Scott Wain: Development In The Car Business
Welcome to the show, we hope you have a blast thanks for making time for the dealer, talk podcast. Another, business leader here's a penny for your thoughts this ain't a regular conversation. Baby it is that dilla told ya. What up welcome to another episode, of the dealer, talk podcast, this is your host herb anderson. Thank you so much for tuning in very very excited for today's session. Um. Without further ado let's just get into it mr scott wayne on the program what's up scott how are you sir. Not bad at all thanks rude how are you doing. It's been great dude super excited for this uh. Opportunity, to chat with you obviously we've connected, on linkedin, and. Um, you know uh. I think you commented on one of my posts or, or, something like that or we were on on. On somebody else's post or something but decided to. Have a conversation, man and i'm excited to to be here with you today. Yeah absolutely, i've been i've been seeing some of your stuff online for a while. Um. And i i've. Been, making an effort myself to engage, a little bit more on linkedin, and that's, kind of where we connected, and. I'm always looking forward to conversations, with uh like-minded. Auto, folks so happy to be here. The the, you know the honor, the honors, uh. Great i'm grateful for the honor thank you. Yeah man no this is gonna be awesome. Um. So, i kicked things off with uh with the background so tell us a little bit about you man. Uh, car guy. Uh by, uh fluke, back in 2002. Uh went to school to be a firefighter. And, uh. You know not a lot of fire departments, are looking to hire. 20 year olds at a school. So i was, stuck looking for a, gig and. Complaining, to my buddies that i needed a ride, and and i couldn't afford a car and one of my buddies just happened to say hey, you know if you sell cars they'll give you a demo. They kind of laughed it off shrugged it off and then uh. Magically, i seen an ad in in the newspaper, if you can believe that when uh when we we, took out ads and in papers, for uh, the classifieds. And, old school man, yeah kicking it old school, so got a got a job at a ford store to start, selling used cars. Unfortunately. Uh. They don't give rookies, demos, out of the gate, and uh. I was a little disappointed, but i asked them what what could i do, to get myself a demo. I said we sell 10 used cars this month and, we'll get you demo. So i grinded, out, put up 11 stickers, on the board. Two peeled. Right on. Two of them peeled down. Weren't financed. They didn't give me my demo, oh man. It was it was heart-wrenching. It uh it crushed me but i, i rallied they said okay what do you you know you do the same thing this month we'll give you a demo so month two. I think if i put like 13, deals. I lost four of them i delivered nine again, no demo. So. I was rattled to say the least, just uh happened to hear that uh a. From a buddy of mine who was trying to be recruited. To to sell honda's. But he'd been selling ford, for a long long time. And uh. He just wasn't going to leave his client base he didn't want to go import from domestic, so i he made the intro, and i landed a gig at a honda store and uh. The rest was history. Great. Great store. Incredible, group, training, at the forefront, of everything they do, so i was very fortunate to land in a store where. They provided, really good training, they really invest in their people. Um. Lots of growth from within. Many of my buddies i was slinging with back in in those days are our dealers, themselves, now. I took a bit of a different path in 2008. I left the retail biz to start, a software, company. My my dealer at the time, took my letter of resignation, he tucked it under his keyboard. He said scotty, i'm going to pretend that he didn't give me this. You got a great idea. But you guys are gonna run out of money real quick, he goes you're gonna run at the capitol in six months. I didn't listen and of course he was bang on we ran into money in six months and. Now i'm on the outside of the car biz looking in and scratching my head going what am i going to do with my life. So i spent a couple years being a financial, advisor. Nonetheless, the the carb has called me back in 2013. On the vendor side, um. My, my mentor, from when i first got hired. Started a company, called shift marketing, studio. Uh, he sold the company, in. 2017.. I was general manager of the company at the time, and, uh, in 2019. The new ownership, just. Going in a different direction, and and. Sort of steered me into the training game so now i'm doing some in-store training and we've just launched a new company called the mark academy.
Which Is uh, equipping, sales people with a, pretty unique, training tool. Um, right in their pocket, right from their phones so, we're excited about uh hitting the ground running there. Awesome man definitely a trajectory, there for sure. Um. Something like that kind of caught my ear and i wanted to develop, it was, you talked about. You, transitioned, from that forward store to a honda store, and it seemed. That. The training aspect, of it was something that, you appreciated. Talk a little bit more about that because that's kind of a rarity in the car business. You know sad to say even now in 2020, you know what i mean, yeah well the the ford, store. Virtually no trading, at all you know other than listening to some of the old vets and and. Some of the lines they might use, and, um. But but virtually, no training, other than the oem, sort of, you know, online, stuff. But when i came to the honda store yeah the sales, process, training, was, was a big, big part of, their, um. Development, of all their people. So we would have some in-store training our instructor, would come in. The guy is a legend his name's peter hubbard. Um. Love the guy he's, incredible, at what he does he's next dealer, been a national. International, trainer for that matter for for many many years. And uh. So we would see him in our store, once a month and then we go off site, for a half day, once a month. And then, ultimately. Lean on our managers. To. Hold us accountable, to that process. Um. When we're when we're not being trained. By, the trainer. So. Okay. Every time i think about training. There's, there's this uh. This thought that comes to my mind because i don't think we do a lot of that and i don't know maybe this isn't considered, training maybe this is something else but, um, role-playing. Within the car business and i've talked about that in in, several, episodes. But i feel like, there's this expectation. Of of. Um. Greatness, right like. The decision makers within the stores expect. Their people to, be hitting home runs all the time. But there's, no. There is no practicing. It's like. It's like expecting. A, a professional. Sports, team to go out there on game day and perform. At these incredibly. High levels. And they spent zero. Hours, on the court practicing, beforehand. Yeah it doesn't make sense. Right, so, um. What is your take on that man just overall, in in, in in the automotive, industry from your experience, and now that you're on the vendor side of things. Yeah so. It's it's, it's a great question, i don't know if i have the, the perfect, answer. Um. You know. Maybe i'll start with. Some of the challenges, i see in, in. Why, it's not consistent, or maybe why it's not something that is. That is at the forefront of every store. There are so many things going on. Inside of a store at any given moment. And, the managers, wear, multiple, hats. And they're getting hit with everything, at. Multiple. Angles, at any given time being pulled in 15 different, directions. But. Oftentimes. They're the ones who are expected, to be the ones delivering, the training. But when you've got, when you're appraising cars and your desk and deals, and you've got an upset customer, and, you know, you know you've got staff lined up outside of your office like. When do you train. When do you have yeah. I'm sorry man i have to interject there because that can't be the. The thought right otherwise. We're just going to be complacent, with mediocrity. Within the within the industry. Like maybe maybe it shouldn't be the gm's. A role maybe there should be a different role. Within, each dealership, that's focused on training and development, of the people because listen. If we want great people and we want amazing, employees, and we want to reduce turnover, and we want to get rid of the stigma. We have to change man we can't keep doing the same stuff and expecting, this to just, you know, one day, just go just everything to go away and be perfect, it doesn't work that way no you're you're right and now, and so but then there is the other side again, fortunately, for for you know where i grew up in the biz. Where training was a priority. It was outsourced. Right i'm a baseball, guy you can see i've got a few hats behind me i'm, wearing a jay's hat here now. Um. You know, it's. The analogy, i've often used, to to, kind of bring thought home is, think of a manager on a ball team.
Okay The, the manager. He's not the strength and conditioning, coach, he's not the hitting coach, he's not the pitching coach, he's not the nutritionist. Right like, they have a sports psychologist, he doesn't do it all so. For us in the carb is to expect a gm, or or their ma or the you know gsm. To be. Everything. Doesn't make sense, you know you've got to rely, on some. Support. And in some cases, if it's outside, support then then that's going to be the answer. Right and, reaching out to, you know a trainer who can come on site. You know or you know some sort of, tool that they can access, online, or from their phones, but yeah the training. It has to be part of the mix. It has to be and, and it's unfortunately, it's not a large enough priority, for. A lot of stores out there. Yeah i mean i think it is i think, well i don't know if priority is a word but i think that a lot of decision makers re. Decision, makers, realize. The value and the importance, of it, i think that it gets. In this place where it's like well you know you pay this person to come here. They train the people everybody's good for a week and then this person goes away and everything, goes back to you know we just revert, to the old. Uh you know our comfort, right whatever we did in the past that we were comfortable, with, and so there isn't that, that consistent, repetition, which is why. It's hard to have. Um. Outside, sources. Come in and train your folks and i'm not gonna i'm not saying that it doesn't work there are companies out there and and specific trainers that, have a system and they they do a phenomenal, job and they you know. But for the most part i think that. When it when it when it goes internal, when it's done internally within the dealership. I think that it's a lot more effective, and to your point what you said earlier. When it's the managers, that are trained because the turnover, is so much that if you you can train a whole. Um, you know. Uh what am i. You know you can train your whole sales staff and and by. You know, month end it's 50. Of those people are gone. Right and what goes with them. That training that you spend thousands, and thousands, of dollars, right. So. Um. I mean do you think that that's one of the reasons why we're, you know it's it's not that we don't recognize, it within the industry. Is that we don't really have a process, for training that makes. Sense. Yeah and you know what i i agree with you you're right, it's not as though.
The Gm's. And the dealers. Don't see, or understand, that. There's value and importance in training, because you're right they do they do. But, it's, is is there a solution. That's a fit. That works for them in their store, based on. Time energy and resources. So. And and you know so i do some in-store, training. And it is i'll agree with you the challenge is real i'll go in once a month. And i'll have. Often the same conversation. With the same, rep, that i had last month. Right because, when i leave, yeah. Right like you said if, they're they're hot and heavy and then i can even remember, back when we would go and do our half day sessions. I'd come back. After my, you know three hour session. And i would. I would sell a car pretty much every single time i'd be fired up the juices would be flowing. You know i'm i'm i'm fresh, with with the information, that i was just, given, and oftentimes, it's a refresher, of some stuff that i already knew but i had forgotten, and maybe slipped through the cracks, and i'd come back and sell a car. And, you know which was fantastic. But. You're right, after. A few days. Maybe a week, getting closer towards month end, you know your, your, retention. Of whatever the subject matter was. Kind of drops off but, for me, you talked about role playing earlier, and we were big on that you know we had a few colleagues, we would challenge each other when the times when we had some down times, we would role play so that we had our word tracks, down. Right so that we we could use them. Eloquently. And we wouldn't seem like we're trying to just use a line on somebody. But we would we would, eventually. Try to get each other's, you know we try to stump each other and we would just rehearse, and repeat rehearse, and repeat. And and i think that's where you know we were able to have some success, because, we took it seriously. We wanted to that's the other piece too. Not everybody wants to be trained. Right, some people think they got it all figured out. And uh. And that's so that's that's part of the challenge i think too. I don't know man i think that. I mean i. I agree with everything you said except that last part that not everybody wants to be trained i think that we do i think that in sales in particular when it comes to role-playing. It gets awkward and uncomfortable. It kind of goes against. I don't know our own nature. Of you know what i mean it just feels, weird. Yeah but. That's the thing right when you don't when you don't know, i and i think that's the biggest thing i think as a sales person you're. You don't want to be exposed. In front of your peers. Yeah like, i'm going to get a question or i'm going to get something that i don't know how to overcome the objection, or whatever and people are going to look at me and they're going to think that i can't sell. Right. And so that we we kind of uh. Um get nervous in that sense but, i think that it's that it's. Dude imagine if you did that every single day man you take, 45, minutes before you hit the floor. And you have a a, sales per or a sales manager, or, or somebody, there that's that's in charge of training or that third party. Uh partnership, or whatever that's there every single day and does that for, for an hour. And you just do it every day every day every day every day i think that. Number one you start to get a little bit more comfortable with the idea. You'd probably start to get more into it. And then you start to see those. Those, uh, efforts, pay dividends, on the floor because if you're not training, every day with your peers, and you're not role-playing, you're practicing, with your customers. You know what i'm saying, yeah and that's a very dangerous, place, to practice. So i don't know i mean do you agree with that or do you have any idea, i mean does that make sense or is there something that you do that's different like can you talk a little bit more about, kind of like the. Yeah and, you're right practicing with your with the customer can be dangerous, espec, i mean, especially, if you're a rookie. Right like. Rookies, aren't gonna. You know they don't have the ability to you know, and again in this day and age just you know, maybe i'll maybe, put a little precursor, here. You know. We're, guilty of. Being. Charged, of. Long, drawn out sales process right it takes too long to buy a car i spend half my day in the dealership to buy a car so, when i say slow, the customer, down. I don't i don't say slow down as in we want to drag the process, process out as long as we can. But. We have to be able to manage, our process, in a way that allows, us to do our job which is to build value, in the brand, the product and yourself, in your store.
Right, But a rookie. Sometimes just gets steamrolled, by a customer, and they're gonna they end up, dealing with more customers, than the average veteran, rep does so they're burning through ups like 90.. Yeah it's it's absolutely, dangerous. So. You know the last. Almost the year now, we've been getting ready to build out and we've just launched our new tool. Um. A company called the mark academy. And we're trying to fight against. What you're saying there which is giving, reps, the opportunity, to take. Daily practice. Right, so we we've developed a tool that will allow, sales people to. Practice. On an ongoing basis, daily. Right, but utilizing, some technology. To deliver. Them. The content. In which they need the most help, so i always say i don't want to teach you something that you already know. Right. That's a good way to lose engagement, in a hurry sure. Okay. But so what our tool does the second you start engaging with the tool, it delivers, a completely. Unique, learning path. To the to the individual. And. That. As they engage, it's it's identifying, what their knowledge gaps are, so that the content, that they're gonna get is gonna help them. Sharpen their own acts. And and just it's that daily, repetition. Right you're taking reps on an ongoing, basis. And we only that's just a few minutes a day. It's it's obviously, self-directed. Non-demand. Um, so that you can you can do deeper dive if you need to. Um but essentially, we, we ask that they spend a few minutes a day taking what we call a mastery, moment. Which gives them access, to the the sales process. And the content. Within our curriculum. And. Will hopefully allow them to sharpen their individual, acts based on where they need it most. How do we, how do we, and, not just technologically. Speaking just in general, you know for any any decision makers or particular sales managers that are tuning in. How do we identify, those those weak areas with within our team. To your point earlier right because you're busy you're, going, 100 miles per hour and it's very easy for you at the end of the month to be like okay, john you're you're fired because it's your third month in a row you haven't sold a single car. But maybe john would have been an amazing salesperson. If we would have been able to. Adjust, and correct, because that's ultimately, what we need to do right we need to adjust and correct. Because, especially, if they don't know, you know what i mean you can't if they don't know and they're just thrown out there to, you know, make it happen. Which is often the case. Um. We're not really giving them the opportunity, to to, really shine you know what i'm saying. So any any ideas, on on how to do that effectively, i think, i think a big, i think a big. Part of that. Is, as a manager. You got to get out of your chair. Right you got to get up you got to get out of your chair you got to be in the showroom, you got to be walking around you got to be listening. Right. And and i think i think a big a big piece. That. Maybe is a bit easier said than done, right, it's, maybe a bit easier said than done. Um. But these are often. People challenges. And and we can't just simply, introduce, a process, to fix a people problem. When it comes to culture. Right. How many people do you know in this business. Who are afraid to put up their hand to say. I don't know. I made a mistake. I need some help. Right most of us are fearful, we're scared for our life, to make any admission of any of those things. At risk of getting our asses handed to us and getting packed out the door. So. As a leader. You know i always say, uh and i'm gonna steal this this is from a guy i follow named simon cynic. Um. This isn't my own language by any means, but he says leaders aren't responsible, for the results.
Okay. Leaders are responsible, for the people. Who are responsible, for the results. So, as a leader, and again sometimes, we get this title as a manager. And we might have been the top dog we we used to crush the board every month and we we sold. 350. 400 cars a year. But. Those are the guys and gals who end up getting promoted to be a manager. But do we train them on how to be a leader. Right and that's, and that's the question. Yeah. No i love that and to expand on that so you mentioned simon sinek i'll throw, uh, david taylor out there who's the. The ceo, of procter, gamble. So he talks about. You know, as a leadership, your. Your. Your role your job, is to be able to help your people, articulate. Their definition, of success. Think about that it's that's what your job is and then get out of the way, you know what i mean and let them you know give them the tools within the organizations, that you're working with, so that they can accomplish, that. You know oftentimes, in the car business our definition, of success, is selling 40 cars a month, or 50 cars a month or 100 cars a month whatever that is, but that's not necessarily, going to get going to get that person to be. Um, a good, gsm, or a good gm. Maybe the guy that sells 20 a month is going to be a much better gm. Because, that's his that's that's his definition, of success. Um you know what i mean and he's a natural, born leader and, and i think we often times in this industry we look at at success, as. Sales. And then we promote these people and they're not really, a they're not they're not a leadership, type of personality, mentality. Mindset. And b. Um, we just think that because they were good sales people, they're going to be good at. Um. You know at managing. And um, i don't know man it gets it that's a, i think we don't have a clear, way. Of of. Fostering. Leadership. Within. In our within our dealerships. No i agree, and and that's i think that's you know part of my mission these days is to. Is to help. Do what i can, for the stores that i work with. To allow their managers. To think more like leaders and, because, what happens is they. You know again they're. They're a salesperson. They climb the ranks. And, and they earn a spot on the management, team. So they try to manage, the results. And they crack the whip they you know they pull someone in their office they go up one side and down the other. That's not an environment, of, growth and and you know. Like it. Like, just just i mean i'm a hockey guy too i'm, a sports fanatic. You know i use the analogy of squeezing the stick too tight. Right like, if you're nervous, about making a mistake. And you're going out on the ice and you're trying to score goals you're squeezing your stick too tight, it's just not going to work, you're too tense you're too tight you got to play loose, you got to play confident. Right, how confident, are you how confident are you if you're fearful. And if you're tense, and you're tight. So, you know the saturday, mornings. You know. I used to make those all about, positivity. And excitement, right not, smashing, and, pounding people into the pavement, because they didn't, hit their target last week or last month.
Um. Because it's not it's not going to work and, you know i've also coached minor sports, for a number of years. And, uh. You want to learn patience, go go coach a, six, a team of six-year-olds, on a ball diamond. Yeah. Ready. I'll pass on that. Right, there there's a test of patience, for you and so i mean we got to be patient with our people too. And if, you know you mentioned jimmy over there who hasn't sold a car for a few months. You know, if we look in the mirror and we ask ourselves. As the leader. Did i do everything i possibly, could to support, him, or her. Whether it be jimmy or sally. Exactly, because the last thing. The last thing you should do is fire people that is the absolute. Last thing you hired them you saw something, in them you saw a potential. You saw, something, in them. That, something, is there, if you didn't foster that if you don't develop, that if you don't don't turn that into. Um, you know. The abilities, and the skills necessary to succeed that's on you man, yeah you know what i'm saying. So. You got it, you nailed it. It's just it's. It frustrates, me sometimes, to see, um the turnover to see because and here's why because you can, this is this is an industry where you can make an awesome living we were just talking about this before. Before we got on on on, recording, here, you know like i i'm i made a lot of money, um as a. In my career, man as a, when i started out as as even even when i was. Um writing service. You know what i mean and so. The opportunities. Are there to make to make a good living the opportunities, are there to to to learn and develop, and get skills. You know what i'm saying. Um it's a great industry to be in and we shouldn't be in the situation. Where. Um there's there's turnover, and people are afraid to work at a dealership, and there's a stigma of oh well you know i'm a car salesman, no man like there's so much more to this industry. Um it just frustrates, me sometimes, that we we. We fail at at. Kind of projecting. That image and that message out there you know what i'm saying. We fail our people too, all too often, um.
And It's and it's, it's disappointing. Because it is such a great industry, and i think yeah like you said before we got recording, we talked about. Doesn't matter where you come from what your background, is whether you've, you know gone to school you got a shiny degree. It doesn't matter you can make it in the biz, you can build a successful, life for your family. You can. Um. But it's difficult, based on where you land, and whether or not you're given, enough of an opportunity, to earn those stripes, and that's often, what what happens is folks just aren't. Giving that that that chance and you know i look at hiring. Um. A, little bit you know you think think about your family you have kids. Yeah yeah uh 13 and a nine-year-old. Okay so i got three boys. So almost three just turned four and gonna be 10.. And. You can't fire your kids. Can't do that, right. And, you know we, we, after our first, you know we we lost, we lost the child, you know and we didn't think we were gonna have another kid we tried forever, and we we, it was a grind we didn't think it was gonna happen. So we started talking and looking about, like adoption. You know is that an option because we wanted to have a bigger family. And, you know we never went down that path because we ended up having two more boys, and and we're grateful for for healthy children. Um, but same idea when when, you know if you're to go down that adoption, path. You know you don't, say, i want. A blue hair you know our blue eyes, blonde hair yay tall. Right there's no. There's no resume. Right, but maybe if you meet a foster, kid you get a feel for them, you see how what their vibe is you know you think you can get along. Like you know will they get along with your other kids, and you feel them out well that's a job interview. Right and if you see something in that person. And you find, you choose, you know you adopt a child. Right, you're not firing them if they don't. Do what you need them to do, six months later. Right like you don't. Do what you can to help that child. Learn what they need to learn, to grow, and to become, a, you know a contributing, member to society. And i think that, that, mindset, if we committed, ourselves, to our people. As if they were our own children. You know our turnover, would drop dramatically, because we would genuinely, put more effort in those individuals. When they need it. But it's not just it's the bigger impact man i think that and and i know that i'm generalizing. Which i hate doing because there are some dealerships, out there that do an incredible, job they're really really yes. But um you know in the context of this conversation, like it's not just the turnover, and it's not just the stigma, it's the turnover, and the, the compounding, effect that that has it impacts morale. It impacts, your. Your bottom line because it costs you so much money to, have to you know. Burn through people you know train them and, and then lose them and then have to do that cycle, all over again, and above, all else what a lot of people don't take into consideration, when they're looking at this equation. Is a long-term. Impact. Because if you commit to that person if you if you give that person if you if you give them the the tools necessary, and you foster their growth. It's, great for the organization. Because now you can take that person, and that person, can start to contribute, more and more and continue to add more and more value to the organization. And long term, i mean let's just let's just focus on sales forget about the other departments. What does a veteran. Successful, sales person. Have. That, that no gm, is going to want to lose. Their book of business, right their customers. And if that person leaves, those, a lot of those customers, are leaving with them. You know what i mean and so. It's just, you know long term it just makes sense it's a good business practice to. To invest in firing people should be the absolute, last possible, thing, you know, like if there's. Uh ethical, issues and things of that nature well i mean, those are things that you can't fix you can't retrain, you can't i mean that's just just that's just character, so that's gotta go. But anything else man you can teach that person you can, you can foster their growth you can help them, achieve, different things and that's done through training and development. That's into training and development that's why the investment, in that department, needs to, needs to go up considerably.
In The industry. Yeah and you know here here's a little twist and it's it's a bit of a mind boggler for me and i imagine it'd be similar, for you. Um. I posted a video on linkedin a little while ago, and and one of the crazy. Oxymorons. Of the car business. Is, co-op funding. And how much money. The manufacturer. Invests, in, advertising. And how, little if any. Funding. Is provided. For co-op. To train their people, it's backwards. Right we're going to spend millions, of dollars. To drive, traffic, to the stores. To be managed by people who haven't been trained and are not equipped with the tools and resources. To support their customers. It's it's completely. Backwards. It's backwards. Yeah that's, that's. Isn't that crazy. That makes a lot of sense man crazy. It's not co-op, right like if the dealer wants to sign on with with our company today. He can't submit. The cost for co-op. But he could find some, random marketing, agency to, whip together a campaign, for him and they'll pay him. Yeah and god forbid it's successful, and now you get a lot of people in the store. And you you. Mismanage, all that all that traffic. Yeah you don't remain. Yeah so it's like that makes that wow that makes a lot of sense man yeah, it's a weird it's a weird crazy. Piece, you know that uh. I, i don't i don't understand. You know if if we can help, change that tide. Where, the manufacturer. Would consider, even just a portion of those that ad spend. Um, you know, maybe that helps maybe, dealers are more willing to take a shot, and and to go out on a limb, to bring in a third party. To help train their people. Um, you know, if they're if they have some support behind it. Yeah i mean it's all it makes sense if you break it down in that way it really really does. So so, um, okay so moving the conversation, along because i didn't want to talk with this. Excuse me i can't talk i wanted to talk about this, specific. Um. Um kind of idea, or concept. With you. Uh since we're talking about. Training. With the current landscape, dude covet, and, everything because, you know it's it's weird for me because i want to say post covert but we're really not, post coded yet. Um. But. What do dealers need to be doing or how do they how should they be looking at their business a little bit different when it comes to training. Hiring, in particular. And um. And letting people go too man at the same time. Yeah, i think, i think, dealers. They have to have their feet moving they have to be active. Right. Um, you know there's, there's. And we maybe shake it right back to the leadership, conversation, a little bit from earlier. Uh, is is. You know what else, are you doing, to equip your people. Right like like what tools and resources, are you, you providing. Your your managers. Um. To, to be a little different now there are some folks, on linkedin. These days some car sales guys. Who are just absolutely. Killing it out there, you know massive, followings, they've got they've got their, youtube, channel. Um, you know they're they're posting, content, regularly. They're adding, value, to the community, you know they're not hard, selling. Oh, today we got this zero percent like it's it's not this, you know, promo, promo promo. It's it's kind of building a little bit of a personal brand and i think if dealers could maybe. You know take a little bit of a page out of the real estate book. You know your sales people are essentially, running their own business right you talk about that veteran. Who's got a massive, book of business those are, his customers. Right. They're the dealerships, customers. But they are. You know if that person leaves the store, a lot of those customers, will follow them so. If if, salespeople. Took. More of an active. Role, in their own livelihood. Instead of just staring out the door or waiting for that, elite to pop through. And they got out in the community, find, find a cause that's important to you right find something that resonates, with you, go into the community.
Be Active in the community coach a sports team sit on a board. You know participate, in their community. Get to know more people outside, of your your circle. And and, just, genuinely, do good by people and then eventually. You're going to find new customers. Right your people are going to know hey this is this scotty guy he's a car guy but doesn't seem like the stereotypical. Car guy, right like he's not wearing a plait jacket. So so you, so let me let me just break that down a little bit so um you're talking about, what i what i'm getting out of that is that. Um. The, the individual, is making the difference, right so in the in the in the current environment, you know and obviously utilizing, the platforms, that are available to them the distribution. Content distribution, platforms like social media. They're making the difference they're going out there they're educating, their communities, they're informing. Their communities. They're reaching out to people. Uh perhaps, a doc not just about what the dealership, is doing. In a coveted, uh type world but, um. You know just promoting their, themselves, is that is that kind of like yeah yeah personal brand. Personal brand. You know one thing i i used to do. Um. I i made a newsletter, every month. Right microsoft, word i type it out. You know word search was in there i had some jokes, some car care tips i'd throw in a i throw in a recipe. Um, you know i remember this one time i was uh. I was at the mall. And i heard scotty, scott scott scott and i look and, it's a customer, and and she comes running across she's oh. Your chicken, tetrazzini. Was delicious. And i, and i was laughing well like it wasn't, i i called it scotty's, chicken tetrazzini, but. It was just the recipe, off the internet. Right. But, you know i. I, did and again i think it was it was one of my mentors who said look you've got to set yourself, up, for success, to, separate, yourself from the competition. You've got to stand out from the pack. Right and. And i still say this to lots of salespeople, that i work with. It's it's, sad. But it's true. You don't have to do anything. Over the top spectacular. Unfortunately. In this business to separate, yourself from the competition. Yeah i mean that's what's crazy, and then the reason because, the reason for that is because everybody's, pretty much doing it the same way. So if you just tweak your approach and i've said this so many times on the show if you just, tweak your approach just a little bit. Just a little bit you do something that's different instead of, text you send a video or instead of, you know you have a newsletter, you have something or your own website. Yeah like those things, man they they're, they just it just pops in customers, eyes because they'll go, they'll talk to, x amount of dealerships, and every single. Interaction, is the same and then they get something that's different and it's like a a, breath of fresh air you know what i mean that's it now, i think i think that covid, has. Or the covet situation, landscape, has. Kind of accelerated. That in a certain way because i i feel that, a lot of those things that we could have done as dealerships, to differentiate, ourselves in our common practice. In a lot of ways. Yeah. And so. But it's also. Created. Um. It stimulates, creativity. Right because now we got to think of okay i can't that everybody's doing that because now we're in a cove what else can i do, so what else can i do right and that's i think that's really beautiful i think that in, two to five years from now, that's really gonna, gonna, start to show. Uh dividends, for a lot of folks that are that are, that are under pressure right they're starting to look at their business a little bit different they're starting to adjust their their processes, because of that because they need to create differentiation. Let me ask you this question so you're you're in vegas. I'm i'm in london ontario, so i'm in canada. Um digital retailing, is a buzzword, these days right you and, you know you've got, some of these these online, retailers. That are that are making a bit of a dent in the marketplace, and and, you know their valuations, are skyrocketing. You know. It's. Digital, retailing, tools are available, up here north of of, the border. Um. And and. You know some dealers, think that that's just the way it's going to be guys are just going to fill their cart like they're on amazon, and they're going to buy it now and away they go. I, i believe, that. The technology, will allow us to accelerate, the sales process to make it more convenient, for the customer. But the customer.
That's A big ass to click on the 50, 000. Ask to click on the click of a button for a lot of people. That's a big ass so. For us i think, if we can, find a way. To keep the human element. Involved with that digital sales process. Dealers can differentiate, themselves. Right because. Yeah but i mean we're looking at that whole thing and here's here you know. You know, rant, alert. So here we go. Um, i've talked about it so many times this season but, i just i got uh every time i get an opportunity, i just can't stop but so here we go right so. Everybody's, focused, on that idea, of, of. You know buy online and all this stuff number one. We don't deliver, a buy online experience, for the most part it's not like a carvana, thing that the car just shows up, at your, at your door. You know what i mean, the customer, really what they want is they want to save time they don't want to spend four freaking, hours at your dealership, you know what i mean and they don't want to get hand over from, closer, to, the box, to, you know what i mean, they just want a seamless, experience. They want to go in they want to pick the car that they like they want to drive it they want to purchase it and they want to go home. You know what i mean that's it, and, we have this idea of control, and we got to slow the process, and we got to keep the customer, there and and all these things and it's just it's just it's. It's it's enough. You know what i mean. And here's the thing with digital retailing, like we, tell the customer buy online. And then we don't deliver on that experience, what does that do to the customer it builds this trust. We're already, screwed on the stigma, part of the, of the industry. And now what we're doing is we're amplifying. That by telling the customer, oh you can buy it online, but you got to come into the store and you got to go in the box and you got to test drive the car you that's not buy online. You know what i mean stop calling it that better yet say start, the process, online. And every time the customer, completes a step in the digital retailing. Path. Reward, them with time congratulations. Mr customer you just saved 30 minutes congratulations. Mr customer you just saved an hour congratulations. Mr customer. It'll be 25, minutes. Uh uh when you are at the store. At the end of every single click, that's more of a realistic, experience and when the customer, goes that that online, experience is gonna mirror the in-house, experience.
And Then, that's gonna that's gonna. Validate. Um. The consumer, that's gonna validate what you're doing but, until we we we get there. Um it's not going to be a seamless. It's going to be friction. And. I mean there's just it just doesn't, fit, that whole thing doesn't fit. Yet. Do you know do you know anyone out there who who's, got it figured out yet. I think some stores so i i work with a group in, in, saint george utah and they'll deliver the car 50. 50 miles within the dealership and i think a lot of dealerships, are doing that, but when the customer, goes online they can't really do that's not that ex that's not the experience, it's not a carvana. Esque, experience. You know what i mean where they don't have to go into the brick and mortar and they can just wait for that car to arrive. Now to your point. I'm i'm going to be 40 in two years right. And i talk to my to my age group all the time and nobody, ever says i'd buy that car online everybody wants to go to the dealership. And i think a lot of the reason for that is because we grew up, going to the dealership with our parents test driving the car so that's kind of ingrained in how we purchase a vehicle i would never spend, any. 20, 15. 50, 000 i would never spend that kind of money. And never see, the car. Now i can buy the car differently, because i'm in the industry i can text a friend or somebody or a client and be like hey i want this car and i go in there and sign and drive and go. Why can't we make that experience, like that for everybody, if that's really what they want. We can do it, we do it for friends we do it for vendors we do it for people that that we have relationships, with why can't we make that, the all the experience, for everybody. That's really what the consumer, wants. You know what i'm saying so i don't. I don't understand, now. Our kids. I think our children, will by will want to have that seamless. You know click with the button car shows up if they're even going to be. Purchasing, cars but by that time, right but, you know they make a conversation, for another yeah. Yeah, it's a control, it's a control, factor i think okay like, relinquishing, that control. I mean me. And you know obviously i referred back to linkedin a few a few times on our chat today but, um. I i. Made a comment on a post the other day, i will pay more. Every single time. To get in and out of there quickly, i will pay more. Like, i don't want to spend. Four hours negotiating, to save myself a few hundred bucks like i don't, like i got three kids. I'm working i've got a wife, family. You know i've got hobbies. You know. I'm busy. I like. I'll give you an extra 300 bucks just to not deal with the pain. And stress, of wasting my, saturday, afternoon. Well before, before i got into the industry dude and i think i bought maybe one or two cars. Where i had to wait for in five hours, and i never had to do that ever again. But, dude it's frustrating, as. Dude, it's just it's a frustrating, experience, to be there, all, day. Waiting and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. You know what i mean and then, when i when i when i was on the other side and i could buy it seamlessly. And it was easy, and quick, and and and it was just done it was like. Damn man like, why can't we offer this we should be able to offer this to everybody, can you imagine a dealership that does business like that and listen i know there's restrictions, and all that i get it you know, i'm not trying to say that, that that there aren't but man if you could figure that out like if you could just have, it you know just take one step closer to that experience, by having one person, handle the whole thing. One person. He's your sales person he's your closer he's your finance, person he delivers the vehicle. You have that one dude that does everything. And that customer never sees anybody, else and they don't feel like they're bouncing around from person to person to person you know what i mean. Would go a long way.
Yeah. Empower, your people, empower them. Yeah, make decisions, but again. Because our managers. Aren't, leaders, in most cases, they're managing, the results. When that's not their job right they should be. Managing, the people who are responsible, for the results. And if we are able to empower, our people. Because there's there's sales people in the biz. Who have earned their stripes, who. End up, being just as you described. Right they they do their own turnovers. Right, i mean there's there's far fewer of them than than the majority, of course but, there are, there are. There are of course even in, canada some smaller, stores. Where you know the the gm. Is still a sales person, i i talked to a guy literally today, in. Rural british columbia. You know he's the general manager, dealer of the store he's got one sales person, and he said we're the only two sales people he referred to himself as a salesperson. And and you know we're we're talking about training and he's like. You know. We hold the line, we don't drop our pants around here. Right like we hold the line. And guess what, our csi. Off the charts. Right but they are empowered, to manage the entire process, from start to finish, and i hazard a guest, they get people at in and out of there in a relatively, efficient, manner. Yeah dude it would it would it would automatically. Uh it would automatically. Cut time. Because. You know you don't have to wait for that in person i mean think about when you go into the box you got to wait for that guy, if you especially if you have one person you have five deals, and you're, deal number four forget about it you're there all day. You know what i'm saying. So. Is it a surprise, that ali rita, is the number one sales person in the world like this guy does everything, i mean he has a team now because he sells so many freaking cars. But he does everything he doesn't, pass his customers. Out to anybody. He handles a whole thing. That's a different way of looking at the business that's a different, if you want a true differentiator. Now in this landscape. Look at doing business that way i like it. I like it man let's empower, let's empower, our people. Let's, let's. Let's give them the tools that they need to, you know and of course we got to relinquish, control and it's easier said than done. It's easier said than done, and and for anyone who who's vibe in our conversation, here today. And if you haven't read it the infinite game simon cynic, go pick it up, you know. I'm not endorsing, it for any other reason because i'm a believer. No one's commissioning, me to say anything there, um. But, it is a difficult, journey, to to switch your mindset, from that finite, game. Um you know we're, we're we're playing in an infinite game. But we're we're, we're playing with the finite, mindset, and. We're like no nobody actually wins that business. Right, you don't win that marriage. Right you don't win that parenting. Right. These are infinite, plays. Right. These are infinite, plays, it's not like a hockey game where that buzzer sounds at the end of the third period and whoever had more goals wins.
Right. Business is an infinite, game. And, and i love that that's such a that's such an interesting concept, and thought, but you know, the good news is, is that. You know the generations, are changing not just the consumer generation, but the leadership generation, within the industry. And so now is the time to. You know for all the people that are going to be transitioning, here in the next five to ten years. And kind of taking over the reigns. You know my challenge to all of you. Is to. Look at things differently, look at the business different, be. Brave enough to be bold, and do things, differently. It's gonna pay off. It's gonna pay off because we've been doing this deal the same way. For so, long. That if you just tweak it man if you just change, a little bit. You're going to stand out it's going to be a different experience, and and customers, are going to reward. You for that because they don't like what what we're delivering, right now they don't like the experience, that we have now. No, no find find a purpose, that your people can get behind a you know a just cause so to speak. And and just strive, to get better every day just to improve. Because you know. Even though and we call our competitors, our competition, right it's it's very common. For us to you know say oh that guy down the road he's a competitor, he's a competition. If we think of them more as a worthy, rival. Right because you can't win the game doesn't end it continues. Just because you sold more cars this month, doesn't mean you won the game. It doesn't. Right so let's let's think think differently let's look at things you know. Through a different uh different, lens and and i agree man and if we can do that. And we can put our people first. I think we're onto something. Yes sir. All right my friend, well, listen this has been awesome i really appreciate, you taking the time to join me on this deal. Um. The pleasure is mine. Yeah man, there is one question that i ask everybody but before that i want to give you three minutes.
To You tell us about you what's going on in your world, how can people get in touch with you. Um, you know just uh let us know man. Yeah i'm i'm uh. I'm a i'm a dad i got three three, boys who keep me on my toes. Um family guy i grew up uh, in london ontario, i married my high school sweetheart. Uh we've been we've been the best of buds for years we we actually stood next to each other in our grade four class picture. Uh we had the same mushroom, we had the same mushroom, bowl cut. Um. But uh, you know i i'm, just i'm just doing what i can to to make an impact, on this this wonderful, business that we call the car biz. And, uh you can find me on linkedin. Scott wayne. W-a-i-n. Is how you spell the last name, and, uh. You know i'm always happy to chat with anybody who wants to talk shop i love the biz, i think we can do better. And i think there's lots of us out there who know that. So if i can be part of the conversation. To uh. To help make a difference then you know then i'm uh, i'm feeling like at least i'm doing something right. Awesome brother thanks again for doing this really really appreciate, it, all right so there is one question that asks everybody that comes on the show and that question, is, where do you see the automotive, industry headed in the next five years, and why. Where do i see auto industry in the next five years and why. I see, i see the auto industry. Shaking, things up, dramatically. Uh when you've got you know we talked about the carbon, experience, you know and depending on the demographic. Not. Not everybody's. Ready to pull that fifty thousand dollar trigger on their keyboard. You know but the generation, behind, us are, more likely to do so. So. I think if you are a small. Mom-and-pop. Shop. You have to do what you can, to step outside your comfort zone. To grow your business, to get yourself, to a. Point where you've got enough volume where your, your, customer, base can help sustain, you, otherwise, you're going to you're going to get gobbled up by a, dealer group who. Who has, large volume who've got deep pockets. And and who are looking to grow their network. And it's, going to be it's going to be survival, of the fittest here that the landscape, is going to look dramatically, different.
And, And unfortunately, i think there's going to be some folks who who are no longer going to be playing in the game. And if we can if we can, shift our thinking as we talked about earlier. And we can uh, put our people first and think. Think within the rules of an infinite, game, then we've got a good chance to, to rise to the top. I love that dude i love this thought of the infinite game that's that makes, a lot of sense and i'm. Yeah dude. Yeah it makes a whole lot of sense. All right, well, dude thanks again for doing this, really, appreciate, it hey everybody make sure to check out, uh scott wayne, on, linkedin. Connect with this guy. Lots of good information. That's all the time that we have for today. Thanks again for tuning in. And as usual. We'll talk. Later. Vendor management, solutions. We come in like the epa, to clear out the pulleys. Go keep your pioneer. Clean, your inventory. From product pitches, meetings, to cost negotiations. Your vendors, have you swamped. You have cars to sell. But most of your time goes in managing, your vendor relationships. Wouldn't it help to have someone, navigate, the way ahead. Enter, dealer talk vendor management, solutions. A filter, between you and your vendor so you only have to deal with what's most important. We inspect your digital, data to get optimum, results for your money. Here's what we do. Give you an accurate, idea of what's working, and what's not for every digital, service. Get vendors to submit, monthly highlights. Low lights and recommendations. Sift through their data to give you those metrics, that matter. Evaluate. All package, content, or cost changes, and product pitches. Do monthly, marketing, budget analysis, to ensure better rois. Finally. We give you concise, reports, and monthly, videos, with actionable. Insights. Now, you can focus on what really matters. Selling cars. Contact, us today, and your first 30 days are free. Let's build your business. Together.
2020-11-20 12:48
