What do I have to do to develop a great sales team?

An ideal sales team of veteran salespeople would allow each dealership to maximize revenue.  In reality, sales departments experience a high level of turnover.  As a result, there is no easy answer to this question.

Focusing on what we can’t control while ignoring what we can is a pathway to frustration and declining success.  Fearing turnover is no excuse for not investing in training your sales staff.  A sales force influencing your income pipelines without intensive training is something to fear.  Smart businesses accept that some turnover is inevitable and still provide proper training.

The practice of “On the Job Training” where a salesperson shadows existing staff is not effective.  Most people cannot absorb skill sets visually and improper training also leads to higher turnover rates.

Effective training for salespeople does not have to be a complicated task.  The key is to provide your people with tools that will foster and encourage success.  Experiencing success on the job increases longevity.

Key Ingredients for Successful Sales Training

• Learn to view you sales staff as an asset and not an expense.  See each member of your team as a protector of your investment.  The best way to protect this investment is to train, train, train.  They will either get better or they will get worse, there is no other option.
• Be sure that your sales training is specific to your goals and not generalized.  Give your team proven ideas, tips and strategies they can use.  Avoid unrealistic goals and promising theories.
• Be consistent in your sales training.  If you have it scheduled for every Tuesday at 11 AM, then be sure and conduct the sales training every Tuesday at 11 AM. Sales training will never be important to your sales staff unless it’s first important to you.
• Be sure to reinforce what you are training.  Nothing will dilute training quicker than not practicing what you preach.  Teach a skill set and have your staff practice, practice and practice this skill set.

What do I have to do to develop a great sales team?

An ideal sales team of veteran salespeople would allow each dealership to maximize revenue.  In reality, sales departments experience a high level of turnover.  As a result, there is no easy answer to this question.

Focusing on what we can’t control while ignoring what we can is a pathway to frustration and declining success.  Fearing turnover is no excuse for not investing in training your sales staff.  A sales force influencing your income pipelines without intensive training is something to fear.  Smart businesses accept that some turnover is inevitable and still provide proper training.

The practice of “On the Job Training” where a salesperson shadows existing staff is not effective.  Most people cannot absorb skill sets visually and improper training also leads to higher turnover rates.

Effective training for salespeople does not have to be a complicated task.  The key is to provide your people with tools that will foster and encourage success.  Experiencing success on the job increases longevity.

Key Ingredients for Successful Sales Training

• Learn to view you sales staff as an asset and not an expense.  See each member of your team as a protector of your investment.  The best way to protect this investment is to train, train, train.  They will either get better or they will get worse, there is no other option.
• Be sure that your sales training is specific to your goals and not generalized.  Give your team proven ideas, tips and strategies they can use.  Avoid unrealistic goals and promising theories.
• Be consistent in your sales training.  If you have it scheduled for every Tuesday at 11 AM, then be sure and conduct the sales training every Tuesday at 11 AM. Sales training will never be important to your sales staff unless it’s first important to you.
• Be sure to reinforce what you are training.  Nothing will dilute training quicker than not practicing what you preach.  Teach a skill set and have your staff practice, practice and practice this skill set.

DIY recruiting campaigns can be cumbersome and time consuming, but it can also put a strain on your company image.  There is a growing chasm between company and candidate satisfaction with recruiting campaigns.

According to two recent studies from the ADP Research Institute:

• While 46% of recruiters think job-applicant tracking “works well,” only 16% of job-seekers feel the same.
• 60% of job-seekers are frustrated over the lack of quality positions, while 52% of recruiters have a similar complaint about the quality of applicants.
• 73% of job-seekers would prefer at least weekly communications throughout the application process and 58 % of applicants believe a reasonable time between an initial interview and job offer is one to two weeks.

In most markets, those seeking jobs are also those buying your goods and services.  So how can companies work smarter and not harder while navigating changes in the recruiting process resulting from shifting age demographics, new technology tools and the move toward a consumer-style job-seeker experience?

A resourceful company should use a recruiting campaign to enhance their brand and expand their customer experience, while sharing their favorable company culture with their candidate/consumers.  Smart companies can also enhance their talent pool for future opportunities and deploy metrics to ensure they are creating positive candidate/consumer experiences.

My next blog will feature the details for strengthening your brand image while recruiting talent in “The Recruiting Campaign-Brand Image Correlation”.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

DIY recruiting campaigns can be cumbersome and time consuming, but it can also put a strain on your company image.  There is a growing chasm between company and candidate satisfaction with recruiting campaigns.

According to two recent studies from the ADP Research Institute:

• While 46% of recruiters think job-applicant tracking “works well,” only 16% of job-seekers feel the same.
• 60% of job-seekers are frustrated over the lack of quality positions, while 52% of recruiters have a similar complaint about the quality of applicants.
• 73% of job-seekers would prefer at least weekly communications throughout the application process and 58 % of applicants believe a reasonable time between an initial interview and job offer is one to two weeks.

In most markets, those seeking jobs are also those buying your goods and services.  So how can companies work smarter and not harder while navigating changes in the recruiting process resulting from shifting age demographics, new technology tools and the move toward a consumer-style job-seeker experience?

A resourceful company should use a recruiting campaign to enhance their brand and expand their customer experience, while sharing their favorable company culture with their candidate/consumers.  Smart companies can also enhance their talent pool for future opportunities and deploy metrics to ensure they are creating positive candidate/consumer experiences.

My next blog will feature the details for strengthening your brand image while recruiting talent in “The Recruiting Campaign-Brand Image Correlation”.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

There are probably a thousand reasons or more that customer service and retention is a valuable automotive sales training topic, but here are just nine that affect all industries that should get your attention.

1.   86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience. But only 1% of customers feel that vendors consistently meet their expectations. (CEI Survey)

2.   By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. (Customers 2020 Report)

3.   In 2013, 62% of global consumers switched service providers due to poor customer service experiences, up 4% from the previous year. (Accenture Global Consumer Pulse Survey)

4.   It is 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing customer.  (White House Office of Consumer Affairs)

5.   89% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing poor customer service. (RightNow Customer Experience Impact Report)

6.   It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for one negative experience. (Parature)

7.   70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.  (McKinsey)

8.   A 10% increase in customer retention levels result in a 30% increase in the value of the company. (Bain & Co)

9.   90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86% said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. (Dimensional Research)

We all know the importance of customer service, but the priorities, processes and expectations of the management, sales and service teams can complicate the act of rolling out the red carpet.  If you want your dealership to build customers for life, customer retention should be every department’s priority.  In your sales, service and management training programs, include lessons on:

• Creating personalized customer experiences
• Building relationships through positive communications and positive reputation building interactions.
• Providing easy to access and transparent information and assistance.

Remember, it is not about the priorities, agendas, expectations or processes of your sales team, your service lane or even your management staff…it is about your customers and how they feel about doing business with your dealership.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

There are probably a thousand reasons or more that customer service and retention is a valuable automotive sales training topic, but here are just nine that affect all industries that should get your attention.

1.   86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience. But only 1% of customers feel that vendors consistently meet their expectations. (CEI Survey)

2.   By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. (Customers 2020 Report)

3.   In 2013, 62% of global consumers switched service providers due to poor customer service experiences, up 4% from the previous year. (Accenture Global Consumer Pulse Survey)

4.   It is 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing customer.  (White House Office of Consumer Affairs)

5.   89% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing poor customer service. (RightNow Customer Experience Impact Report)

6.   It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for one negative experience. (Parature)

7.   70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.  (McKinsey)

8.   A 10% increase in customer retention levels result in a 30% increase in the value of the company. (Bain & Co)

9.   90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86% said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. (Dimensional Research)

We all know the importance of customer service, but the priorities, processes and expectations of the management, sales and service teams can complicate the act of rolling out the red carpet.  If you want your dealership to build customers for life, customer retention should be every department’s priority.  In your sales, service and management training programs, include lessons on:

• Creating personalized customer experiences
• Building relationships through positive communications and positive reputation building interactions.
• Providing easy to access and transparent information and assistance.

Remember, it is not about the priorities, agendas, expectations or processes of your sales team, your service lane or even your management staff…it is about your customers and how they feel about doing business with your dealership.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

Transparency is critical to Generation Y and it starts with the job posting.  Dealerships should consider posting information regarding employment directly on dealership websites to include details on job responsibilities and expectations, compensation and benefit plans, sales training programs, and most importantly, opportunities for career growth and development.  This same information should also be reflected in any additional job postings, be it online or in print.  Job postings should be clear and not misleading.  For example, a sales position should not be posted as marketing or a customer service role.

The educated Generation Y population is looking for a better balance of life and career.  Addressing their wishes may have an improved effect on their overall sales performance.  Creating flexible schedules that mimic corporate America with 40-hour weeks and at least monthly weekends off is suggested.  Most dealerships will pack their sales floor with staff out of fear there will not be enough coverage.  Couple log hours and idle time and you have created a double edge sword for Generation Y, who is use to instant gratification and furiously fast multilevel tasking.  The result is a shift in work ethic in the younger generations, who can become complacent and unmotivated leading them to quit.  Dealerships can avoid this trap by watching floor traffic and make note of peak hours and non-peak hours and modify the schedule accordingly.

Income security is another appealing point for Generation Y.  This generation prefers the security of a salary or hourly wage over risking making more money on a commission based pay structure.  Generation Y is the cumulative result of “feel good” education and “everyone is a winner” sports programs and therefore lack the thick skin for aggressive selling or perceived financial risk  Creating realistic training salaries and pay plans that combine salary with commission is alluring to this generation of up and coming salespeople.

This generation lacks an individual competitive streak and is greatly motivated to be part of a team.  When constructing a training program, consider team building as part of the structure instead of competition between individuals.  During training, demonstrate why something is important instead of just giving a direct order.  Show them how each step of the process builds on the previous step.  Help them to visualize how what they do affects other departments.  Create a network of support inside the training module.  This generation is also highly technology driven and savvy.  Take advantage of this asset by including the use of modern technology during training and expand their sales role to include social media and digital marketing opportunities.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

Transparency is critical to Generation Y and it starts with the job posting.  Dealerships should consider posting information regarding employment directly on dealership websites to include details on job responsibilities and expectations, compensation and benefit plans, sales training programs, and most importantly, opportunities for career growth and development.  This same information should also be reflected in any additional job postings, be it online or in print.  Job postings should be clear and not misleading.  For example, a sales position should not be posted as marketing or a customer service role.

The educated Generation Y population is looking for a better balance of life and career.  Addressing their wishes may have an improved effect on their overall sales performance.  Creating flexible schedules that mimic corporate America with 40-hour weeks and at least monthly weekends off is suggested.  Most dealerships will pack their sales floor with staff out of fear there will not be enough coverage.  Couple log hours and idle time and you have created a double edge sword for Generation Y, who is use to instant gratification and furiously fast multilevel tasking.  The result is a shift in work ethic in the younger generations, who can become complacent and unmotivated leading them to quit.  Dealerships can avoid this trap by watching floor traffic and make note of peak hours and non-peak hours and modify the schedule accordingly.

Income security is another appealing point for Generation Y.  This generation prefers the security of a salary or hourly wage over risking making more money on a commission based pay structure.  Generation Y is the cumulative result of “feel good” education and “everyone is a winner” sports programs and therefore lack the thick skin for aggressive selling or perceived financial risk  Creating realistic training salaries and pay plans that combine salary with commission is alluring to this generation of up and coming salespeople.

This generation lacks an individual competitive streak and is greatly motivated to be part of a team.  When constructing a training program, consider team building as part of the structure instead of competition between individuals.  During training, demonstrate why something is important instead of just giving a direct order.  Show them how each step of the process builds on the previous step.  Help them to visualize how what they do affects other departments.  Create a network of support inside the training module.  This generation is also highly technology driven and savvy.  Take advantage of this asset by including the use of modern technology during training and expand their sales role to include social media and digital marketing opportunities.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

One of the retail automotive industry’s greatest challenges is attracting educated and young talent.  Most career seeking university graduates overlook the automotive industry when considering employment.  Their distaste for the automotive retail industry is typically fueled by negative thoughts about long work hours and confusing, commission-only based pay plans.

Dealers who can make a paradigm shift in their employment focus have a tremendous opportunity to attract and build the careers of the Generation Y talent available in today’s employment pool.  The answer to this automotive sales staff recruitment challenges lies in the need to shift employment efforts, to match the practices of companies that are successful at attracting new graduates.  Like it or not, change is inevitable for survival. Change and how it is handled is often a determining factor to success. Ultimately, a dealership’s success is about giving someone the tools they need to build their own success.  Hiring, training and motivating still comes down to the leadership and how much responsibility leaders will take for the ones they hire.  In order to attract a youthful automotive sales staff, you should consider creating:

• Transparent recruiting processes
• A focus on quality of life
• Income stability
• Innovative technology based dealership sales training

Automotive Recruiting Tips for Attracting Young Talent Part 2 will cover the details of each of these points.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.

One of the retail automotive industry’s greatest challenges is attracting educated and young talent.  Most career seeking university graduates overlook the automotive industry when considering employment.  Their distaste for the automotive retail industry is typically fueled by negative thoughts about long work hours and confusing, commission-only based pay plans.

Dealers who can make a paradigm shift in their employment focus have a tremendous opportunity to attract and build the careers of the Generation Y talent available in today’s employment pool.  The answer to this automotive sales staff recruitment challenges lies in the need to shift employment efforts, to match the practices of companies that are successful at attracting new graduates.  Like it or not, change is inevitable for survival. Change and how it is handled is often a determining factor to success. Ultimately, a dealership’s success is about giving someone the tools they need to build their own success.  Hiring, training and motivating still comes down to the leadership and how much responsibility leaders will take for the ones they hire.  In order to attract a youthful automotive sales staff, you should consider creating:

• Transparent recruiting processes
• A focus on quality of life
• Income stability
• Innovative technology based dealership sales training

Automotive Recruiting Tips for Attracting Young Talent Part 2 will cover the details of each of these points.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

If you like this blog, please share with others and connect with Stephanie on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+

Copyright © 2014, Stephanie Young All rights reserved.