When Business Slows, Train To Grow
Best Practices For Dealership Training
When business slows, training is often the first line item to go. I would be the last to propose that lean times don’t call for cost-cutting measures. However, when dealers choose to forgo training, they can lose more than they seek to save when productivity plummets and morale falters. As long as we think of training as an expense rather than an investment, our employees will get the message. And it may not be the one we want to send.
We train to make gains in production and profit. If business is down, doesn’t it make sense to look for new ways to bring it up? The right training at the right time can help you get there.
Training is available in various venues – publications, industry events, and seminars, to name a few. Fortunately, it is not a matter of choosing one delivery method; rather, the task is to mix and master the methods that will generate sales momentum when and where you need it.
Publications
Articles abound in a wide variety of industry publications. Articles are great for sparking interest, answering a question, and alerting you to important issues. (Yes, sometimes you have to get past the sales spiel when authors write as a method of advertising.) Whether you read and research online or in print, when you can get past the pitch to find an idea that you think may boost business, pass it on to your employees and say so!
Industry Events
Trade shows, association conventions, and 20 groups give you access to not only the latest products and services, they also let you discover what your colleagues (and competitors) are doing to build business. Today, there are formats and functions tailored to every dealership role. Business grows when motivation flows. Make certain you give your employees an equal opportunity to find “deal vision.”
Seminars
Whether delivered in store or off site, seminars require that employees be a step or more removed from the job in order to participate in more formal coursework. In-store education can be cost effective if you have several employees to train and adequate space to conduct the sessions. Off site training presents a time efficient option since there are no interruptions to break the concentration on skill development.
Whatever form you choose and whenever you deploy it, training shows you how to capitalize on opportunities to sell, rather than focus on roadblocks to profit. Training is a vital investment in the one resource that is the cornerstone of every company – the people who take care of business. Lean times call for action, not retreat. Make training your first line of offense to move your business ahead.
World of Special Finance Magazine, June 2006