| How many times have you driven by a car | | | | sales calls and talk potential customers into the |
| dealership to find salespeople huddled or lined up | | | | showroom instead of out. While many salespeople |
| by the showroom door like vultures waiting to | | | | do not want to talk about price, customers will |
| pounce on the next customer? | | | | inevitably bring it up, so it is crucial to be prepared |
| In today's market, spending has significantly | | | | and know how to handle the issue of price when |
| decreased, and dealerships must be more | | | | it comes up. |
| proactive in creating a maximized sales | | | | Furthermore, auto dealerships, and especially the |
| environment and managing sales activity if they | | | | sales staff, need to be informed about current |
| want to sell more cars and generate profit. | | | | programs. For example, the last hot topic of the |
| On top of this current problem affecting auto | | | | auto industry was Cash for Clunkers. Salespeople |
| sales, in-store traffic is at an all time low, as many | | | | should know, first off, whether their dealership is |
| that need to purchase a vehicle do the majority | | | | participating in a certain program. Then, they |
| of their research and kicking of the tires online to | | | | should know the exact requirements of the |
| determine what they want and can afford, and | | | | program, and what kind of rebates or incentives |
| then call the dealership, rather than browse the | | | | their dealership is offering. Once they are |
| showroom like the good old days. | | | | sufficiently educated, they need to practice |
| The advent of the internet has changed how | | | | explaining the ins and outs of the program, so |
| people shop for cars. Isn't it time your sales | | | | that by the time they have a customer on the |
| training changed to adapt to get current with the | | | | line or in the showroom, it feels like second nature |
| times? | | | | to them. |
| Sales training in the auto industry typically used to | | | | This is where telephone sales training comes into |
| just be for the sales team. The managers would | | | | play. Although many auto salespeople feel at |
| send their crew to a seminar where they would | | | | home in the showroom, they are ill at ease when |
| learn about the latest and greatest tactics and | | | | it comes to handling the phones. There is great |
| techniques in showroom behavior. The salespeople | | | | debate about the pros and cons of the |
| would return to their dealerships all pumped up | | | | automotive BDC or business development center. |
| and ready to implement what they just learned. | | | | For many dealerships, the BDC staff is made up |
| Then two weeks later, it is back to business as | | | | of telemarketers. On one hand, they have |
| usual. | | | | experience with handling inbound and outbound |
| | | | calls. On the other hand, they may know very |
| Why This Does Not Work | | | | little about the automotive industry. What if you |
| Bottom Line: You need effective automotive sales | | | | could combine your auto sales staff with your |
| management to have effective salespeople. | | | | BDC? With telephone sales training, you can. |
| Managers need automotive training as well as the | | | | With effective telephone training, the auto sales |
| auto sales staff. | | | | staff will not only be able to handle inbound calls, |
| Most sales managers became sales managers | | | | but also follow up with unsold prospects, and call |
| because they had high success as a salesperson. | | | | back sold customers to generate repeaters and |
| That does not necessarily make them good at | | | | referrals. Although there are many good training |
| managing a staff, in the same way that the best | | | | programs out there, one of the best, in my |
| player may not make the best coach. | | | | opinion, is FirePhone, which is part of Proactive |
| Think of the auto sales manager as sales coach. | | | | Training Solution's ADAPT VT virtual training |
| A coach oversees performance and creates | | | | program. |
| strategies based on a player's ability to execute. | | | | One of the main elements of FirePhone is the |
| The sales manager should oversee his or her | | | | virtual role-play, which allows salespeople to get |
| staff in the same manner and get trained on how | | | | ample practice with virtual callers before moving |
| to manage effectively to increase automotive | | | | on to real callers. FirePhone also provides scripts |
| sales. | | | | for almost any situation, so that the sales staff |
| Automotive management training ensures that | | | | always knows what to say. Whether your |
| the managers can comprehensively supervise the | | | | dealership uses FirePhone or another program, |
| showroom and track the individual progress of his | | | | having a sales staff that is skilled on the phone will |
| or her staff. They will train with the sales staff | | | | allow you to cut costs and save money that |
| and should then learn how to set up an in-house | | | | would otherwise be spent on an outside BDC. |
| continual training regimen. | | | | In Summary |
| Salespeople may indeed learn valuable skills from | | | | An ongoing automotive sales training program that |
| seminars, but the main difference between | | | | incorporates both the showroom and the phone |
| training and learning is that training is the repeated | | | | lines is what will keep your dealership efficient and |
| application of learned skills. There is not a lot of | | | | productive during these tough economic times. |
| opportunity for salespeople to repeatedly apply | | | | Through much practice and sound management |
| what they learn in the period of a single day, or | | | | coaching, the auto sales staff will become more |
| even a week. Training is something you do, not | | | | at ease with various situations, have more |
| something you did. | | | | confidence with the potential customer, and close |
| Automotive BDC and Telephone Training | | | | more sales transactions. |
| Car dealers need to know how to handle inbound | | | | |