It is the last day of September and the general feeling across the country in different franchises is that it has been a tough new plate registration month. So why is this? Manufacturers are still producing great cars, VAT is still at 17.5 % for the rest of this year, the country is recovering from the recession and dealers are offering the swappage scheme after the Government scrappage scheme. These are all positives are they not? So with this is mind, is it time for car sales executives to go back to basics?
By going back to basics, I mean following every step in the sales process strictly and ensuring that they are working their database systems to full potential, and properly following up and exhausting every lead.
In many cases, having discussed this with like minded professionals, sales executives in the car showroom seem to have forgotten the very first step in the sales process, the good old fashioned meet and greet. It only takes a couple of minutes to get up from the desk and meet the customer who has just walked through the door, give a good firm handshake, eye contact, a smile, and an introduction giving their name offering assistance. Here is where it can fall down if not done correctly. A sales person should never ask "can I help you?" as this closed question is setting themselves straight up for a "no". By doing this it allows the customer to take control which straight away puts the potential sale on a back foot. This dead end question can so easily be replaced by either "Good Afternoon, my name is.... welcome to.... how may we help you today?" or "Good Afternoon, my name is.... welcome to.... I will be just over there should you require assistance" These are soft consultative approaches which allow a further dialogue leading to data capture and qualification. Not to mention making the customer comfortable at the desk and offering a coffee. There is nothing worse than being kept in a showroom for ages with no offer of refreshments.
Moving swiftly onwards, what about enquiry follow ups? The sales professional who consistently delivers month after month knows this and always does it, but for those sales executives who are always short of leads, why not invest in some mentoring sessions and ensure follow ups are not only taking place, but being done correctly.
The few things I have spoken about today are so simple and yet so effective, but also so often forgotten, and this is what I mean by going back to basics. Sometimes the simplest of things can make a real difference. A difference for everyone, the customer, the sales executive, the Business Manager, the sales department, the dealership, the dealer group and the manufacturer looking at the bigger picture.
So once all the month end has been tied up, why not ask yourself the question, is it time for the team or individuals to go back to basics.
