I often ask dealers this simple question, “How many of you have an employee handbook?” You could hear a pin drop in the room; it is so quiet. I get it. The idea of going through pages and pages of an employee handbook sounds torturous at best. And the thought of creating one sounds even worse. If you have been around Bob Clements International for any length of time, you know we are passionate about [...]

Do you remember being in high school?  And the time your teacher assigned the dreaded group project?  You know the ones I’m talking about. The one where it was a group grade, but only one person really did the work. They were the worst. For me, one specific group project comes to my mind from a history class. Our assignment was to create a video depicting a historical event. We needed costumes, a script that [...]

“Help, I need a manager!” This is a conversation we have consistently with dealers. Finding someone to come along side you to help run and manage your dealership is a big deal. It’s not a step that should be taken lightly. The right person for this position has to be a someone that not only you trust and get along with, but that your people will respect as well. One of the most common mistakes [...]

When you think of the word ‘salesperson’, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s words like slick, slimy, greasy, con-artist, or snake.   I think most dealers agree that these aren’t words they want to hear when others describe their salespeople. So, how do you find salespeople for your dealership who aren’t slick, slimy or greasy? As you think about hiring for your sales area, it’s important to understand that you need different sales roles [...]

When you think about sales people, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s words like slick, slimy, greasy, con artist, or snake. Now tell me, who wouldn’t want to be a sales person when those words come to mind? As you are looking for salespeople, I think most dealers we work with would agree that the words above aren’t words that they would want to be said of their own sales people. So, how [...]

Not just anyone can be picked off up the street and be placed at the parts counter. There is a mix of customer service, technical knowledge, sales ability, and attention to detail required to be an excellent parts person. So, when you are in need of the mystical parts person, how and where do you find them? With season upon us, there never seems like there are enough to go around. We often talk about [...]

If I were to pick the one question that people ask me the most, it would be this: “How do I find good technicians?” It’s no secret that it is a challenge to find qualified technicians. Programs are created to train up technicians, but it seems like there are none available when you need them which, most of the time, was yesterday. So, how to do we find good technicians today? Hire Low and Grow: [...]

When working with dealerships, I’m often asked, “How can I help my new salesperson succeed – right from the start?” Most salespeople, especially new ones, fail for one reason; they don’t produce enough daily activity to get their business up and going.  This is why I encourage owners and sales managers to make sure that the salesperson is starting out with a sales funnel that is full of customers to contact.  Whether your salespeople are [...]

Compensation, regardless of the position in a dealership, is always a hot topic.  How much can I afford to pay? What level of performance do I have the right to expect as an owner from my people? How do I know whether I am paying too much, or just as bad, not enough, and then risk losing my good people to a competitor?  While I could do a day-long program on compensation programs for dealerships, [...]

MSRP and Retail Pricing may not be the same thing. One of the most common questions I am asked from new dealers, just getting into the business, has to do with MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) and why we would encourage dealers to charge more to the customer that what the manufacturers recommend.  As I share with dealers, the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price, is just that, a suggestion.  It doesn’t mean that you must sell [...]