Does technology muddy the waters when it comes to selling cars?

In the new automotive world of information with Dealertrack, Vinsolutions, AAuto, Manheim, Carsforsale, Autotrader, CarGurus, Craigslist, National Car Match, Reynolds and Reynolds, ADP, Frazer... Do I really need to name anymore? How does your desk work a car deal? How many of your desks depend solely on what a computer says a car is worth? How many deals a month do you think you lose because of this? Let's talk about it. 

Information is a powerful tool in today's market. We can now get an average auction, Nada. KBB, Black Book, average resale, average ROI upon resale, the average time it will take to resell... Again, do I need to say more? What is the value of all this information? Is the information helping us sell cars? I say not as much as we have been tricked into believing. 

Selling cars hasn't changed since the day the first one was sold. It's not magic it's a process. And the process doesn't involve 42 programs that end up costing dealers thousands if not 10's of thousands of dollars a month. No, I am not saying you don't need a CRM, DMS, IMS, or Guide Books for my literal readers. I am simply saying the desk needs to be concentrating on selling the cars on the lot, not selling the ones that are being traded in. I am saying they need to be worried about the customer in front of them, not the one who may show up later. I can hear every dealer reading this now saying,

"Well, someone better be worried about what we put in trades" 

and 

"Someone better be worried about following up with the customers in the CRM"

Your right someone does need to worry about those very important things, but it's not the desk. The desk should be worried about working car deals, selling cars, and managing the store and his people. Let's go over my definition of a proper set up for any dealership, any size, any location, anywhere, no exceptions. This IS the winning combination. Now, listen close because I am about to give you the Gold right here... 

Desk Man - Responsible for desking deals, putting a starter number on the trade, daily meetings, daily save a deals, weekly one on ones, managing managers, as well as training managers and salesmen

Finance Man - Responsible for submitting, rehashing, and signing all your deals. He offices in the same office as the sales manager unless he is signing someone up.

Floor Manager - Responsible to touch every customer before they see a vehicle and before they leave the lot without one. Also responsible for sales floor followup. (closer)

Has your store ever done a big mailer sale where the circus comes to town and takes over your store for a few days? The salesman usually despise them, managers tolerate them due to the fact they know their check is going to be inflated this month for something they had nothing to do with. Now the owner loves them, they come in and put big numbers on the board and boost sales. That about sums it up for everyone right? 

Now all that being said what's the one thing every owner says when the company walks out the door? We don't need them we can do the sale ourselves and we won't have to pay them anything. So, you order the mail, set the dates and your ready. The big day shows up and it's a royal shit show. You stand by and watch a train wreck, deals walking out the door and you can't figure out why. At the end of the sale, you ask yourself again, "How do those guys do it?". Let me tell you how; they use the exact formula I just showed you above. Again, it really isn't magic. It's a process, a plan of action, it's everyone has their job and knows how to do it better than anyone else. Here is an example of the first few steps to a successful sale.

Salesman Meet And Greet - Greet the customer, ask if they are there for the big sale. When they say I didn't know you were having a big sale, say it's always a big sale at ABC Motors, come on inside and let me tell you all about it.

Floor Manager Introduction - Every customer wants to talk to a manager. It makes them feel special and important. This also allows you to set up each deal the EXACT same way every time. Your closer will deliver the same introduction and fact find the information from every customer the same exact way, every time. After this process he will excuse himself and leave the salesman with the customers while he takes the information to the desk.

Floor Manager Handoff - The desk will pull all necessary information, page the salesman to the desk and send him outside to retrieve a vehicle to bring up front. The closer will go back to the customers explain to them that he has the perfect vehicle and has them follow him outside. He will then do a brief walk around and put the customers in the vehicle with the salesman and send them on the drive. 

Now, these are just three steps that will not only absolutely change the course of a sale, but increase gross per copy as well. Think about it, you explained the sale, they met a manager, all parties spent time building rapport and finding out what they wanted, you picked the vehicle that worked best for you and them, and now they are driving it. How much easier is it going to be to close this person versus the average customer? They spent 20-30 minutes with you getting to know a "manager", built the rapport needed for the customer to like you and walked out to a vehicle they were asking for gaining the trust you need. There is no computer program going to do any of this for you. This is just good old tried and true salesmanship. Remember that stuff?

In closing, of course, I am going to give a shameless plug as usual. My name is Brandon D Cauble and I own AADAM INC. I offer an entire training program that goes over everything you see here and a lot more. I can be reached at 361-676-9166 if you have any questions about what you read above or are interested in on-sight training. Thank you for reading.