Our Program
Our Beliefs
When deciding which training and consulting firm to partner with, it is imperative that both the beliefs of the training company and the beliefs of the dealership are in direct alignment, otherwise, the implementation of the program, as well as the “buy-in” and accountability, will be compromised from the start. Outlined below are some of our beliefs and philosophies that serve as the foundation of our programs:
The Internet / Phones / BDC are the New Showroom
With up to 99% of Americans going online, prior to stepping foot into a dealership, the Internet and the Phones are the new showroom. Where the showroom was once the first step in the research process, it has now become one of the last steps in the buying process. If you don’t have a strong digital presence, coupled with the right people to handle phone and Internet leads, along with a powerful process, you are losing car deals!
The 4 P's
Here at Dealer Synergy, it is our philosophy that an Internet Department, or any department, and even the dealership as a whole, is made or broken, maximized or underutilized in 4 key areas: your products, your people, your processes and your promotions. It is with that logic that we have designed our services and programs around, to be a true 360 training solution. It is also with that logic that we audit the effectiveness of your team, your department and your dealership, to expose both your strengths and your pain points so that we may do more of what is working and remedy those areas in which are not.
CRM
A dealership’s CRM is the absolute most important tool a dealership possesses. It is imperative that you have a good CRM tool, coupled with the right strategy, action plans, processes, content and accountability. A CRM should be looked at like an extension of the dealership team members and as a housing unit of opportunity for the organization to build relationships, sell more cars and make more money. A strategically designed CRM should serve as a bridge between all departments.
People are Your Greatest Asset
People are a dealership’s greatest asset and differentiator. You can sell the same product as your competitors, buy the same leads as your competitors, buy the same exact tools as your competitors, but you can never have the same exact people as your competitor. Therefore, if chosen strategically and placed in the right roles with appropriately trained and motivated examples, your people are not an expense. Your team would be your greatest asset, and give you an advantage over your competitors!
"You Can Make as Much Money as You can Earn!"
- Sean V. Bradley, CSP
Culture of Interdependence
Dealer Synergy is the only official automotive partner with the FranklinCovey organization, therefore, we see the relationships between departments at the dealership through a different lens. We believe that you can achieve more together, than apart. Each department can do well on their own and have success on their own, but to experience a whole new level of success and go from good to great, all departments must work synergistically for the same common goals and mission.
The Internet Director
The Internet Director position should be treated as one of the most important positions within the dealership. Often times it is seen as the last resort prior to giving someone the boot. They are given one last shot in the Internet Department. That is a grave mistake. In fact, we believe that today’s Internet Directors are the General Managers of tomorrow. A dealership’s Internet sales should account for at least 50% of the dealership’s business, therefore you need a General Sales Manager caliber person in that seat, otherwise, your entire dealership’s operations and profits will suffer.
Price is Only Relevant with the Absence of Value
Only 20% of customers are truly price motivated and when given a price, 96% of those customers will shop your price and most likely land in the showroom of your competitor that didn’t even beat your price! Even worse, 82% of customers end up buying a different vehicle than their original request submission anyway. Therefore, you spend all this time on a price issue for a vehicle they won’t even end up buying. Price isn’t the only important factor in your customers’ car purchase journey, but will be if there is a lack of value.
Leveraging Video at the Dealership
A picture may be worth 1000 words, but one minute of video is worth 1.8 million written words! Video should be a culture at your dealership. From the receptionist to the service department and everywhere in between, video should be integrated into all communications and services. It is a proven fact that people would rather consume video over any other form of media, therefore your CRM, your engagement and follow-up processes, your social media posts, your onboarding and your training should all be loaded with video.