PEER TO PEER
Why Can’t These Guys Get Along? The Problem:
“We’ve got a conflict in our store, and based on what
I’ve heard from my reps, it falls down the typical lines of sales staff versus install staff. There’s this constant ten- sion between the two groups, and it results in anything from short, snippy answers to full-blown arguments. It could be as small as installers complaining that sales- people sold a customer something that doesn’t fit, or salespeople complaining that the install is taking too long. It’s like each group has no respect for what the other group is responsible for. At the end of the day, I don’t care if they like each other, but I need them to work together. They need to have a little empathy (if that’s the right word) for each person’s workload and responsibility, so that there’s a better understanding of what is involved in each person’s tasks. Any ideas?”
Possible Solutions: Put ‘Em to Work: “Having the sales staff step in and help on heavily booked installation days helps the sales staff un-
derstand the real world, everyday challenges the installers face. We also have the installers handle sales a few times a month, which allows the installers to see how tough making sales can be. By having each side of the business actually perform the other functions lets everyone see how they need to work together as a team.” — Parrish Tanner, Ocala Car Audio. Ocala, Fla. - ICE Retailer
Clear the Air: “We have a store wide meeting each month and review the bumps we may have experienced so we can all see what areas can be improved. Granted we have high quality veterans in both sales and installation departments, however continual meetings are needed to keep the sides working together.” — Lou Norman, Enormis Mobile Specialites. Erie, Pa. - ICE Retailer
Double-Check It: “When a sale is completed, the sales person pulls all of the equipment for the job, including small ac- cessories like antenna adapters and amp kits, and the equipment is set aside on a hold shelf in the stock room. The work order description is included with the pulled equipment, then the installation staff will go through the pulled jobs and make sure the job description and equipment pulled is compatible with the vehicle. This is done before the customer comes in for the installation. This reduces the chances the staff is not on the same page. This also reduces headaches and friction.”
— Jeff Cantrell, JC Audio. Jackson, Tenn. - ICE Retailer
Go to School: “To help the sales staff get a better feel for what it takes to install equipment, we require our sales staff to also understand all aspects of installation. We even require any equipment purchased for their own car to only be installed by that salesperson. This forces everyone to have some real-world, hands-on experience. Our installation staff is also trained in sales, so all employees can install and sell depending on what works best for our schedule and customer traffic.” — Joe Casitty. Alarms Etc., Lakeland, Fla. - ICE Retailer
Break Bread: “Two to four times a year we have a storewide dinner at a restaurant. We do it outside the store, since it puts
everyone in a more casual environment and everybody’s guard is down. We keep it casual and everyone has a chance to speak their mind. It is not about finger pointing; it is about creating solutions to prevent the same problem from occurring again.”
— Randy Liebenson, Car Audio Depot, Modesto, Calif. - ICE Retailer Need Help With a Problem in Your Store? Send us an e-mail at
info@me-mag.com. 66 Mobile Electronics April | May 2011
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