According to managementconsultants, there are five basic skills and traits that all retail employeesneed. If you take the time to develop these five traits in your employees,you’ll be richer for it, as your dealership will attract and keep morecustomers.
1. Familiarity with storelayout. Employees should know everything about the contents and location oftires and other merchandise throughout your location. When someone walks in andasks for a certain product, your employees should not only know where thatproduct is but understand the price point differences between brands.
2. Brand/line knowledge.Your employees should strive to become experts in the field of recommending,servicing and maintaining tires, wheels and accessories. They should know thedifferent brands you carry and be familiar with each product line’s benefits,drawbacks and price ranges. From a customer’s viewpoint, informed employeesbelieve in the products they are selling.
3. People skills. Youremployees, salespeople especially, should have above-average people skills.This means that they should be adept at listening, understanding customer needsand reading body language. Employees should be mature enough to engagecustomers in conversation, but they should also know when customers don’t wantto talk.
4. Knowledge of basic salestechniques. You can train your employees yourself, have an outside trainer doit, or suggest books or classes that teach basic sales techniques. Evaluating acustomer’s buying level, helping a customer select tires and accessories,overcoming objections and closing a sale are all important activities for yourtire sales staff to learn.
5. Motivation. Mostimportantly, your employees should be excited about working at your dealership.Dull, uninspired employees hurt your image and sales. While enthusiasm can’treally be taught, it can be encouraged. Don’t allow your staff to be too laidback. Show them how to work with customers and monitor them. If employees arejust standing around instead of engaging customers, your sales volume maysuffer.
– Source: Tire ReviewBusiness Toolbox
