Don’t Fall Off The Sales Cycle

One of the greatest sales trainers of all time said, “You can get everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar.

Of course, Zig was referring to sales as a way of helping people. Implicit in this quote is doing it repeatedly and consistently to help enough other people. It’s an ongoing, never-ending cycle with predictable results and helping enough other people.

Whenever I’m contacted by a shop that’s experiencing a sales slump, it’s almost always due to what I call falling off the Sales Cycle. It can be because they’re not doing the steps correctly, skipping steps (shortcutting the system), or something else.

Before we get into the Sales Cycle, I want to bust a few myths about selling in general. Selling is not:

• Getting people to buy something they don’t want, don’t need, can’t use, or can’t afford.
• High-pressure, arm-twisting tactics.
• Bait and switch deception or trickery of any kind.
• Sleazy, fast-talking methods to talk people into buying whatever you want to sell them.
• And contrary to “The Godfather,” it’s not making them an offer they can’t refuse. On the other hand, selling is:
• Making it easy for people to do business with you.
• Solving their pressing problems by listening and offering solutions.
  • It might not be fixing their car.
  • It might be getting their kids to school, the doctor, work, or ????
• Helping people make rational decisions amid highly emotional circumstances – a car problem.
• Guiding them through your process and procedures in a way that feels natural and not manipulative.
• Helping people get the good feelings that come from making good choices.

You can make the consumer experience consistently positive and effective by following a Sales Cycle. Your shop’s policies and procedures are your choice, but following the Sales Cycle is critical.

Here’s an example of a Sales Cycle for transmission repairs.

1. The Initial Contact is when the customer first becomes aware of or encounters your business. This frequently occurs via the Internet. Our objective with Internet inquiries is to convert them to telephone calls or appointments as quickly as possible.

   Internet inquiries like online dating. (Yes, when I was single, about 13 years ago, I did some online dating.) People who use online dating sites put their information and pictures out there to attract the interest of a prospective date. Successful online daters move from emails and texts to phone calls as quickly as possible because it’s easier to build rapport.

2. The Phone Call is the most crucial step in the Sales Cycle. The best marketing in the world cannot overcome lousy telephone procedures. If you don’t convert a caller into an appointment that shows up, you won’t get the chance to mess up any other steps.

   Rather than being repetitious regarding telephone procedures, I refer to my April GEARS article, Do Our Peculiar Times Call for New Procedures? where I discuss new phone techniques in detail.

3. The Appointment is the objective of the telephone conversation and more specifically, getting the vehicle into the shop. If you’re having problems with “no-shows,” here’s a tip to help improve that.
   When you make a reservation at a restaurant, they usually ask for your name and phone number. After you give it to them, they reconfirm the day, time, and number of people in your party. They do this because it creates a greater sense of obligation and commitment for you. They’re not going to send “Guido” out for you if you don’t show up, but the odds of you keeping your reservation go up exponentially.

   If you’re not already doing this, why don’t you start? Also, confirm their appointment day and time, repeat your company name, state your location, give them your name, and tell them to ask for you when they come in.

4. The Meet & Greet is your first face-to-face meeting. This step is an extension of the telephone conversation. As you enter the details into the computer, always ask, “Who referred you to us?” Their answer is essential marketing data, and it can also help you with the sales process by building some rapport. Review what you discussed on the phone regarding the vehicle and any special needs or accommodations. Do whatever you promised – provide a loaner car, do the performance check while they wait, give them a ride, or ????
   Sometimes, this step occurs without any previous customer contact – drop-ins or online appointments, for example. In this case, don’t shortcut the previous steps. You should still do them, albeit in an appropriately abbreviated fashion. You still need to find out how they found out about you, build a little rapport, and ask them questions about their concerns.

   I recommend offering at least the next step (The Performance Check) while they’re there if you can squeeze them in. You don’t want to risk losing the customer to another shop that can see them right away or put them at risk of driving an unsafe vehicle or turning a minor problem into a big one.

5. The Performance Check can be as simple or thorough as you choose for your shop. Some shops do only a road test and under-hood check. Others do more, including a lift inspection and a simple code scan. The purpose is to put you in a better position to advise the customer about what they should do next.
6. Explain the 1 of 4 Results – the 4 possible results of the Performance Check. I recommend explaining these results before beginning the Performance Check. Here’s how I explain this step. There are 4 possible results of our Performance Check:
   1. You don’t have a transmission problem. It’s working within acceptable standards.
   2. You have a transmission problem that we can fix with a repair or minor service. I’ll prepare an estimate, and we can probably take care of it right away.
   3. You have a serious transmission problem requiring major repairs or a rebuild. I’ll explain what needs to be done before we begin any work.
   4. The results might be inconclusive. It’s kind of like going to the doctor. We’ll need to do more diagnostics. I’ll be in a better position to advise you on that once we’ve completed the Performance Check.
7. Present the Next Step(s) based on the results of the Performance Check. As you promised, explain which of the 4 possible results apply to the customer’s vehicle. Review the findings of the Performance Check and explain what you recommend doing next and why.

   Other than not being a transmission problem, what result wouldn’t justify further diagnostics or digging deeper to put yourself in the best position to make the right recommendation. In this case, you’re also justified in charging for the additional diagnostic steps. These steps might include further road testing, deeper electronic testing, removing the pan, etc.

   Some shops offer to credit all or part of the diagnostic charges toward the needed repairs. Another approach is to explain that the steps are necessary to do the repairs, so they’re rolled into the final estimate. Also, in some cases, the problem will be discovered and fixed coincidentally during the diagnosis – as with some electrical issues. This also resolves the awkwardness of how to charge for a simple electrical repair – your knowledge has value.

8. Offer Solutions & Choices. People don’t like being backed into a corner. While “take it or leave it” is an example of two choices, it’s not how to do it. The best way is to offer two “yes” choices by differentiating repair options or warranties.

   Prepare at least two choices for the customer. Of course, this will vary with the circumstances, but an example would be something like this. This is stripped it down to save space. You should add more details and use a more consultative style.

   Our diagnosis confirms that your transmission has failed and needs to be rebuilt or replaced. I’ve prepared an estimate for both alternatives for you to choose from.

   If we rebuild your transmission, parts and labor will be $_______. We can complete that job for you by (insert date), and it will include our Nationwide ____ year __________ mile Warranty.

   Or we could purchase and install a remanufactured transmission. If we order it today, it will be here by (insert date), and we will install it within a day. In that case, the total price would be $__________, and it includes a ____ month __________ mile warranty from the remanufacturer. Which of these options do you feel is best for you?

9. Car Delivery is where you create customers for life. Here are the dos and don’ts of car delivery.
   • Before they come in, make sure the car is clean. A clean vehicle runs better, but a dirty car means you don’t care.
   • Don’t just take their money, give them a receipt and keys, pat them on the butt, and point them to their car.
   • Make this a value-building time.
   • The only tangible things they get are the Repair Order, Warranty, and POS materials.
   • The repairs are invisible.
   • They can’t tell a good repair from a great one, but they know if it’s a bad one – leaks, noises, not working right, etc.
   • Review what was done and why.
   • Review the Repair Order and explain the Warranty.
   • Reassure them that they made a good choice.
   • Invite them back for a free recheck – make an appointment for it.
   • Ask for referrals and Google Reviews.
   • Walk them to their car.

I mentioned earlier that some shops suffer sales slumps when they fall off the Sales Cycle by not doing the procedural steps properly. This article is about the sequence of the steps. Your shop hopefully has established policies and procedures for how to perform each of the steps in the Sales Cycle.

The other way they fall off the Sales Cycle is by shortcutting the system. The most common mistake is skipping from any one of the first four steps all the way to giving an estimate. Worst of all is giving prices on the Internet or over the phone. The problem is that you’re not ready to give an accurate price, and the customer isn’t ready to hear a price. Your price has little to no credibility until you’ve completed the first five steps in the Sales Cycle, at a minimum.

Stick with the Sales Cycle and don’t fall off – enjoy the ride! In my Expo seminar, The History, Mysteries, and Myths About Warranties, I’ll demonstrate how you can use warranties to differentiate your shop, build more value for your customers, and boost your profits while managing your legal and financial liability.

Learn more about Coach Thom Marketing and get unlimited free access to sales and marketing articles and videos in our online library. Initial consultations and guidance are always free.

CoachThomMarketing.com
Phone: 480-773-3131
Email: coachthom@gmail.com