Aren't you tired of the constant turnover in our industry? Tired of the retraining? Tired of the impact it all has on your customers? You'd think that after 50 plus years we would have figured out how to stop the bleeding, but the truth is, it's just getting worse. There's less money available per unit sold, so there's not as much money available to lure newcomers to our business. When you add the lower earnings to less than desirable working hours, you shouldn't expect the cream of the crop to fill out an application at your dealership.

So how do we change that? How do we attract a higher caliber of people who will want to stay at our dealership for a good part of their working career? Is there a way to pay them more money and provide them with better hours? I think there is!

The Transportation Consultant

When you ask customers their preference, they tell you that they'd rather deal with one person they trust than several people at the dealership. Yet, we are still so department-oriented and stuck in our ways that we don't even consider the obvious: if someone is smart enough to sell a car, they certainly are smart enough to write a service order and vice versa. And if someone spends just a little extra time, he or she can certainly learn how to write finance contracts and sell aftermarket parts and services.

What if the same person who sold you a car also handled your financial services and wrote your service orders when you needed maintenance and repairs? Whenever you needed anything related to transportation, you would contact your Transportation Consultant at the dealership.

But, but

I know. Here come all the reasons why it won't work. But that's what happens every time someone has a radical idea, like the thought that the World is round. But think about it. One person meeting all the customer's needs. Consider these benefits:

• The potential for commissions from one customer going to one consultant returns us to the high earning potential for which that top performers is searching.
• Consultants learn the entire business. This is important to attracting well educated folks. These consultants want to feel like they are getting more from their jobs, and they want some variety. This ensures that they don't get bored and that improves retention.
• Service business is heavier in the mornings. Sales business is heavier in the afternoons. Customers would learn to work with their consultants by appointment only and everyone would be much happier. After little more than a year, consultants could probably work Monday through Friday.
• You'd have more managers and fewer employees. Efficiencies would increase and so would customer satisfaction.

There's not enough time to get into all the details here, but just give it some thought. You'd get a better staff, less turnover, and happier customers. And that means more money and less hassle.

What do you think? Please post your thoughts and ideas.