Articles by Carsguide.com.au

And the qualities have handed Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge the 2011 Chrysler Australia Dealer of the Year award. The dealership’s commitment to excellence was cited when the trophy was awarded during the Chrysler gala event last week. “All winners of the Dealer of the Year award share a common characteristic and that is a commitment to excellence,” said Veronica Johns, Chrysler Australia General Manager of Sales. “Satisfying customers when it comes to their motoring needs is the cornerstone of the Chrysler dealer award philosophy. “The Dealer of the Year award recognises benchmark performance of dealers in the network across all areas of their business, including customer service,” she said. The General Manager of Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Robbie Alessi, welcomed the accolade. “Central to all that we do at Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge is our commitment to our customers. This award is a testament to the commitment by all members of Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge to customer courtesy, care and professionalism.”

The Toyota North Queensland Cowboys spread out across NQ last weekend to continue the tradition of celebrating junior rugby league in the annual North Queensland Toyota Dealers' T-shirt handout. League juniors and supporters had the opportunity for to get autographs signed and photographs taken as well as enjoy a sausage sizzle with a Cowboys player at each of the 11 locations. Cowboys hooker Aaron Payne visited Charters Towers Toyota, signing autographs and posing for photos with fans. Payne said he was happy to hand out hundreds of shirts to young boys and girls who would be enjoying the fun of playing rugby league this season. ``One of the most enjoyable parts of pre-season is getting out and meeting the young kids who are going to play football this year,'' Payne said. ``There's no doubt that it's much better for young boys and girls to be out playing sport instead of just sitting inside and league is a great option for them.'' Charters Towers Toyota dealer principal Mike Carney said the training shirt handover is a significant part of the North Queensland Toyota Dealers' commitment to junior rugby league in North Queensland. ``Hopefully some of those youngsters who sign up to play league this season, and receive one of t-shirts, will be future Cowboys,'' he said. Cowboys CEO Peter Jourdain said it was important for the club to have the NRL players out in the local community during the busy sign-on season. ``Junior rugby league is the lifeblood of rugby league, both in the North and across Australia,'' he said. In Innisfail, back-rower Gavin Cooper was at John Cole Toyota to help with handing out North Queensland Toyota Dealer training shirts for youngsters who will be playing junior rugby league, a tradition that the local dealers are proud to continue for the 2012 season. In previous years, Toyota and the local North Queensland Toyota Dealers have donated a Cowboys team shirt to nearly 7000 children playing rugby league in the junior clubs in the north. ``The training shirt handover is a significant part of the North Queensland Toyota Dealers' commitment to junior rugby league in North Queensland,'' John Cole Toyota dealer principal John Cole said. Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen visited Don West Toyota in Ayr, signing autographs and posing for pictures with his adoring fans, taking some time out of pre-season training ahead of the start of the rugby league season in March. Bowen said a steady flow of people kept him busy throughout the visit and he wished all the players the best of luck during the coming season. Bowen is on his way to the Gold Coast to play for the Indigenous All Stars in the Harvey Norman NRL All Stars game on February 4. "I'm told it was the biggest turnout at Don West Toyota for a few years, so thanks to everyone from Ayr and Home Hill who came along,'' he said. "It's always great to see all the kids who are young Cowboys fans. '' Junior Rugby League's Ross George said 68 kids signed-on, with 40 odd new sign-ons, but more would come at training sessions in the coming weeks and all-in-all, it was a successful day. Don West Toyota dealer principal, Darren West joked that Bowen got a bit of arthritis in his hand from signing so many autographs. "There was a very good turnout,'' he said. "There was a lot of people there who weren't a part of junior league also, which was great to see.''    

The team at Northside Holden is looking forward to a new facility – but they’re not letting the grass grow under their feet in the meantime. As part of the Alto Group, they’ve been full steam ahead, trading on the corner of the Pacific Highway and Hotham Parade in Artarmon while waiting for the new state-of-the-art dealership to open next year on the corner of Fullers Road and the Pacific Highway in Chatswood. Alto Group is investing more than $16 million in the new stand-alone Holden facility, and Managing Director Anthony Altomonte indicates it is money well spent. “We believe there is a strong future for the Holden brand,” he says “Having secured Holden gives the Alto Group excellent vehicle coverage to satisfy Sydney’s north side driver choices.”  Dealer Principal Stephen Wild says the new showroom is just part of the story. “The opportunities Holden provide the Alto group,  with 20 per cent of the nation’s car park - when it comes down that we are not just selling new Holdens but servicing them and providing parts for them, so it adds another string to our bow,” he says. “Additionally with our parts warehouse, it adds another massive opportunity to provide same-day deliveries to our already hundreds of mechanical and panel shop repairers.” Wild points out that although Northside Holden is a new start-up operation, the sum of staff experience with Holden totals more than a century of experience.  He has personally been with the Alto Group for eight years in a number of Dealer Principal and Senior Management positions. Having previously worked extensively in the Holden Brand and Range, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the new enterprise. “The Sales Manager has 15 years Holden experience - the majority of it in lower north shore area - our Fleet manager and HSV specialist has over 10 years experience, and was recommended to s by Holden. And while I have been overwhelmed by the reception of the Pacific Highway  location by customers making enquires and purchasing,  I’ve also been overwhelmed by the staff wanting to join us,” he says. Northside Holden will be presenting and offering the entire Holden vehicle range including HSV. They will also have a range of hand picked quality used cars of a standard expected by the discerning customers of the Alto Group.  Mr Altomonte points out that this is just the latest step in a journey that has so far being ongoing for nearly six decades, starting when his father George Altomonte established his first motor vehicle workshop on the corner of Fullers road and the Pacific Highway Chatswood 56 years ago. Little did he know that his son Anthony would be opening Australia’s newest Holden dealership on the same site in 2013. “I have to say it was his vision and determination that has brought the Alto Group to where we are today” Mr Altomonte says.  In 1956 there was one employee, now Alto Group employs over 400 people and most employees tend to stay for a long time - 27 staff members have notched up more than 15 years with the company. Mr Altomonte says that Holden has set a new direction in Australia and the new dealership will be an example of this direction. “We have built into the dealership as much environmentally-friendly technology as is practical,” he says. “We will build the first Holden dealership in Australia integrating all the new technology required for electric cars. We will have re-charge stations available for our “Holden Volt” customers as well as a state-of-the-art workshop on-site in Chatswood.  “Northside Holden is a great addition to the Alto Group which is already home to some of the World’s most popular and recognised automotive brands and Holden will become an important part of their company line up.”

But it raised the mercury to scorching levels over two sunny days in December, when horsepower heaven took over Mallala with all the noise, tyre screeching and melting rubber as Mallala Motor Sport Park hosted the third Mallala Performance Nationals, or MallaNats.  The MallaNats 2011 competitions included burnouts, drags, Go to Whoa, dyno challenge, power skids, show 'n shine, plus the Drift Asylum and the popular track cruises.  There were more than 150 cars taking part and while a few of the competitors were standard spec, most were highly modified and beautifully presented - and a real credit to the owners who have spent so much time and effort (and money) on their high performance creations.  Winning was on the minds of some, but it was more about a fun weekend with family and mates, and an opportunity to cruise the track with some skids! The big crowd was treated to some best 'Nats' action that can be seen in this country!  The whole weekend was filled with entertainment on and off the track. The 150+ competitors tore up the Mallala circuit with some outstanding drives in all the events. The Drift Asylum was a feature as the drifters kept the smoke show going all weekend. There were many trade stands with deals and goodies, and the MallaNats bikini car wash on the Sunday.

Let Your Customers Do the Talking: 301+ Word-of-Mouth Marketing Tactics Guaranteed to Boost Profits Michael E Cafferky Word-of-mouth is one of your best advertisements. This book gives you practical strategies and tactics to increase it – and to use it as a basis for other marketing. Some main points - Word of mouth is powerful, spreads and increases your customer base. It’s inexpensive, and can be created with just a minute’s extra effort or attitude. Even small comments carry big impact. Identify your champions – people who already have a good relationship with your business – and make sure they stay happy. Try to identify people who could become your champions, key customers with a wide contact pool. Ask new customers if they were recommended to come to you. Turn bad word-of-mouth into good. A talkative whinger can be turned into a talkative champion if you pinpoint and solve their problem, or go that extra mile for them. Don’t expect results overnight. It’s a slow and steady process but the upside is that it builds a solid foundation. Don’t try and control exactly what is said down to the last word, just make sure it’s positive. Staff are the front line for word-of-mouth – even a small extra effort from one of them to a single customer could reap the equivalent of thousands of dollars worth of advertising if the customer tells friends.

And there are a couple of reasons why, dealership general sales manager Duncan Cooper said. First, a new state-of-the-art showroom is being built, which opens in May and will house new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Kia vehicles. "It will give us more presence on the road,'' the said.  Secondly, the dealership now has new management staff. "Everything in the dealership is new from a management point of view,'' Mr Cooper said.  He added that his dealership is a huge supporter of the local community, highlighting its role as a major sponsor for the Asquith League's Magpies.  He also put this reason behind how the new management staff were selected. "They're all local residents, so there is a real community focus here,'' he said. "So not only will we have a new look, we also have fresh new faces which we hope will bring even better customer service.'' And while the new showroom is being built, Mr Cooper said his dealership is still selling strongly. ''Our most popular car at the moment is the Holden Cruze,'' he said. "That's mainly because it's now built in Australia.''  But that did not mean customers were ignoring all other vehicles. "All of our cars are state-of-the-art, class-leading, award-winning and fuel efficient vehicles,'' he said.

Thomson Ford again came to the party in helping Parramatta Mission care for people over Christmas by delivering a utility laden with food. The Parramatta dealership's contribution will go towards the 500 hampers the mission will deliver this year.
 Many other businesses and individuals have also contributed, including NAB Rhodes, Rotary Club of Cherrybrook/West Pennant Hills, Parramatta Leagues Club, Baycorp, The GPT Group and Northmead Uniting Church.
 This year had been tougher than past years, Mission senior minister the Rev Keith Hamilton said. "This Christmas is especially busy for the Mission, with more and more people relying on our services,'' Mr Hamilton said. "Parramatta Mission supporters are digging deep this Christmas to bring joy to people who are less fortunate than us.  ''
People and companies from all walks of life are running food and gift drives to ensure the hundreds of people cared for by the mission receive a Christmas food hamper and a Christmas gift. And just as well, because the mission was in trouble when an order for a load of hampers went astray. "We've had to rely 100 per cent on the generosity of the community to provide gifts and food hampers this Christmas,'' Mr Hamilton said. The mission has, for more than 40 years, provided services to people who are homeless, facing crisis and living with mental illness.

The Adelaide Vehicle Centre team took on a great Mad Max theme for their entry in the last South Australia Variety Bash, with a vehicle christened Car MAX – And matching costumes that could make them a good prospect if the movie-makers are looking for extras. And the entry proved to be a blockbuster success in the charity stakes.  “We raised $117,459 for the kids of South Australia, making us the second highest fundraiser on the Bash,” team spokesman David Vincent said. “After all, while the Variety Bash is fun, it’s the fundraising it is all about.”  Vincent said the last South Australian Variety Bash raised $1.47 million, and the event had raised a total of $26.7 million over its 23-year history. The crews of each Bash car spent the previous 12 months fundraising for South Australian children, with money raised through the Variety Bash helping families with the supply of a range of equipment including wheelchairs, leg splints for children with cerebral palsy, vehicles with wheelchair lifters and spring free trampolines for children with autism. Over the years the money raised has also funded major projects, such as the complete medical fit out and installation of essential medical equipment for a Royal Flying Doctors Aircraft, medical equipment for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Variety Splints Program at Novita Children’s Services and the Variety Children’s Ward at Flinders Medical Centre.  Last year’s event saw the convoy of 100 vehicles spend eight days on the road, trekking through some of South Australia’s most iconic destinations - including Blinman, Innamincka, Arkaroola, Leigh Creek, and Peterborough - before coming to a finish in Hahndorf with over 2000 people coming meet the cars and celebrate.

Or get the chance to buy “insurance” to cheat at golf. But those were just a couple of the highlights of the recent Adtrans annual golf day, which raised a record amount of $108,000 for South Australian charities. “Our golf day has the reputation of being one of the best in town,” spokesperson Deborah Mitchell said. “Starting with a barbecue lunch and drinks, everybody is encouraged to have fun and with the purchase of “Insurance” they can even cheat a bit on the way round.” “A hugely popular activity this year was the chance to ‘hole in one’ onto a car parked on the course. It was organised by our Eblen Subaru dealership, and every player that contributed $10 to the kitty and managed to hit the car was rewarded with a Subaru jacket. “Another popular stop is the “pancake tee”, where the lovely gals from Adrian Brien Automotive have mastered the art of cooking and flipping pancakes to serve as a snack to the hungry players on their way round -- coupled with a wee glass of delicious wine from Amadio Wines. No prizes for guessing why that was a popular spot.” Ms Mitchell said this year’s beneficiaries of the annual charity golf day were Minda, Make-A-Wish® Australia, Youth Opportunities, Peter Couche Foundation, Trinity Gardens Primary School, and Clovelly Park Primary School, to benefit some children with very important needs. “We donated a brand new Toyota Yaris to Minda and made cash donations to the rest of the beneficiaries,” she said. “This year’s record fundraising result means that we have been proudly able to raise more than $1,000,000 for children’s charities over the last twenty four years through the ongoing and generous support of our business partners & friends.” Ms Mitchell said the annual event was able to achieve this wonderful result “because of the generous donations from our sponsors and guests on the day – not to forget the hard work and dedication of the staff from around the Adtrans Group who volunteer their time and energy”. “Every player gets a Cutter & Buck polo shirt to wear on the day and keep, they all get a goodie bag to take home and at the dinner we give out lots of novelty prizes and best teams & players prizes. We always have a great guest speaker, and this year was no exception with the audience able to hear from the new coach of the Adelaide Crows, Brenton Sanderson. “We also have a great auction, with prizes like hot laps at the Clipsal 500, trips to the AFL Grand Final, a ‘money can’t buy’ bus ride in the Credit Union Christmas Pageant and much, much more – with Phil De Pinto from Universal Motor Auctions donating his time every year to do a fab, fast paced job as auctioneer.”

The closer can be the hardest part of a sale. How to Close Every Sale by Joe Girard and Robert L. Shook outlines the 13 principles behind closing a sale – and why you need to ‘sell’ yourself to the buyer.Principle 1: understand sales resistance - Many buyers don’t like being sold to, for a number of reasons:poor previous experiencemisconception that all salespeople are manipulativefeeling the buying/sales process is a contest between adversaries: buy and sellerbuyer is time-poorbuyer is judged as ‘tyre-kicker’ from the start, and is subconsciously aware of the judgementbuyer doesn’t want to be cornered and have to say ‘no’, so resists the sales presentationPrinciple 2: sell yourself first - Sure, you business may sell cars and services, but you are its first product. If the potential buyer responds to you, they’ll respond better to everything you want to sell.promote your firm’s reputationbelieve in your firm and the productsbelieve in yourself and your abilitiesvisualise completing the salecreate a positive self-image – recognise your own valuebe confident and prepared, do your homework on the product and your companyhave the look of success, not just in your wardrobe but also your office and every aspect the potential buyer comes into contact withmake the buyer feel important – by knowing they are importantbring your personality to the conversation, but with discretionwhere possible give gifts… even a small and inexpensive ones make people feel important (and keep working as a marketing tool)be sincere, be honest, be trustworthy. Don’t make promises you can’t keepmake the buyer feel good about the deal, and they’ll be back next time they’re shoppingPrinciple 3: assume the sale - If a potential buyer is in front of you, they are generally interested enough in the product. Stay on that positive note.if you get an objection, ask for the specific reason behind it – and address that and then bring the conversation back on trackoffer the potential buyer a choice of positive statement options: ‘do you want the red model or would you like to look at other colours?’give them every chance to experience the productuse the correct words to lead to closure. For example: When instead of if (“when you own this car”)assume repeat business, and make sure the buyers gets outstanding service to ensure that happensPrinciple 4: know how to read buying signals - There are techniques that can help you build your ‘reading skills’try to evaluate the potential customer’s buying habits, but…don’t stereotype. Somebody who’s walked into your showroom in thongs could still afford to drive out in your most expensive carobserve them as they try the product… you’ll be able to pick up when their attitude shifts from ‘looking’ to ‘engaged’top salepeople are top listeners. Listen carefully … it will help you understand what they are thinkingnetwork, connect, observe their social landscapesunderstand the different egos. Healthy egos will often take risks, while weaker ones will baulk at making expensive decisions because they fear making an errorPrinciple 5: handle objections well - Objections are a gift, because they express an interest. When a potential buyer makes an objection, it’s a chance to deftly present aspects that will answer the objectionidentify and weed out false objections that are cloaking the real reason somebody may be reluctant to close. Unless you know the real reason, you can’t overcome itdon’t put a customer on the defensive or back them into a cornerbe prepared for, and even prevent, the most common objections: I can’t afford it. (explain financing options and break the cost down to monthly, weekly, daily) I want to discuss it with my partner (make sure all decision makers are there at the earliest opportunity) I want to shop around (from the start, introduce subtle information that shows how well your product compares with its competition, but if they still want to shop around,  welcome their decision but gently and cheerfully warn them to be careful about ‘bait-and-switch’ and similar pitfalls)Give me some brochures and I’ll think about it. (This is a signal you haven’t yet fully convinced them of the reasons to buy the product. Give them the brochures, but add more compelling arguments) I don’t want to buy this X because of this, that or the other. (Weed out until you get to the one specific problem, and than solve it)once you’ve answered the objections, move on to close. Reinforce the basis that your role is to give them all the valuable information they need to make the best decisionPrinciple 6: overcome procrastination - A potential buyer will often drag their feet on making a decision, often because they are afraid of making the wrong one. You can overcome this if you:emphasis how the purchase represents good valueif they lack confidence to make a decision without having somebody else weigh in, get the somebody else in with themgently remind them that time is important to them, but don’t apply pressure so hard they back offappeal to their ego, make them feel important and confident enough to make the decisionuse ‘words of wisdom’ or quotes at the right time to move them along – but in a friendly fashion and appropriately. You might quote George Patton "No decision is difficult to make if you get all the facts” to one person, but perhaps for another you might quote (famed Vogue editor) Anna Wintour: "The spread of luxury means more people are able to buy more stylishly. And the more people who can have style, the better”. Principle 7: control the sale - Maintain a gentle control on the flow of the conversation and don’t allow it to lose direction.focus entirely on the customer and don’t be distracteddon’t take calls during the discussionmake the discussion a two-way conversation that lets the prospect give you valuable information about themselvesshow your authority with comprehensive product knowledgedon’t re-adress the price until you’re sure the buyer fully understands the value propositionPrinciple 8: understand different closing techniques - Knowing a range of closing techniques allows you to choose the most appropriate oneAssumptive close. You assume the customer will buy, and start to write the orderAssumptive statement and question close. You make an assumptive statement and close with an assumptive question. E.g. "I recommend that you buy this car because (appropriate reason). Would you like to look at the different colour options for it”.Minor closes to major close. Guide the buyer through a series of minor decisions, which add up to the major one. “Would you like a different colour? Would you want to add floor mats? Would you prefer monthly or weekly payments? Would you sign right here please…”Small mistake vs Big mistake close. Help the customer realise when delaying the decision could cost them more later. “If you act now you will avoid the new luxury tax/price rises/extra repair costs etc.”Choice of three. Offer the buyer no more than three choices. “Which of these three payment options would work best for you?”Compromise close. If all other objections have been eliminated or solved, and price is the only barrier, negotiate the price where possible.Don't keep it a secret close. Let the buyer know you value their custom.  Be friendly about it. “I won't keep it a secret. I want your business."Benjamin Franklin/Pros and Cons close. Help the buyer to list all the pros under a Yes column, and then all the cons under a No column – which should be much shorter than the Yes column.Hard to get it close. This is based on the buyer wanting what they think they cannot have, and you helping them get it.Sell it with Love close. Appeal to the buyer’s love for their spouse or family, and how much the purchase will be appreciated in their household. “You’re going to love having the space and comfort of this car when you take the kids to soccer/school/on holidays”.Follow the leader close. Many customers will be encouraged to buy when they learn important or famous people have bought the car.Principle 9: create a sense of urgency - You need to give the customer a reason to buy now, and sometimes to emphasis future needs.Limited offer. An offer that has a limited scope or edition.Price increase. Only use this is the price is actually going to increase.Time of Life. Where appropriate, make positive reference to a person’s stage in life and how the purchase will benefit them. “Life only happens once. You deserve to have the perfect car to drive when you’re having fun in your 20s / building your career / enjoying a wonderful family life / looking forward to enjoying retirement.Exclusivity. If there is something that makes the car or service hard to get, this can help create a sense of urgency.Timing. Emphasise the benefit of buying now rather than laterPrinciple 10. don’t oversell - Be a good listener, and don’t oversell – you risk convincing the buyer out of the saleAvoid the ‘fear of rejection’ pitfall.  This mindset makes it hard to move onto the close. Have confidence and believe the customer will buy so you can move onto the close.Avoid information overload. Don’t confuse the buyer with unnecessary detail. Identify which information they need and focus on that.Avoid suffocation. Allow the buyer a little space and enough time to think in silence so they can process the information before the close.Sales close. “Would you like me to tell you about some of its other aspects, or have you sold yourself on it?” If you get a negative response, return to the sell and then try the question again. When you get a yes, close.Principle 11: all or nothing - You’ve got the best chance at winning the buyer’s confidence the first time around. Make it count. But use the ‘all or nothing’ approach with caution – don’t stray into brinksmanship that could lose you the buyer’s good opinion. Or the sale.The first discussion has potential for the greatest momentum.Don’t allow so much time that the buyer cools offKeep the best interest of the buyer in mind. Don’t rattle the customer, but help them make up their mind.Principle 12: prevent ‘buyer’s remorse’ - It’s a well-known syndrome. After the close, the buyer has doubts… feels they’ve been too impulsive or have been manipulated. Sometimes this can prompt them to cancel an order. Provide reassurance to help them avoid feeling buyer’s remorse.Thank them. And be sincere in the thanks.Congratulate them on making an excellent decision.Don’t stop ‘selling yourself’ after the close. Keep delivering an excellent customer experienceFollow up shortly afterward. Keep in touch and check that they’re happyHave the customer identify why they bought from you. It will reinforce the best aspects for you as well as for them.Principle 13: the sale begins after the sale - The close is only the beginning. Outstanding sales service and after-sales service are the follow-on.Top salespeople have a commitment to outstanding sales serviceGive the buyer such great service they would feel guilty thinking about going elsewhereKeep in contact and build a solid relationship for the next purchase