For an independent appliance dealer to be profitable, follow-up is often the key to closing deals, yet it’s a step many salespeople overlook. Here’s a story highlighting the importance of follow-up and offering valuable lessons for dealers.
Meet Salesperson Sam
Sam was a star at Dealer A, consistently bringing in millions of dollars in sales. He could close deals quickly and efficiently and had earned the highest sales achievement awards for four straight years. Despite his success, Sam had a significant flaw: he resisted following up on leads.
The leadership team at Dealer A had tried everything to get Sam to improve his follow-up habits. They offered training and reminded him of its importance, but Sam was a bit stubborn. He was a salesperson, after all. Leaving messages and emailing customers wasn’t his strength. He knew their best use of him was on the showroom floor with customers. His resistance to change created friction within the company, and Sam, feeling frustrated and micromanaged, decided to accept an offer from another dealer in the same market. Dealer B knew Sam’s sales track record, and they promised him the freedom to sell without the responsibility of doing follow-up.
How could they make such an offer? Dealer B understood Sam’s strengths and weaknesses were the same as many strong salespeople. That’s why they had already implemented a solution for this common problem: the Silo Automation Strategy (SAS).
A New Strategy Leads To Impressive Growth
Instead of relying on salespeople to follow up on quotes, Dealer B created a team responsible for customer follow-up. Supported by automation software, the SAS team ensured there was a follow-up on every quote within two business days. They gathered contact information from the POS system and reached out to potential customers, nurturing leads until they were ready to buy. The salesperson would then finalize the sale, maintaining the personal touch that customers appreciated.
This approach yielded almost instant results. Within the first quarter of implementing the SAS team, Dealer B saw a 20% increase in sales per ticket and an overall growth of 14% despite a soft economy. The SAS team’s efforts filled the follow-up gap and allowed the sales team to focus on what they did best: selling.
Dealer B took the initiative that many dealers don’t. They identified a weakness in their sales process, and instead of getting (perpetually) frustrated with people’s weaknesses, they looked for a different way to address the challenge. Here are the key takeaways from Dealer B’s decisions:
- Identify Weaknesses and Innovate Solutions: Acknowledge the gaps in your sales process and develop strategies to address them. The SAS allowed the dealer to turn a common weakness into a strength.
- Leverage Automation: Use technology to streamline follow-up processes. Today’s tools can ensure consistency and free up your sales team for high-value tasks.
- Invest in Support Teams: Building a dedicated follow-up team can significantly improve sales performance, ensuring no lead is left unattended.
- Adapt and Thrive: The appliance industry is dynamic, and staying ahead requires continuous adaptation. The company that hired Sam thrived because they proactively addressed industry challenges and strategically adopted new tools.
A Thriving Team Means A Thriving Business
Sam’s story is really a story about Dealer B’s understanding of the critical role of follow-up in sales. Their decision to think differently about their sales process and embrace technology in a Silo Automation Strategy was a key to growth. By implementing a structured and automated follow-up process, dealers can capture more leads, close more sales, and drive growth. As a bonus, your sales team feels more confident knowing you recognize their strengths and want to see them succeed. Don’t let a limited view of how to accomplish critical steps in the sales process tasks determine your growth. Instead, innovate and adapt to ensure your business remains competitive and successful.