Unfortunately I missed David Martin’s workshop at this year’s AADA Convention, however I did manage to get a copy of his presentation titled “Accountability for All” which you can see here. If you’re not familiar with David’s background he heads one of the most influential sales training companies in North America and has played an active role in the success of auto dealerships across the country and in Australia.

1. David Martin
The Mar-Kee Group
Accountability for AllAccountability for All

2. 1. An obligation or willingness to accept responsibility
2. Measuring performance against a defined set of rules
or standards
Accountability:
Positive or Negative?

3. ∗ Having a good plan of action and securing the cooperation
of others to carry it out
∗ Following-up and following through on the plan
∗ Monitoring the process and changing it when and
where necessary
∗ Giving everyone the best possible chance to succeed
Accountability Involves:

4. ∗ Some dealerships seem to have a mission statement that says:
“We will hold all employees accountable -- as long as it is
easy, convenient and popular with the staff.”
Is Accountability Present In Your
Dealership?

5. ∗Salespeople
∗Managers
∗Owners/Dealer Principals
Who Should Be Held Accountable?

6. ∗ All starts with the WHY?
∗ Tangible goals must be in place
∗ Goals must be: Specific
Measured
Attainable
Relevant
Tracked
Salespeople
Short-term: 2 months or less
Medium-term: 2 to 12 months
Long-term: 12 months and over

7. ∗ Monthly income
∗ Number of sales needed (based on averages)
∗ Number of write-ups needed
∗ Number of product presentations needed
∗ Number of opportunities needed
∗ All numbers broken down into weekly/daily
∗ This is the ultimate accountability to personal financial success
Salespeople Should Break Down
Their Financials Goals to:

8. ∗ Must be held responsible for:
∗ Representing the dealership in a professional manner
∗ Following the dress code and good grooming
∗ Staying educated on products and trends
∗ Following your sales process (no shortcuts)
∗ Utilizing technology
∗ Completing scheduled CRM tasks
∗ Follow-up and prospecting
∗ 100/100/100
Salespeople

9. ∗ Group most often associated with accountability
∗ Typically responsible for overseeing (punishing) those that do not
complete follow-up activities; chastising sales consultants with below-
average results and acting as a general watchdog
∗ One of their most important duties is to hold salespeople accountable
and measure performance activities
Managers/Team Leaders

10. 1. Communicate specific performance standards that are expected
2. Be sure they understand your vision, mission and values
3. Learn what motivates each one
4. Provide the time, tools and structure to improve their skills
5. Routinely have one-on-one coaching and review sessions
To Hold Salespeople Accountable,
What Must Managers Do?

11. 6. Provide unfiltered, candid feedback on performance
7. Confront them with appropriate consequences when warranted
8. Regularly evaluate those who are not performing
9. Be prepared to remove those who cannot or will not comply with
your standards
10. Lead by example
To Hold Salespeople Accountable,
What Must Managers Do?

12. • Training, training, training
∗ Capitalize on every opportunity to do business
∗ Shows your commitment to the business
∗ Everyone makes more money
∗ Customer satisfaction is enhanced
Managers/Team Leaders

13. WHO is training YOURS?
1) Your customer?
2) Veteran salespeople with too much time on their hands?
3) You?
FACT: Your Salespeople are
Being Trained Every Day!

14. 1) They don’t know WHAT to do.
2)They don’t know HOW to do it.
3) Someone INTERFERES with their desire or
willingness to do it.
Why Do Salespeople Fail?

15. Do Not Undo The Classroom Training
1) Reinforce training in actual situations
2) Real world, real customer—not theoretical
3)Have salesperson present proposal to sales manager first
4)Role play
Train at the Desk–
Every Day, Every Deal

16.  The trickiest group to hold accountable
 The dealership is not a democracy, nor should it be
 Those on top must take accountability to a higher level
 See your staff as stock holders
 Have quarterly meetings to tell them what you are going to do to make
their business thrive
Owners/Dealer Principals
 Inventory and stocking levels
 Planned training
 Employee improvements
 Business reinvestment
 Advertising guidelines and plans
 Capital improvements

17. • Leaders lead – either up or down
∗ Employees look to you for direction
∗ Treat people as you want them to be -
not as you see them
Owners/Dealer Principals

18. ∗ Give all managers clear guidelines on your expectations
∗ Don’t accept statements such as:
∗ “We can’t find good people in our area”
∗ “Let’s see if he works out and then we will train him”
∗ “I can’t fire him because I have no one to replace him”
∗ Face some facts:
∗ Managers are paid to get results regardless of conditions. It is not
always easy, but it is always possible.
∗ Managers should focus on the things they can control and stop
getting distracted and complaining about things they cannot
control.
Owners/Dealer Principals

19.  Must be consequences for employees who remain mediocre (or worse)
 If there is no consequence for a manager who fails to either develop or replace
below average salespeople, you have accepted mediocrity at the highest
levels
 Create minimum standards of performance and have the courage to enforce
them
 Minimum standards are designed to:
◦ Motivate an employee to strive for more than they thought possible.
◦ Weed out the wrong people before they can do much harm.
◦ Compel managers to either “get their people better or get better people.”
Owners/Dealer Principals

20. ∗ Their attitude
∗ Their work ethic
∗ Their discipline
∗ Their character choices
∗ Where they spend their time
∗ With whom they spend their time
Failure is not an accident
Hold People Accountable on the
Aspects of Their Job That They Can
Control

21. Hold People Accountable on the
Aspects of Their Job That They Can
Control
“That’s nice, but now
let’s talk about something
we can control.”

22. ∗ WHY? Because we:
1. Sell cars one at a time.
2. Lose deals one at a time.
3. Mishandle sales calls and Internet leads one at a time.
4. Give poor product presentations one at a time.
5. Fail to take customers on test drives one at a time.
Stop Looking at “The Big Picture”.
Concentrate on “The Little Picture”

23. 6. Don’t follow our sales processes one at a time.
7. Fail to follow-up on customers one at a time.
8. Allow cars to age on us one at a time
9. Make bad hiring decisions one at a time
10. Tolerate mediocre employees one at a time.
When dealers concentrate on making positive
changes one at a time – good things result!
Stop Looking at “The Big Picture”.
Concentrate on “The Little Picture”

24. Snapshot How are you doing in these vital areas?
Use a scale of 1-10 to rate the
effectiveness of your current programs
We currently have:
An ongoing recruiting process _____
A firm set of hiring standards _____
Clear job descriptions _____
An orientation process _____
An initial training schedule/plan _____
Performance tracking _____
Regularly-scheduled ongoing training _____

25. Snapshot
We currently have:
Timely assessment of training progress _____
Sales skill certification _____
Standards for continued employment _____
Weekly counseling sessions (salespeople) _____
Management accountability _____
Opportunity for advancement _____
An environment that creates success _____
How are you doing in these vital areas?
Use a scale of 1-10 to rate the
effectiveness of your current programs

26. ∗ As a leader, you must acknowledge shortcomings where
they exist and vow to pay the price to make the necessary
changes.
∗ “When it comes to paying the price, you can either pay now
and play later or play now and pay later. But either way –
you will pay!” - John Maxwell
∗ Remember – the cost of doing the right thing is miniscule in
comparison to the cost of doing nothing.
Owners/Dealer Principals

27. ∗ Accepting accountability is crucial to real leadership
∗ You cannot control all that happens to you, but you can
control (and are responsible for) how you handle it.
∗ The quality of your life & business will be measured by the
quality of the response you choose when bad things
happen.
Owners/Dealer Principals

28. ∗ You have two choices each day: perform or make excuses.
You get to choose!
∗ Regardless of how honorable your intentions or how
persistent your efforts, you will always be measured by
performance and results.
∗ The more you focus on performance and accountability, the
less likely you will be embarrassed into making excuses.
Owners/Dealer Principals

29. ∗ The end of excuses begins at the top!
∗ Excuses will finally end when you, as the leader, decide to
do away with them personally and when you stop
accepting them from others.
∗ Unfortunately, giving up excuses is easier said than done
because they provide protection for our egos and allow us
to shift blame.
Owners/Dealer Principals

30. ∗ As a leader, if you hide behind excuses and rationalize poor
results, you give your people the freedom to do the same.
∗ But if you accept and take responsibility, even if it is a blow
to your ego, you create a positive pressure for your people
to do the same.
∗ Eliminating excuses and demanding accountability in your
dealership begins and ends with YOU!
Owners/Dealer Principals

31. David Martin
The Mar-Kee Group
Accountability for AllAccountability for All

32. David Martin
The Mar-Kee Group
Accountability for AllAccountability for All