The Dreaded Subject: Training Your Staff!

Very few people in the world enjoy the subject of training; most people have great disdain for the subject. The retail auto industry is becoming interested in formalized training. The two variables that have historically worked against training are the high cost of hiring a quality trainer and high employee turnover. Today, I want to pass along an idea that I think every dealership needs as much as a room full of customers.

Our industry is changing as much or more than any industry in the world. Dealerships and auto manufactures are facing challenges that they have never faced before and even the United States Government has has tried their hand at marketing fuel efficient vehicles via Cash for Clunkers.

There is one point where everyone is in agreement; the retail auto business is a people business. Every successful sales person will tell you frequent customer contact coupled with the ability to communicate are the keys to success. The other missing link that is often overlooked in the car business is leadership.

Traditional methods of driving traffic to dealerships is becoming more and more expensive and less effective. Dealers just don’t have the money to spend on advertising, hoping enough clients come in and buy a car. Lets not even talk about selling cars for a profit. Today, dealers are trimming unnecessary staff and hiring multi-talented sales people that can reach out into the community and connect with customers. The old days of a sales person standing on the point waiting for customers are over; today’s sales professional have to be proactive and use alternative approaches to sell vehicles.

I mentioned the objections when the subject of training is raised – expense and employee turnover. Nobody wants to invest in training only to have their people leave a short time later. I couldn’t agree more! What I am offering here today is a framework and a process for training. Do with it what you may; I guarantee you this: you will not find a better or cost effective training program in the world. When I say, cost effective, I mean $6 per month per enrolled associate and training is one hour fifteen minutes per week. There may be a little extra preparation time for those presenting that week.

Here is a quick summary so far. We are going to develop the tools of today’s sales person to increase the frequency of his or her customer contact, improve their ability to communicate and their leadership skills for $6 per month!

Companies like Google, HP, Apple, 3M, Ford, Toyota, Wells Fargo all offer this training exactly because of the afore stated reasons. Why don’t dealerships? It’s not an easy job. It requires a real commitment from top management and 20 associates who really want to improve their skill set. The other issue that presents difficulties is the fact that the students are the teacher working within the framework and process I previously mentioned. The old quote, “a student will not believe something until they discover it for themselves,” has never been more true. I can’t tell you the number of times I have witnessed a dealer spend thousands on training and afterwords, overheard an associate criticize the instructor to a fellow associate.

The framework and process I am talking about is Toastmasters. It’s a training process that is going to help each and every person in a dealership communicate with co-workers, vendors and clients. Do your sales people connect with clients, build rapport, influence and motivate clients to act? Wouldn’t it be nice if each and every sales person had the ability to intelligently speak and influence a civic group and sell one of them a car, parts or service? For that matter, wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to practice and improve the skills sales people utilize in their day-to-day duties?

A Toastmasters club will not train and develop your staff; a Toastmasters club offers your staff the tools it needs to train and develop themselves. Leadership is getting associates to embrace the process!

Most people approach a training session from a compliance perspective when they should look at training with a commitment to improving themselves. When the student becomes the teacher and the student, he or she has a completely different perspective and seriousness towards training. Presenters will study and present their “new” ideas to the audience. Furthermore, their peers will evaluate their speech and have to offer positive feedback to help the speaker improve.

Toastmasters teaches the “Sandwich Method” of evaluating a speaker (positive feedback – helpful insights followed by positive feedback). The purpose of feedback is to have the speakers want to return to become a better communicator and leader.

I know of no more effective and inexpensive training program used around the world. Like anything, it will require a considerable amount of work and dedication.

Here is a link to Toastmasters International website. http://www.toastmasters.org and here is my local Toastmaster club http://www.rivercityspeakers.com

Please email me your questions or comments @ info@autobullpen.com

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