Sonic dealership continues high-volume pace using accessories strategy

Posted by Whitney Williams on May 23, 2017 2:10:00 PM

If there were a school for how to master this car dealership thing, you’d read about Denver’s Mountain States Toyota in the history book. Consistent vision. Unrivaled dedication to the success of each team member. Well over two million dollars in accessory sales for two years running.

General Sales Manager Sean Kramer reflects on the incredible accomplishments of Mountain States Toyota.

"We’ve seen tremendous growth in sales volume and accessory sales since implementing our Insignia process about two and a half years ago,” Kramer explains.

Sales Representative Christian Janzen, far left, Sales Representative Jen Decker, holding the coin, and General Sales Manager Sean Kramer, third from left, proudly accept the Insignia challenge coin from Insignia President David Stringer, April 12, at Mountain States Toyota, in Denver, CO.

Kramer goes on to say, “New car volume has increased about 13 percent since the beginning of 2015." 

Insignia set out to find out how these stellar accessory sales and climbing sales volume cohabitate so beautifully here, and the answer is Mountain States' inventiveness.

The vision at this store remains consistent: offering lower-priced vehicles to bring in a higher number of new car buyers. When the new vehicle is sold, the dealer makes up the difference with the added front-end gross of Vehicle Personalization. A plan so simple, it’s genius, and so successful, the store is making impressive strides towards obtaining number 1 in volume sales in the Denver region with each passing year.

With more than 300 cars per month flying off the lot with an average of $695 in personalization per vehicle, this is the place to sell cars. You can imagine the fast-paced environment of conducting this level of business, but you won’t find Mountain States Toyota skimping on the details.

Upon initially launching a personalization profit center in the showroom with Insignia, Mountain States opted for complete training from the front to the back of the house, and never really quit. More than two years later, sales staff benefit from continual training.

Throughout the year, department-wide refresher training is held to make sure presentation skills are fine-tuned. Anyone missing the mark on his or her accessory goal is supported with ongoing training, and new hires are thoroughly acclimated to presenting personalization as part of their jobs. The result? Ask the three individuals who each took home over $10,000 in accessory sales commissions last year.

“There are some of our folks who get it, and consistently present accessories, because they make over $10,000 in commissions annually,” Sean says. To keep the team engaged and to promote healthy competition, Kramer again defers to training. “We do group refresh trainings to get folks excited, and periodic spiffs for accessory sales."

Mountain state truck

The dealership understands the value of the confidence in the process that comes from being adequately trained. Getting good at explaining the benefits of personalization and being the expert on a customer’s options make all the difference in a point-of-sale presentation.

Finishing 2016 at $2,300,000 in accessory sales, and coming in as Insignia’s number 2 dealer is Denver Colorado’s Mountain States Toyota. Insignia President David Stringer presented this challenge coin to General Sales Manager Sean Kramer, Sales Representative Jen Decker, and Sales Representative Christian Janzen. 

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Topics: Accessories System, Sales Best Practices, Accessory News, Increase Profits, Process Training, Marketing, Customer Success, Toyota, Dealership, Challenge Coin, Vehicle Personalization, accessories, Showroom, Mountain State, Sonic Dealership