One of the most important areas of the dealership is a salesperson's desk. Yet it is often seen as a necessary evil or a headache we just don't have time to deal with. Now, many dealerships are upgrading their facilities and doing a great job of streamlining showrooms, making service drive-thrus and waiting areas more user friendly and attractive. Some are even addressing the sales area. But once the remodeling is done and things are running smoothly, what happens? The dealership hopefully starts servicing and selling more cars. So what we need to do now is hire more salespeople.
But we've only ten cubicles and we have thirteen salespeople. Oh, don't worry, two or three of those will not make the grade in six weeks and we'll be fine. Well, one of the reasons they don't make it is because they never feel like part of the team. If you remember the very first article in this series, we talked about making the new person feel welcome (March/April 1997). Showing them the dealership, introducing them to everyone. The biggest part of that is having their own desk, their own space. A place they can call home. Somewhere they can put up a picture of their family and keep all their personal things together. Any salesperson will sell much better in a comfortable environment.
I know that not all dealerships have the luxury of having offices for every salesperson or even cubicles. However, the last thing you need is two busy salespeople trying to work out of the same desk. It always seems that the new kid gets stuck with the two-year guy and the two-year guy sees the new kid as nothing but a threat to his livelihood. Of course you'll never see a new salesperson sharing a desk with the 20-year vet. "Get this guy out of my office."
So now you've got a two-year guy sharing a desk with someone they would just as soon discourage as encourage, much less help them in any way, be it closing deals or learning the business. I don't mean to sound negative, it's just the nature of the beast.
Do everything you can to make new salespeople feel comfortable and welcome.
Now let's talk about desks and office space, specifically. I firmly believe that a salesperson needs a place to call home, but I also firmly believe that less is more. Most office areas are a collection of junk, paperwork, and some useless books and manuals. When it comes right down to selling cars, all a customer needs to see is a salesperson sitting across from them with a face they like and trust. If the salesperson has been helpful and working hard for the customer for the last two or three hours, the customer should trust them.
My point is that if the salesperson's desk is littered with brochures and rustproofing flyers and business cards etc., it all gets too confusing. There should be nothing on a salesperson's desk except maybe these few items:
1) A telephone 2) A blotter or notepad of some sort 3) A picture of their family 4) A plant
That's it! No calculators or payment books. No brochures or pricing guides. A salesperson just doesn't need any of that.
I know that every dealership negotiates deals differently, and that has some bearing on a salesperson's needs, but in most situations what would a salesperson need a calculator for?
"Mr. Customer, I'm authorized to sell the car for the price that's on the window, $16, 785 dollars. Just give me your OK and we'll wrap this thing up."
"I'm not paying that."
"Well, what if I could save you $300, which in this case would be (and the salesperson simply looks down on their blotter or notepad and writes down, $16,785 minus $300) $16, 485? If I could do that for you, could I earn your business?"
Now this is totally hypothetical, but you see my point. What did they need a calculator for? And if a salesperson has black books or rate charts or anything else on their desk, the customer's going to ask them questions that they think the salesperson should know. And they don't, because they are not the appraiser OR the business manager. Customers will ask questions like, "Calculate my payment," or "What's the book value on the car you're selling me?" Don't put your salespeople in that position.
Keep it simple and you will be able to control your salespeople better. You'll know they are not out there spouting off book values or payments when they are not qualified to do so.
Bottom Line? Be sure your new salespeople are comfortable and can focus on their customer and the deal without worrying about having to give up the desk when the guy who really owns it walks up with a customer and says, "Hey Joe, I need my office." (I've seen it happen.)
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. jbennett@dealeronline.com