Flying is a part of the job.  Even dealers have to fly to auctions, meetings, conventions, etc.  Over the last 17 years I have noticed a remarkable lack of courtesy, kindness and even basic service toward passengers.  What kind of training are the employees receiving?  More importantly, what type of leadership by management are they seeing?      

I had the pleasure to need to book two trips on a major (U.S.) Air line.  My daughter was taking a trip that took her from…

I just returned from my nephew's wedding.  He is the first of our family's next generation to marry so the pressure was on to create a standard to follow.  Being my brother's son, I was excited to go, visit with family that we don't see often enough and most importantly, to honor my nephew and his new bride.  From the rehearsal dinner to the church, and ultimately to the reception, it was perfect.      

Not just for all it had.  It was perfect for the things that were…

The ambiguous act of sales training is responsible for the high failure rate of salespeople everywhere, in every industry. Quit kidding yourself by engaging in activities to achieve a result that you have not yet defined.

For instance, most people refuse to acknowledge that success is an illusion chased by those that fail to identify what it is that they seek. They have never taken the time to clarify what it is that they define as success, yet they keep stating that they want to be…

You've decided to go outside your dealership to get something handled.  After a lot of thought, you realized it would be better to spend money with the right experts and handle things once, than to save money on paper and take your people away from what they do best for you.  Many times that's exactly what you should do.  But how do you know you have the right company for what you really need?      

To help you see how to rate a company or service, I will be using…

That question often depends on who you ask.  Salespeople will talk about the dealer up the street or across town who is absolutely giving the cars away.  F&I will talk about lenders who seem to favor other dealers and cost them deals.  Managers will discuss factory incentives, advertising, and the like.  But is that what we're really up against?

 

After 33 years in the business and over 15,000 salespeople and managers trained, I think there's more to competition than we…

January 1979 I sold my first car at a small dealership in North Jersey.  Since then, a lot has happened.  I've personally trained over 15,000 sales professionals, written 10 books, spoken literally around the world, and now work with top dealers to fill their sales needs.  I have seen and participated in three "worst ever" downturns in our industry.  Each has taught me lessons on how to deal with the struggles and what to improve on as business gets better.  There was one lesson…

     All this technology is becoming very popular around and among dealers.  Sales people can pull up apps and show customers all the details about a particular car in stock.  Customers can shop and research before they get to the dealership, and an Internet staff can track web visits and initiate contact with potential customers.  All at the speed of light.

     Thanks to the innovation of Steve Jobs and Apple, we can "i-anything" we want.  But there is one important ingredient to…

Addy's Harbor Dodge in Myrtle Beach, SC has just jumped into the top 5 of all Dodge dealers in the US.  It just shows that having the right programs, the best managers and top sales people, will make great things happen.  We are pleased at this great dealer's success and even more thankful that we have been along for the entire ride.



When we first came to Addy's they had 8 sales people and were doing average numbers.  Rod Ricciardi had just become the GM and brought with him a…

As we reach the mid year time, many of us make decisions.  Some even make commitments to change certain aspects of their life and their profession.  Unfortunately, far too many change absolutely nothing because they believe that their career is subject to the mercy of the markets.  They boast about how they were a top producer during the market high points, and continue doing the same things they did when customers simply showed up with checkbooks in hand.

     Case in point.  A good…

Studies show that the average salesperson is into negotiations within 3 minutes of saying hello.  Three minutes and they're talking numbers and hoping to close a deal.  What's amazing is, I heard that exact statistic when I went to my first sales training seminar in 1980.  So, nothing has really changed in over 30 years. 

Think about it this way.  Some of you have been reading my articles since I began.  That being the case, could you send me a check for $1,000?  You've received…

You arrive at your dealership and notice that the outside is appearing a bit drab.  To fit with the brand and the neighborhood, you determine that a great paint job would do wonders for the entire building.  So, you make the decision.  Here are your choices:

• You call the top commercial painters in the area and get an estimate.
• You hire a couple of college kids give them a truck to pick up paint and turn them loose.
• You pull your managers off the desk and other…

Just because your store is one of the more popular brands, that doesn't mean you are guaranteed success.  Having the right sign up is no promise that customers will beat down your doors.  And the  right ads or killer Internet presence still doesn't make profitability a sure thing.  Without a key ingredient, even the best of the best will fail.

  …

"When you know better, you do better" – Maya Angelo-via Oprah Winfrey

When most people hear the word operating system, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a computer, and in this case, that is exactly what I want you to visualize. I would like you, for moment, to imagine your brain as an operating system and all your current skills and abilities are the software that is being controlled by it. To further this point, think about it this way, a child coming into the…

Most recently there has been a bold new wave washing over the automotive dealership landscape. Beginning with TrueCar, whose CEO bragged about using data to eliminate dealerships and  lower profits below True Cost. He arrogantly taunted us with claims of "Transparency" which has become the "Buzz Word" of every vendor using our own data to virtually put us out of business, to steal our customers information, and sell it, pass it on to their affiliate companies, and otherwise resell it to…

What a year we've had.  There were ups and downs, but I'm so looking forward to next year.  I had the privilege of working with enough dealers to see an even bigger need for training in 2012.  But, my challenge is not that I see it, but getting dealers to see it as well.  As many in my industry know, the most common objection to training of any kind is that the dealer has it handled.  They just don't see a need.  In my opinion, many of them just don't see!

For example:  Follow-up. …

We all have one week of work before 2011 becomes a collection of files to be stored away.  Sure, we'll go back and get some things for this years taxes.  Perhaps even take a look at some trends that occurred during the year.  But what are the things that will make 2012 a better year for you?  Chances are, there will be talk of improvement, higher numbers, better grosses, and maybe even a reduction in expenses.  But, it will all fade before the Christmas decorations are taken down.

In…

While the majority of my time is now spent trianing new salespeople, I still get to work with experienced teams on occassion.  I enjoy this break, especially during this time of year.  It's always easy to get new people to set high goals becasue they're still excited about their new career and want to make a great impression.  Getting veterans to set goals is more like trying to get a college student to be done with a major paper BEFORE the night before!

As an expert in human personal…

What are you doing this Thursday?  Besides eating and some football.  Some will travel a bit and some will stay home.  But too many may find themselves forgetting that this day is more than just a day off in the busy lives of those in the car business.  I'm hoping to change that.

This year I am thankful for the new associations I've made.  I am grateful for all of those who took the time to teach me more about this business as I grew.  I want to sow my appreciation to the hundreds of…