Build Processes to Keep Top Performers

In November, I spoke at the RVDA Convention/Expo about how to retain top performers at your dealership. Let’s take a deeper dive into some ideas I addressed at the convention.

First is hiring and retaining quality people who have the right character traits. During my class, we covered numerous attributes such as communication, listening skills, staying current with techniques, dressing and behaving professionally, having a game plan, showing a positive attitude and more. All are equally strong traits, with none more important than the other.

Top performers have all these characteristics, but if one is missing, the consequences of that core trait’s absence can be glaring. As an example, consider a salesperson with an outstanding attitude who is a notoriously poor listener. Despite their other strengths, such salespeople will consistently fail to help your customers.

The Opportunity

When you are creating a list of desired core traits, one characteristic that may not immediately come to mind is a respect of the opportunity given.

Long-term top performers respect the potential their position provides. They strive to maximize the opportunity’s results. This often-overlooked employee trait is rarely evaluated or considered during the hiring process. Managers often ignore the characteristic’s absence when a candidate appears extremely talented.

Many managers have experienced past employees who, despite checking all the boxes on core traits, failed to transform the position into a career. They left for other opportunities when things became tough (whether that is a dramatic market shift or a personal issue).

Rather than trying to hire the perfect salesperson or manager who believes your job is similar to any other position available, seek out and hire a person with strong moral character who you can develop into a long-term performer. Remember, you can train someone to make a better follow-up phone call. You cannot train someone to care enough to follow through on their commitments.

Putting in the Time

Top performers want the opportunity to work and will strive to excel. Show job candidates the upside your position offers, and you will attract top performers to work at your dealership.

They will work harder because the effort will result in making more money. You must teach them how to make more money, and then give them the resources to consistently follow through.

The challenge is most managers were not $200,000-per-year sales performers before becoming managers. Having never been top salespeople themselves, some managers struggle to meet their top performers’ needs because they do not recognize what those needs are.

In addition to learning their managerial job, managers must also learn and master the jobs of employees who report to them. Managers need the same training as the salespeople they oversee to recognize when staff are performing tasks correctly. Managers must know and be able to fix incorrect behaviors, if necessary. These skills come from attending the same training the sales staff does.

As an example, managers log and track sales behaviors/tasks to gather the information required to compile accurate numbers. Those numbers indicate the remediation areas where struggling employees need help to improve.

Top performers want a good coach who will push them further than the performers push themselves. Logging and tracking statistics and behaviors help coaches do that. Consider professional baseball players who, at some point, were taught to swing a bat really well. When they arrive at the major leagues, they still want a batting coach, despite knowing how to hit. The batting coach does not teach them how to swing but how to recognize the need for a swing’s approach angle adjustment. Professional baseball players rarely spend time editing game films and using protractors to scrutinize their swing. That is their coach’s job.

Top performers want a coach to have accurate data to determine where they are and how to improve. Avoid showing them the store’s

average numbers because the information will anchor them down. Do you want an average employee or a top performer?

Amazingly, people will quickly gravitate toward the average. Do not allow them to accept what “normal” is. Share the top numbers in the industry with you best performers. Show them what they are capable of!

Roger Bannister is famous as the fi rst person to run a mile in under four minutes. Before Bannister broke the record, the four-minute-mile barrier was considered physically impossible. And yet, on a rainy day in 1954, with winds up to 25 mph, he did the previously unthinkable. If not for the crowds and people tracking Bannister’s time, no one would have believed his story. Because the hard data was there, the record was recorded and released to the world.

The most amazing part is Bannister’s record was broken 46 days later. As soon as people knew the barrier could be broken, others did it. More than 1,400 people have now broken the four-minute mile. Show top performers how to navigate previous performance barriers, and they will fi nd a way to break through them all.

Top producers in any fi eld train every day. They might set aside an hour a day for disciplined and targeted training. In addition to dealership-mandated training, top performers read trade publications, owner’s manuals, forums, manufacturer and dealer websites, as well as do service walks and more. Top performers are always looking to improve. They are not afraid of and are willing to do the work. They will build target market plans, prospect and host customer events. If a prospective employee failed to do this work for another dealer, they likely will not do it for you, either.

This is work ethic—something you can often spot in an interview. Because top people demand tools and accountability, they will be the ones interviewing you. They will demonstrate their worth with action.

Some people talk about how great they are. Look instead for those who demonstrate behaviors in the interview and “walk the talk.” They will ask you questions about pay structure and earnings caps, opportunities the dealership will create for them, and most important, about professional development.

Pay Attention to Top Performers

Top performers want to be kept informed and have resources directed to them. All too frequently when I’m training staff at a dealership, dealers want to fully focus their energy to develop the bottom three salespeople. While this is good, because we should always strive to raise base expectations by developing individuals and holding them accountable, we should not, however, sacrifi ce time with the top three performers to do so.

Managers often will leave top performers alone because they are not getting headaches from them. Those performers, however, will slowly develop habits hurting them. Make a goal to continuously uncap your top three performers.

Consider the time you spend with the bottom three performers, repeating the same lessons so the teachings sink in. What if you spent the same amount of time developing the top three salespeople’s skills to yield a bigger return over time?

Another key issue is how your sale staff handles leads. If you replace your bottom performers’ sales results with those of your average salespeople, how much more productive would the store be? Remember, each deal is more than the original deal; it is repeat business, referral business, F&I, parts, service and online reviews. Could you justify keeping the bottom performers if you had three average people to do their duties?

Perhaps the biggest reason to avoid allocating resources for top performers to bottom performers is the impact the investment has on longevity. Bottom performers either will take advantage of the opportunity and become better salespeople or they will wash out

Case Studies

Top performers are developed and kept because you coach them to make more money than they can walk away from.

With the accurate logging and tracking I mentioned earlier, you should be able to create a base acceptable minimum (BAM) line. If you cannot justify keeping someone who sells less than an acceptable monthly minimum of RVs, you need to act at month’s end. You must determine whether this is a quality person to retain and continue coaching or simply let them go.

Here are two case studies.

One is a mountain-state salesperson who is an upstanding individual, the kind you would trust with your kids. He learned all the necessary skills, yet he was not performing well. Our conversation centered around having him refocus on his work quality. I had a fi ve-day comprehensive sales course coming up the next week, so his manager took him off the fl oor for a full week in the middle of the summer. When the salesperson returned, he had the focus and skills to perform well for the remainder of the year. The next summer, he did not take the subsequent development step. So, the dealership sent him back to refocus and develop his skills. The salesperson is in his 19th year with the dealership and has never performed at average or below since.

Case study two is a coastal- city salesperson who also has high-character quality. He was a national top three volume salesperson for a major car line before joining the RV industry. Although he was a really good person, he had terrible habits.

His manager sent him to a comprehensive sales class eight times during his fi rst 18 months. He developed an incredibly strong foundation and skill set so that after the additional training, he posted top performer numbers each of subsequent seven years.

True top performers are thankful for the opportunity to develop and grow. Bottom people say, “I cannot afford to take time off to train.” What those bottom people are really saying is, “I cannot afford to take time off my unproductive schedule to train.”

Top producers do the work to get results. Market-driven performers sometimes appear as top performers, but they rarely respect the opportunity enough to stay at the top, despite the market.

Look for the next person to break your store’s “four-minute mile.” Focus your energy on uncapping long-term top performers and hire the next person who recognizes and will strive to break those impossible barriers.

Jered Sobel

President, Sobel University

Jered Sobel serves as president of Sobel University, a company providing training for management, salespeople and consumers across North America. He is best known for designing the industry standard onboarding sales training manual and co-authoring the consumer guide to purchasing an RV. Among his previous work experience are roles as a dealership salesperson, a general sales manager and hiring dealer staff.

The Best Of

Displays and Plan-o-Grams

In THE BEST OF aftermarket product section this month, we turn our attention to merchandising. The displays, plan-o-grams and point-ofpurchase items shown here represent the best in the category.

Displays engage consumers and lead to purchases. Displays effectively move high-profi t items or churn outdated and obsolete inventory. Plan-o-grams relate products used in conjunction with each other and create additional impulse buys.

Suppliers continue to create new, eye-catching plan-o-grams to spur simultaneous product and accessory purchases. Many displays include brochures, fl yers and other literature to help consumers easily understand product benefi ts. Retail stores can order merchandising materials through suppliers or distributors. Many displays are available free with qualifying product purchases.

TBO Index Index+

Adjust-A-Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Advantage PressurePro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Blue Ox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Camco Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Coleman-Mach, an Airxcel brand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Dicor Products, an Airxcel brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 GasStop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Gen-Y Hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Hughes Autoformers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 MORryde International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 NTP-Stag Private Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Progress Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Redarc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Roadmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Samlex America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Stromberg Carlson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Suburban, an Airxcel brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Thetford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Valterra Products dba TireMinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Walex Products Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Want To Be Featured In The Best Of?

Call (720) 353-4003 to find out how your company can be included. Upcoming TBO categories:

FEBRUARY

Freshwater & Sanitation

MARCH

Hitches & Towing

APRIL

Summer Camping Accessories

Samlex America

Samlex America’s Dealer Success Program is a multi-faceted merchandising program. The program helps dealers recommend a solar power or inverter power solution matching a consumer’s RV lifestyle. The program includes a solar-sizing guide, free point-of-purchase displays, brochures and sales team product training. An additional program provides Samlex Solar Kit sales incentives.

samlexamerica.com

Walex Products Co.

Walex’s freestanding display measures 73 inches tall by 27 inches long and 12 inches deep. The display includes fi ve shelves and six hooks to hold various Walex products. Packages and bottles containing Ovation Air Freshener, Porta-Pak, Bio-Pak, Assure and Elemonate can be featured on the display. Qualifying orders may result in a free display.

walex.com

Valterra Products dba TireMinder

The PGM401 TireMinder plano-gram provides consumers various tire monitoring items in a single stand-up display. The PVC display measures 3 feet by 2 feet by 1 foot. Atop the display is four dummy units: a TireMinder A1AS tire pressure monitoring system, a TireMinder i10 tire pressure monitoring system, a standard transmitter with valve stem and a fl ow-through transmitter with valve stem. The plan-ogram outlines placement of 14 products. A literature stand and fl yers are included.

tireminder.com

Advantage PressurePro

The FX tire pressure monitoring system shelf/counter display also can be set up as a freestanding display. The display includes information on FX’s three tire pressure monitoring system kit types. Starter and premium version displays are available. The freestanding display measures 53 inches by 16 inches by 13 inches. The display is free with a display kit order.

pressurepro.us

Stromberg Carlson

Stromberg Carlson’s leveling and stabilizing products are featured in the company’s two-gondola display. The display measures 96 inches wide by 52 inches tall and 22 inches deep. The display includes informative signage atop the display. Free two-sided signage is available with each display ordered. The display holds levelers, jack pads, chocks and stabilizing/leveling kits.

StrombergCarlson.com

Progress Mfg.

The Equal-i-zer hitch display is a stand able to display two hitches. An 11-inch by 17-inch brochure holder and a spot that holds fi ve DVDs is mounted above the hitches. The display enables sales personnel to demonstrate the Equal-i-zer hitch’s four-point sway control. Displays are free with qualifying Equal-i-zer hitch orders. Hitches are sold separately and are not included with the display.

equalizerhitch.com

Suburban, an Airxcel brand

The Advantage Water Heater plan-o-gram provides space for products and accessories for water heaters from 6 gallons to 16 gallons. The 3-foot-wide plano-gram stacks 5 feet tall with a shelf divider in the display’s middle. The display includes an 8-inch base. The plan-ogram includes a header card with space to host tankless or direct-fi t upgrade water heaters. Accessories such as access panel kits, water heater doors, vent caps, anode rods and control center displays can be featured.

airxcel.com/rv/suburban

TV MOUNTS

PRODUCT DISPLAYS | PLANOGRAMS

PART# UO153-027

ITEMS INCLUDED:

• 4ft TV Mount Header • 4ft MORryde Vinyl Backer • Header Clips (2) • Backer Clips (6)

• Shelf Strips (2) • TV Mount Feature Bar — Includes five of our top selling TV mounts

(2) TV1-025H (2) TV1-021H (2) TV5-002H (2) TV5-003H (2) TV5-004H Recommended Parts List

574.293.1581 | www.MORryde.com

MORryde International

A new 4-foot-wide TV mount display includes a 4-foot header card, a MORryde vinyl backer graphic, two header clips, six backer clips, two shelf strips and a TV mount feature bar. The display hooks into two vertical rails on a standard gondola or shelving. A bottom shelf provides space to hold boxed TV mounts. The feature bar displays fi ve mounts. Plan-o-grams are available upon request; TV mounts are sold separately.

morryde.com

Redarc

The Tow-Pro Elite POP display holds as many as nine brake controllers. Countertop displays, shelf talkers and aisle blades are available to merchandise the brake controller. Interested parties can contact their local sales rep to place display orders.

redarcelectronics.com

Dicor Products, an Airxcel brand

Dicor’s cleaning care line plan-o-gram includes a 4-foot-wide plan-o-gram and a standalone brush display. The plan-o-gram includes three shelves to display various sizes of exterior cleaning products. Cleaning brush heads can be hung atop the display. The standalone display features an image of Rudy and holds 12 extension poles.

dicorproducts.com

Roadmaster

Roadmaster’s 096 single-sided display showcases Americanmade tow bars and accessories. Measuring 45 inches by 21 inches by 87 inches, the 096 display communicates a dealer’s experience and ability to install towing systems. The display is free to qualifying dealers and includes signage and two display-only tow bars. The Nighthawk tow bar is illuminated on the display to draw consumer attention and create interest.

roadmaster.com

Blue Ox

The new DS-Hitch Tower fl oor display showcases adjustable ball mounts. The display is 19.63 inches tall and can hold as many as four ball mounts. The adjustable ball mounts are available in four sizes, with 2-inch and 2.5-inch receiver options. Interested dealers can contact their regional sales representative or visit Blue Ox’s Dealer Portal for more information.

blueox.com

Camco Manufacturing

Camco’s Curved Leveler two-tier freestanding fl oor display measures 66.5 inches tall by 21 inches wide and 15 inches deep. The stand holds eight Curved Leveler two-packs. The freestanding display can be located at the end of an aisle or by the checkout stand to encourage consumer purchases.

camco.net

NTP-Stag Private Label

The Aqua Pro 5.5 Universal Water Pump POP display is a countertop stand. The stand is made from durable metal and includes a vinyl graphic sticker and printed styrene backer card. The card outlines specs and product benefi ts. The stand holds one Aqua Pro pump (sold separately). The stand has predrilled holes and all hardware is included.

aquaproproducts.com

Gen-Y Hitch

The Gen-Y Hitch Executive Display stand is a heavy-duty stand holding one Executive hitch. The steel stand is made in the U.S. Brackets on the stand can hold a monitor and a catalog holder. Qualifying dealers can receive the display stand free; make inquiries to your local sales rep.

genyhitch.com

Coleman-Mach, an Airxcel brand

Coleman-Mach Climate Control Accessories are featured in the company’s new 3-footwide plan-o-gram. The display features three shelves and stands 5 feet tall, with an 8-inch base. The display includes a header card and enables dealers to showcase Coleman-Mach’s standard and MERV 6 air fi lters, air purifi ers and airspace heaters. New retail-oriented packaging provides a focal point to catch consumers’ attention.

airxcel.com/rv/coleman-mach

Hughes Autoformers

Hughes’ end cap display includes a header board providing large graphics and product benefi ts. Dog sign clings and a brochure display package with Power Watchdog surge protector products on three-shelf or four-shelf end three-shelf or four-shelf end caps. Free point of purchase caps. Free point of purchase items available include dog items available include dog sign aisle invaders, fl oor clings, sign aisle invaders, fl oor clings, an LED fl ashing dog sign, header boards, stickers and header boards, stickers and sales sheets.

hughesautoformers.com

Adjust-A-Brush

The 4-foot display includes a detailed plan-o-gram with ample space to display handles and brushes. The display includes a header card. Handles and brushes are sold separately. The display holds eight different handle sizes and provides space to hang eight brushes.

adjust-a-brush.com

Thetford

The Titan Tote display update kit revamps an existing Thetford display to include a new Titan Tote selling tool. The display showcases unboxed 2- or 4-wheel Titan Totes atop the display or within the side panels. Room is provided for additional Titan Tote product boxes. The kit includes a header, a front and two side panels.

thetford.com/products/ evacuation/titan-tote/

GasStop

GasStop’s ACME and POL shipping container includes 20 units. The container transforms into a counter or shelf top display. The display holds 10 devices, with 10 units as backfi ll. The shipping container/display measures 18.5 inches by 12 inches by 8.5 inches and weighs 19 pounds when fully loaded. The design enables clear point of sale brand messaging from most visible case surfaces and individual product clamshell packaging.

gasstopusa.com

When an RV center becomes a S¬FE T PLUS STEERING CONTROL Authorized Service Center, customers know theyʼre in an establishment that values safety and service in the RV owner experience.

P¬RTS

•New Sales increase by 5-10%

SERVICE

•Increase Revenue by $1,000 per ticket •Certified Tech Training

PROFIT

•Generate 40% margins

FIN¬NCE

•Conversion Rate is 30-45% •By adding an enhanced steering and safety product, you are creating dealership brand ambassadors for life.

Financing a Safe T Plus Steering Control adds merely a few dollars per month for your esteemed clients.

H¬PPY CLIENTS

•Share their positive experience •By putting a quality product that clients feel the immediate positive enhancement, they will tell 1-5 people. Leading more new potential clients and future ambassadors to your store

SAME DAY

SHIPPING AVAILABLE!

ENGINEERED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE USA