Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
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training is then provided by interactive tutorials and videos that allow them to progress on their own pace. higher-level training, such as industry knowledge and best practices, is then provided through live events, webinars or video by our industry experts." components is outdated," he says. "The real opportunity gap in training today is in marrying old school with new school to create a better sales process for the customers and dealers." ron reahard, president of reahard & associates inc. in soddy Daisy, Tenn., has taken video training a step further. reahard and his team work behind the camera as well as in front of it. "our realcam F&i; cameras allow us to record and review every F&i; transaction, to identify training needs and opportunities to further improve performance," he says. Terry Dortch, president of crystal lake, ill.-based automotive compliance consultants, says he enjoys the type of easy access to information that only the internet can provide. "especially in our business, rules are amended and new laws are created," he says. "Now, we can disseminate much quicker and more effciently. It has also made it easier for us to fnd and create solutions for our dealers." reinforcing in-person training Most trainers contend that, while video offers an unparalleled level of access, classroom training is still their frst choice. participants visit websites to get a glimpse of their competitors, as well as get a sense of what their customers are experiencing and expecting." at Dominion Dealer solutions in indianapolis, vice President of Dealer services Phil Barras lists a plethora of new offerings the latest technology has brought. "We created podcasts so dealers could have a quick lesson on a specifc topic. … We use qr codes in our documentation, and our online documentation is also mobile device-ready. We just entered the Facebook and Twitter arena and plan on using social media to point our dealers toward additional training opportunities." jeff krebs is the curriculum developer for Burlington, vt.-based Dealer. com. he says his company has made the most of online connectivity, offering on-demand training and educational sessions that can be accessed 24 hours a day. "We utilize a tiered approach to our training strategy," Krebs explains. "For new customers, we have an onboarding webinar welcoming them and providing them with an overview of our platform. Base-level functionality "in-house and workshop training are primary," says David lewis, founder of David lewis & associates in Melbourne, Fla. "video training is typically only effective as reinforcement of teaching in a face-to-face environment." From his offces in Short Hills, N.J. and richmond, va., Mosley automotive Training's cory Mosley uses online training to complement his classroom work. "it's enhanced my ability to sustain long-term training. We can do an in-store program, then follow up with online training and coaching to reinforce and fuel growth." "While we are still 'old school' in that we believe that on-site, in-person training is by far the most effective, we like to use computer technology that links two or more computers for the 'support' portion of our training," says lisa reinicke, president of Greenwood village, colo.-based automotive Warranty Network inc. "We can not only tell the trainee what needs to be done, but we can demonstrate [it] as well." Mark Tewart is president of Tewart enterprises inc. in lebanon, ohio. he agrees that trainers should make the best use of new technology, but they must build a bridge between new features and old methods. "obviously, any training today that does not involve internet and digital keeping up With changes as the ceo of used car university in osprey, Fla., Greg Goebel crunches numbers to gauge the performance of the special fnance departments he has set up for dealers across the country. "Technology has helped me collect and analyze data much, much easier, as well as to communicate," he says. Goebel also relies on new technology to make conversations with far-fung clients feel less detached. "online meetings and webinars are a cinch, as i believe that communication tools like GoToMeeting, which allow the parties at a distance see each other while they talk, as well as their computer desktops, make 'phone' meetings much more personal." john Gizzo, vice president of subprime retail strategy for atlanta-based Global lending services, says new technology hasn't changed his approach to training, but it has made him more effcient. Better yet, it has allowed him access to other trainers. "in the training channel, believe it or not, you don't run into a ton of egos," he says. "The professionals in this channel are here by choice. We all know how diffcult training can be, and work to share information and support each other. Technology is the facilitator." For carl Bennett, director of the reynolds consulting Group in Dayton, Ohio, web-based technology extends to the dealer/customer relationship as well — albeit with less room for error. "The basics are still the basics," he says. "if you know the process, the technology can only speed the close. if you do not have a solid process in place, technology is useless." n 13