It’s true, isn’t it?

But this is the harsh reality: There was a moment in every single one of your employee’s lives where they called their friend, their wife, their husband, their mother — whoever — when you originally offered them a job at your dealership and they were so excited for the opportunity.

They probably posted it on Facebook and they received likes and messages congratulating them on their new personal and professional success. And for a moment, at least, they were ready, willing and able to put in the work to become great.

And then they didn’t.

So what happened? And why do they now show up late, skip updating the CRM, work the desk too much on discounts, always seem to forget the copy of the driver’s license, and so on?

They lied.

Honestly, that’s half of it. You’re probably responsible for the other half … let’s just face it.

The Harsh Reality

Most people simply will not put in the work to be great. Want to sell more cars? Work longer hours. Want to hold more gross? Come in an hour early each day and role-play. Want to be the best at endorsing a VSC to your customer to assist F&I in their efforts? OK, have you ever actually picked up a copy of the customer’s contract and read it so you know what you’re talking about?

I could go on … and on … and on … and on.

Again though, that’s only half of it. Let’s talk about you for a second:

1. Do you provide very clear (that means written) responsibilities to do their job?
2. Do you have an initial onboarding and training program (again, in writing) of which the entire front-end staff (particularly your leadership) has collaborated and perfected so that literally everyone knows exactly how you want them to sell?
3. Were they assigned someone during onboarding to actually train them on this curriculum and role-play it until perfected?
4. Are goals and WIFMs (for “What’s in it for me?”) clearly established, creating sustainable “win-win” opportunities for both the salesperson and the dealership?
5. Is there ongoing training? Do you spend time with them as you determine over time what they aren’t good at? Example: If they suck at getting people into the dealership, have you recognized this and worked with them until they are?

If you’re doing all five of these things as a dealership, congratulations! You are in the top 1%. If you are doing only one of these five things, congratulations! You are still in the top 70%.

Wait … doing one of these five things means you’re doing better than 70% of your competition? Yes, that is correct.

Lead Your Leaders

The truth is that most dealerships simply don’t allow enough time and bandwidth for their leaders to be able to curate and facilitate any of this. There’s just not enough time, and just because you’re a leader doesn’t make you a trainer.

I know fantastic car people whom I would never allow to train people. Just like anything else, being a professional and “great” trainer takes work. It’s a full-time job. Hence, the statistics listed above. Most dealerships don’t do any of the listed items.

The effect? Most of it is difficult to measure. However, your gut is a pretty good guide. If your turnover “feels” high, if your volume and/or gross is stuck in the mud yet you continue to increase your ad spend, inventory level, or buy that shiny new CRM with all of those slick tools … your gut knows. Trust your gut.

Have you ever just considered that training is the issue? You hire a bunch of new people, print up some business cards, HR has them sign a handbook, and IT gets them an email address. And then you tell them to “hit the floor.” Are you crazy? No wonder you’re giving your cars away, both upfront and during negotiations.

Do not keep telling this lie to yourself that this is the new normal: “I can’t find good salespeople anymore.”

Damn, that’s funny. Why? First, you’re right. You can’t “find” them. You have to develop them. You have to invest in them. You are half of the equation here, remember? You have to help them be great.

The solution? Make an investment in your people. Either consistently train them or find a company that will do it for you. Whichever you decide, it will be far cheaper than doing nothing. These are facts.

Shawn McCool is president of Dealer Advantage Group, a national training and advising company for franchised and independent auto dealerships.