Pat Malloy, general manager of Patriot Chevrolet of Limerick, recently joined us for an episode of Daily Dealer Live, where he shared how he uses a simple notebook to keep his mind at ease, accountability to keep his store aligned, and specific strategies to sell to younger buyers.
“I do keep a pad, a notepad with me wherever I go,” Malloy told Daily Dealer Live host Sam D’Arc. "I have certain things filled out to start my day and go through each and every department..., and plan out my day so that I can have my goals aligned with what I wanna accomplish long term."
Inside, he tracks the following:
Contracts in transit
How much used inventory is aging
Which vehicles are missing VDPs or SRPs, or aren't showing up on the website at all
Where staffing gaps might be forming, and who's next in line to fill them
Joining the notebook: Malloy believes in inspecting what you expect.
Essentially, he says setting expectations for the team isn't enough, and that someone has to personally verify, every day, that those expectations get met.
This applies to struggling hires too, which he says may come down to leadership not giving that employee enough support.
"Sometimes we let our employees down," Malloy said. "I know there are people that I have personally hired that I know that I should have spent more time with."
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On affordability: Malloy said shoppers who don't need or want to pay for a full-size SUV may appreciate the Chevy Trax, a front-wheel-drive SUV with a price that starts around $23,000.
"For the people who are in these younger generations who are a little less concerned with status, but want the tech, but they want a particular look, they don't need a giant Suburban," Malloy said.
Naturally, he tries to keep used pricing within reach, too.
To do so: He prices as much inventory as possible under $30,000, ideally closer to $25,000.
Staying in that range "definitely gets us a lot closer to what our goals are,” Malloy said.
Big picture: Malloy combines the aforementioned tactics with broader, more vibe-driven efforts to make it more than just about buying a car.
For example, they offer a complimentary coffee shop, an arcade, and a collection of antique cars on display. "It's an experience," he said.
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