As a kid, I built models of car dealerships. Loved them, though they were a world onto themselves, still do. Thousands of people drive by dealerships every day and never notice, much less think about, all that’s happening there: Business, a lot of business. They employ hundreds of people and carry huge inventories of vehicles, which they have to buy from the manufacturer plus parts, and service items. They pay local taxes in the millions, give to local charities, and sponsor everything from car clubs to little league baseball teams.
Over the course of my career, I’ve worked in a number of dealership positions as a lot boy, parts runner, service writer, service manager, and salesperson. I’ve worked for a number of different brands as well: Honda, Toyota, Porsche, BMC (British cars: Triumph, MG, Austin, Jaguar, Land Rover) and Ford. Most were management war zones but a few, very few, run like smart, smooth caring families built on teamwork: The kind you want to work for. Fifty years have changed the game since I first started. Today, most dealerships have IT departments, advertising managers, events consultants, and follow-up teams. The smart ones make taking care of the customer the core of their business and believe the money will follow. Others, not so smart or long-term thinking, base all their decisions on the money, and the customer becomes expendable: bad thinking. Those are the dealers that hurt the good works done by the best dealers, and they’re rapidly shrinking in numbers.
The best dealers recognize that buying or leasing a new vehicle is an expensive decision and respect that the customer is putting a lot of faith in them. They train every person in every position dealership-wide constantly; It's ongoing. A new vehicle today is a highly sophisticated device and the customer needs to be introduced to that sophistication by a knowledgeable, non-pushy, customer consultant. There are a lot of different ways to buy or lease a vehicle today, and again the sales consultant is the key information link so the customer can make an informed decision. The dealer selection of vehicle types and prices gives the customer a lot of choices and they deserve a fair chance to review any and all that they feel best fits their life’s needs.
Once selected, the customer, in a customer-driven dealer, is given the opportunity to test drive the vehicle. This is when the sales consultant gives the customer tips and insights for what to look and listen for. The best dealers train their consultants on how to demonstrate their vehicles so the customer gets the most out of the test drive - try that on your computer. Once the customer has selected a vehicle, a good experience starts with discussing their trade-in and setting the price, down payment, and monthly payments. The finance managers help the customer elect the best financing and terms.
The best dealers prep, clean, and fuel the customer’s new car while the final paperwork is being done. Then the customer is given a detailed introduction to their new vehicle and are encouraged to stop by or call the dealer if they have (and they will) any questions about their vehicle. Their first service appointment is established and they're introduced to the service area. The best dealers don’t forget the customer just because they drove off the lot, they follow up, check-in, and prove to the customer that the dealership is there for them.
That’s how the best dealers service their customers. As they say at Ford Country: "EVERYTHING WE DO IS DRIVEN BY YOU." Not just a slogan, they live it.
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