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Buying a car is, more than likely, the second biggest purchase a person makes in life. To better understand that statement, think about the first significant purchase. Consumers spend months researching and searching for the perfect fit for their lives and families. Incredible amounts of money are spent on homes in America. Countless television series are dedicated to home buying, improvement, and restoration. Home furnishing stores are everywhere. 

Is car buying all that different?

While budgets span a tremendous range, a person is looking at spending thousands of dollars no matter how you slice it. Today, 92% of car buyers research online before they buy. So before a customer ever walks into your store, there’s been a time commitment on their part already. A car is a significant purchase!

Accessory sales are one of the most underutilized profit centers in automotive retail. Yet many dealerships limit their opportunity by tying accessory presentation too closely to real-time inventory.

Do your dealership leaders think about success in terms of unit volume? More cars sold, more deals closed, more monthly punch.

That mindset leaves a massive amount of profit sitting untouched inside your store every single day. The truth is, you can make significantly more profit without selling one more car.

Many dealerships underutilize the various profit centers operating under one roof. Rather than one business, think of each of your major departments as money machines with the power to create new revenue streams.

As we quickly approach the summer months, dealerships can plan to combat the slump with a preemptive boost to their bottom line.

Every high-performing sales organization relies on structured communication—often called word tracks or sales scripts. Without them, conversations can become inconsistent, unfocused, and even uncomfortable for the customer (and the salesperson)!

The opportunity to cull accessory revenue doesn’t end when the vehicle sale is complete.

In fact, an effective way to introduce accessories and solidify customer retention presents itself after the sale—all tied up in one clean package.

The customer’s first service visit provides a natural touchpoint to reconnect, reinforce the relationship, and identify needs the customer may have since their initial purchase.

Vehicle Personalization isn’t a difficult concept that will lay waste to the car sale.

It’s science. The consumer drive to personalize has been analyzed in depth. When dealerships understand the driving force behind the custom car accessories market, selling accessories will finally feel like the light work that it’s always been.

In any dealership, complexity is the enemy of consistency. And nowhere is that more true than in accessory sales. When pricing is inaccurate or part information is incomplete, even the best sales process breaks down. Sales teams hesitate, customers lose confidence, and deals slow to a snail’s pace.

When dealers start to think about growing (or launching) an accessory program, the conversation often turns to tools, training, or incentive programs. The reality is, the success of an accessory sales process doesn’t hinge on software or salespeople—though these are important factors. The true essence of success lies with leadership, and more specifically, sales managers.

When’s the last time you misplaced a We-Owe form with an accessory order on it? Whether it was last week or last year, a lost order makes exceptional customer service impossible.

As an essential document, your store’s We-Owe process should be foolproof. Instead, too many dealerships are relying on humans performing perfectly 100% of the time. There’s a better way to serve your customers and protect your store, and it’s too easy to overlook.