Dealerships require a different type of leadership now than they did several months ago. In a post-crisis world, leaders need the input of trusted partners to guide them and their teams down the best path. Times of crisis change you; however, if you make the right decisions, it can leave you better than before. Here are three opportunities that should be shared with dealership leaders to inspire their team and assure a more productive future.
In a post-crisis world, leaders need the input of trusted partners to guide them and their teams down the best path.
What will you focus on? Many will focus on the damage done and the negative influences caused by the crisis. To move the dealership to higher profits, they must focus on three things:
Focus on what you can control, not the things you cannot. You cannot manage the number of customers coming to buy a vehicle, but you can control the experience that everyone receives.
Concentrate on what you have, not on what you may have lost. Crisis always causes losses, but they also offer opportunities, such as in this instance: improving our process, developing online and offsite options for customers, and improving our competitive advantage. Dealerships are not competing with other dealerships around the country; they are competing with the dealership across town. If your team and customer service are better than those across the city, that is a win. Improve the customer journey at every point, and it will bring growth in profits and income.
Look to the future. There is a reason the windshield is proportionally much larger than the rear-view mirror. The last few months have been challenging, with no shortage of uncertainty. However, the future is promising and open to those that seek out change and have the courage to move forward.
What does this mean? Perspective is the jewel garnished from extreme pressure. Looking back, we will find that our process has been slow to change in meeting customer expectations. Meanwhile other industries have been moving at a rapid pace to accommodate the customer journey. Long-standing principles will need to remain in place, and they should! The “why” we do things are the same as before, but the “how” must evolve. Challenge every dealership you touch to take a deep dive into how they are helping customers. How can they be more efficient with the customers' time and trust?
What am I going to do? Crisis demands immediate response to accommodate and enhance the customer experience and simultaneously grow profits. One word should summarize the go-forward plan of dealerships: Accelerate! Accelerate everything that develops your team and leads to a more time-efficient, profitable experience for everyone. Accelerate training, accountability, and the commitment to technology use. It sounds simple; however, it will require some honest and intense discussions to consider the path forward for each dealership. As general agents, prompting these discussions can be the difference between moving forward and going backward.
Leaders in dealerships are looking for direction and a path forward. Decisions need to be made, and these are three that will lay the foundation for many more to come. Share these with your trusted partners in the dealerships you serve and help prepare them for the future!
