Building a Resilient Sales Team
Over several decades, we have committed ourselves to working in concert with our dealer partners to cultivate their teams – a task that is both challenging and rewarding. Our overarching goal lies in seeking out that ideal mix of individuals capable of not only driving measurable results for the dealership but also aligning seamlessly with the store's culture.
Recently, the widespread turmoil precipitated by the pandemic and the subsequent market downturn left us all with a challenging path. Numerous dealer partners found themselves grappling with managing high turnover rates, necessitating a substantial escalation in recruitment efforts. While onboarding new staff remains a critical function, it's crucial to consider that the most cost-effective and profitable strategy involves investing in the team we already have.
Gleaning Wisdom from the Athletic Tactics
Several profound lessons can be derived from the world of sports, with earnest lessons to be gleaned from Stan Kroenke, the proprietor of multiple championship sports teams, including the LA Rams, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Mammoth. Kroenke attributes his success to a two-pronged approach: hiring the right people and steadfastly committing to their long-term development. Instead of resorting to immediate termination at the first sign of trouble, Kroenke advocates for a culture of continuity and patience to nurture top-notch players. This growth-from-within strategy has been instrumental in propelling his teams to their acclaimed successes.
Our dealer partners who have managed to sustain their teams through these recent turbulent times have demonstrated extraordinary resilience. They have demonstrated an impressive ability to bounce back quickly, in terms of both vehicle volume and Per Vehicle Retailed (“PVR”) metrics.
The Three P's: People, Process, Pay-Plan
Achieving desired results within a store often distills down to the triad of 'P's': People, Process, and Pay-Plan. Often, to make a significant impact on profit margins, at least one or a combination of these elements needs to be addressed and refined. As partners to our dealers, it falls upon us to act as conduits, or a bridge, helping them comprehend that People constitute the most crucial component of this triad. If the quality of individuals in the dealership, including any salesperson, begins to affect profits, it becomes our mandate to exhaust every resource at our disposal to train and elevate that individual before considering termination.
As a principal agent in the Vanguard organization, I have found this perspective particularly relevant. Our objectives encompass training and nurturing our representatives to enable them to better support and assist our dealer clients and further our organizational mission. The process of building, training, and investing in our people is the cornerstone and bedrock of our organizational resilience and our shared path to enduring success. We ardently look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with you in forging a resilient sales team that will withstand the challenges of any market conditions.
Reach out to Brandon Bell today via email at bbell@ezvds.com or through Linkedin.
