Randolph S. Lofgren's Posts - DealerELITE.net2024-03-29T01:24:48ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgrenhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2463060902?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blog/feed?user=3h8wzduw0p2q8&xn_auth=noDo You Know Where Your Business Is Going?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2012-04-30:5283893:BlogPost:2939902012-04-30T18:30:00.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<p align="center"><span class="font-size-6">Do You Know Where Your Business Is Going?</span></p>
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<p align="center"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545110505?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="356" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545110505?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="443"></img></a></p>
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<p align="center"><span class="font-size-5">Do You Know How To Get There?</span></p>
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<p align="right">Written by: Randolph S. Lofgren…</p>
<p align="center"><span class="font-size-6">Do You Know Where Your Business Is Going?</span></p>
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<p align="center"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545110505?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545110505?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="443" height="356"/></a></p>
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<p align="center"><span class="font-size-5">Do You Know How To Get There?</span></p>
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<p align="right">Written by: Randolph S. Lofgren</p>
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<p>At the end of the day, what every company wants is growth. The word “grow” can mean many things, like more customers, an increase in sales, and higher demands in Sales, Parts and/or Service. If you think that you’re shrinking instead of growing, then you must be doing something wrong with your company.</p>
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<p>In order to stay ahead, you must build and create something that‘s different from what the others are doing.</p>
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<p>How do you build a successful business? It starts with your management team and the beginning of your success will start from here. If your management isn’t developed with details and doesn’t have the ability lead their team, what percentage do you think your business has of creating profits? Don’t except your employees to have the leadership qualities your management team is lacking! As an owner you need to spend time watching your management team interacting with your customers, employees, and how they handle difficult situations. Take notes and during your next meeting is when you want to mention the areas you see that need immediate attention. If your management hasn’t taken the proper action to improve the areas you see that needed immediate attention by your next meeting, then you know it’s time for you as the main leader in your company to make the necessary changes to reassure your employees that that you are aware of the leadership issues you had and you made the corrections needed in your leadership team to keep all employees on track and moving forward. Also, this will give your employees the confidence they need to reassure they are at the right company to provide for their family and have options to advance their career as well.</p>
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<p>A lot of successful leaders believe that the key to company growth is valuing the customer’s worth, employee customer service training, and implementing policy and procedures. Keep in mind that in everything that you do, your focus should be on your customers. Some people say that success is 90 percent persistence and 10 percent inspiration. This is so true when it comes to business because if you don’t constantly innovate, your effort is invaluable if no one patronizes it. Remember, everyone wants to increase their customer base, volume of sales, and most of all the bottom line profits. Is your staff ready for the increase of business you deserve to gain? Worst thing that can happen to a company is not being prepared when the increase in volume appears and your staff is not trained. </p>
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<p>Listed below are the steps you need to follow to be prepared before you go to increase your business:</p>
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<li>Create a business plan (based off your financial)</li>
<li>Set a training path for all employees at your company</li>
<li>Put in effect the gathered performance results of your team you had monitored</li>
<li>Create action plans</li>
<li>Set monthly quotas and goals (then break down weekly and finally daily)</li>
<li>Set meeting once a week to review results of your action plans</li>
<li>Set discipline and rewards</li>
</ol>
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<p>See below for each step in detail:</p>
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<p><b>Number 1:</b> Business Plan (How and why is it needed?)</p>
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<p>Business plan is the most important tool you need to make a business successful. A bank won’t even consider giving you a business loan without one. So, there are some key points you need to start with to making a business plan and you will see why it’s so important.</p>
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<p>Your Business plan starts here:</p>
<ul>
<li>Your Business Objectives</li>
<li>Your Mission Statement</li>
<li>The Keys To Your Success</li>
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<p>The Fixed and Semi-Fixed expenses costs you can expect for your business.</p>
<p>Products you may sell and services you might offer for the market. (Sales, Service, Parts, and F&I)</p>
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<p>Market Analysis that includes:-</p>
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<li>What are the <b>key issues</b> now affecting the market?</li>
<li>Your competition and how to make your business stand out.</li>
<li>Who are your customers likely to be?</li>
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<p>Promotion of your business; that includes:-</p>
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<li>The <b>Marketing Strategy</b></li>
<li>Your <b>Pricing Strategy</b></li>
<li>Your <b>Promotion Strategy</b></li>
<li><b>Distribution Strategy</b></li>
</ul>
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<p>Management Summary for the business</p>
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<li>The skills you will need to manage this business.</li>
<li>How many managers and employees will it take to make your business successful?</li>
<li><b>Training Procedures</b> – CSI, customer service (meet and greet to delivery), customer follow-up, leadership techniques, and building winning teams.</li>
</ul>
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<p>Making your business plan is the key to you and your employee’s future. Your business plan should involve all employees, if your employees don’t know where you are going, how can you except them to follow you?</p>
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<p><b>Number 2:</b> Setting a training path for all employee’s at your company.</p>
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<p>If you except the highest results from your employees don’t if you don’t have a continuous training path set for each employee at your company.</p>
<p>We all have been in a position one time or more in our life where someone had high expectations set and we had no idea on how to accomplish our leader’s expectations. So, remember how they must feel. That’s when you have frustrated employees and high turn owner. </p>
<p>There is many different types of training that needs to be accomplished as well, like; manufacture training, role playing, customer service, product, profits, closing techniques, phone skills, computer, and most of all, team work.</p>
<p>When you set your employees with a training path, make sure you monitor their training path and don’t let anyone fall behind. I suggest new employee’s not to have any contact with customers until all basic training has been completed and make sure continuous training is always ongoing.</p>
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<p><b>Number 3:</b> Put in effect the gathered performance results of your team you had monitored.</p>
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<p>After you have set your personnel schedule to monitor your managers and employees, you need to gather all your information you gathered and in detail, separate all the areas they have performed above company standards and as well, do the same with the areas you seen they failed in.</p>
<p>Praise for duties done that was above your goals and discipline on the areas they failed in. You will have to sit down with each one of your managers separately and design their own business plan and make sure when you and your manager agrees on what you except in their duties and the profits you needed have your manager sign and date your business document. That way, if in the near future you see your business isn’t receiving the profits or employees aren’t retrieving their results you can discipline as necessary. Don’t forget, managers or employees aren’t your children and you can’t continuously forgive your management and/or employee’s for poor results. Your children will just harm themselves in the future; poor performance from managers and employees can end your business and/or effect many families at your company. </p>
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<p><b>Number 4:</b> Create action plans</p>
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<p>Action plans are only as good as you follow up on them!</p>
<p>Setting action plans aren’t that hard to come up with, but making them happen is the first sign if you have the right management team in place. A poor management team is the worst situation for any business. When you allow poor management here is the results you can look forward to; unhappy employee’s, poor work ethics, poor customer service, theft, bad attitudes, poor attendants, lack of profits, and the list goes on!</p>
<p>When creating an action plan, you must have your management team and employee’s to buy into it. You must monitor throughout the week and have your own business plan as well. When the dates of your action plan come due, hold your management team and employee’s accountable for their lack of results. If there’s a continuous lack of results and/or efforts to their action plan, it’s time to make the changes at that moment with your management team and/or employee’s. Make sure you have strict timeline’s dated and no confusion at all with your expectations! Always praise your team when action plan has been accomplished. </p>
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<p><b>Number 5:</b> Set monthly quotas and goals (then break down weekly and finally daily)</p>
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<p>Whenever you set quotas and goals for your management teams and/or employees, don’t just set a “monthly” quota and/or goal. You need to break them down by the week and again by the day. If you set them by the month and it’s the 22<sup>nd</sup> of the month, what difference do you think you can make up in the following days of the month? Again, break down your quotas and/or goals. If your quotas and/or goals are broke down by the week you just increase your odds of meeting or beating your quotas and/or goals, because it gives you additional time to change your game plan to achieve your quotas and/goals. Imagine if you broke your quotas and/or goals by the day, it just gave you a 100% opportunity to achieve your quotas and/or goals. If you meet every morning with your team and go over the day before results you will know every day want needs to be accomplished to increase your odds of meeting your quotas and/or goals for the month. Don’t wait till the end, if there’s something you can change today to be successful, and then change it today.</p>
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<p><b>Number 6:</b> Set meeting once a week to review results of your action plans</p>
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<p>Your action plan meetings must be reviewed weekly and the reasons are; it makes your management team and/or employees aware that you as their leader is very serious that each action plan is completed. Action plans must be in detail and taken very seriously by everyone. Any business that creates and then reviews there action plans on a weekly basis, usually are very successful as a group. The weaker management and/or employee’s stand out when their action plans aren’t accomplished. Must of all, it gives the above standard employee the reassurance that they are at the correct place of business to either advance in their career. Without the support and confidence of your team, you don’t have a team.</p>
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<p><b>Number 7:</b> Set discipline and rewards</p>
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<p>Whenever you are responsible for management teams and/or employees, you must know when to reward your staff and when to discipline your staff. Systems in a successful business weeds out the weak and allows the good to perform with ease and allows your good employees to climb up the ladder. Promotions are confidence boosters and create the drive to your employees to succeed. Also, it give’s your company the additional profits you wanted and needed! Everyone appreciates a pat on the back from time to time as well. The smallest praises goes along ways. Remember, if you don’t discipline in the right way and/or promptly, it can destroy your good employee’s.</p>
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<p>A great business plan has its rewards! </p>
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<p>We at Mike Shaw Buick-GMC located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, have maintained 100% scores for General Motors CSI over 6 months and "World Class" Status with MPi Edge as well. Congratulations to my team for being number one!!!</p>
<p> </p>CIT Teams - Is It The Most Important Team In Your Dealership?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2011-11-28:5283893:BlogPost:2503022011-11-28T02:49:21.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107217?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107217?profile=original" width="189"></img></a></p>
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<p>Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) - I have seen many dealerships in the United States with CIT teams and a lot of dealerships without CIT teams. I must admit there is dealerships that also have CIT teams and not utilized to the fullest potential.</p>
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<p>Structure on building a CIT…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107217?profile=original"><img class="align-left" width="189" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107217?profile=original"/></a></p>
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<p>Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) - I have seen many dealerships in the United States with CIT teams and a lot of dealerships without CIT teams. I must admit there is dealerships that also have CIT teams and not utilized to the fullest potential.</p>
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<p>Structure on building a CIT team:</p>
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<p>It takes details and planning to build a successful CIT team. You must first start by picking your strongest employee from each one of your departments as one of your group members. Your leader of your CIT has to be the strongest leader in your dealership and strives on details. </p>
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<p>Now, that you have decided on your team members. You need to decide on what day of the week you will hold your meetings and designate a time of the day. Make sure each meeting is not longer than one hour.</p>
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<p>Your first meeting with your team should cover the areas that need immediate attention in each department. Next, you need to do as a team is to create an action plan for each department with a completion date. Make sure you have one member (recorder) designated to take notes. Walk your dealership with your CIT team and take pictures and write down notes during the tour. After your walk-around go back to your meeting room and create a list of your areas to be improved and save your pictures along with your notes. Remember, A CIT team is not for just fixing the appearance in your dealership, it's purpose is to have a team to reassure policy and procedures are set in each department. After one month it's fun to look back and compare to see your biggest improvements and how your team has accomplished them. A waiting room is not just a room to shove a customer into until you are ready for them. A waiting room is a great opportunity for service and sales to build rapport with their dealership customers. Always praise your support staff and make sure your dealership has a monthly newsletter and have a section just for your CIT team results. Your team members must take their role very seriously. A successful CIT team will create profits, organization within your dealership, and most of all departments learn to work together and the end results is; your customers will receive outstanding service that keeps your customers returning. Variables and Fixed Operations need to be as one. I don't know a better way to create outstanding CSI scores, develop to great environment to work at, and retention. You customers sure will notice the difference. </p>
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<p>Does your dealership have a CIT team? Share your success stories. If not, share your opinions.</p>
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<p> </p>Fixed Operations + Customer Service = Outstanding CSI Results & Retentiontag:www.dealerelite.net,2011-11-22:5283893:BlogPost:2492932011-11-22T18:30:00.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<div><div><strong><span class="font-size-5"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107646?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" height="127" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107646?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="182"></img></a> The Red Carpet Treatment</span></strong><br></br> <span class="font-size-1">Written by: Randolph S. Lofgren</span></div>
<div>When your customers leave your dealership, do they feel like they received the treatment they wanted and/or deserved?</div>
<div>Does your staff have to call and offer complimentary services or borderline beg for…</div>
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<div><div><strong><span class="font-size-5"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107646?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545107646?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="182" height="127"/></a>The Red Carpet Treatment</span></strong><br/> <span class="font-size-1">Written by: Randolph S. Lofgren</span></div>
<div>When your customers leave your dealership, do they feel like they received the treatment they wanted and/or deserved?</div>
<div>Does your staff have to call and offer complimentary services or borderline beg for their customers to return the manufacture survey completely satisfied? If so, your staff needs to master The Red Carpet Treatment.</div>
<div>Randolph S. Lofgren was the former President of Bottomline Consulting Firm and now has joined Mike Shaw Buick-GMC in Colorado Springs this past Mid-September and noticed within the first day of his arrival that their Active Delivery System needed immediate attention. Here are the following steps the service team at Mike Shaw Buick-GMC followed and mastered:</div>
<div>• Meet and Greet<br/> • Walk-Around<br/>
• Write-Up Process (Repair Orders)<br/>
• Status Calls (Updates)<br/>
• How and When To Present an Estimate<br/>
• Income/Outgoing Phone Skills (Service Consultants and Service Receptionist)<br/>
• Quality Control (Fixed Right the First Visit)<br/>
• Preparing Invoices with Proper Stories (3 C’s) (Concern, Cause, and Correction)<br/>
• Thank You Cards<br/>
• Proper Exit</div>
<div>First was to master the <em><strong>meet and greet</strong></em>; always smile and welcome your customer to your dealership and introduce yourself. The <em><strong>walk-around</strong></em> is one of the most important steps to a successful service drive; reason is it’s the best time to build rapport with your customer. Also, builds creditability as you walk around their vehicle and you are explaining to your customer why you are inspecting their tires, wipers, lights, windshield (chips and cracks), and brakes if visible. There are two more very important steps to complete before walk-around is over; number one is when you notice a scratch or dent you need to point it out to your customer in a kind matter and if you have a body shop, it’s a great way assist in creating business. Next is, fluid samples. Two ways of this is one pull the fluid samples yourself or have your porters pull the fluid samples and they can deliver the samples to your desk while you are creating your repair order for your customer. Customers must be present when fluid samples are pulled. Always sell by showing old verses new when possible. When <em><strong>writing up a repair order</strong></em> always listen to your customer while they are explaining their concerns. Ask your customers questions like; how often to does this concern happen, when does it usually happen (turning right or left, going over bumps, and while applying brakes), certain speeds, road conditions (wet, dry, pavement, or dirt), first time starting vehicle in the morning or after when vehicle is warm? I think you get the point. Next, verify your customer’s information like; name, address, phone numbers, and don’t forget their email. After verify their phone numbers, set up the best times for you to contact your customer for <em><strong>status calls</strong></em> (like; 10, 2, and 4pm.) Know it’s time to prepare and present an estimate. After technician has given you his multi-point inspection form results, you need to be very detail and spot on <em><strong>preparing your estimate</strong></em>. Nobody like surprises and surprises equal poor customer service. If your customer is at work or home, try to email estimate a couple of minutes before you call them. This way you can have them review their estimate while you are talking to them on the phone, easier to comprehend. If your customer is in your waiting room, using a staging table that is set up with new parts on it like; brake pads, rotors, belt, filters, and etc… Then all you have to do is bring your customer to your staging table and explain the parts that failed or recommended to be replaced. Showing parts that failed to your customer well not only increase your sells, but make your customers completely satisfaction that they came to the right place for all their automotive repair needs. <em><strong>Incoming/outgoing phone calls</strong></em> are so important. Always on incoming calls, sell the appointment, not the price. Manufactures have great warranties and stand behind their dealerships in labor and parts warranties. Sell the benefits to your customers. If you are the service receptionist, ask questions to your customer before transferring a call to a service consultant. Most of the times it’s a simple question like; what time does your service department close or they might have left their garage door opener in their vehicle that we have in our shop for repairs. Outgoing calls need to be completed in a professional manner. Like no chewing gum or eating while on the phone, speak clearly and pay attention. Remember, people can read body language over a phone as well. <em><strong>Quality control</strong></em> is very important. Are your service consultants or shop foremen verifying all repairs have been correct or no tools left inside on the floor and grease marks on the steering wheel? Remember, great detail skills, equals completely satisfied customers. The <em><strong>3 C’s (stories on invoices)</strong></em> is a must! You must have your technicians get used to being very detailed in their stories. Even on customer pay repair orders. You have to think, when the husband or wife gets home after their vehicle has been in the shop. What happens while they are having dinner that night? Their spouse will ask what happened at the dealership today. First thing they will do is pull out the invoice for their spouse to review. Imagine if they were in for hard start concern and invoice says that the correction says completed repairs or fuel pressure regulator failed and replaced. Not many people understand what that means, but we charged them $751.00 for repairs done. Is that a completely satisfied customer? No I don’t think so. So, take your time and give your customer the details they are paying for, and guess what? You are being paid to give your customers those details as well. Tip: Have a <em><strong>thank you postcard</strong></em> made up with your picture on it and have a nice short thank you note in it as well and put one on every dashboard or center console before customer drives away after repairs have been completed. The <em><strong>proper exit</strong></em> is where you well receive a completely satisfied survey or not. You need to go over customer invoice with your customer line by line and explain in detail and answer any question your customer might have. Then, have their vehicle ready to be delivered like you are trying to sell it to them. If your dealership has a car wash, then wash it! Now it’s time to walk your customer to their vehicle, yes walk your customer to their vehicle. Once you get to their vehicle show them the repairs that have been completed if possible. After showing them their repairs open their door shake their hand and tell them you will be calling them tomorrow to verify all repairs have been completed. Do you see how you can receive completely satisfied customers without offering complimentary service or begging? In 30 days Mike Shaw Buick-GMC became number one in their zone for CSI results. In fact, an October result in CSI was 100%.</div>
<div>Randolph S. Lofgren<br/> Director of Fixed Operations<br/>
Mike Shaw Buick-GMC in Colorado Springs, CO</div>
</div>Duck Hunter's!!!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2011-11-08:5283893:BlogPost:2422442011-11-08T17:30:00.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<p>My new post covers "Duck Hunter's"</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545108606?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545108606?profile=original" width="325"></img></a></p>
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<p>You may wonder what does duck hunter's have to do with the automotive business. </p>
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<p>Well, I see more and more employees and even managers hiding in the weeds till pay checks come out, and guess what? All of a sudden you see your employees and yes even managers stand up out of the weeds and say,…</p>
<p>My new post covers "Duck Hunter's"</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545108606?profile=original"><img width="325" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545108606?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p>You may wonder what does duck hunter's have to do with the automotive business. </p>
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<p>Well, I see more and more employees and even managers hiding in the weeds till pay checks come out, and guess what? All of a sudden you see your employees and yes even managers stand up out of the weeds and say, here I am!!!</p>
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<p>I just don't understand. Is it employees getting tired, stressed, feel like they are underpaid? I see it as more stress and even more work to ignore what needs to be done and don't forget you are being paid... My advise, kick ass and stand out!!! Face it, we all have to work anyways, right? </p>
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<p>Are you working with duck hunter's? Tell me your story.</p>
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<p>There is such great talent out there, but duck hunter's holds back the good ones and can even close down a business!</p>
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<p>Randolph S. Lofgren</p>
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<p> </p>Randolph's Announcement, Matt Heald Is The New President Of BLC Firm, LLCtag:www.dealerelite.net,2011-08-12:5283893:BlogPost:1845882011-08-12T17:42:57.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545102554?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545102554?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="150"></img></a></p>
<p>Randolph sold Bottomline Consulting Firm to his Vice President Matt Heald on July 8th 2011. </p>
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<p>Matt has assisted Randolph in consulting, seminars, and creating the profits for dealerships across the United States. Matt and BLC Firm is a great asset to the automotive…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545102554?profile=original"><img class="align-right" width="150" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545102554?profile=RESIZE_180x180"/></a></p>
<p>Randolph sold Bottomline Consulting Firm to his Vice President Matt Heald on July 8th 2011. </p>
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<p>Matt has assisted Randolph in consulting, seminars, and creating the profits for dealerships across the United States. Matt and BLC Firm is a great asset to the automotive industry, especially during the times we are currently experiencing. </p>
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<p>Bottomline Consulting Firm was established in 2010. I had to create a business plan and a road map from a blank piece of paper. It was one of my biggest challenges, I have ever taken on, but the most rewarding. I worked hard to create a consulting business that would stand out from the rest. Also, had to work smarter to deliver the results I promised to my clients. My philosophy was simple, any financial sound business runs on systems. So, I built systems that were implemented in each business I consulted. There was more to it than just setting systems. To make change with employees you must perform extensive hands on training, role playing, and demonstrate with actual customers to show employees the rewards of mastering their new systems and why they are so important to follow. I created systems for Fixed Operations employees that started from Service Porters to the Service Consultants and up to the Fixed Ops Director. To be successful, it takes the entire team to win! </p>
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<p>It was very rewarding knowing that I had the opportunity to change a lot of lives out there at each dealership I consulted. There is a lot of dedicated employees out there that just need someone to take the time to show them the way.</p>
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<p>Best part is, I made a lot of good friends out there. </p>
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<p>My plan is to go back into the dealership business. As what position I'm not sure at this time. I know my marketing, retention, and training skills are above standards. My clientele list reached over 3,800 people less than a year. </p>
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<p>So, if you are ready to take your business to the next level and not stop there.</p>
<p>Contact me and will talk! </p>
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<p>Thank you to all of my clients and automotive friends for your support.</p>
<p>Randolph S. Lofgren </p>At What Age Should Training Start In Life?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2011-08-11:5283893:BlogPost:1837412011-08-11T18:00:00.000ZRandolph S. Lofgrenhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/RandolphSLofgren
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166137?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166263?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="230"></img></a></p>
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<p>As being a professional business consultant. I can't help to preach the importance of details to my children. Details on performing any assignment(s), chores, homework or even trying out for sports for their schools. They must try 100% and not half way. Marsh Buice wrote an article called "Salespeople Need To Be…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166137?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="230" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166263?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="230" class="align-left"/></a></p>
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<p>As being a professional business consultant. I can't help to preach the importance of details to my children. Details on performing any assignment(s), chores, homework or even trying out for sports for their schools. They must try 100% and not half way. Marsh Buice wrote an article called "Salespeople Need To Be Potty Trained." I just had to reply with a story about my children doing their daily chores, "the dishes" that I believe related to Marsh's post.</p>
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<p><em>Here is my story I posted;</em></p>
<blockquote><p>My two daughters 10 and 13 do the dishes daily. Why? To teach responsibility and details at an age where they are mold-able! When they first started doing dishes, they would wash them by hand and then let air dry in the dish washer. (I don't like dish washers) So, one day we went to the car wash and we purchased the basic car wash with no dry. Drove through the wash and when completed parked the car right away in the parking lot and walked next door and enjoyed some ice cream. After the ice cream, we walked back to our car and it was air dried by that time. My girls and I did a walk around the car and they said, dad look at all the spots on our car. I said exactly, that's what we would be eating off, if I didn't teach you to wipe dishes off after washing them, not to wait for them to air dry. Should have seen their faces. Case in point! If we don't take the time to teach our children responsibility and details when they are young and easily trainable, our children could be someone else's story on dE later in their lives.</p>
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<p>I have to say with all the dealerships I have consulted and reading a lot of the great posts on dE it all boils back to trying to remold adults that were not taught details in completing projects or giving 100% when they were children. My children are bilingual in both English and Spanish. They learned their Spanish language in no time. Myself on the other hand, struggle with the Spanish language to the day. It's amazing how fast children learn. Now, us as adults our learning capabilities are more challenging each and every day. </p>
<p>Last week, I registered my children in their schools for the upcoming new school year and later that evening my youngest (10 year old) came up to me with a piece of paper and asked if she can go to Harvard Law School? She said she did her due diligence and googled "how to get into Harvard Law School."</p>
<p><em>Here is Vivian's standards she came up with to get into Harvard Law School. </em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545179800?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545179800?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-left"/></a></p>
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<p>My daughter Vivian is going into 5 grade this year and last year she got one of her teachers to write a letter of recommendation for her! That's a WOW!!! I guess she is on the right track! Now, it's my duty as a parent to keep her focused to stay on track. Sound familiar? (Just like your employees, making sure quota's and goals are met!)</p>
<p>Wouldn't be fair for me as a parent to tell my daughter she needs to go to college after she graduates high school and maintain a 4.0 GPA. Then, attend law school and again demand a 4.0 GPA without having a continuous updated plan set fourth and to lead by example.</p>
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<p>Case in point; I see being a parent to children the same as being a leader in the business world. If it's success you have the desire for your company. Then, start with hiring the right candidate first, one that has been raised with a win/win structure (details). After that, you can mold your employees to and educate them to meet and beat the goals you have set fourth. If you have a good employee that needs additional training, that's fine. Just don't be afraid to show the way! </p>
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<p>Now, with that said. How many of us prepare ourselves?</p>
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<p>If, you are in a leading role. Do you prepare yourself as a leader to be a successful trainer to your employees? Do you as a leader have a training path and forecast laid out in detail for your employees. Do you set quota's and goals and except your team(s) to meet and beat your goals (without your guidance) or do you lead by example and demonstrate how to meet and beat any quota or goal set.</p>
<p>During my consultancy, I would always ask to review their dealership's interviewing processes. Witnessed a lot of great processes and on the other hand, I see why some dealers have customer service and financial issues. Hiring the right people is the first step to building a successful team.</p>
<p>Also during my consultancy, before I would train service consultants, I would spend 2 to 3 hours monitoring their processes (meet and greet, walk-around(s), answering phone techniques, and etc) before I can even think about consulting any business and/or people. After that, I would sit down with each one in private and review their service drive processes I monitored, customer satisfaction scores and their daily numbers (Average per/RO and etc.) and we would set their personal goals. After all goals have been set, I would explain in detail what it will take to meet and beat their goals they have set for themselves. My teaching is performed 100% by hands on. I work with each consultant one on one and demonstrate and actually perform many meet and greets, walk-around(s), and even answer phones to show how to sell an appointment. My success in teaching by far has been with demonstrating each process and having each employee set their goals and have them in writing. Everyone has their own methods of teaching for success. I found that it allows me to learn more about each employee and what level of details they have and see how I can demonstrate like children to educate them when you perform at this level, this is what you can except in results. Results can be from customer service and/or their daily profits. I feel before you can teach someone as an adult to perform at a level they aren't use to, you must first learn about their history and don't be afraid to go back as young as you can comfortable with your employees. You will be surprised the information you gather will be a huge help to getting your employee to their next level of success.</p>
<blockquote><p>Example; If your marriage is having trouble and you decide with your spouse to try marriage counseling. I guarantee you your counselor will ask you questions starting from your childhood. You can't improve your employees people skills, closing techniques, attitudes, and/or performance levels without knowing the training skills your employees have received starting with their childhood. </p>
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<p>Any adult with a career, their success depends on the training education they have received, maybe as a child, high school or even maybe their training path started in college. Now, us as leaders, our skills need to be cutting edge to train the employees we decide to hire to guarantee the success we promised our leaders from when we decided to accept the leading role. Preparation for success never ends.</p>
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<p>Best regards,</p>
<p>Randolph S. Lofgren </p>