Why Your Dealership Needs an Ups System

There are only two categories of dealerships: Those that use an ups system and those that don’t. Today, I’m going to explain why you might want to change your mind if you’re in the latter category.

No ups system = No system at all

Dealerships without an ups system tend to have a manager who came up through the ranks in a similar environment. Alternatively, management believes that their sales staff will wait more quickly on customers without a formal system in place. And, in some cases, they view an informal system as a way to reward the go-getters: Their most aggressive salespeople will get the most ups.

The problem with operating without an ups system is that your least productive people—those always standing on the point smoking and joking—end up waiting on the majority of your lot traffic. Meanwhile, your most productive people are following up with unsold prospects, contacting their sold customers, and studying product knowledge: Meaning that this approach rewards the wrong staff.

Even worse is the fact that no system means no accountability. How often do you find yourself asking, “Is there anybody waiting on that customer?” You don’t know because there is no system that defines who actually should be waiting on that client. In addition, the aggressive, non-productive salesperson waiting on your customer today will be the same salesperson not following up on that same, non-sold customer tomorrow.

Take control of your sales

With an ups system, management maintains control of salesperson activity. A sound system creates a balance between face-to-face assisting of customers on the lot and follow up on unsold prospects, staying in contact with customers and asking for referrals, and studying product knowledge materials. Another key advantage is that sales people have no more excuses about not being able to do the things that make a salesperson successful because they don’t have the time—with no more burning through ups all day long, they should have plenty of time to do other work.

If you want to take your dealership to the next level, now is the time to implement a written ups system that will make your sales staff accountable for their time at your dealership. Good luck and great selling!