tina bauman may 2005 university of st. thomas waking up dormant dealers
TRANSCRIPT
Tina BaumanMay 2005
University of St. Thomas
Waking Up Dormant Dealers
Situation
Interest: Need to generate sales volume
Issue: Approx. 20% of dealers never activate Reason for lack of business is unknown
“Companies can become like a bucket with a hole in the bottom: their customers drain away but the company managers, instead of concentrating on fixing the hole, devote resources to pouring more and more new customers into the top.” (Hill & Alexander, 2000)
Research Question
Do dealers become dormant because they are dissatisfied with GE’s services?
Methodology
Mailed a survey to 218 dormant dealers – Enrolled but have not submitted business– 23 Likert scale & open-ended questions– Incentive: drawing for one of ten
$25 Gift Cheques Response rate 24%
Possible Reasons for Dormancy
– Enrollment process
– Marketing materials
– Sales interaction
– Customer service
– Training
– Method of communication
– Financing program
Sample Survey Questions
How satisfied were you with the length of the enrollment process?
How satisfied were you with the amount of contact made by your GE Salesperson?
Satisfaction Results
Satisfied to Very Satisfied
38%
50%
66%
67%
67%
69%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Salesperson contacts
Salesperson knowledge
Arrival of materials
Courtesy of sales staff
Materials explain process
Overall financing program
Asp
ects
Percent of responses
Why Dealers Are Not Using GE
6
4
3 3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Oth
er
pro
gra
ms
mo
rea
ttra
ctiv
e
No
de
ma
nd
To
oe
xpe
nsi
ve
Diff
icu
lt to
un
de
rsta
nd
Co
mp
lex
ap
plic
atio
np
roce
ss
La
te a
rriv
al
of m
ate
ria
ls
Nu
mb
er
of
res
po
ns
es
Training Results
Will training influence program participation?
No32%
No Answer
16%
Yes52%
Training Results
Preferred Methods of Training
19
10 10 10 95
0
5
10
15
20
TrainingHandbook
Internet Session w/Sales
CD Rom Video Phone
Methods of Training
Res
po
nse
s
Do dealers become dormant because they are dissatisfied with GE’s services?
YES
Recommendations Develop a dealer training program Increase contacts/information by
sales team Compare GE and competitors’
financing programs
Questions?
Waking Up Dormant Dealers Tina Bauman