This week we’re especially sensitive to the date of 9/11/11.  It’s the 10^th anniversary of the event that changed our lives.   So from everything from the TV shows replaying those unthinkable moments to the incredible volunteer efforts happening to honor those who lost their lives on that day and those who fought to save lives on that day, the message is clear; volunteering is a huge part of who we are.

So the question I’m asking is that if we know that volunteering brings people together on a national level on this momentous day, are you doing your part to volunteer in your community?

Business development is not just about sales and marketing.  It’s about a community.  They won’t be there for you unless you are there for them.  A pretty simple concept.

Today's job seekers are looking for more than stock options and 401(k) plans and today’s consumers are looking for more than a great price on a new car.

Dealerships both large and small are interested in being good citizens.  Everyone wins in this scenario. The company, the employees and of course, so does the community.   Obviously good relations with the community, a positive public image and a cohesive, motivated workforce are a given, but volunteering initiatives also bring out the leadership skills in employees who might not have the opportunity in their everyday position.  Lastly, it could also promote interaction between all of your departments.  

Volunteering continues to grow in popularity, currently at a 30-year high, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates more than 60 million Americans volunteer each year.  Research also suggests that if you want to attract Generation Y talent, volunteer opportunities are a priority as they consider their options.  

A volunteer program is a great way to boost morale.  Who doesn’t like to help someone?   Let your employees come up with ideas on causes they’d like to be involved in…if they’re passionate about it, they’ll be more likely to contribute.

If your employees are short on time, maybe there’s a service you can donate.  Word gets around when you are community focused.   Remember, “what goes around, comes around.”

Volunteer programs are worth the effort because they show employees and the community what the company is all about.  They offer proof to employees and the community that your company cares about more than just making a profit.  It also shows your employees that you see them as a contributing member of society who wants to make a positive contribution…not just someone who wants to collect a paycheck.

So, all Americans will be remembering 9/11 their own way, whether volunteering or another chosen method.  But after the anniversary date, the tradition should still continue as part of our business culture and everyday lifestyle for the communities we serve, and that serve us.

The last few weeks have had parents frantically running around getting their kids the latest in school supplies, clothes and shoes in anticipation of that first day of school.  It’s only natural to want to give them every advantage so they get off to a good start and have a great year.

That being said…when’s the last time you went to school? 

Regardless of your title or position, continuing education has never been more important from a personal or professional viewpoint.  There are lots of opportunities to learn new skills that are specific to our industry including numerous certification programs that provide a great deal of knowledge and prestige to you and your company.  

The workplace is a lot more competitive than it’s ever been and employers are looking for well- educated and motivated people.  It’s no secret that to remain employable, you’ve got to keep learning.  An educated workforce is a productive workforce.   Who’s the “go-to” person on your team?   Is that because they know all the answers, or because they’re uninformed?   (That’s a rhetorical question…)

If you’ve always been one to say, I don’t have the time, or it’s too expensive, you might want to rethink those excuses! Due to technology, it’s much easier to commit to furthering your education.  There are night classes at local colleges and online classes that allow you to take your classes at your pace and on your schedule.  These options are both affordable, convenient and will provide a great return on your investment.   

Now don’t think the only way to keep learning is to go back to school.  Another great way to stay on top is to attend industry conferences.  Look at the agenda and attend classes that offer courses from industry experts and keynote speakers.  You can party later…

Another offering at conferences are round table luncheons or networking events.   Dealerships are often paired together to discuss best practices so that’s another great place to pick up ideas or find a solution to a nagging problem.

One more offering, if you look online, there are meet-up groups all over the place.  These are people with special interests who get together socially to host discussions.  Most of them are free, or charge a nominal fee.

So, continuing your education is up to you.  No hall passes from me on this one.

Does the industry need more women to do the Selling in order to sell more cars?

 

Let's face it. Talk to a woman about buying a car from a male sales person and almost every time you’re going to get a horror story about being treated poorly, coming away feeling like they were taken advantage of, and in some cases, being told to bring your husband back with you when you’re ready to buy a car.

Thanks to the internet, women have slowly but surely gotten their hands on the tools and information they needed to go in, negotiate their terms and buy a new car with a sense of preparedness they never dreamed of!

Women are dominating the consumer buying decisions in all markets!  In the auto industry, women influence over 60% of the car buying decisions, yet less than 10% of automotive sales people are women.  Is that a good formula, or can we do better by increasing the percentage of women on the sales team?

First of all, why would women make a great addition to your sales team? 

1. We know that they can relate to all types of women buyers, have experience with families and of course, men tend to like them.
2. It’s not just about the cars.  YES, the sales person must know their product, but they must also know how to develop and maintain a personal relationship.  Who would you say is better suited to both of these requirements?

It all goes back to knowing your customers!  If your buyer is logical and can walk away from a purchase, chances are a male sales person is a good match.  But, if your buyer processes emotionally and associates themselves with the brand…you might want to take a second look at adding some women to your sales team.  Women can flourish in the automotive industry by making their customers feel good about their decision to purchase.

Get some feedback from the guys, and then mix it up a little for the better!

 

Yes, you'll pick up product knowledge about cars as you go, but almost all prestige car purchases are made based on the feelings that they give the client.  Generally speaking, it's no secret that women understand feelings better than men do.

Can you see how this would give women ( you ) a huge advantage in a business relationship where the client is making an emotionally-driven decision ( acknowledging that the decision is often camouflaged with 'logic' )?

 

• As women make 60% of buying decisions, the auto trade needs to draw women as sellers in order to win women as consumers.

• Research by the UK Institute of the Motor Industry shows that car retailers need more women because they are better suited to the modern auto sales environment than men. Women are better at following car-sale processes and are better organized than men, the research found.

• Warwick University research has shown that women are more adept at “relationship” retailing than the traditional (and increasingly less popular and successful) “transactional” form. That sea change in sales is acute in auto retailing.

• In a New Straits Times of Malaysia article, Jo Cameron of the Institute of the Motor Industry said the auto retail sector should welcome “Women in Work” program funding from the government.

 

 

Every once in awhile, you’ll hear somebody, usually an older person, say to a younger, more frazzled person, to step back and take one thing at a time.  That’s because a long time ago, people prided themselves on being able to clear their minds and focus on the task at hand and not let anything deter them from completing their job.   My how times have changed!  Now, the more hurrying and scurrying we do, the more agitated we are and the more balls we’re juggling in the air just goes to show everyone how important we are and how well we; wait for it…MULTITASK.   Multitasking has become such a way of life that we have 9 ways to check email, Facebook, Twitter, send and receive messages and generally stay connected with people we want to and even those we don’t.  It’s so important to multitask that some companies require it as a skill in their job descriptions!   Have you ever been talking to someone either professionally or personally who is “multitasking?”  Yeah, it’s pretty annoying.  They don’t retain half of what you’re saying and you come away feeling pretty unimportant to that person, whether you admit it or not because the bottom line of what we’re talking about is paying attention.   We are wired to pay attention.  When you don’t pay attention, mistakes are made. Plain and simple.  The more you focus on something, the better you get at that particular thing. If you’re focusing on your customer and helping them achieve their goals then your sales will reflect it.  If you’re multitasking, chances are, your sales will reflect that as well.   I’m not saying cell phones, emails and texting are bad things.  I love them!  What I am saying is learn to manage them instead of letting them manage you.  Leave all of that in the background and pay attention to what’s in front of you…the customer.  It works every time.

Sales Objections = Sales Opportunities- Part 3

For the last two weeks, we’ve been talking about objections that come during the sales cycle, from the customer.

This week, I want to talk about something that might be a little harder to address and control, but a huge factor in building (or losing) business, long term.

We’ve all been there…go to buy a product and somebody we’re dealing with is having a bad day. They don’t treat us quite the way we think they should.  Naturally, our reaction goes something like “forget these guys, I’ll take my business somewhere else”.  OR, “I would NEVER treat a customer that way!”  Really?  Never?  Ok, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.  Let’s say you would never treat a customer that way, but someone else in your organization does.  The indirect result is that you lose this sale, and most likely, all the future sales from this prospect.  Because you and I both know, everybody hears about the bad customer service experiences.

Most business can compete when offering products, parts and pricing.  The big differentiator is service.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out or manage this concept.  You stand out in the service area by organizing it in a way that each and every one of us can relate to. 

Let me explain…

I am your paycheck!
 I’ll bet the last time you got a ticket and the cop was a jerk, you wanted to say “I pay your salary!”  Well, believe it or not, there are customers who feel the same when they visit your dealership.   And it’s true, without those customers, you don’t have a job, at least, not for long.  So we can all relate to wanting to be treated well, and we can all relate to wanting a paycheck to pay for the house, the car, the toys…you get the picture. 

So, now that we agree on this, let me share another little tidbit with you…85% of consumers shop with retailers who offer a higher level of service and 82% of those said they would recommend those retailers to friends and family.

Bottom line, service is the answer from start to finish.  Are your processes in order for all departments to be in sync so no one drops the ball in this area?  Sometimes we focus on making the sale and fall short on the money making service deliverables.

Don't assume!
It's all in your attitude!  Have you ever been guilty of making the assumption that a prospect is just looking?  Obviously, there is an interest or they wouldn’t have taken the trouble to haul themselves to the dealership.  Besides, if they are just browsing today, it doesn’t mean they aren’t going to come back and buy from you tomorrow, or next week, or in six months.  But they won’t if you don’t show them excellent customer service, in spite of the fact that they aren’t driving off the lot in a brand new car.

Sometimes customer service translates into building a relationship. Sales people have different selling styles so doesn’t it make sense that buyers have different buying styles?  Some people buy based on emotion. They buy based on the look and feel of a car.  Others, on functionality…getting from point A to B.   And then you have the haggler..he’ll only buy if he feels he won and got a great deal. Never, ever, assume anything about your customer, except that they can shop somewhere else! 

Courtesy Counts!
Make sure everyone in every department is on board with this mindset.  95% of customers leave a business because of inattentive, impolite employees.   How many times have you BEEN a "lost" customer?  How many times have you been made to feel "invisible" or that you’re keeping someone from doing their “real job”?  Nobody wants to be on either side of that fence.   Good news, nobody has to. 

In order to maintain the level of great customer service you offer, I believe the leadership of any successful company has to reflect it from the top down.  It takes discipline, and it should be considered a business practice, not a destination.  Has your management team ever had meetings to talk about the importance of customer service then turned right around and complained about a ridiculous customer complaint?  You gotta talk the talk AND walk the walk when it comes to customer service.

Let’s start with your internal customers…your employees. How satisfied are your employees?  There are plenty of surveys showing a growing "satisfaction gap" between veteran workers and the newer colleagues. Out of the workers who had been hired in the last two years, 75% agree that their employer treats them with dignity and respect.  Those who have been on the job 15 years or more, only 53 % agreed, and only 50% believed that their bosses cared about their  well-being.

So, if long tenured employees don’t feel valued, is that any different than a customer’s feelings?

We get excited when we get a new job and we bust our tails. Then we settle into our routine, get comfy.   When the new customer comes in we are excited and bend over backwards to make them feel special.  They get discounts, incentives and even upgraded floor mats.  As a regular customer, we don’t even remember their name.  

So, sales objections aren’t just verbal, or direct.  They come from all directions and in all shapes and sizes.   Our job is to be proactive and figure out how to make and keep people happy, before they can come up with a reason not to be.

Last week we talked about how to overcome sales objections.  This week I want to dig a little deeper into some specific objections and why they may be occurring.  You can’t possibly cover every reason that someone heads you off at the pass, but maybe you can read into some of these and apply them to your situation!

The three main drivers or tactics a buyer will use are the classic stalling technique, saying they don’t understand, or just being skeptical about the whole deal.  You can’t cure anyone of their fears, but you can turn them around by being interested in their objectives, not yours.

Let’s look at these objections individually along with some tried and true methods to win your customer over.

 

Your buyer is skeptical.  If the buyer seems doubtful about your product, or you, it could be because:

You’re overselling and it sounds too good to be true instead of realistic.

He/she doesn’t trust you.  You haven’t proven yourself to them.  Maybe you’re talking on your terms instead of theirs. Listen and evaluate.

You might not understand the buyer’s needs…don’t assume!  Good questions are just as important as good answers.

The buyer may feel you’re not being honest. Answer all of the buyer’s questions.  If you don’t know…FIND OUT!  (they will)

There is a general misunderstanding or lack of communication going on.

Take the time to get to the facts and offer the solutions necessary to close the sale.

You have to know what the buyer’s goal is before you try to suggest a solution. If his main concern is to save money, then speak in terms of providing the solution and help him reach THAT goal instead of offering him the hottest vehicle on the lot because it’s cool.

Even though you’ve been doing this for awhile, don’t generalize your statements.  The buyer chose you, now take care of him/her.

Stalling

Procrastination is an ugly thing.  You want to be understanding, but come on already!  But what if the buyer isn’t the decision maker?  He’s just the gate keeper. You’ve got to get to the key master!  Find out who the decision maker is and ask to meet with the two of them together to help move things along.

Your buyer wants to compare your vehicle and prices to others.  It happens.  But you’re confident your product is the best. AND, what other services can you offer that will make that buyer WANT to come back?

 Your price is too high.  A lot of people are tightening the belt, but I don’t have to tell you this…you’re in sales!  We’ve got to be creative with benefit oriented solutions and add-on services to offset this objection.

This is where we’ll stop for today.  Benefit oriented solutions are tricky.  But let’s face it, if done right, those extra added benefits, can not only close the immediate sale, but drive future sales for all of us.

Sales Objections =Sales Opportunities

As a salesperson, you dedicate a lot of time to preparing and learning your products so you can fire off all the right answers for the buyers that walk through your doors. But more often than not, you will be faced with objections before moving the prospect to closing a sale.  Sometimes this is a frustrating process, when it should be seen as a sign of interest.  If they weren’t interested, they wouldn’t be asking you for more information, right?   Sales people see objections as a reason not to buy.  Be confident!  Stand ready to anticipate and handle objections.  The way you respond to a prospect could make the difference in whether they become your customer, or walk away to become someone else’s.

The ability to overcome objections is a learned skill. There will always be objections from every prospect that you didn’t anticipate and managing a professional plan for responding is key. An objection is usually a twisted way of saying, “I don’t understand.” This gives the sales person a great opportunity to determine the cause and deal with the challenge.  If you welcome the objection as a learning opportunity, both parties win. This is an example of the CAR process in handling objections:

CHALLENGE – ACTION-- RESULT  

- Mr. Customer, I understand what you’re saying. Another client asked me the same question. Here is how I worked with him to satisfy his concern …’ Or

- I am glad you mentioned that because it gives me the chance to show you how our product will solve that problem.’

Never respond immediately to an objection. Let the prospect speak!  Very often the prospect will continue talking to clarify his position and offer more information. When this happens, wait for a few seconds and think about what he has said. Your pause shows a level of respect for what the prospect said and indicates you are giving serious thought to their concerns instead of giving a “scripted or canned” response. One of the top objections in the business world is “not ready to buy.”  This is a great opportunity to look at this as the prospect looking for more information or to have you justify why they should buy.

Next week, we’ll talk about some other major objections sales people face, and some ideas on how to manage them.  Bottom line…be interested in your customer’s goals…not yours.  That’s always the right answer..

Remember the good ‘ol days when you opened the phone book and the best ad won your business?

Well not anymore!  Now, thanks to social media, you have to be on constant alert to promote AND protect your professional and personal reputation.   Sure it looks easy…just go online and post some nice things about how great you are on your website, Facebook and Twitter. It’s a great way to reach the public!  But no one ever warned you about the public reaching back!

There are basically two kinds of online reputation traps you need to be aware of and manage:

1. The public interaction you receive after engagement, and

2. The personal items you and your friends post on your private pages that somehow make it into your professional world.

Online media is a great tool for reaching audiences who weren’t always in your grasp.  Everyone gets the warm and fuzzies when customers go online to say things like “great job Bob!” and “I can’t wait to go back!”  The frightening part about social media is when people go online and say, “Bob is a jerk” or “Tom never takes my problem seriously.”  Or, when people see those pictures of you that wouldn’t even show your mom. Those comments spread like wildfire and it takes a lot of work to resolve the challenges they present.

You need to first and foremost, be proactive.  This is your business, your livelihood…and it doesn’t get more personal than that!  Some DOs and DON’Ts for protecting your reputation online:

o

DO set up some automatic alerts to notify you when your business is mentioned in a review or blog

o

DO list your company in local search sites and make sure it’s complete!  This helps you get better search results and push the negative search results down.

o

DO respond to people who post negative comments to let them (and everyone else who is watching) that you care about customer service.   DON’T try to reason with them online, but DO reach out and begin communicating privately.

o

DO set up some analytics on your site so you can identify demographics, key words used in searches and other metrics that will help boost your ratings.  Google offers some good tools for this and they’re easy to use.

o

DON’T recruit people to write false reviews or trash competitors.  It’s the online form of gossip and most people can see through it, kind of like the bully in the playground.

In closing, don’t let the online world freak you out…it’s here to stay.   It is a key influencer for over 80% of consumers today.  You’ve got to run a business and stay ahead of the buzz to be successful.   Go online… check yourself out!  It’s going to reveal a lot more than looking in a mirror.

 

Let me preface this post by saying that I’m not trying to directly attack any specific company. I do, however, believe in being straight forward and I’m sure I’ll get plenty of calls and emails about this post; I am 100% ok with that!

I’ve been dwelling on this subject for several weeks now. With my short attention span, I normally move on in a matter of days, but this is a topic I can’t seem to shake so easily. Are we becoming so focused on meeting these industry ‘standards’ that we are losing sight of the actual customer experience? I currently have a Mazda point outside the Dallas- Fort Worth metroplex and recently attended an Internet Mastery Workshop. The workshop included results of a 3-part Internet mystery shop, website evaluation, reputation management, social media, etc. Now I’ve been to these before and normally I take the information provided, evaluate what changes I think are needed, and shrug off the rest. Let me give a little bit of history before I go any further…  I have a very strong internet team in my Mazda store. We are currently #1 in our region for closing % and #5 nationally for the rolling 12 months. We are also in a VERY competitive market in DFW, with 9 Mazda stores within 50 miles of my doorstep. We carry the highest CSI regionally and are always in the top 20 nationally, so I take great pride in the job my guys do. With all of that being said, you can imagine my frustration when my mystery shop book came around and the 3 scores for the internet shops were 60, 62 and 36! I reviewed the booklet that breaks down all of the mistakes we made (and of course they show only the mistakes, never suggestions on how to do it the ‘right-way’). I started playing out in my head the talk I would need to have with the guys on how they are doing a sub-standard job (according to this mystery shop).

When I returned to the store, I was all ready for my ‘review’ of the horrific mystery shops with my team, when all of a sudden it hits me… who  are they to say my team is doing such a bad job? If our results are really topped out at 62 high score, maybe the grading scale or the evaluation criteria are the issues. I started thinking back over the last 5+ years about all of the changes that have been done and undone. All the time spent on making adjustments and transitions and the hours of ‘reviews’ with employees, when I realized none of those things have EVER improved our closing %’s or sold  more cars for us.  It had simply wasted a lot of time and energy. Before anyone starts jumping up out of their desk chairs thinking I’m saying that processes and procedures aren’t important, let me clarify, that is not what I am implying.  I believe in ongoing training and that processes/procedures are the backbone of any well run business. However, I also feel like our industry has gotten so wrapped up in following these ‘industry standards’,  and too much effort is spent hitting quotas and targets, rather than doing what it takes to sell cars.  Or that our auto responders hit exactly 1.25 minutes after the lead was submitted, because we are told those things will get us to 20% close ratios with 40% appt set averages;  we’ve become somewhat robotic.  It’s RIDICULOUS!!!!! All that time spent trying to be perfect could actually be used in contacting another 2 people a month. At what point do we as dealers (you know, the people that ACTUALLY sell the cars) find the balance between adhering to necessary controls, and taking actions that we know will best benefit the customers and our dealerships?