As we talked about in the last issue, the best policy is to have salespeople always go along on demo rides. I mentioned numerous benefits for that, but the most important reason has to do with flow and control. If a salesperson doesn't go along on demo rides, the whole process gets herky-jerky. On the customer's side, if they are sent out on rides alone they have no support. What if they have a question? It won't get answered and that may prevent them from making a decision, whether they tell you or not. They may have a problem and get strandedall of these can leave a bad taste in the customer's mouth and turn them off to the car, the salesperson and maybe even the dealership.
In addition, while the customer is out on the ride, the salesperson is back at the dealership getting involved in other things some of them productive, some of them not. Let's assume that all of your salespeople are involved in productive things: following up on a delivery, finalizing some paperwork or calling back a prospect. All of them noble gestures indeed, but none of them addressing the most important thing to them - the customer they have now. When the customer gets back from the demo ride, the salesperson uses the world-famous, high-power, never-fails closing line, "Well, whadaya think?" or worse yet, they keep them waiting. In frustration, the customer looks at his watch and says, "Let's go, hon."
Here is my prescription for keeping the flow and sale moving forward:
It is called re-presentation. While on the demo ride the salespeople should spend a fair amount of time being quiet, listening and observing. At some time during that ride the customer always says something positive about the car. For example, "Boy, I really like that acceleration." The salesperson just takes that in, then when they come back from the ride and everybody gets out of the car, the salesperson says, "Before you go inside, Mr. Jones, I just want to show you one quick thing. I noticed you were impressed with the acceleration of the new ABC model and here's why." The salesperson opens the hood and talks just a bit more about the fuel injection system or whatever it is that helps that vehicle perform. The salesperson should get a bit more technical than in the original walkaround.
This "re-presentation" should only last about two to three minutes. We just want the customer nodding his head up and down and understanding us. This little bit of business may seem insignificant now, but as we get into the transition period in the next issue, you will find that it really sets the stage. Many salespeople, new and experienced, lose control of the customer after the demonstration ride. Re-presentation can minimize that problem. Good luck and good selling!
A 22-year veteran of the automotive industry, Jack Bennett is the author of "You Can and Should Sell Cars," a book which has sold thousands of copies and is being used in sales training by dealers from the Bahamas to Canada. If you have specific questions or require more information about this subject, please check the appropriate box on the reader response form on page 3.