In 2010, we expanded our services to include management of consumer and business-to-business events in the wine and food industries.  The following practices are paying timely dividends for our business clients.

  July 2010 - Profitability and Growth Best Practices

• Survey sold customers to identify shopping trends including specific web sites, media effectiveness, loyalty sources and referral sales. 
  
• Recognize employees who consistently cultivate customer loyalty using information from customer surveys.
  
• Every employee should know the top 3 reasons why customers buy and service at their dealership.  
• Introduce sales managers early in the process to personally welcome each customer.  This can increase closing percentages by almost 20%.
• Managers who coach individual sales persons on follow-up strategies at beginning of every shift will more than double the follow-up generated sales. 
• Create a web-based "Virtual Inventory" with testimonials, digital images, and timely incentives to buy TODAY.
• Provide "loyalty incentives" for customers, business clients, employees, friends and family to encourage repeat sales.
• Invite every customer to at least one event per year and monitor participation levels
• Time is money; the more time a customer waits to complete a transaction, the less money you will make. Simplify using web communications tools for key transactions including appointments, customer updates, invoicing and deliveries.
• Finance specialist should contact higher mileage end-of-lease customers at least 18 months prior to the lease expiration.
• Create cross-trained Flex Teams to assist sales and service specialists during peak customer volume periods.
• Less than 15% of service and parts customers generate 40% of revenues.  Recognize them and watch your referrals grow.     
  
• Start a second shift in automotive service if you have consistent volume and excellent supervisors. Collaborative supervisors should overlap at least two hours at the shift change, and the work mix for the first three months should be limited to internals and pre-diagnosed jobs.
• Use "Premier" clubs and/or events to show appreciation and further encourage your most loyal sales, service and parts whoesale customers.
  
• Grow business with higher mileage and older products by enrolling in "Concours Club" and offering discounted services during slower periods
• Optimize fixed operations revenues by improving service consulting, technician diagnosis, parts fill rate, workshop proficiency and deliveries.
• Use video tools to coach key processes such as the service walkaround and sales meet and greet.
• Use inexpensive video display technologies to enhance the customer's experiences.
• Provide Express, remote (Roadside, Dockside) and special services consistent with the dealer's strategy and the market competitive analysis..
• Post events on web site and retail displays featuring at least two upcoming sales, service or parts events.   
• Set next service appointments proactively using "preferred customer strategy" supported by e-mail, text and phone reminders.
• Ask satisfied survey customers if anyone did an exceptional job and share the specifics at the start of every workshift.
  
• Collect and update e-mail addresses continuously using web contacts, events, contests, appointments and transactions.
  
• Cultivate Business-to-Business clients to increase sales, service, parts, accessories, detailing and body shop revenues.
  
• Review technology expenses twice a year including those related to internet access, web page, computer network, telephone systems, cell and Push-to-Talk phones.  Negotiate all technology contracts with a "match or void" clause that requires firms to match documented competitive rates every six months or the contract is null and void.
  

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"      Maya Angelou