GOODBYE!
Longtime columnist Chris Schulthies is retiring and offers his farewell thoughts I began selling cars in 1986 at Grant Brown Pontiac Buick GMC Cadillac in Toronto. At 22 years of age, this was not a mindful career decision, but a …
Author: Chris Schulthies
It’s always closing time
50 per cent of Sales Consultants do not ask for the sale! When beginning a training relationship with a dealer group, at the launch training seminars we poll all attending Sales Consultants with a simple “yes” or “no” question: “Do …
Master the Express Purchase Experience
Part 2 of our series on a modern discovery process and the benefits of adopting an Express Purchase Experience In part 1 of our series, we introduced the Express Purchase Experience, and explored why it’s a beneficial addition to your …
Master the Express Purchase Experience
Part 1 of our 2 part series on a modern discovery process and the benefits of adopting an Express Purchase Experience The truth is that showroom sales processes across North America have deteriorated and regressed in the post-pandemic auto industry. …
Build a solid training culture
Some dealership groups boost training results by creating their own auto group university You spend thousands of dollars each year for technician training, sales training, management / leadership training, customer experience, software training, safety training and more. Some dealer groups …
Your variable training focus for 2024
Part 2 of 2: Going back to basics is going to help boost your sales results in 2024 In the first part of our series on variable training, we dealt with showroom sales processes, digital sales processes, walkaround vehicle presentations …
Your variable training focus for 2024 Part 1 of 2
In the first quarter of any given year, we are often asked by Sales Managers, General Manager and Dealer Principals alike, “What should be the focus of our variable training this year?” The question is also designed to ignite a …
How to enforce your sales process
Stick to your guns and be consistent and reap the rewards My definition of a sales process is a step-by-step approach to selling a vehicle that is documented, trained, coached, enforced, measured and celebrated. By this definition, most dealerships do …
Consider the 4 rules of business — and prioritize
Focus on mastering basic rules of business to improve your bottom line. The following four rules of business can act as a template for charting and planning overall performance improvement for your variable and fixed operation. As a dealer principal …
Why leasing makes sense for dealers
Let’s take a closer look at the bottom line return from leasing vs. financing. According to industry figures, lease penetration nationwide has dropped from 35 per cent down to 20 per cent, the lowest level in the history of leasing. Leasing has also not …
8 ways to win more trade-ins!
Showing customers how used vehicles are appraised can help avoid negative experiences. For both customers and Sales Consultants alike, the final presentation and discussion of the trade-in appraisal number is often the most awkward, nerve-wracking and contentious part of the …
Do you work as a dealer group or warring tribes?
Dealer groups often act as “frenemies” instead of allies. It’s costing you money. One of the significant advantages of a dealer group versus a single-point dealership is the ability of the group to centralize many of its resources and initiatives …
