Now that we know that John is weeks away from enlightening us on this, I would still like to hear from some internet departments that pencil their own deals and how that has helped their departments.
Scope of the Internet Director
- Thread starter ddavis
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Now that we know that John is weeks away from enlightening us on this, I would still like to hear from some internet departments that pencil their own deals and how that has helped their departments.
- Mar 7, 2012
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- Mike
I worked previously for a Toyota store where we penciled our own deals. At the time there were only two ISM's (myself and another) and no director. We went to the desk for nothing and we were wildly successful. It's that role that has allowed me to get as far as I have in the car business, and if the right people are doing that job there's no better way to run an internet department. The problem is that aren't a lot of people that can/will do that. Someone that's desking their own deals wants to be compensated like a desk manager, and a GM doesn't want to pay an ISM desk manager money (even though they get it back 10 fold). Our journey ended when other sales managers found out what kind of money we were making. I turned into the "internet director" and the other guy turned into the new car manager. We never found a combination of people and responsibilities that worked as well as when it was just the two of us doing everything on our own.
Mike, now that you are a Director at another store, would it be advantageous for you to pencil the internet deals, when you are available? I bet you already know as much about the deal, when the customer comes in, as the salesperson.
In most stores a good ISM that is producing 18-20 deals a month should be getting compensated as well or better than most desk managers. Right??
At my last store an ISM had to sell a minimum of 16 units to keep his/her desk. I am amused at stores that think they can keep quality people without paying them.
- Dec 2, 2009
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- John
Doug, I expanded my thoughts a tad here: click2curb | Manage What You See
I tried to use small words for you, but, to save you a few minutes later:
ma·tric·u·late
[v. muh-trik-yuh-leyt; n. muh-trik-yuh-lit] Show IPA verb, ma·tric·u·lat·ed, ma·tric·u·lat·ing, noun
verb (used with object) to enroll in or advance through a training regimen
[v. muh-trik-yuh-leyt; n. muh-trik-yuh-lit] Show IPA verb, ma·tric·u·lat·ed, ma·tric·u·lat·ing, noun
verb (used with object) to enroll in or advance through a training regimen
- Dec 2, 2009
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- 720
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- John
Why? A desk manager is responsible for 5-7 times that many units.
John, who wrote that for you?
Are you in the process of having a CRM that offers such transparency or is this a flash back from some designer drug?
- Mar 7, 2012
- 158
- 34
- First Name
- Mike
If this store was operating the same way I would almost insist on it. The process is so streamlined and simple here though that most deals don't need to be desked or penciled. Besides that the dealership here does about a third of the business, and the GSM insists on being instrumental at that point in the sale. My role here is focused mostly on bringing business to the BDC and managing the production of the BDC agent (now that we have one). I make sure that the hand-off goes well between the BDC and the sales floor, and at that point closing the deal is out of my hands. I also think that if I were penciling all the "internet deals" the GSM and Floor Manager would begin to revolt, because most deals that aren't referrals are coming through the BDC. It's taken most of the year to figure out the best process for this dealership, as well as what everyone's role would be within that process, but I think we're finally there. I can assure you that I'm not rocking the boat any more than I already have.
Mike, you definately don't need a revolt. You obviously know what you are doing and have put in the work. If I understand you, you are getting two thirds of the business through the BDC. How much is conventional advertising contributing to driving customers to your BDC?
