by CARServices » Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:17 am
Scheduling is and should be based on market. Years ago, I ran a dealership for an absentee owner. Since before he bought the store, it was closed on Sundays when our competition was not. Every Saturday, we put fliers on the windows of all the cars. It said, "Take your time and look around. Come back Mondays for a great deal."
Sounds simple and it worked. During the first year of ownership we averaged 7 deals every Monday in a store that did between 85-100 cars per month. Something changed with the dealer who believed more is better. He announced we would be open on Sundays.
Within 60 days of Sunday business the numbers looked like this. We now averaged 2-3 deals per Monday and a good Sunday was 3 sales. Net loss 1-2 deals per week.
Last week, I was doing training for a dealer in North Carolina. On the first two days of our programs we work key to key to get to know the entire operation. This one was easy. The dealer closed at 6pm Monday Through Friday and 3 pm on Saturday. Had done it that way for nearly 40 years.
All of his competition was open until 8 pm on weekdays and till 5 on Saturdays. Yet, in a store with hours that many sales people think is unheard of, they sell as many or more than all the other dealers in the area.
Point - It's not the hours. It's the effort put in by the people working the hours that determine each month's outcome.
------------------
John Fuhrman
Senior Trainer
Carolina Automotive Resource Services