How car dealers can make the distinction between problems and patterns

On the latest episode of Mind Your Own Business, Jonathan Dawson, host and founder of Sellchology, discusses the physiological impact of problems in the dealership. Dawson was recently in a meeting with car dealers and managers and he asked them about what problems cloud their mind. Problems come in various shapes and sizes, and they can cause a high level of stress for management teams.

Dawson says that problems trigger a natural instinct to prioritize and procrastinate. People have a tendency to rank problems as a method of avoidance. Problems that rank low in priority are typically ignored, while high-ranking problems are put off because they cause fear and anxiety.

Dawson says that he encourages car dealers to identify any “problem people” on their staff. This involves employees that cause strife with other team members, cause disruptions in daily operations, or create negative experiences with customers. People who cause problems in the company must be dealt with immediately. If managers choose to procrastinate addressing a problem person, a negative culture will start to spread to every corner of the business. 

A consistent pattern seen across most dealerships is that the best sales associates get promoted to become sales managers. However, great salespeople are not always great managers. Dawson says that managers must be capable of thinking ahead to prevent problems from occurring. Managers who spend all their time putting out fires will never be able to experience true growth. 

Dawson then distinguishes the difference between problems and patterns. Car dealers and good managers must be able to identify both. Problems that are actually patterns are frequently predictable. If the pattern is predictable, it can be prevented by being proactive.

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