new sales consultant might get reamed out for offering the products can cause tension that could have otherwise been avoided. And while they should have asked for permission, did you bother to tell them what is and is not allowed? In most cases, the answer is No! And as for the new hires without automotive experience, the same principals apply. If your frustrated, be frustrated with yourself. 

Top Reason Your Sales Training is Not Working! 

Let's not forget the many excuses that come into play when it comes to the sales managers training new hires. One of the biggest excuses as to why the sales managers could not spend time with the new hire - sticking them with whoever is free, which is usually the top sales guy who winds up using them as their gopher - is because they do not have time. There is no doubt that your sales managers are very busy - but at the end of the day, in many cases, it's not about "time," but instead what is in it for them? Have you ever thought about paying your sales managers retention bonuses for their employees? If they were to have a strong motive to increase retention, it could pay off for not just the dealer, but for themselves as managers. Knowing there is nothing worse than having to start over at square one every month hiring yet another new sales consultant. 

The latter part of not having a successful sales plan of action is understanding that their going through the process takes time. Far too often, the dealer has good intentions with their training program but winds up shoving them to a floor to help a customer when they have not a clue as to how anything works. This not only frustrates the customer but also causes dissension between the sales manager and the new sales consultant. If you are going to commit to a sales plan, then COMMIT to it! Lastly, not everyone will make it through the ninety-days, and for those that do not make it through, it provides you feedback as to what the common breakpoints are in the overall sales process. And look, your plan of action does not have to be ninety-days, but it is essential that core items are covered, which is outlined below. 

To avoid the above issues, it is best to have a ninety-day plan of action for the new hires. As for the plan, see below. 

What Should the Ninety Day Plan Require? Where do I start? 

The goal and purpose of the ninety-day plan are to ensure that you have prepared your sales consultants well enough so they can be successful. When it comes to starting the new-hire process, it can and will be challenging as it redefines the way you approach hiring and training on the dealer level. However, you have to start somewhere, no? Below are key items to consider when approaching the training portfolio. In many cases, the OEM's have "standards" or "reviews" that require your dealer to have documented processes for much of what is offered below. For those with the documented processes, use them! 

So what should be included for training? 

OEM Training

• Sales Process Training 

• CRM Training 

Marketing Resources

Sales Documentation - i.e. the documents needed in every deal packet

Internal processes - i.e. dealer tags, keys 

How to Measure the Success of the Training 

Sales Process: Does the sales consultant follow the documented process? Have they spent time with a sales manager or consultant reviewing the processes? If they have, let them know what is working and what they could do to increase their performance. 

CRM Training: Have they been trained on the CRM. More importantly, are they using it? If they are, take the time to review what it is they are sending to the customer - work with them on best practices for customer correspondence, etc. 

Internal Processes: Are they following your dealer's documented processes? If not, then take the time to explain the process. And make no mistake, simply handing them a binder of processes is not going to work, either. 

Bottom Line: Dealers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their sales consultants annually. Not to mention, they face terrible numbers when it comes to retention, which costs your dealer money. And while we can say that "they did not work out," "we are hiring the wrong talent," or "a good sales consultant is so hard to find." Instead, let's focus on the commonalities in your retention issues! You might be surprised to find out that much of the problems stem from not training them when they are on-boarded or a sales management team that is disenfranchised and or unable to offer the new hires the level of training required to be successful. 

What is Your New Hire Process? Do You Track Their Performance? 

A removed manager is nothing easy to deal with. Knowing that their removed can cause chaos, lost sales, and lack of morality, to name a few. So how do we approach the removed manager? There are two key things to consider when approaching this problem manager. And the sooner you deal with them, the better off everyone will be on the dealer level! 

Sounds Simple, But Why Are They Removed? 

I get it. It sounds simple to answer this question, though it is an important question to consider. In that is there something we can do to help them check back in? Is it worth the time and effort to get this manager checked back in? 

If the answer is no and their performance has continued to be lackluster, then you have to make the hard decision in removing them from management. If they are good employees, but in the wrong position, then perhaps there is another suitable role for them on the dealer level. However, if they are otherwise a good sales manager, then you have to consider what is causing them to check-out. It could be anything from not having your support, over-tasked, not enough sales consultants, limited resources, and or micro-managed, to name a few! All of which can be changed, though only if you are willing to address the above issues head-on. 

Is A Lack Of Empowerment Causing them to Check Out? 

There is nothing worse than feeling helpless in a management position. The idea that your every move is micro-managed. And you cannot make decisions that can and will have a positive impact on the dealer level. Think about it, if you are unable to make decisions and everything has to be approved by either the GM or Owner - would you take more initiative to make things better? Probably not. 

If the manager is a good employee and has the talent needed on the dealer level to deliver, then you need to approach them differently. The notion that there is a reason you have the sales manager in their position, no? But if they cannot make a decision for themselves, then why are they in the position? Sounds easier said than done, however, when it comes to actually giving your sales manager autonomy to do business. This is by no means offering that your sales manager ought to have free reign over all aspects of the dealer, either. What this is offering is that there are certain decisions s/he ought to be able to make without getting approval. 

Bottom Line: Ignoring the situation - or in this case, the removed manager - will not solve anything and can cause further dissension and chaos. But before you approach your sales manager, take the time to figure out why they are removed? Asking yourself if there is anything you can do to help them! In doing so, not only can it alleviate a situation, but it can help your sales manager reconnect with the dealership. If the sales manager, however, is unwilling to work with you or their respective teams, then you will have to make the hard decision. 

How do you deal with the checked-out sales manager?