Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is this more important than ever in today's business environment?
   Because in this market every opportunity to do business counts. In the past, dealership phone calls have been handled poorly at best. As an industry we have selectively followed up our unsold customers and paid lip service to maximizing our repeat and referral business through client base management. Many dealerships have been successful despite their lack of training, accountability and processes. Those days are done. Your people need to get good at their jobs. As an industry we need to make our people better before the market gets better.
2. We've sent our salespeople and managers to plenty of seminars and classes and you know how it goes…they're pumped up for two weeks and then it's back to business as usual. Why is this any different?
   First off, what most dealers have called training over the years really hasn't been. Sending your people to an eight hour seminar at the Marriott and expecting their behavior to change is the equivalent of watching a day of golf at the Masters and expecting to leave a much improved golfer!

   We do not conduct "pump up" sessions. "Training" is a process comprised of several elements. If any of these elements are lacking in any program you select, your results will be short term at best. The elements of our process can be summarized by the acronym "E.T.A.M."

   EDUCATION = Learning. In order to train, people must first be educated. They must understand what is expected of them and why it makes sense. In general, education can be conducted in a classroom setting, interactively or utilizing books and audio materials.

   TRAINING = Repetitive Application of Learned Skills. Typically in a seminar environment salespeople are educated, but not trained. We mistakenly tend to expect the results of training from education. This is the equivalent of trying to become a good golfer by watching a lot of golf on television. Salespeople must first be educated and then trained in the form of role-playing. We not only role-play with your staff, live or interactively, but we also then teach your management how to continue and set-up an ongoing in-house training regimen. Effective training can be accomplished in as little as five to ten minutes daily when conducted properly.

   ACCOUNTABILITY. You can't expect what you don't inspect. Results must be measurable and reported. We will either work with successful existing systems at your dealership or enhance them with ours.

   MANAGEMENT. Every team needs a coach. With any training you embark on, management is the key. Your management staff will be training side by side with your salespeople. In addition, separate management sessions are conducted either live or interactively that focus on training and managing individual salesperson activity. The majority of sales managers today are good "desk people" and "closers," but lack the specific skills to manage consistent productivity. We will equip your management team with specific skills and tools necessary to produce long-term results.
3. Do we have to setup a "Business Development Center" in order to be successful?
   Not necessarily. In discussing "Business Development," results are the goal whether they are achieved on the showroom floor, or in a "Business Development Center" environment. Each dealership presents different challenges and each dealer has different goals. What works for one dealer may not necessarily work for another. Our experience allows us to make specific recommendations based on your individual situation and goals.
4. Do you provide parts and service training?
   Yes, we do. A majority of parts and service business is conducted over the telephone, yet service advisors and parts counter personnel, who in many cases have more of a technical than sales background, are often ill prepared to handle what is ultimately a sales situation. While at your dealership a Proactive Training Solutions trainer can work with both your parts and service personnel to ensure that your parts and service customers are being handled in the same professional manner as your sales customers.
5. Why is automotive management training so important today?
   Many sales managers become managers simply because they were top salespeople. However, more often than not, these people do not receive actual management training. The skill set necessary for selling at a dealership may not translate directly into management skills. Some of the key responsibilities for sales managers include closing deals, desking deals, hiring, and firing. However, the two most important responsibilities, especially in the current business environment, are training the sales staff and acting as a sales activity manager. That is, determining whether your sales staff is doing the right things, the right way at the right time to drive business. A sales manager must act as a coach.

   We offer two options for automotive management training. The first is "Management By Fire!," our three-day training session that is conducted periodically throughout the country. In addition, we also offer a management training course as part of our ADAPT VT online interactive platform.
6. As a manager am I able to track the progress of my sales staff?
   Absolutely! ADAPT VT allows for full transparency and accountability. As a sales manager, you can track the progress of each member of your staff to the most granular level. In addition, as a salesperson you will easily be able to track your own progress.
7. Why ADAPT VT?
   ADAPT VT is easy to use, incredibly effective and most of all a sustainable solution. Because the platform is online, it’s available 24/7, delivering the most current and up to date sales and management training available in the automotive industry today. Unlike a seminar, everyone can train at their own pace. Some people hear something once and they understand it, while others may need to hear the same message several times in order to retain it. Also, rather than managers having to take the sales staff hostage in the conference room for hours on end or sending them to an offsite workshop, your people can simply train in increments and during down time. This provides for minimal disruption to your showroom as well as scheduling.