How a sales manager should start their day
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The purpose of this document is to highlight for Sales Managers the key components of good time management to start the day and conduct One-on- One’s in an organized and productive 10 – 15 minute session.
· The Sales Manager to conduct One-on-Ones is predetermined by schedule.
· Start with the right steps. Get in earlier than the staff. The quiet hour before staff arrives is golden.
· Have your coffee and walk the lot. Ditch the scratch pad and use a mini recorder and make clear verbal notes regarding your New and Used Inventories. E.G. “2006 F-250 Stk.# P4466A – repaint the trailer receiver, rusty, Remove curled mud flaps and replace”. This is much faster than writing and easier especially in nasty weather. Now hand this to your lot personnel and they are productive out of the gate.
· Log in to SalesSmart, look at the Dealership Performance report and Team Listing report for an overview of the months skills, production and pace.
· Reception should already be aware that you are not available for calls until you let them know you are free. Shut off your cell set the office phone to DND and ask sales people on the One on One to shut off their phone.
· This is uninterrupted time. Other sales people know that they are not to barge in. Only acceptable interruption is if a client that requires immediate attention and no other manager is available.
· Because Sales Staff touched base with you prior to them leaving the night prior you know they are ready for One on Ones in the morning with all their numbers in and up to date. Touch the desk before they go off shift. Non-negotiable! No one leaves before they talk to the manger. Showroom log complete, questions answered, appointment target checked, have a good night.
· Open the Sales Person Performance report for the current month. This breaks out their complete performance for the month, compares against the individual goals and calculates their pace or projected month end.
· Review the performance data and discuss how to improve the benchmarks that are below target. Focus on first things first. (I.E. work on a weak presentation ratio before working on a weak now commitment) In coaching this person we need to explain what they need to do different to get a better result. Refer to the Professional Sales Consultant Workshop workbook as a reference to maintain consistency.
· Review of the live lists to discuss who are the hottest prospects and determine a course of action to get them back in.
· Review Appointment log and target for the day for each person.
· Give the sales person a specific focus in their selling pattern for the day then progressively discuss how it is improving.
· Focus on the positive and be very specific regarding the effort required to stay on target with outgoing calls and appointments confirmed.
This basic framework will invest some time up front in the day that will pay off with maximum dividends later. Each sales person is productive at an earlier point in the day with good direction. The questions you answer and the clarification you give means that 6 or 8 people will not be sticking their heads in your office 5 times sporadically over the course of the morning to get questions answered. Control the things you can. Have faith and stick to the plan. You may have to break an old routine to take advantage of these new benefits.
Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.
You must set yourself on fire.
- Arnold H. Glasow
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