Is your computer system simply recording sales at the counter? If so, you are missing a terrific opportunity to expand your salespeople’s skills with technology that can increase your profits.
Point of sale (POS) is the best opportunity you will ever have with a customer to sell more profitable products and services. Unfortunately, most business software doesn’t empower salespeople to take maximum advantage of this limited time.
How can software help you sell more, and more profitably?
Let’s look at an example of how a sale might occur in your store if you had a software package designed with profit in mind. Imagine a prospective customer calling your newest salesperson on the phone. The prospect is “price shopping,” trying to find the least expensive tire for his car. He gives his vehicle information to your salesperson, who quickly accesses the correct fitment for that vehicle on your system then views the available inventory in that size from the least expensive to the most. The salesperson gives the customer a “starting price,” ensuring that the opportunity for the sale will not be lost. The customer likes what he hears and decides to take the trip to your store.
Once the customer arrives, your rookie salesperson now has an opportunity to shine.
With independent tire dealers facing an ever-growing proliferation of SKUs, it has become increasingly difficult for salespeople to know everything they need to know about the tires they sell. Newer salespeople also need this information at their fingertips to guide the consumer to the best choice for their application. Would you agree that having pictures of the product, along with technical specifications (e.g. UTQG rating, mileage rating, etc.) could help your salespeople sell more profitable products on value, not just on price?
With that in mind, we’ll get back to the sale. With just a few keystrokes, your salesperson pulls the tire he quoted up on his screen, along with several other options. He turns the screen around, so that the customer can see pictures of the tires, along with all of the relevant information. Your salesperson points out that, while the tire they were interested in is less expensive, there are other options that fit his driving profile better, have higher mileage ratings, and, therefore, could be a better value. Three options are selected, and a quote is produced, showing “Good, Better, Best” options to the customer.
At the same time, the salesperson pulls up the customer’s history. A message pops up, saying that three months ago, this customer was in for an oil change, and brake work was recommended. The customer didn’t have time at that point, but he does have time today. The customer thanks your salesperson for reminding him. The salesperson accesses the parts and labor guide to quote the brake job correctly and automatically adds it to the customer’s quote. The customer selects the “Better” (and more profitable) tire option and asks if he can have the brakes done at the same time.
Your novice salesperson has just completed a very profitable sale, thanks to an intelligent computer system providing the right information at the point of sale.
This is just one example of how software can help your salespeople be more productive and ultimately increase your sales and profits. There is a myriad of information out there. If you’re not taking advantage of the software advances designed specifically for tire dealers today, you’re not just selling less profitably, you’re selling yourself short.
