As we all know, we wouldn’t be where we are if we weren’t good at something. If you’re like me, you probably have one good thing that you do better than most anyone else. And, if you’re really like me, then you have no trouble telling anyone what that something is.

I know what I’m good at. The problem is I often forget the second thing I’m good at even though it’s probably the most important.

Whatever position you’re in, whether you’re a dealer, general manager or sales manager, (or whoever else happens to be reading this) you obviously are very good at what you do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have that title on your business card. You have no trouble explaining to someone how good of a job you did to get there.

But it’s never just one thing that got us to where we are. And it’s often that second sense or skill that we forget to discuss with our people so they can learn something more than what we repeatedly keep telling them – and that they are probably tired of hearing.

Here’s an example. For myself, I know that I am extremely good in front of a group of people talking about the privilege of being involved with this industry the past four decades. As a result, I’ve accumulated a lot of knowledge about what works in the pre-owned department. And I’m good at relaying that knowledge.

But, what I forget is that I also know a lot about reconditioning. When I talk to the five trainers that we have working in house monthly with dealerships all over the US and Canada, it seems I’m always talking to them about knowing the history of the vehicle and being able to apply that information in a way that’s profitable.

Unfortunately, I forget about today’s environment and how technically oriented managers are. There’s so much more to it than just presenting a vehicle’s history in way that will attract a customer.

For example, you have to make sure the inventory itself – and not just the story – is presentable. How do you cosmetically detail a vehicle? How do you look at your inventory, and make sure it’s ready to sell? How do you know if your manager is doing a good job with that? It’s the little things such as using porters to help make sure a vehicle looks ready to sell that smart dealers do.

I know that those are the things I need to counsel my in house trainers to do and look at when they go into a dealership. I know how important it is that a vehicle starts (and that the battery isn’t dead), and that it’s clean and looks good before someone is going to buy it. That is my second sense.

I hope that you will sit down and look at your second sense and share it with your people.

Till next month….