Not Enough or "Floor Flooded"...How is that decision being made, and by whom?

Saturday,big ads running,baloons are up,grille is cooking,giant lobster or whatever on the roof....3 salespeople call out "sick" or not at all.......

You "load up" and your 3 top people threaten to leave due to you "flooding the floor"

What is a manager to do?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Darling on August 30, 2010 at 6:00pm

Eliminate the traditional "internet" department. Start focusing your marketing on the net... all in. Television, newspapers and radio are done. Allow your sales process to include internet traffic. Stop buying leads, stop spending money on pay per click. Put together a total ad campaign that includes, google first page, Facebook, all the major web sites, push your info out to the thousands of directories and more. You can not manage this by yourself, however, there are companies that can help. http://www.adinhand.mobi The video can give you some great advice, and you only need spend one and a half minutes watching it.

Point is this. If you put yourself where the prospects are looking, there will be to much business for anyone to complain.

Permalink Reply by NANCY SIMMONS on August 30, 2010 at 6:10pm

Craig, Darling...LOL You hit a homerun with your comment... How many customers are watching TV and don't click through the commercials, how many folks are reading the news on the internet, rather than the traditional local newspaper? If you can't bring the customers to you, go to the customer...via youtube, facebook, twitter, etc... Humanize your staff as real people with real lives, not just the label of "car salespeople"... Appeal to the technical wave of clients X/Y generation with text message blasts, fan pages, and engaging blogs... Reach out to your community...pass out bottled water with your label at the local soccer game, sponsor the baseball and softball teams. When they client is ready, they will come to you!

Craig Darling said:

Eliminate the traditional "internet" department. Start focusing your marketing on the net... all in. Television, newspapers and radio are done. Allow your sales process to include internet traffic. Stop buying leads, stop spending money on pay per click. Put together a total ad campaign that includes, google first page, Facebook, all the major web sites, push your info out to the thousands of directories and more. You can not manage this by yourself, however, there are companies that can help. http://www.adinhand.mobi The video can give you some great advice, and you only need spend one and a half minutes watching it.

Point is this. If you put yourself where the prospects are looking, there will be to much business for anyone to complain.

Permalink Reply by MANNY LUNA on August 30, 2010 at 6:29pm

In all do respect your top three saleman never complain,They're always to busy selling cars and doing their job.
Its the the other saleman thats aways compain about the floor beining flooded.
If a dealer is need of salesman the worst thing they can do is flood the floor with just bodys untrained.
They need to be trained and watched by either floor Mgrs or the top three salesman in the store.
Your top three saleman would love to have the extra 1/2 deals or comm.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 30, 2010 at 7:37pm

Manny that is a great point....took me a week before I even noticed they hired anyone new....wayyyy back in the day!

MANNY LUNA said:

In all do respect your top three saleman never complain,They're always to busy selling cars and doing their job.
Its the the other saleman thats aways compain about the floor beining flooded.
If a dealer is need of salesman the worst thing they can do is flood the floor with just bodys untrained.
They need to be trained and watched by either floor Mgrs or the top three salesman in the store.
Your top three saleman would love to have the extra 1/2 deals or comm.

Permalink Reply by Stanley Esposito on August 30, 2010 at 9:06pm

It seems that some stores are hiring prospects not salesman. The barely train them. They last long enough to either buy a car or sell one to a family member before they get blown out. This happens through the summer... What a waste. Craig is right the it does not hurt the top guys but the top guys do lose respect for the way they see others treated. There are many things wrong with the way some stores operate. It all runs down hill. Do you think the people who post here are representing the majority or the minority? I guess this is why I come here.I like to see how the "elite" get things done.

Permalink Reply by David L Hoier on August 30, 2010 at 9:06pm

Treat everyone the same, differently. Good salespeople never compete against others, they compete against themselves. The ones who complain about" flooding the floor" are trying to live off the door and in today's economic climate that's a no win situation. Teach your people and give them the tools to prospect. That way they create a customer base that will lead to long term success.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 30, 2010 at 9:19pm

Well said, David!

David L Hoier said:

Treat everyone the same, differently. Good salespeople never compete against others, they compete against themselves. The ones who complain about" flooding the floor" are trying to live off the door and in today's economic climate that's a no win situation. Teach your people and give them the tools to prospect. That way they create a customer base that will lead to long term success.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 30, 2010 at 9:21pm

I think you get a little bit of everything...I would LOVE to see more salesperson's points of view...I mean you guys out there everyday...doing it! Appreciate you Stan.

Stanley Esposito said:

It seems that some stores are hiring prospects not salesman. The barely train them. They last long enough to either buy a car or sell one to a family member before they get blown out. This happens through the summer... What a waste. Craig is right the it does not hurt the top guys but the top guys do lose respect for the way they see others treated. There are many things wrong with the way some stores operate. It all runs down hill. Do you think the people who post here are representing the majority or the minority? I guess this is why I come here.I like to see how the "elite" get things done.

Permalink Reply by Stanley Esposito on August 31, 2010 at 10:01am

Besides prospecting teach them to retain what they have already sold. It is much easier to take care of your own than to find new ones. The top guys barely take fresh ups. The ones who live off the door often grow tired of bringing the people to the salesman they came in asking for.
Do your people get their name in front of their customers? How often?

Craig Lockerd said:

Well said, David!

David L Hoier said:
Treat everyone the same, differently. Good salespeople never compete against others, they compete against themselves. The ones who complain about" flooding the floor" are trying to live off the door and in today's economic climate that's a no win situation. Teach your people and give them the tools to prospect. That way they create a customer base that will lead to long term success.

Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on September 2, 2010 at 9:59am

In all of life competition is a constant. Why is it within an automotive dealership we feel compelled to hold on to individuals who are underperforming? By no means am I an advocate for revolving door salespeople. However, I am also not an advocate of accepting mediocrity. If management has provided guidance and an environment to foster success it may be time to make a change if results remain below expectations.

Permalink Reply by aaron kominsky on September 2, 2010 at 10:07am

Well there are two choices first you let them go why? bad attitude and they will only poison the rest of the salespeople . they will have them join the shark pool of the whiners and complainer! if they were that great in the first place why should they care if there are 100 salespeople there Shouldn't they have their own customer base rather than relying on floor traffic? So if I were a mgr I would first have a one on one meeting with them and see what the real problem is and then address the issues accoringly If you are a good Mgr you'lll seek out the objections and close the salespeople on staying and focusing on their own customrs and get referrals . Those type customers are so much more likely to purchase than new ones!

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 2, 2010 at 10:13am

That's right Ernie, in speaking with a major manufacturer the other day he spoke to the FACT that he felt the bottom third of their entire salesforce needed upgraded! Lack or training?...I dont think so,sounded to me as if they provided much training,poor decisions early on,perhaps. Waited to long to make a move,yes for sure. But now they are taking action in a big way!

Ernie Kasprowicz said:

In all of life competition is a constant. Why is it within an automotive dealership we feel compelled to hold on to individuals who are underperforming? By no means am I an advocate for revolving door salespeople. However, I am also not an advocate of accepting mediocrity. If management has provided guidance and an environment to foster success it may be time to make a change if results remain below expectations.