“The leader can never close the gap between himself and the group. If he does, he is no longer what he must be. He must walk a tightrope between the consent he must win and the control he must exert.” – Vince Lombardi
Would you agree that great people drive greatness and without good people your business is just a ‘sound check’ getting ready for the real show? I do and that is the message I wish to expound upon. There is a growing movement that states; this new market economy is all about taking stock in people. Without motivated, engaged, well-trained, and cared for employees, the dealership loses its most important component, the relationship. Consider this: without first building solid relationships with our team, it becomes difficult for them to build solid relationships with their prospects and customers. The end result is that we most likely will not have ‘loyal’ customers. Just temporarily satisfied ones. While obvious, this reality is often overlooked. The solution is either re-tooling your current team, or finding and developing a new one equipped in building long lasting customer relationships and enjoying the fruits of employee satisfaction and engagement.
“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins
Have you ever tried to explain something to someone, only to be met with a blank stare? Maybe you were trying to tell a vendor why his one-of-a-kind program wasn’t working. Maybe you were seeking to inform your team about subtle changes to your dealership’s health insurance plan. Maybe you were attempting to help your teenager with a problem. Whatever you were trying to do, it just wasn’t working. Somehow, the message you were trying to convey wasn’t getting through to your audience. In fact, you may as well have been talking to a rock. The ability to make the complex seem simple is a mark of a good communicator. Some people do this naturally–they have an innate capacity to explain complex concepts in ways that evoke understanding instead of vacant looks. For other people, speaking with such clarity is more of a challenge. When you’re a leader, however, it doesn’t matter whether explaining tough ideas is easy or difficult for you. You have to be able to speak the correct language the person you are addressing can understand -and do it consistently–if you want to be successful.
“The secret of my success is a two word answer: Know people.” – Harvey S. Firestone
The absolute best way I have found to truly understand and align with individuals is through utilization of Behavioral Profiling. This serves as a foundation for deep, lasting relationships. If behavioral profiling is strong enough to launch long, loving marriages and international diplomatic negotiations its positive impact on your employees and your customers could possibly be outstanding as well. While behavioral profiling can improve just about anything that involves people, we’re going to delve into two specific situations for you to use in your dealership today. First, lets cover an important basic element which revolves around communications.
There are three factors that influence communications:
- The Words Said
- The Vocal Elements (the way you say something and your tone of voice)
- The Non-Verbal Factors (body language, the way you hold yourself, walk, smile, sit etc)
On a percentage basis, which of these three factors do you think was rated highest in its importance to a customer in promoting them to make a purchase from a sales person? Which finished last?
Ranking #1 was Non-Verbal. Yes, it is the way you present yourself. Are you confident? In control? Comfortable? Smiling with friendliness? These all add up to making your customer feel good about you. Which do you think was next highest? Vocal.
Most people responded in a similar fashion – Words were most important. In fact, between 40 and 70 percent of people surveyed responded with and voted for; it is the words you use that is most important. However, according to a UCLA study, only 7 percent of people are influenced by words. Especially if they are salesperson’s words. Right?
Moreover, 38 percent are affected by your tone. But, by far the single largest factor in communication, the one rated most important thing is your non-verbal body language. At first this surprised me too. But the more I thought about it, I realized how someone’s passion and emotions can make it easier to transfer an idea to others. This is truly worth repeating;Someone’s passion and emotions can make it easier to transfer an idea to others.
The first use for behavioral profiling is with your own team.
There are essentially four types of behavioral profiles each having sub-profiles with various specific attribute traits. However, for the most part each of the four major profiles are easily identified and therein lies the secrets or instructions in how to deal with each individual exactly the way they want to be treated. Each behavioral profile has its strengths, as well as its weaknesses. As a manager, it’s vital that you understand the behavioral profile of each person belonging to your team. This insight will help you affirm each person’s positive actions, and alter his or her negative traits to help them be more successful in the long run.
Does your dealership like most have a few people that just don’t seem to get along, or a team that just doesn’t seem to gel as a single entity pushing the same direction? If this is the case, the solution may be found by utilizing the first step of behavioral profiling, awareness. You, as a manager, should implement a behavioral profile understanding/awareness program. Through the utilization of this type of program, each of your employees will learn about their own behavior tendencies, and how their tendencies impact the people they interact with daily.
This will have a greater rippling effect than you could possibly imagine because, by in large, most people aren’t aware how much their actions, language choices, and verbal / non-verbal communications affect how their communications are received. The result of this hit-or-miss interpersonal connectivity prevents a group from totally harmonizing, and creates unnecessary animosity among teammates. Once your team grasps the concept, continue to challenge each person to modify their interpersonal communications to create total team harmony.
Managerial Tip: The tongue can be used either as a weapon or a tool, hurting relationships or building them up. Sadly, it is often easier to destroy than to build up, and most employees have received more destructive comments than those that build them up. Every person you meet today is either a demolition site or a construction opportunity. Your words will make a difference. Will they be weapons for destruction or tools for construction?
“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools do.” – Benjamin Franklin
The second use for behavioral profiling is with your customers.
The fundamental basic foundation for selling and/or servicing vehicles, is building a good first, then long-term relationships with your customers. If you don’t believe this, stop reading this article and head back out to coerce and hammer a customer. However, if you’re one of the many dealerships to embrace this concept, behavioral profiling may be the missing link. Years ago, customer relationship software was touted as the key to building and keeping relationships, and it has taken most of that time for people to realize CRM software is only 10% part of the solution. CRM is there only to facilitate and help your people and processes to be fulfilled. The missing link, however, was, and continues to be, the human element, and more importantly, modifiable interpersonal communication. Data does not sell customers – people do.
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” – Henry Ford
Always be listening for keys on how to communicate better with your employees and your customers. Do not take comments or objections personally. Our industry has earned the reputation for not being overly trustworthy and the customers simply don’t know what they don’t know. That is, you are different than the other people in this business. You are a true Professional. Have Patience. A good relationship takes investment time. Prove to them that they are the most important thing to you at this time.
Remember the rule in dealing with customers: Go Fast, Go Slow – Go Slow, Go fast. If you try to speed up the sales or service process it will typically slow down the process due to miscommunications, or the customer feeling that they are being rushed. Thus, go slow and be thorough and watch the selling cycle go faster and smoother.
Be Empathetic. Truly feel the customer’s position and align with them. They will sense and know if you are real or phony. Always be ready to change directions if what you are doing is not working.
So here’s the solution: Get yourself trained in behavioral profiling first. Then train your entire staff in identifying their own, their teammates and each customer’s behavioral profile which will give them the awesome tools for being able to adjust their message accordingly to each individual they speak with. If they can effectively, in a repeatable manner, practice active listening, and message modification, everything will increase! Sales will go up because more leads will be converted to completed deals. Gross margins will increase because the focus of conversation will be moved off the topic of price and onto the relationship part of the business. CSI will go through the roof because customers will be sold directly at the level they are comfortable buying.
Getting Started: If you have a regular training firm, give them a call to ask if they offer a course emphasizing behavioral personality profiling with communication adaptability. However, if you don’t have a training firm, or if your firm doesn’t have an applicable course, sent me an e-mail and I can point you in the right direction. The most important item to take from this article is that you need to start embracing behavioral profiling and enhanced communication techniques while you’re still ahead of the curve. Make your store a great place to work and your customers will make it a great place to buy.
They are looking and watching.
Chuck Barker
Chuck Barker has been CEO of his two companies, Impact Marketing & Consulting Group, LLC and Impact Summit, LLC, for the last 24 years, both located in Virginia. His experience ranges from an executive with Harris Corporation (16,000 employees) one of Fortune Magazine’s largest companies to the automobile industry where he has performed all executive positions. His companies specialize in growing businesses, dealerships and people. He delivers unparalleled sales & service development programs, management leadership workshop programs and dealer/principal business & profit improvement ideas for automobile dealerships.