The Dealer Development Book

This operating guide is aimed at sales directors, sales managers, dealer development managers, entrepreneurs who need support in the organization of their distribution networks, and also consultants who require applied tools for the management of a retail business. The book, offering a structured framework for developing and controlling a dealer sales network, is the result of industry-specific technical studies and, above all, the experience gained in the field during my career at CNH (Case New Holland) as a dealer development manager. It also includes many practical examples, charts and, whenever possible, benchmarks relevant to the Construction Equipment industry. Hence, some of the contents of this book are specifically related to the above-mentioned industry, but the whole methodology is obviously applicable to Agriculture, Truck and Automotive sectors too.

Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance offers in-depth management coaching in each of these areas -- machinery sales, rentals, service, parts and customer training and retention, and is filled with practical programs to strengthen and increase profitability, cash flow and customer retention.Improving an industrial equipment business has four requirements:1. Measure the dealership against proper benchmark metrics. These 48 Critical Profit Variables are covered in detail in this text.2. Determine where you stand, find the gaps in your performance, Comprehensive self-assessment tools are provided.3. Identify "best practices" of high-performance dealers. Recommendations are made for each business area.4. Energize your company into a continuous improvement program. Numerous team discussion projects are included in the text. McDonald Group Institute for Dealer Development founder and author Walter McDonald has based this text on 40 years' experience in dealer management consulting and over 2,650 dealer management workshops.In many ways, this book is a written reflection of Walt's live dealer management seminars. If you are familiar with his work, you know that he focuses on the real value generating activities of the business. He is in the trenches with the dealer managers and field sales and aftermarket reps who create real value and make it happen every hour of every day in the dealership.McDonald's dealer management guide is an absorbing refresher for informed senior executives and a highly useful handbook for those future dealer leaders and related OEM managers on the way up.This dealer guide actually contains two books, one book with benchmarks and advice on what the numbers mean and the second book on how to improve the numbers. This manuscript could have been subtitled: 'real metrics, real solutions.' The dealer/distributor can analyze its business operations through the performance yardsticks presented in this timely publication.By Nick W. McGaughey, CPA, "This dealer text is very well thought out, well written, easy to read and follow. I believe it will be very beneficial to dealer principals and operating managers.By Dr. Shankar Basu, CEO Toyota-Lift of Los AngelesI particularly like the section 'How This Book Can Help' included early on in the work to help the user focus in on their primary trouble spot. I also appreciate the inclusion of the page on 'Terminology.' I think it does a good job of setting up the frame of reference for the user. By Jim JohnsonFormer Dealer Development ManagerNavistarI think dealer principals, operations and general managers, and sales, parts, service and rentals could all use this book. I can see value in taking this as a group reading project in our dealership and having weekly discussions on certain chapters.By George M. KeenOperations ManagerNew Virginia TractorI very much believe this will be a very beneficial tool to any dealership wanting to set achievement points to their success in all areas of operation.By Mike O'DonnellPresident & CEOStuart Tank SalesThis type of manual for a Dealer Principal is new and I think it is needed.By Bill L. RyanPresidentLiftOneEverything in this book is on target and relevant to running a successful dealership in today's world.By John ShearerGeneral Manager Construction and Forestry4Rivers EquipmentThis book has given me the opportunity to reflect, review and compare our current processes to the industry specific benchmarks that are discussed in the book. This effort has challenged me to go back to the basics of good business and review those (points) with others in our organization. By Stuart Thompson PresidentGarrison Toyota Material HandlingThis is a new manager training tool. I think new line managers should be reading this book so they understand how a Dealer Principal thinks when he looks at his business metrics and challenges.By Joe Verzino PresidentLifTech

Dealer Development: OEM Regional Manager's Guide Introduction by Luke Sheppard The sharp end of the stick. The lightning rod. The business end of the OEM. However you choose to describe the role of the OEM Regional Manager, their importance in the mutual success of the dealer and OEM is indisputable. The role of OEM regional manager is not an easy one, and success is anything but guaranteed. It's a tough existence being the sharp end of the OEM's stick in the field and the recipient of the dealer's (and customer's) dismay. At the same time, you're expected to provide a tremendous amount of product and service support from your OEM to those same people. In my experience, many fail for various reasons, including a lack of understanding of the dealers' business and market, inadequate investment into the relationship they have with their dealers, and a lack of focus on outcomes that benefit both parties (us vs. them mentality still prevails). Success in this game, like many others, comes down to the fundamentals of effective collaboration. Enter, Walt McDonald. For more than four decades, Walt has been helping equipment and capital goods dealers collaborate with their OEM's to drive above-average results by using practical strategies, tactics, and tools. Walt has indeed seen it all in this industry, and he speaks the truth. His conviction about and steps to cultivate a mutually beneficial partnership with your dealer are wise words to be heeded by any OEM representative in this industry. I came to know Walt by reputation before having had the privilege to engage with him on a more personal level. When I made the jump from factory to dealer leadership, I knew that my learning curve would be steep. So I asked around about how I could accelerate my onboarding into the retail side of the equipment business. The response was nearly unanimous: Walt MacDonald and his Master's Program in Dealer Management. The easy-to-follow and implement step-by-step guide in Walt's program helped me become a much more effective general manager in far less time than I expected. I'm convinced this OEM Regional Manager's Guide will do the same for you. This book will help you identify what you need to know about your dealer's business, before the all too often loss of credibility that accompanies making overconfident and unfounded recommendations about their business. It will help you figure out which wins are mutually beneficial vs. those that have a one-sided advantage. You will learn how to quantitatively appraise your dealer and prioritize your efforts for their development. If you are an OEM Channel Executive, Regional Sales Manager OR Regional Product Support Manager or, a newer manager on the way up and tasked with growing your OEM's business, this book will provide you with the tools you need not just to grow the business, but help make your OEM and dealer stronger as a result. Knowing how to grow your dealer and focus your efforts for mutual success isn't easy. But there's no reason to make it harder than it has to be. This is the book that every OEM Regional Manager should read before your first visit to a dealership. With collaboration as your priority and this guide as your basis for success, you will be . Luke Sheppard has 20 years heavy equipment industry experience in engineering, operations, general Management and executive leadership roles in the U.S. and Canada with Tigercat, Timberjack, John Deere and Nortrax. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, a master's degree in Systems Engineering from Iowa State University, and an Executive MBA from the University of Iowa. Luke is the author of the just-released book, Driving Great Results: Master The Tools You Need To Run A Great

Available NOW! "Strategies, Tactics, Operations for Achieving Dealer Excellence" is the second volume in McDonald's Master's Program in Dealer Management. It is the companion to his highly regarded, "Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance." "Strategies, Tactics, Operations" is the Comprehensive Guide to building Revenue Center management strengths. McDonald provides a roadmap to deploy highly competitive operations in New and Used Machinery Sales, Rentals Service and Parts. The Master's Program in Dealer Management Executives who utilize these texts in their business are achieving Master's Level insight into dealer management problems. Until now, there was only "tribal knowledge" of best ways to approach and solve dealer operations problems. At last, this "tribal knowledge" has been written indexed in the form of 500 documented Best Practices. THE THREE-VOLUME MASTER'S PROGRAM IN DEALER MANAGEMENT: Book One: "Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance" The first volume in the Dealer Development series, "Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance" focuses on how to optimize quantitative results . This text focuses on the 48 Critical Profit Variables or Performance Benchmark Standards for the five Dealer Revenue Centers: New and Used Machinery Sales, Rentals, Parts and Service. Book Two: "Strategies, Tactics, Operations for Achieving Dealer Excellence" This second volume, begins with building a Strategic Vision and provides a practical "how to" process for creating a winning Strategy. What assets do you use and where? Walter defines the characteristics of Operations Excellence in each revenue center. You examine 500 Best Business Practices of World-Class Dealers. Which are appropriate for you? Which must you do well to gain competitive advantage? Book Three: "Dealer Problem-Solving Handbook"" McDonald's "Dealer Problem-Solving Handbook" is a comprehensive trouble-shooting tool. Sales and Operations Problems are listed by Revenue Center. Causes are discussed and possible solutions are referenced in detail by page in his two texts: "Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance" and "Strategies, Tactics, Operations for Achieving Dealer Excellence." What Dealers are saying: Doug Taylor, President, Owner, Earthborne Trucks and Equipment I initially became acquainted with Walter through reading his first book, "Achieving Excellence in Dealer/Distributor Performance." I read the book many times. The insight it gave me into my own dealership made me wish I had been given this book at the beginning of my career. We were able to apply many of the tools and concepts suggested by Walter in his book to our construction equipment and heavy-duty truck business. Now, after reading Walter's "Strategies, Tactics, Operations for Achieving Dealer Excellence" and understanding how we have applied many of these principals to building our growth and profitability plan, I am confident that my company will be positioned to grow in our market. Applying the right strategy will allow us to execute the changes we need, the first time, and within the reach of our companies resources. Dealers who utilize the Revenue Center Best Practice Audits will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses, will quickly start prioritizing the biggest opportunities for improving their dealerships. For us, a quick comparison of each manager's top 5 weaknesses started to set the framework for revenue center action plans. Dealers who Benchmark their operations against the recommended 48 Critical Profit Variables will be able to rank, by priority, which business areas offer the most incremental profit and growth. I personally encourage every equipment Dealer Principal to at least get Walter's two volume set of Dealer Development books on the principals and practices of Excellence in Dealer Management and get those books in the hands of every key person at the dealership.

This collection highlights the most important ideas and concepts from Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, authors of The Balanced Scorecard, a revolutionary performance measurement system that allows organizations to quantify intangible assets such as people, information, and customer relationships. Also included are Strategy Maps, which enables companies to describe the links between intangible assets and value creation with a clarity and precision never before possible; The Execution Premium, which describes a multistage system to help companies to gain measurable benefits from carefully formulated business strategy; and The Strategy-Focused Organization, which introduces a new approach to make strategy a continuous process owned not just by top management, but by everyone.