Car dealerships. They’re exciting places for sure, and there’s always a lot going on whenever you happen to walk past one in the street.

When you work in one, however, it’s a whole different story. You’re not just seeing the dealership from an outsider perspective, it’s your job, your passion. The ultimate aim of any provider of vehicles is to do just that, and you need a well-trained team to help you in your mission. A lot of businesses don’t train their workers as well as they should, so we’re going to do a quick recap of why you need to keep your dealership salespeople up to date.

The Changing Industry

There’s no doubt that the vehicle world is one which exists in a permanent state of flux. As the industry is very much one which is led by its customers, you’re going to see new trends and attitudes come and go.

Keeping on top of these changing ideas and beliefs is vital for any dealership that wants to remain relevant. If your staff are seen as being archaic and behind with the times, they’re not going to make any sales. It becomes your responsibility to make sure that they’re trained to be adaptable and to embrace new thoughts and ideas as they become relevant.

The Ultimate Customer Experience

You remember when we said that the world of dealerships is a customer-led one? Well, that’s going to crop up a lot when you’re thinking about training your staff. Everything you do with them has to be to help them deliver the best possible customer experience to people.

Your staff need to be aware of the latest sale techniques and statistics. They need raw data at their fingertips to work into conversations to help customers get a clear idea of what they’re looking for. They’ll need the knowledge to answer any question, from something as basic as what car has the most comforts, to whether you can take out two car title loans at the same time. As their leader and their employer, training isn’t to be dismissed out of hand.

Personal Growth and Development

Of course, there’s a human element to your employees that need to be taken into consideration. Many people strive for development in their lives - be it personal or professional. If a worker doesn’t feel like they’re being given opportunities to advance with one business, what’s to stop them leaving to find another that will push them forward?

Part of keeping your workers happy involves training them and helping them to gain new skills. If they feel like they’re being encouraged to grow and develop, to try and learn something new and exciting… not only will they start on the path to development, but they’ll also be more loyal to you as a result.

All things considered, you can see why it’s important to take the time to train up your workers and make them feel like they’re a valued part of the organisation. In a car dealership, where there’s potentially only a handful of people, even one dissatisfied individual can present a problem. Training helps to make sure that you’re giving the best experience you can to the customer, to your employees, and it really sets you apart from a lot of businesses.

As a dealership, life can be a competition. You're always competing with someone else - usually another dealership which is close to you. You have to have something which gives you an edge over the competition, but what could it be? What most dealerships don't know is that they have a secret weapon that can be unleashed to help them succeed, and it's known as the human approach.

What Do We Mean By This?

First of all, let's establish what we mean by the human approach. What is it? How does it work? These are probably questions you're asking yourself and to be honest. You're right in asking them. Let’s consider what the human approach is and how it can help you to succeed.

Whenever someone walks into a , they automatically start to collect facts and information about their environment and draw conclusions based on this input. In a lot of instances, the cliche image of the crooked car dealer springs to mind - the sneering man who talks nicely but is only trying to sell you an expensive car at ‘a great deal’. This image internally hardens people and makes them less likely to compromise on price or vehicle because typically, they’re then confronted by the exact behaviour they first predicted.

However, the human approach is different because it challenges this expectation and subverts it. All you need to do is to be a person! Step out of the mindset of selling the most expensive car, and instead contemplate the benefits of a long-term strategy.

How The Human Approach Works

So, let’s look at an example of how the human mindset might work in a commercial setting. A hard-working and professional young person comes into the dealership looking for a vehicle that would be presentable for their role as a sales representative.

You could try and sell them a fast and pricey sports car if you wanted to. But instead, the human approach suggests that you stop and consider their needs. What would they most benefit from? Something which was neat and sophisticated perhaps, while at the same time having a reliable engine? If you match them up to the vehicle they need, not what you want them to have, you’re securing a positive experience for them. This satisfaction, in turn, translates to things like repeat business and recommending your dealership to other people. It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to accomplish, whether it’s selling a new car or helping people get a car title loan, you’re making sure that the image of a crooked dealer is subverted.

Overall, there’s no massive secret when it comes to the human approach. You don’t need to be a genius to be able to adapt to the different kinds of customers and to be sensitive to their needs. It may seem like a simple concept, but you’d be surprised at just how many people don’t do this. There are so many dealerships that think the secret to selling a lot of cars is half-truths and an approachable salesman, but this could be your secret weapon. This tactic is something which you can train your employees in and watch the repeat business, and positive recommendations come flowing in. It’s a small change, but also a significant one.