Dealerships nationwide have been considering shifting from a traditional open floor within their dealership to a more proactive, managed culture that is appointment driven. But why? Well, most of them are looking to answer this industry wide question- If my salespeople are at work for such long hours, why am I not seeing a better ROI?
Let’s be honest. Spending hours waiting for walk-in traffic is not going to give your salespeople the pay raise that they’re looking for. The key to sales success within the automotive industry is being proactive. You most likely aren’t going to reach your sales goals based on walk-in traffic alone. Did you know, the average salesperson is engaged, and talking with sales opportunities for less than a third of the day! If you’re not talking, you’re not selling. So ask yourself, what are your salespeople doing when they aren’t currently working an UP?
FINDING REPEAT, REFERRAL AND NEW BUSINESS.
Out of your six salespeople currently on shift: two are standing by the door waiting for someone to walk in, two are walking the lot, one is with a customer, and the last one is on a personal call.
A proactive dealership is one that creates opportunities. Salespeople actively use their CRM to find repeat, referral and new business. They work the phones. Instead of waiting for opportunity to come to them, they are prospecting. They think of each lead as a never-ending opportunity, not just for a one-time sale, but an open door to referrals, and their business in the future. If a salesperson looks at each customer as a one and done deal, they will never truly unlock their potential.
Installing a proactive environment within in your dealership will result in more business, minimal competition, and a relaxed, soft sell experience for you and your customers. Servicing customers that walk through the door should be a top priority, but it shouldn’t be something that is overwhelming to that customer. Far too often we have witnessed the ‘race’.
THE ‘RACE’ DEFINED
Customer walks in the door and is immediately bombarded by a salesperson, or two, who are desperate to sell. Fogged by the eagerness to sell, thinking that might be their only opportunity for the day, they miss key components to a good sale.
Salespeople within a proactive environment will service the walk-in customer with ease, knowing that they don’t have to fight over an UP. In a managed floor, each UP is scheduled. Salespeople are notified when it is their turn to service the customer- no confusion, no ‘race’ and no hard feelings between coworkers. (We all know the salespeople who stalk the entrance.) In addition to walk-in traffic, they will also know that they have other appointments scheduled as a result of prospecting, and will take their time helping this customer into a new or used vehicle.
LET’S DO THE MATH
Let’s say your current goal is to sell and deliver at least one vehicle for every four appointments, by adding eight more appointments to your books, you will be increasing your dealership sales by fifty additional sales a month! In a well-trained, proactive and managed culture it is IMPOSSIBLE not to do this! The logic is in the numbers. Now let me ask you this…
Isn’t this concept at least worth talking about?
