ISM Payplans or Pay

[fmullin123]

I'd love to get everyone's opinon. Take a guy (ok me) whose been in the business 14 years, 41 years old and a dedicated,high volume,good gross ,customers love him to death guy. Starts out with a family owned dealership 10 years ago (Lexus Brand), always the #1 or #2 guy in the store ,eventually ends up in the internet department ,grows it for 10 years (night and day,sweat and tears, up till 3am etc). Does it all, sells cars,good csi,good gross front and back, takes care of his customers, helps fellow workers,does all the internet admin stuff,updates websites, handles the vendors and reps , you name it. Finally after 10 years and two failed attempts to let others "run it" or "adminster it" and their gone they want to offer me a pay play along with me still selling cars (which I can handle). How do you know what to ask? How do you justify it? Any helps would be appreciated.

Frank Mullin
Internet Sales Manager
Hennessy Lexus Gwinnett
678 878 8665

 

[CAORYAN]

Frank,

I am some what familiar with your situation and know the two people very well. Those two guys were both from very high volume stores. They were used to owners that spent a lot of money online. What I see from your store is they just recently bought into the need for internet and are doing it half way. You also have a challenge with competing with a sister lexus store only 15 miles away.

Sometimes when you are around for a long time they tend to take you for granite. I personally don't believe you have the same person do all of the things you listed above. It's really not in the best interest of the dealership. He isn't making money if you are talking to me when I come visit you to get you to sign back up next week .

I was up the street running a internet for a store and I was making $12k a month. I heard those days are over. I can't help you with how much I don't believe. I was selling and doing most of the things you listed.

My suggestion would be to concentrate on either selling or marketing. If you do selling find someone or a company to handle your marketing. If you do marketing hire a few people to sell for you. Or....set up a BDC.

Hope that helped a little....I will come see you soon brother. Welcome to dealerrefresh.

 

[fmullin123]

Ryan,

Thanks man. I actually I do do all that and more. You can ask your Buddy Lollie, he knows. Lollie wasn't who I was talking about, this was a guy with less experience than him. They paid him a few hundred a month, I handed everything over to him, still oversaw things and he ened up fired after a year of traning. The way were setup you have to have someone in house overseeing things or doing it or a combo. Yes they are buying into it now but I can't neglect my 10 years of customers or new prospects without getting paid. Not anymore anyway. I'll see you next week and any other ideas /payplans etc on this please let me know.

Frank Mullin
ISM
Hennessy Lexus Gwinnett
678 878 8665 Or 770 680 8037

 

[CAORYAN]

You should ask for a salary to pay for the extra's that you do. Getting a salary of $30 to $40k plus your commission seems fair to me based on what I know about other ISM's in the area. If not I would ask for a skilled assistant. Train him/her to handle all the busy work and you concentrate on sales.

 

[Jarrett]

Frank, I think you are asking for someone who has your same dedication and desire to succeed that has motivated you for the last 14 years. Pay Plans alone do not usually attract/motivate this character type.

To find this you will need to look hard and hire smart; and probably wont get them on the first or second go around. If you are not able to find someone already doing this in another store with a proven track record your best bet is not to be focused on the pay plan but instead on applicants that have the IQ and dedication required, start them in an entry level position (like most of us did) and those that rise to the top will be your Best candidates.

The qualities you desire in an ISM can't be taught but instead have to be learned.

Pay plans elements we feel are beneficial include Salary, Objective based commission and growth based commission. Pay on closing ratio, unit gross (front and back) as well as quality of response. The salary offsets the setup and maintenance aspect of marketing the product; something that desk managers have not been able to directly affect until internet sales became a viable avenue.

Just some thoughts...

Jarrett

 

[Jason Walter]

I'd love to get everyone's opinon. Take a guy (ok me) whose been in the business 14 years, 41 years old and a dedicated,high volume,good gross ,customers love him to death guy. Starts out with a family owned dealership 10 years ago (Lexus Brand), always the #1 or #2 guy in the store ,eventually ends up in the internet department ,grows it for 10 years (night and day,sweat and tears, up till 3am etc). Does it all, sells cars,good csi,good gross front and back, takes care of his customers, helps fellow workers,does all the internet admin stuff,updates websites, handles the vendors and reps , you name it. Finally after 10 years and two failed attempts to let others "run it" or "adminster it" and their gone they want to offer me a pay play along with me still selling cars (which I can handle). How do you know what to ask? How do you justify it? Any helps would be appreciated.

Frank Mullin
Internet Sales Manager
Hennessy Lexus Gwinnett
678 878 8665

My story is similar to yours...I started out selling and doing it all and over the past 10 years have grown it to managing 9 Internet Sales People.

In my opinion i would be more concerned with what the dealers vision for the future of the internet department. Because if you as an ISM and the dealer on not on the page as to how the store is going to grow it than they will just keep running through people. Plus if the dealer is not committed to the vision than he will not be willing to pay you what you are worth or give you the support to grow.

If he is and can see the value in what you will bring, I would ask for a fair commission on what you sell and the ability to hire someone that can handle all of the web maintenance. You cannot do it all and grow as a dealership...Once I got to the point where I was selling 20-25 cars a month that was the ceiling....so my dealer over the years has been willing to take the step to grow it. We hired someone to help with maintenance, we then went to a full time CRC and now have cradle to grave salespeople and a CRC. We also have someone on payroll who handles all the maintenance, social media, video, and web design. It was all about the growth to my dealer and he paid me more as we grew. If you do it that way, when you have hit your ceiling and it is time to grow you and the dealer will be on the same page and you will be able to get the help you need and the pay you deserve...

Hope this helps....

 

[fmullin123]

Thanks for all the advice and info, obviously its not just about getting "paid" so some other things to consider here. Its a hard balance. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!