Can the argument be made that today’s car dealership would increase earnings if they fired all salespeople and implemented a new process from scratch?

Let’s start with creating a BDC. We would hire women between 35-50, pay them $20 an hour to set appointments. Most of these women would be moms with kids in school so getting to the dealership by 8:00am would be no problem.

After the BDC confirms the appointment and the customer shows up, they are welcomed with signs “putting the fun back into buying a car!” The signs also explain that no one is on commission.

We will also recruit women between 21-28 years of age to be “Ambassadors” of the dealership which consist of an attractive personal appearance, strong verbal skills for product presentation, enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills. These Ambassadors would take the customer through a detailed list of to do's including the vehicle selection, walk around, test drive, etc.

After the test drive, the “Ambassador” ask the customer if they would like to buy the vehicle. If they say yes, we just escort them over to the F&I manager.

I can see the happy faces now of the customers. No longer do they feel intimidated or controlled. They can finally relate!

If all this sounds familiar, that means you have read Kurt Baumberger’s book “Adapt or Die”. Not only does he suggest this formula, dealers are already doing it! Is it the right thing to do? Oh, by the way, it is suggested that the salespeople could all be moved to selling only used cars since there is more profit in used cars and “there is inherently less trust between buyer and seller anyway”. (Again, in the book)

The argument is that we automate to eliminate. With all the technology today, has the salespersons duties been eliminated?

Another book, Cars and People by Anthony Douglas Ziegler, the automotive salesperson is to perform the following duties:

• Meet and greet
• Qualify and conduct fact-finding
• Build rapport
• Vehicle selection
• Inventory walk
• Present product
• Demonstration drive
• Dealership tour
• Unmask and handle objections
• Write up
• Negotiate price
• Overcome price resistance
• Conduct trade-in appraisal
• Justify trade in value
• Present finance options
• Explain financing terms and conditions
• Upsell accessories
• Cross sell finance and insurance products
• Close deal
• Resell benefits
• And more>>>

The car business is so important to America. To push the automotive salesperson out is just a big mistake. The automotive salesperson is a professional who earns every dime they make. To fire them is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Why not train them better or better yet, hire better in the first place? Look at professional salespeople like Robert Wiesman “Your Hyundai Guy”! . You going to fire that guy? Does he not make buying a car fun again?

What is wrong with Commission? Put everyone in America on commission. You work at McDonald's? Commission... You want fries with that? The "meal deal" gets you a nice, big, cold, refreshing soda with ice on this hot 105' day? Or, Senator? Commission... You cut the deficit, you get paid. City worker? The more road you fix, the more you get paid.

Will technology eventually replace the F&I Manager? How about the Sales Manager? If you don’t have any salespeople, do you need a salesmanger? What about the GM? Just saying! Are we going to automate all ourselves out of a job?

Let’s say you?