Move like Jagger in 3 steps
Immediately after hitting the airwaves, “American Idol” was a sensation with viewership rivaling the Super Bowl. Suddenly everyone from your mechanic to your mother had an opinion on tone, timbre, and “pitchyness” of vocal performance.
Ever wonder why singing draws such broad scrutiny over other musical talents? For example, have you ever heard of “America’s Top Violinist” or “America’s Top Drummer?” It’s because to play, let alone master an instrument takes years of specialized training, but EVERYONE can sing. Next time you’re at a stoplight, check out the performance happening in the next car. Certainly there are degrees of ability (thank God showers aren’t mic’d) but anyone can do it.
As a result, people only focus on the bass player if something goes wrong, but everybody’s an expert on the frontman.
Your store’s structure is the same way. Technicians, bookkeepers, porters, etc. are like drummers or rhythm guitarists: People don’t pay much attention to their skill, ability, engagement, activity, or results unless something goes wrong. As long as the trains run on time, folks don’t give it much thought. It’s assumed they know their jobs and perform exactly as required.
Sales however — that’s the frontman of your store’s band, and everyone has something to say about them. How skilled are they? How lazy are they? How about their results? How much are they paid? And so on.
That’s the double-edged sword of the frontmen: they tend to get the glory when things are good, but are surrounded by experts on their job, efficacy, work ethic, and results, especially when times are challenging. Just like a singer, everyone has an opinion.
Don’t believe me? Ask a backroom staffer about your sales guy. More often than not, you’ll get educated observations from the parts counter to the porter. Viewed from the outside, selling motorcycles appears the world’s easiest job. So there’ll be plenty of criticism and suggestions for improvement.
But there’s another reason why salespeople get more critique than other departments: The Controlled Results Ratio.
“Controlled Results” is the main difference between sales and non-sales positions. In most jobs, one controls output based primarily on input. For example: if you’re a carpenter, the amount of framing you complete is in direct proportion to the amount of work you choose to do, times your speed and efficiency. If you want more results, you simply apply more activity, at a near 1:1 ratio. So the formula is: [Output = Input x (speed+efficiency)] or [O=I*(S+E) @ 1:1].
You can apply the same ratio to most jobs; results are controlled based on direct effort. If you want a specific result, you can work hard enough or fast enough to deliver it, with direct control over your production.
Sales is a little different, however. Contrary to what you hear from “empowerment” gurus, salespeople cannot control results. You can’t “decide” to sell 200 bikes this month, then “cause” 200 buyers to walk through the door, and then “force” them to buy from you. Sales involves other people making decisions; you can influence them, but not control them. The sales clerk at the mall can’t force you to buy that shirt, nor can the local car salesman force you to drive in and buy a truck.
So if salespeople can’t control their results, what can they control? ACTIVITY.
Salespeople may not be able to control exactly how many units they’ll sell, but they can control the activity performed each day. The result — sales — is a byproduct of that activity, not a 1:1 input/output formula.
That “Controlled Results” fallacy is difficult to understand, so we tend to assume the sales guy who didn’t hit his number last month is lazy, or untalented, or whatever. When asked, that same sales Gguy will blame the product, market, or weather because even salespeople struggle to understand activity/result mechanisms.
Owners and managers should focus on three fronts:
- Stop trying to control the result. Instead, manage the activity your Sales Team performs each day. Consistent, effective activity management will produce results as a byproduct. No one can force someone to buy. Focus on activity, development and coaching first, results second.
- Stop assuming. Dig into the drummer and keyboardist of your band instead of just the frontman. How effective is each department? What are you measuring? What are the goals and key performance indicators? What activity are those other departments performing to get the results you need? “Working hard” doesn’t guarantee effective execution.
- Every department is a sales department. Sales shouldn’t be restricted to major units. What activity is your parts & accessory department doing to sell its products? What is your bookkeeper doing to reduce costs? What is your service writer doing to generate more ROs? What are they doing each day to deliver more sales — as a byproduct to that activity?
Everyone in your store should be frontmen; don’t let them hide behind the drum set. It’s every employee’s responsibility to generate revenue, create customers, reduce expenses and grow the business. In other words, everyone is in sales. Build a culture that creates salespeople everywhere — managing activity to deliver results.
Eventually, you’ll have a store full of rockstars. Get all your departments to move like Jagger.
Ride On,
-CC
Chris Clovis has had the honor and pleasure of 25 years in the Powersports Industry, currently serving as vice-president of Eaglerider Motorcycles [http://www.eaglerider.com]. Once upon a time, Chris was also a drummer, pianist and operatic tenor – so he knows “pitchy.” Chris’ opinions are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of his employer, publisher, or clients. Chris lives in Los Angeles with his family. Visit www.chrisclovis.com for more information.
