knowing Your Inventory

One of the most overlooked components of the sales process is knowing which vehicles are in your dealership's inventory. Your lot probably changes daily with new stock, trade-ins, and vehicles that have been sold. Being efficient and creating a good customer experience may just come down to knowing what you have on the lot.

Walking the lot 
This should be a daily task at the beginning of your shift. Locating which cars are in stock and where they are is valuable to your ability to find the right car fast. It may also alert you to new trade-ins and even damaged or unwashed cars that need to be taken care of immediately.

Managing your time 
Asking your managers or other salespeople where a specific car is wastes time and looks unprofessional. But if you know where everything is, you can quickly find the right vehicle for your customer and get started on the walk-around. The better you are here, the more value you can build.

Creating options for your customer 
If you know the location of inventory, you have a better chance of working through different options on the fly. A customer may come in looking for one car, but after you identify their needs and wants, you may find that another car may be a better fit. Anticipate that your customer's needs may change, and know where similar models or other used car options are.

Having a good feel of your inventory doesn't just mean being able to locate where a specific vehicle is; it means you're able to find the right vehicle for your customer as their needs and wants become more clear. This skill will make you look like a true professional and help you build trust with your customers.