As we interviewed the top Internet sales trainers for this month’s issue, one thing became abundantly clear: not one of them is “just” a sales trainer. These individuals, who have made it the focus of their careers to help dealers be successful, demonstrate time and time again that to be an effective automotive sales trainer in today’s market, you need to be a process and technology consultant, in addition to understanding the whole of the auto business, floor to ceiling, wall to wall. The result is that the “training” they offer is not just an item you order off a menu. When you get together with one of these folks, be ready for a long conversation in which the strengths and weaknesses of your process, structure, and staffing are all examined in detail. That’s how you’ll get exactly what you need to make your team more productive.
Here is some essential information on the services they offer and how to contact them (they’re listed alphabetically by firm). In addition, they responded to some questions on their experience and how they work with dealers.
Automotive Internet Technologies
Kate Sullivan, Vice President
Services Offered: regional training seminars on selected topics, customized onsite sales training
Approximate Cost: seminars cost $695 for the first attendee (discounted fees for managers and additional attendees); onsite training costs based on location and agenda
Geographical Area Served: international
Contact:
800-616-2632
ait@autonettech.com
www.autonettech.com
Dealix Dealer Newsletter (DDN): Was there an experience or event that led you to see that you had a special capacity as a trainer?
Sullivan: Well, I started out as a teacher of hearing-impaired children—I don’t know if there’s anything to be read into that! Seriously, I do have a special ability to get through to people. That’s what led me to become a teacher in the first place, and that’s what made me successful when I became one of the first women Cadillac salespeople in the Detroit area.
DDN: How do you work with a dealership to determine what kind of training is needed to improve their Internet sales?
Sullivan: A lot of consultants have a system that they want to impose on the dealership. We believe that there are certain principles that are essential to a successful Internet business, but that doesn’t mean that a company has to give up its philosophy or identity or make wholesale changes to its operations. Our approach is to respect what makes the dealership unique and find ways to put key principles to work within that framework.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Sullivan: Most surveys suggest that dealerships are, on average, closing less than 5% of their Internet leads. Our clients average over 15%, and we have several who are over 20%. Our training has an immediate impact, and our ongoing monitoring keeps the numbers high.
Dealer Synergy, Inc.
Sean V. Bradley, Founder & CEO
Services Offered: customized training and consulting, training videos, phone training/coaching, ongoing support programs, outsourced management, back-up call center, single-day and multi-day workshops, websites, search engine optimization, ILM/CRMs.
Areas of Expertise: Internet sales, business development, CRM, showroom sales, special finance, phone sales, owner retention
Approximate Cost: varies according to scope of work, but can start for as little as $250; free strategy sessions available ($500 value)
Geographical Area Served: international
Contact:
888-379-6374
info@dealersynergy.com
www.dealersynergy.com
DDN: Was there an experience or event that led you to see that you had a special capacity as a trainer?
Bradley: Early in my career, I enjoyed a lot of success developing the Internet businesses of two large dealerships in the northeast, both of which exceeded the 100-unit a month mark in the Internet department. I realized that what I knew could make a huge difference for virtually any dealership. And so I started a company doing precisely that. We have a dedicated team of consultants and analysts. All of our business is 100% repeat and referral based.
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Bradley: Dealers shouldn’t settle for less than an immediate, measurable, large-scale increase in sales. They should also expect training to have a profound effect on the way people think about Internet sales. That goes for management, and not just the sales reps.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Bradley: We’ve taken a lot of dealerships from minimal Internet sales to more than 100 units a month. The thing I’d stress more than any one example is the variety of ways we’ve helped dealerships grow. One thing we focus on is macro-selling opportunities - tapping into and selling to large groups through either a formal or informal relationship. At the opposite extreme, we offer on-call, real-time assistance using Instant Messenger. Many, many times we’ve helped a sales rep close a particular sale in real time by guiding his interaction with the customer.
Another thing I’d mention is that we don't just train dealerships. Dealer Synergy has trained vendors that cater to thousands and thousands of dealerships. We are where trainers go to get trained. We also contribute to five national publications and frequently speak at industry events. We’ve worked on the front lines for over eight years in Internet sales, CRM, and BDCs. We have a proven track record of success throughout the US and also in Moscow, Russia.
E-Dealer Solutions
Jennifer Suzuki, President & Internet Sales Trainer
Services Offered: training workshops, on-site Internet sales training and consulting, manufacturer speaking engagements
Approximate Cost: daily rate based on number of participants and content
Geographical Area Served: national Contact:
800-625-1590
info@edealersolution.com
www.edealersolution.com
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Suzuki: Before training, we look closely at a dealer’s Internet process, management, and people. Our training, combined with any needed adjustments in these areas, leads to an immediate increase in Internet sales.
DDN: What’s the most important knowledge salespeople gain in your training?
Suzuki: Salespeople will realize that their job requires a methodical approach and creative follow-up quite different from retail sales. And they will understand that this requires them to work harder and smarter than floor salespeople.
DDN: What’s the most important skill they acquire?
Suzuki: The ability to control the conversation quickly by identifying the values that will meet each prospect’s expectations.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Suzuki: I can give plenty of examples! We helped a dealership in Atlanta wean itself off of traditional media almost entirely. The cost per sale had been going through the roof, and they wanted to make the Internet the backbone of their business. Their Internet sales tripled and led to sustained growth in overall sales.
Internet Certified Dealer
Craig Criswell, President
Services Offered: regional management workshops, onsite sales training, consulting
Approximate Cost: workshops cost $395 per attendee; onsite training costs $1500 per day, plus expenses; consulting costs are determined by scope of work
Geographical Area Served: national
Contact:
866.512.7784
craig@internetcertifieddealer.com
www.internetcertifieddealer.com
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Criswell: Obviously, the results should be measurable in terms of appointment rate and close rate. Beyond that, I think training should create a sense of pride within the Internet department that the rest of the dealership can’t help but notice. I believe in staffing an Internet department with your best floor salespeople, and this is part of making those people want to get into Internet sales.
DDN: What’s the most important knowledge salespeople gain in your training?
Criswell: They’ll learn how much an effective, well-designed process can help them sell cars. Or, to put it another way, they’ll learn how much they can gain, for themselves and for the organization, by embracing the process.
DDN: What’s the most important skill they acquire?
Criswell: Getting a customer in for an appointment, or actually closing a sale, often depends on some small detail that’s very easy to overlook. I teach people how to recognize these points of leverage and make the most of them.
Kain Automotive
David Kain, President
Services Offered: in-dealership sales training, sales workshops, web-/phone-based training
Approximate Cost: 12-month in-dealership custom package averages $8000 (varies according to dealership size)
Geographical Area Served: national
Contact:
866-546-3428
david@kainautomotive.com
www.kainautomotive.com
DDN: Was there an experience or event that led you to see that you had a special capacity as a trainer?
Kain: Early on, I found that my clients tended to be exceptionally open to the recommendations I offered as a consultant. This actually gave me a heavy sense of responsibility. I realized that, as a trainer, I could serve them better by staying in contact and developing touch points at all levels, from management to ISM.
DDN: How do you work with a dealership to determine what kind of training is needed to improve their Internet sales?
Kain: We ask the dealer to conduct a systematic self-evaluation based on our “8 Steps to Internet Sales and Profits” system. We also perform mystery shopping to experience the dealership from the customer’s perspective and pinpoint opportunities for improvement.
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Kain: Immediate, measurable sales growth is a true sign that training has been effective. But a dealer shouldn’t be content with this. He should also expect training to come with a blueprint for sustaining the growth.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Kain: One example that comes to mind is notable because of the scope of the project. We worked with a 23-store dealership group to boost the close rate in every location and develop metrics for guiding all marketing decisions. With single-point dealerships, we commonly deliver double-digit improvements in close rates, sales, and profits.
Mosley Automotive Group
Cory Mosley, Founder & CEO
Services Offered: industry workshops, certification classes, bi-weekly coaching, custom solutions
Approximate Cost: cost of customized training varies; industry workshops cost $399 per attendee; online classes start at $99 per class
Geographical Area Served: national
Contact:
732.734.4499
cory.mosley@mosleyautomotive.com
www.mosleyautomotive.com
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Mosley: I believe training should be delivered in the context of specific goals determined by the trainer and the dealership together. The training can then be assessed very straightforwardly: did it allow us to meet our goals?
DDN: What’s the most important knowledge salespeople gain in your training?
Mosley: We are very good at getting Internet reps into the mindset they need to be effective. After our training, they will have the right understanding of the customer, the process, and the results they should be able to achieve.
DDN: What’s the most important skill they acquire?
Mosley: They’ll learn a variety of ways to be more in control of themselves and the interaction with customers—on the phone, in email, and in the showroom.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Mosley: A recent client who enthusiastically embraced our recommendations saw their sales position for their zone go from sixth to first in 90 days. They’ve come very close to tripling their Internet business in the same period, and it now accounts for 30% of their total sales.
The Rikess Group
Mark Rikess, CEO
Services Offered: custom training based on assessment of dealership’s structure, process, and staffing
Approximate Cost: varies according to scope of work
Geographical Area Served: national
Contact:
800-851-4018
rikessgroup@rikessgroup.com
www.rikessgroup.com
DDN: What kind of results should a dealer expect to see as a result of training?
Rikess: Our training is closely linked to our assessment of the dealer’s Internet business. Ideally, the measurable improvements we make possible come not just from the training but from structural changes we recommend. For example, one thing we see all the time are Internet reps who are having to handle too many leads. Increase the number of reps and give them solid training, and you’re going to see significant improvement in both sales numbers and close rates.
DDN: Can you give an example where you were able to have a dramatic effect on a dealer’s Internet sales performance?
Rikess: Let me give you another example of a problem we often detect and correct. This is a specific point around which many of our clients manage to improve the performance of their Internet department. Basically, there’s a very common tendency to give up on a lead too soon. By teaching reps to pursue leads until they opt out—for 90 days, at least—we’re able to show our clients that Internet leads remain viable for a much longer period than they imagine.
DDN: What’s the most important knowledge salespeople gain in your training? What’s the most important skill they acquire?
Rikess: They’ll learn the importance of building a real relationship with the customer—the difference it makes in their ability to bring the customer in for an appointment, or to close a sale. And they’ll learn a lot of different ways to do this, beginning with an analysis of what the customer wants and needs.
