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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sales professional of the month november 2012 month, but spent the first few months of the year averaging 20 sales. Chacon's human resources manager, Stephanie Musick, said, "Out of our nine locations and 50 salespeople companywide, Rico Brown is our No. 1 salesperson." She added that he finished 2011 with the highest sales total, 183 vehicles. Rico Brown Chacon Autos Grand Prairie, Texas Buy here, pay here is the only thing sales professional Rico Brown has known during his 11-year career in car sales, so it only seems natural he is now the top salesperson for Chacon Autos, which has several stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and San Antonio, Texas. At the Grand Prairie location where the single father of two has worked for the last five years, the store's general manager, Bob Barnes, said nearly 100 per- cent of their business is BHPH and added that Brown indeed excels in the field, which he called, "a different kind of car sale." "When you're a salesman over here, you have to do the whole thing. You have to generate the business, you have to get the people in … then you've got to be able to qualify them. Then you've got to be able to close them," he said. "The salesman does everything." Brown is currently averaging 14 cars a One thing that helps keep Brown on top is the fact that between 30 and 40 percent of his business comes from repeat customers and referrals. "He works the repeat busi- ness. He works the customers. He stays in touch with them," said Barnes. "He's very meticulous about it." Brown said "it took a long time" to build up his referral base, which is comprised not only of sold customers but also personnel at other dealerships, including salespeople, sales managers and F&I; managers. If his counterparts encounter a customer for whom they can't get financing, they send the customer to see Brown at Chacon. "It re- ally depends on [the person] and if they feel comfortable in actually sending you busi- ness," he said. Treating customers right and making sure to explain everything to them is a big part of the reason personnel at other dealerships and past customers feel com- fortable sending people to Brown for a car. "His customers love him," said Barnes. "His ability to generate enthusiasm with his customers … whatever income level they are, is probably one of his best strengths." He added that Brown is also quite adept at switching a customer from a desired, but unaffordable car to a more viable alterna- tive. "That's probably one of the hardest things to do in our business," said Barnes. "He is a master at that." Brown said switching a customer on a car is simply a matter of sitting down with them, showing them the math and explaining things logically. "When they go to [other] dealerships, they don't know what's going on behind the scenes; they just get a piece of paper, a four-square … [stating] this is what your payment is going to be; but they don't see the overall, behind-the-scenes of what their interest is going to be (and) how much they're going to be financing." The difference is breaking it down for them, showing them how the process works and explaining why it must be done a certain way. He often tells customers, "The hardest thing about pur- chasing a car is not finding a car, it's finding someone that can approve you." Something else that makes Brown popular with customers and garners a lot of repeat and referral business is his willingness to do absolutely everything possible to get a customer into a car. "If somebody comes in to buy a car, he's going to give it everything he's got," said Barnes. "A lot of salespeople will give it a try, and if it doesn't seem to be going their way, they'll just let it go. He basically goes every which way trying to make it work, and he doesn't give up until the very last." Said Brown, "I will use all the resources I possibly can because I'm here to help a customer out and actually get them some transportation." He added, "My favorite part of the job is … a look of a customer knowing that they're in a vehicle … It's like a relief for them, and I get joy out of that." Congratulations to Rico Brown, Sales Professional of the Month, and thank you to Stefani Musick for bringing him to our attention. nominate a sales professional of the month Each year, Auto Dealer Monthly recognizes 12 sales professionals for their achievements. Each monthly winner is automatically considered for the Sales Professional of the Year. Dealers, General Managers, and General Sales Managers are encouraged to reward a top achiever in their organization by submitting their name for nomination. To nominate your sales professional, send his or her name, dealership information and a testimonial on why you think they should be considered. You must include your name, position and contact information as supervisors will be interviewed and sales information verified. Nominations can be e-mailed to Editor@AutoDealerMonthly.com 34