Great follow up to the Dallas event everyone! Also great to hear the updates from some of our members, and thank you to everyone that helped me learn last month in at the Internet Sales 20 Group.
I got back to the office and my scatter-brain didn't know what to do first. I have had the advantage of doing this a few times before with a previous job... ;-) so we are doing a pretty good job of not making mistakes as we build moving forward. I find myself continually referring back to my IS20G handbook, and the Thirty-something pages of notes I took in 3 days to help me be thorough in anything we work on improving.
As Karen and Sean Bradley mentioned on the phone, we have to focus on a few goals, then define a way to get there, then have an action plan to accomplish it. I am taking the next step now on working on the next 3 action plans to grow the department. I feel that our team has implemented strategies and process to address our first 3 issues that I deemed urgent at IS20G. Our most important goal was to get rid of our sub-par rating on all customer review websites NOW, and we did some VERY basic things in just one month to see INSTANT improvement:
- Make colorful flyers and put them at all salespeople's desks, as well as the sales tower. Have them actively put them in customers hands while delivering their new vehicle.
- Send "Thank you" cards for everyone that purchased and visited the previous day.
- Conduct "how was your experience" surveys while addressing the "Thank you" cards.
- Send my flyers for reviews in the "Thank you" cards, especially the customers that I speak to and complete the quick survey
- Take pictures of everyone with thier new vehicles! Ask for permission to use the picture on Facebook and other social media websites..and make it FUN! Ask the customer to tag themselves, like/share the picture, and be active in your dealership's pages. Who doesn't like to brag and show-off to everyone when they purchase a new vehicle!??
- SPIFF our salespeople on getting reviews, and asking customers to mention thier names. My personal reward that we came up with here: I buy them a drink! (...no alcohol! Starbucks, Rockstars and Monsters to keep them alert!!! LOL "Drink of thier choice" is inexpensive and goes a long way with your sales team!)
The key to implementing successful proceedures is to have everyone embrace the new process, show everyone in your dealerships that it is a positive thing that you are implementing, and most importantly, make sure everyone is AWARE and proactive in sharing with customers.
I did a simple "S.W.O.T." (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities to grow, Threats to hinder us) analysis to see where I was when I flew back to California a month ago, as opposed to where I am at month end. I can see where I have improved, and where we still have room to implement new strategies to continue to sell more cars, more profitably and more often!
p.s. Let's get on the phone with our Accountabila-buddies! Synergize to be more successful...and see you all in L.A. in November!
Andy Fedo
Director of Intenet Sales, Lithia Nissan Hyundai of Fresno
