Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Marketing Your Automotive Dealership is NOT that Hard to Do

Recently, I traveled to New Mexico to consult with a dealership about their marketing strategy.  The conversation went a bit like this:

DeliveryMaxx: “What are you currently doing with advertising today?”

Dealership: “We are doing print (newspaper), TV, Radio, and I have a billboard two exits down.”

DeliveryMaxx: “How is that working for you?”

Dealership: “I can’t really put an ROI on it, but I think it is branding us.”

DeliveryMaxx: “In a perfect world, what would you like your marketing and advertising do for you?”  

Dealership: “We want it to brand us, talk about our customer service, and help us sell more cars?”  

DeliveryMaxx: “At least you know what you want it to do for you.  Now, is that strategy working?”  

Dealership: “I’m not sure.  That is what we have always done.  I do know this.  We are spending a lot of money for this advertising, and I can’t measure the results.”

 As a marketer, I see a lot of marketing and advertising spends, but the strategy is all too often ambiguous at best.  There is nothing wrong with traditional advertising.  However, in today’s climate businesses have to maximize their advertising spend.  Is your marketing and advertising accomplishing your goal?

 Before we talk about strategy, let’s use the traditional billboard advertising medium and see if that is providing the best return for your automotive dealership.  The cost to design and produce a billboard averages $ 900 to $ 5,000 depending on the content and who creates the advertising piece.  For a 4-week cycle (marketing companies charge this way because they get an extra month of fees) your cost will range from $ 900 to $ 5,000 for city and interstate signs.  Many of our major highways command as much as upwards of $ 10,000 per cycle (4-weeks).  DeliveryMaxx’s offices are in Dallas, Texas and a recent price quote I received for signage on Loop 635 (LBJ or Lyndon B. Johnson Highway) was for $13,600 per cycle and an additional 25% during December.

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 What is Your ROI for this Ad?  What are you trying to say?

 I am not advocating vacating your traditional media spend.  In fact, Ford and General Motors allocate 70% of their advertising dollars worldwide to traditional media.  However, dealerships must have a precise strategy especially during cost-cutting initiatives.  Too often, I see strategies that are the equivalent of throwing ideas into a fan and seeing what sticks on the wall.

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Do your marketing meetings produce results like this?

 Marketing and Advertising your automotive dealership is relatively easy to do.  Motivating the consumers’ actions take some well thought out strategy. 

First, you need to identify where the eyes of your consumers are looking.  According to JD Power & Associates Automotive internet Roundtable nearly 80% of all vehicle buyers consult the internet before making a purchase.  That means, you should move more of your dollars to Digital Marketing or Social Media versus traditional forms of advertising.

Second, what is the goal or consumer behavior that you are trying to accomplish?  When considering what type of vehicle the consumer is going to purchase they research published online reviews, blogs, friends and family via Facebook, Google plus, & twitter, and then dealership websites (generally in that order).  Ultimately, your goal is to entice the customer to view your website or visit your dealership.  So how do you influence the consumer to give you a chance to sell them a vehicle?

You have to have a plan.  Social Media is not going away.  It is too convenient and immediate for the consumer.  Sites may change, but the medium is here to stay.  Therefore, how do you talk to potential customers?  There are hundreds of Social Media Sites that resonate on the worldwide web.  Sites such as Pinterest demographics are 97% women.  LinkedIn is dominated by the workforce.  Facebook has replaced many phone conversations.  FourSquare is the new GPS.  YouTube has replaced MTV.  Google Plus is the new business card.

 

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 For centuries, businesses have become great their customers have advertised for them.  In the past, it was by word of mouth at a family gathering.  Now, Social Media has made it acceptable for society to share anything from what you had for breakfast to where you went last night.  People will actually take a picture of food and show it to the world.  This is no different for your business.

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 The Math is Simple!

The average Facebook user has 245 friends.

If you sold 200 vehicles in a month and your customer showed off their vehicle on Facebook, you would be branded to 49,000 new potential consumers a month.  That’s just Facebook!  Don’t forget about the other sites as well as online reviews.

Now, think about this.  If 1% of those customers were interested in your dealership because of the positive message that was sent by your client, you would have an additional 490 opportunities for a new sale.

The above photo of this happy family from Southwest KIA Dallas was put as their public image on Facebook for the world to see immediate after they purchased their vehicle.  In one hour, the photo received 15 “Likes” and 10 comments.  If each of the Facebook users who “Liked” and “commented” on the photo also had 245 friends then that one sale would have REACHED 6,370 people. Remember, this family also reviewed the dealership online, and their family portrait went to hundreds of other Social Media sites.  In short, they became a virtual billboard for Southwest KIA.

Marketing your dealership is not that hard to do.  You just have to have a great product, excellent customer service, and a strong strategy to share your message.

For more information on Social Media Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Local Search Engine Optimization (LSEO), and Customer Loyalty & Retention, please visit DeliveryMaxx.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

New DeliveryMaxx Video - Total Automotive Marketing Solution

DeliveryMaxx the industry leader in Automotive Social Media Marketing (SMM) has perfected the science of maximizing the exposure for automotive dealers on the Internet. Utilizing our proprietary software and years of expertise, we can increase your market share and brand exposure through portals such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, Flicker and more. We have revolutionized Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Local Search Engine Optimization (LSEO) and Online Reputation Management (ORM).

In today’s marketplace it is vital to have command over your public Brand Image while acquiring and retaining customers. DeliveryMaxx helps you dominate the World Wide Web utilizing your customers as Social Media Billboards which increases your brand share as well as turning a “one-time customer” into a "Customer For Life".

Standing Out in a Crowd - Dmaxx Pro Photography Solution

Dmaxx Pro can assist automotive dealerships in maximizing their internet presence by enhancing the inventory photos. The Customer Drive By has been replaced with the Digital Drive By. Your Dealership needs to put its best foot forward and distinguish it’s self from all the others.

How do you separate your inventory from the dealership down the highway that has the exact same inventory? You already know the answer, The Pictures!

 

ClubMaxx - Automotive Employee Retention Program

ClubMaxx - An exclusive program designed by DeliveryMaxx that rewards your sales team for their job well done. Once you are a DeliveryMaxx, Images of Success customer, your sales team can choose to join ClubMaxx.

This program motivates your sales team to higher performance levels, promoting increased sales and 100% compliance in the vehicle delivery application.

At no cost to the dealership or the salesperson, points are accumulated each time a sale is made and awarded to the individual sales person. The sales person can redeem their points for merchandise rewards by signing onto the ClubMaxx web site, at www.theclubmaxx.com, registering and becoming an exclusive member.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Right Tools for the Job: Internet Technology in the Service Drive

There are many generations of vehicle owners pulling into dealership service drives across the nation.  Furthermore, they can be driving anything from a late model relic to the latest in automotive wonderment.  You pick the letter in the alphabet to define the generation...Boomers, Gen-X, Gen-Y, Millennium-Gen.  That's a lot!

As a service professional, it's your job to pick up your customer's highest expectations and maximizing profits per repair order.  Oh yeah, did I mention you've got to do all that AND get high CSI scores?  A circus juggler might come to mind as you try to wrap your head around it all.  But let me highlight the concept of Effective Communication.  Without a doubt, effective communication between you and your customer is the single most critical aspect of your success, your business, your R.O. averages, and your CSI scores...PERIOD.  Are you still using the telephone to do that?  Let me expand that thouught just a bit.

Deliverymaxx-csi_scores-automotive-customer-service-phone-sales

I have a Time Magazine from April 1993.  The cover reads, 'The Info Superhighway' (Time Magazine: April 12, 1993 / Vol. 141 No. 15/ www.time.com/web ).  There is a page after page of concepts pertaining to internet technology in the future.  It was all so foreign to the average consumer that it seemed like science fiction.  However, now, looking back on all of that in the rear-view mirror, it's like "(yawn)...what's your point?"

The point is this, when that article came out I was writing service for one of the largest Honda dealers in Portland, Oregon.  The computer at my write-up station had a green-screen for crying-out-loud!  The most sophisticated car in the suite of automobiles available to our customer had 24 on-board computers, very few people had a personal computer at home, cell phones were flip-phones that made phone calls...that's it, and Data, he wass a character on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  Nevertheless, the basic elements of service consulting in the dealership service drive haven't changed that much over the last 20+ years.  The tools for communication have.

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The basic tenants of added-value customer service are still the same: courtesy, cleanliness, promptness, professionalism, product knowledge, effective communication, active delivery...all the same.  Yet the products are more sophisticated and so are your service customers.  My boss at that Honda store summed up customer perception like this, he said, "if you're customer has to call you before you contact them by the end of the day then you've lost their perception of a high standard of customer service."  Are you still using the telephone to do all of that?

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I like to get out into dealerships and talk with the pros working on the front lines of service consulting. In fact, the other day I was at Southwest KIA of Rockwall in Rockwall, Texas talking to a few of the writers in that store. It’s a new store with an exciting suite of products. The service area and write-up area are clean and very modern-looking. It’s a really nice store. They have a consultant named Kevin Leary who’s been writing service since 1979. Do you think he’s seen some changes?! Needless to say, Leary is a valuable asset just by his years of experience alone. I was talking to him about some of the modern technology they are using in their service drive. Leary says “We’re reaching our service customers in ways we’ve never dreamed of before.” By that he’s referring to internet technology via emails and social media like Facebook and Twitter as well as texts and data sharing on customer’s smartphones. Leary also utilizes powerful write-up tools like remote pads to do the customer write-up at the car. The remote table also allows him to pull up vehicle and customer history, previous service recommendations, current service recommendations, and any current recall information from the manufacturer for that customer’s vehicle. John Monigold, also a service consultant at Southwest KIA of Rockwall, has developed an email template to interact with his Generation-Y service customers after they’ve visited him. John says he uses modern internet technology to cultivate a high volume of highly favorable CSI review responses by his younger, tech-savvy customers. Leary concedes that he prefers the telephone to do most of his consulting and communication but, he realizes the power and value in internet technology, especially with the younger generations of car owners. Regardless, it is easy to understand why Southwest KIA of Rockwall’s service department has earned the highest CSI averages in their district. Great job!
 
Another service pro I talked to is Richard Ancheta at David McDavid Lincoln in Plano, Texas. With 11 years of experience, Ancheta is the highest producing Assistant Service Manager in the service drive at the Plano store. He also uses email, texts, and data sharing with his service customers as a form of effective communication. He conveys estimates, pricing, progress reports as well as up-to-date warranty and recall information to his customers throughout the day. Like Kevin Leary, Ancheta says that “At the end of the day, there’s nothing more solid than a verbal conversation with your customer…” but the internet and technology via social media and smartphone technology make him vastly more effective in conveying the perception of the highest standards of customer service to his service customers. So, are you still using the telephone to do all of that?

Isn’t amazing how quickly technology in automobiles change? Earlier in this article, I mentioned that in 1993 a “high-end” car had about 24 processors on-board. Since then that number has more than doubled. All of those processors are synched with control sensors and monitors; it is a marvel indeed, the cars we drive today. So why would any service consultant in the modern dealership not want to employ all of the benefits of modern technology to communicate with their customers?  These customers who are likely to be tech-savvy, and at the very least, as sophisticated as the cars they drive. According to Kevin Leary, “It’s important to keep technology fresh and updated.” In other words, is your service customer’s perception of your operation up-to-date and modern, or is it lacking?  Updated, modern technology is often a large expense for dealerships, but that cost is a small price to pay when compared to the loss of customers, revenue, and low CSI in its absence.  Perhaps perception can be improved by a service consultant simply asking their customer which method of communication they prefer, “Email, text, phone calls, or smoke-signals.” Regardless, effective communication is at the forefront of every service transaction, and crucial to the success of your service business. And so, if you are a service professional working in the modern dealership today, are you still using the telephone to do all of that?

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DeliveryMaxx in the Automotive Industry Leader in helping dealerships with customer loyalty, increasing CSI Scores, higher SEO value, published positive reviews, strategic social media marketing, additional fixed operations revenue, more sales, and repeat and referral business.  Our company was founded by “Car Guys”, and we make it a practice to hire the top talent that has automotive dealership experience.  Craig Rodenmayer, the author of this article, has spent years working service in the automotive industry.  His experience allows us to provide programs that are advantageous for fixed operations.

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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Cultivating Success in Your Automotive Dealership

Before we can discuss success we have to define success.  Too often, I travel to businesses especially automotive dealerships and am disappointed that success eludes their dealership.  After spending a few hours talking with staff members from various departments the same element is usually missing from the formula of “success”.

These dealerships have poor employee retention.  The employees feel overworked, and underpaid.  Morale is at an all-time low, and loyalty to the company is non-existent.  Even worse, is that nobody seems to have the answer as to how to turn the organization around.

I also travel to great companies, and have been afforded the opportunity to learn from great business and political leaders.  A common trait that all great businesses and leaders have is that they are able to motivate teams to strive and accomplish goals which have been established.  For more information on Leaders and Leadership visit: Automotive Leadership at its Finest

Definition of Success

Success is reading a desired result or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development.

Now that you have read the definition, why do we have successful dealerships, and failing dealerships?  Why do we have successful employees, and unsuccessful employees?  Utilizing the assumption that nobody wants to fail, I will discuss the missing ingredient failing dealerships all have in common.  In addition to providing the “secret sauce of success”, I will first dispel myths of achieving success in the dealership.  Once this is explained, we will then establish a plan to help you cultivate success in your automotive dealership.

Myths for Achieving Success

        I.            You must manage, develop, invent, or implement an entirely new concept to achieve success.  It is true that we read, hear, and use new concepts.  Yes, it is popular to sensationalize famous entrepreneurs because they were the first to practice their craft.  However, most successful organizations are successful because they utilize sound business practices and common sense.  Henry Ford did not invent the automobile.  He learned how to make it more affordable by using efficient production methods to create success for Ford Motor Company.

      II.            To achieve success, you must not deviate from your plan.  Challenges and obstacles are a fact of business, and ultimately organizational success.  Every great war the United States has participated in there were battles that were lost.  This adversity is great for success because without failure, mistakes, or checked egos learning would not be able to take place.  The proper statement would be to not to lose focus of your goal.

    III.            Success is the calculation of Risk/Reward.  Great leaders of successful organizations are very calculated.  They seem like they are the best or most lucky gamblers, but this is not entirely true.  A successful organization or successful leader stacks the deck in their favor.  They play with their own marked cards.  They identify the outcome before the action takes place.  That’s right, they have researched and methodically identified the desired result and understand how to overcome challenges before they happen.

    IV.            An organization is successful because of their leader.  A leader will receive many accolades when they have achieved the goals of the organization as well as criticism when results are missed.  Just pay attention to the CEO at the end of each quarter for publically traded companies.  Successful organizations require great leaders, but true successful organizations have countless number of supporters.  Have you ever heard that there is no “I” in “TEAM”?

      V.            Success is all work and no play.  Organizations that do not have team members who are having fun will fail.  Sure, there should be rules and procedures created to combat chaos.  However, an unmotivated employee will be a short sided employee.

    VI.            The definition of the organizations success is defined by leadership.  Unless you are not dependent on anyone’s responsibilities then you will be sadly mistaken to buy into this myth.  A successful organization depends on the weakest link in the company.

  VII.            If your organization looks successful then it will be successful.  We have all heard that if you “dress for success” you will achieve it.  However, there is another saying that “it is better to be considered a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”  Would anybody think the Big Mac was any good without the secret sauce?  KFC’s chicken would be like everyone else’s if Colonel Sanders didn’t mix the right ingredients.  The same is true for your organization.  You can have a beautiful state-of-the-art dealership, and not be able to sell a vehicle.

VIII.            Successful organizations make everyone happy.  Success can never be satisfied; it always craves more.  Successful organizations are always striving for more success, and once they stop their competition will pass them.

Cultivating success in the dealership

If you have spent any time in the automotive industry you have probably been part of several organizations.  Many sales, service, and finance personnel tend to change organizations more often than they visit the dentist and some change at the same frequency as they get their haircut. By reading this piece, you are either validating yourself because you are running a successful dealership or you are looking for ways to improve.

 The “secret sauce” to cultivating success in the dealership is to identify the desired end result and proper motivation helping others reach those goals.

Steps to Cultivating Success in the Dealership

1.       Identify, understand, respect, and explain the cross-functional dynamics of the dealership.  The reason this is the first step listed is because most individuals reading this are charged with changing the culture or outcome of the dealership.  The dealership is made up of Service, Sales, Finance, Operations, Marketing, Maintenance, Logistics, Advertising, Information Technology, Human Resource, Business Development, Vendor Relations, and Accounting.  Without the needs of each department being met the dealership will not maximize its fullest potential of success.  Most dealerships that perform poorly have management that fails to respect the functions of each of these departments.  This translates into poor management, and breeds a culture of distrust, apathy, and isolationist departmental attitudes.  For example, if a dealerships IT Department (In most cases the IT Guy) doesn’t understand the necessity of faster internet speed for the Finance Department then customer service can suffer ultimately hurting potential revenue for the dealership.  During any new hire, the goals of the organization and orientation of each department is essential for cultivating success in the dealership.  A sad fact is that most managers in the dealership completely understand the dynamics of each department, and why those departments are needed for the overall goal of the dealership.

2.       Establish, and communicate clear measurable goals, both short-term & long-term, for each department and the organization in its entirety.  A dealership that has established these goals early in its infancy is more likely to be successful than a dealership that has to change due to lack of results.  However, most dealerships have not realized their full potential and change management to move closer to the desired outcome.  Therefore this is the second step to cultivating success in the dealership.  If leadership accepts step number one then step number two is very easy to accomplish.  However, there are a few key points when trying to accomplish step number two.

First, establish a clear measurable short-term goal for each department.  A short-term goal can be managed and measured by a superior allowing the subordinate to plan accordingly to meeting these established goals.  Short-term for senior management (Owner/Operator, CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, GM, etc.) is quarterly and short-term for middle management (GSM, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Service Director, Marketing Director, Business Development, HR Director, etc.) is monthly while frontline managers (Sales Manager, Service Manager, Advertising Director, etc.) have weekly short-term goals.  Frontline Employees (Sales, Service, Maintenance, etc.) should have daily short-term goals.

In addition to short-term goals for each department, establish the measureable result of a short-term goal for the entire organization and communicate the effectiveness of each department’s importance in reaching the goal.

Second, identify clear measurable long-term goals.  These are goals that have been extrapolated from a combination of meeting short-term goals.  For example, a short-term goal for the CFO may be to find $30,000 a quarter in savings for a dealership.  The long-term goal would extrapolate into $ 120,000 measured at the end of the fiscal year.

Using the example of a long-term goal for the CFO is sure to communicate the effects and importance of reaching this goal throughout all departments.  Identify why saving $120,000 a year in current expenses will help each department.  Establish a cross-talking culture with all departments.

3.       Establish complete “buy-in” and clear reasonable expectations.  Teamwork is not always about building a consensus.  The success of the company does depend on building a great team, but a leader sets the direction and the team needs to be able to effectively work together to accomplish the objective.  If you have strong communication explaining the importance of the goal, and how everyone is needed to reach these goals then managing these expectations will be easier.  It will also be easier to “coach-up” or “coach-out” an employee that will not “buy-in” to the organizational goals.  Be sure to establish clear reasonable expectations.  If expectations are set too low, the company will never have the opportunity to reach complete success, and if they are too high failure will become the norm.

4.       Motivate, celebrate, and communicate reaching the goals.  I could write an entire blog about motivation.  Proper motivation is key or the “secret sauce” for cultivating success.  Some are motivated financially and others are motivated by more responsibility.  Really, it comes down to how the employee feels their contribution is valued within the organization.  This step requires managers to manage.  They must always inspect what they expect.  However, good coaching is vital to success.  When celebrating the successes the cake should fit the goal.  You do not reward a salesman the top parking spot for being the top salesman of the week.  However, this might be a great reward for the month.

5.       Create vendor partners.  You rely on vendors to provide you with particular service or products.  Educate the vendors about the goals of your organization, and expect them to adhere to step number three.  A good vendor truly cares about the success of your organization because without your organization winning they should not win either.  Therefore, they are your employees and have a responsibility to help your dealership reach their goals.

6.       Empower and hold accountable a culture of success.  Foster great ideas with your employees and vendors.  However, expect a plan of action and provide the support for the great ideas.  In the end, measure these results and hold the champion accountable for the innovative idea.

7.       Set customers’ expectations from the start.  The customer is not always right.  If they were, then every company would be out of business.  Running a dealership at the whim of the customer will never lead to profits.  However, the customer is always the customer and the goal is to win those Customers for Life!  It is important to understand, listen, and empathize to see things from their point of view.  If the expectations are firmly set from the start they will be satisfied at the end.  Build a strong customer loyalty & retention program.

8.       Let the world know that you are a successful dealership.  Today, if you are not utilizing social media, you are missing over 75% of the market.  This is where all of the eyes are.  Online Reputation is important to your dealership because that is where everyone is talking about your industry.  Social Media Marketing is where you can reach your potential customers or employees.  If you are not established correctly on the internet through Search Engine Optimization then people will not be able to find you.

If cultivating success were easy, then all dealerships would be successful.  It is no different than raising a child or building a house.  You have to have a strong foundation, and continue to maintain it. 

DeliveryMaxx, the industry leader in Automotive Social Media Marketing (SMM) has perfected the science of maximizing the exposure for automotive dealers on the Internet. Utilizing our proprietary software and years of expertise, we can increase your market share and brand exposure through portals such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr and more. We have revolutionized Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Local Search Engine Optimization (LSEO) and Online Reputation Management (ORM).

 In today’s marketplace it is vital to have command over your public Brand Image while acquiring and retaining customers. DeliveryMaxx helps you dominate the World Wide Web utilizing your customers as Social Media Billboards which increases your brand share as well as turning a “one-time customer” into a "Customer For Life".

Deliverymaxx_customers_for_life_increase_automotive_sales_csi_scores

Exclusive: Google, Apple CEOs in secret patent talks

A Combination photo showing Google CEO Larry Page (L), in New York, in this May 21, 2012 file photo and Apple CEO Tim Cook in Cupertino, California in this October 4, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Files

 

SAN FRANCISCO | Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:50pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc Chief Executive Larry Page and Apple CEO Tim Cook have been conducting behind-the-scenes talks about a range of intellectual property matters, including the mobile patent disputes between the companies, people familiar with the matter said.

The two executives had a phone conversation last week, the sources said. Discussions involving lower-level officials of the two companies are also ongoing.

Page and Cook are expected to talk again in the coming weeks, though no firm date has been set, the sources said on Thursday. One of the sources told Reuters that a meeting had been scheduled for this Friday, but had been delayed for reasons that were unclear.

The two companies are keeping lines of communication open at a high level against the backdrop of Apple's legal victory in a patent infringement case against Samsung, which uses Google's Android software.

Last Friday, a jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages and set the stage for a possible ban on sales of some Samsung products in a case that has been widely viewed as a "proxy war" between Apple and Google.

One possible scenario under consideration could be a truce involving disputes over basic features and functions in Google's Android mobile software, one source said. But it was unclear whether Page and Cook were discussing a broad settlement of the various disputes between the two companies, most of which involve the burgeoning mobile computing area, or are focused on a more limited set of issues.

Competition between Google and Apple has heated up in recent years with the shift from PCs to mobile devices. Google's Android software, which Apple's late founder Steve Jobs denounced as a "stolen product," has become the world's No.1 smartphone operating system. The popularity of the software has been in tandem with patent infringement lawsuits involving various hardware vendors who use it, including Samsung and HTC.

The latest complaint was filed by Motorola Mobility, now a unit of Google, against Apple at the U.S. International Trade Commission claiming some features of Apple's devices infringe on its patents. A previous lawsuit between the two in a Chicago court was thrown out by a federal judge, who said neither side could prove damages.

Apple in recent months has moved to lessen its reliance on Google's products. Apple recently unveiled its own mobile mapping software, replacing the Google product used in the iPhone, and said it would no longer offer Google's YouTube as a pre-loaded app in future versions of its iPhone.

Cook took the helm at Apple a year ago, and Page stepped into the top job at Google a few months before that.

The conversation between Page and Cook last week did not result in any formal agreement, but the two executives agreed to continue talking, according to one source.

Google's Larry Page, who sat out several public speaking engagements earlier this summer because of an unspecified medical condition affecting his voice, has continued to run Google's business.

Apple and Google declined to comment on any discussions.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic and Poornima Gupta with additional reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Jonathan Weber, Martin Howell and Leslie Gevirtz)

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

DeliveryMaxx Produces New Customer Video for Southwest Kia Mesquite

As part of our Images of Success Program we include a short video for our clients that can but played in the dealership. People always feel good when they see themselves on the WideScreen.

The typical dealership spends millions in advertisement for that “one-time sale.” Why not make an investment in the customer, so the customer will invest in the dealership?

DeliveryMaxx utilizes modern innovations, cross-talking technology, and traditional techniques to allow the customer to show off their new purchase while providing a positive published review of their experience to the world.

Imagine - the power of your customers sharing positive reviews through the world-wide web with their friends and family about the great sales and service your dealership provided to them before leaving the dealership.

Envision - the positive impact to your customer retention, increased sales, and higher CSI by simply providing high quality sales and service and allowing your customers to do what they do best- that is, telling others how much they appreciated the way they were treated and how they got the best price on a great product or service at your establishment

Realize - the scope of this technology along a vast horizon of possibilities for a fraction of the cost of what traditional forms of media and advertising saturation used to cost your store but with limited success.

This is how the Deliverymaxx Images of Success program helps our customers see certain and immediate measurable results. There is no better way to increase referrals and repeat business than this because your customers are doing the advertising for you through their own positive expressions! The internet, social media, blogs, and web-based communities have given ”word of mouth” a whole new meaning; Deliverymaxx will help you harness that momentum.

 

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Automotive Service to Sales...Seamlessness...Really

From time to time, we will have members of the DeliveryMaxx family share their experiences from the automotive industry with you.  We hope you enjoyed this read from Craig Rodenmayer, DeliveryMaxx’s Customer Service Professional.

 In the 16 years I worked in the automotive industry as a service writer, consultant, and assistant service manager on the dealership level, I faced many opportunities and challenges. However, the greatest of those challenges and opportunities continually focused on how to retain my client base and represent the dealership well to my customers in order to achieve and maintain a high level of CSI and repeat business. That was the crux of what I learned in those 16 years. 
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 During my tenure, car dealerships began to develop a focus on “seamlessness” between the front end of the store and the back end, or fixed operations of the service and parts departments. There were, in essence, two franchises under one roof operating out of step, often in competition with one another. The disjointed nature of these two competing entities worked to the detriment of the dealerships client base because the customers of that dealership were becoming lost to the schizophrenic nature of the messages they received either at the point of purchase or at the point of service. There was a lack of dialogue or familiarity between the sales staff and service staff which created a lack of trust or loyalty with the customers on both ends resulting in a loss of repeat sales and returning service customers. Worst of all, this lack of trust was being expressed through the customer’s word of mouth and CSI reviews to the dealership. Disaster! 
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 What I learned in my time writing service, and what I began to understand of human nature, is that people want a friend they can trust when it comes to their automobile purchase or service. They want experts who will lead them down the path with integrity and sincerity. They don’t want to be “sold” on something they don’t want, don’t need, nor can they afford. So, my approach to the concept of seamlessness became communication and knowledge of what the other half of the dealership was doing. Likewise, I developed relationships within the sales staff so that I could better serve my customers and the dealership as a whole. The better I understood the sales end of the car business, then the better I could assist my service customers in making wise decisions about a car they own that may be, for a lack of a better term, a “money pit” if they continue to dump money into it to fix it. I and my customers needed friends in the sales department.

 I never cared much for the notion of a “bird dog” fee for flipping a service customer to a specific sales person; to me that seemed more like a scheme. Of course I wanted to be well compensated for my efforts, but more than that I wanted to make sure my customer was being treated with the same level of integrity and honesty that I provided in my relationship with them. After all, a car purchase usually takes place within the confines of a day; a service customer however, is won over months and years! Therefore, it was imperative that any customer of mine was treated with the highest level of care by the sales staff. What is more, I didn’t want to develop a “racket” with just one sales person who would pay me to flip my customer. No, keep your bird dog fees and spread the love. My desire was to work as a team, seamlessly taking care of our most valuable asset, the customer. If we won the trust of our customer, we earned a customer for life. 
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 And so now, with the ubiquitous internet and social media, it is even more imperative to take the concept of seamlessness to task within the automotive dealership. There should be absolutely no gap or perception of a void to the customer between the point of sale and the point of service. Furthermore, the client base of the dealership, both young and old, have become more sophisticated and educated in the process of car buying and automotive service. Dealerships owe it to themselves to cross train and educate both the sales staff and service staff in an effort to better enhance the dealership’s customer retention, online reputation, brand reputation, and CSI reviews. It is in our nature to want to trust and that is the key to winning customers for life; loyalty is the point of becoming truly seamless. Really. 
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DeliveryMaxx was founded on the principles of creating a more efficient method for successfully completing the sale at the point of delivery.  We have developed a system that effectively increases the positive experience of buying a new vehicle, accurately tracks the process, and generates increased customer retention.  The net result to our dealer network is increased sales, residual profits, web domination through social media marketing, strong SEO value and Locals, Published Positive Reviews and a Customer Loyalty Program that assures “Keeping the Customer for Life.

Our founders have over 60 years of experience in Automotive Sales, Management, Fixed Operations, Corporate, Marketing, and Customer Support ensuring a complete understanding of the sales process and the knowledge to help you grow your customer base.  We understand how hard it is to win a customer, and DeliveryMaxx arms you with the tools necessary to build continuous, strong relationships with your customers and retain them for generations to come.
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Automotive Leadership at its Finest

Leadership- Are You a Leader

Now that the Grand Old Party is officially nominating their choice, Governor Mitt Romney, for President of the United States and current President Barak Obama is defending his record of leading the United States the last three years; we are faced with a decision to choose who best fit to lead our country. America has a vast history of leaders who have embarked on the challenge which affects many lives from small businesses with less than five employees, large corporations with tens of thousands of employees, to Presidents who are challenged with decisions influence the lives of 313 Million people.

Leadership is "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal". According to this definition, a leader may or may not have a formal title. That means a leader can be any of your colleagues including yourself. It makes no difference as to what your title is. A leader can be anyone from a parent, student, receptionist, General Manager, technician, sales person, to the owner or founder of a company. The same theory applies that a boss may not be a leader. In addition, a company can be a leader of their industry.

There are no Failed Leaders, only those who Fail to Lead.

Are you a leader? Is your company a leader? This article will discuss traits of a leader, and allow you to take a deeper look into your qualities, skillset, and drive to lead. We will explore leadership traits, styles, and recommendations helping you to accomplish your goals. The assumption is that you are reading this because you want to lead; however, not all leaders seek out this responsibility. Some leaders have to lead out of necessity because there is no better option or their company, country, or family needs them to lead. We will also discuss leadership myths. Some heads of organizations believe they are leaders when in fact they adversely affect the goal they are trying to reach. If we agree with the definition of leadership which is “organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal” then this figure head is not a true leader.

Leadership Myths

Myth #1- All leaders have the same personality

When most people think of a leader they will imagine the most vocal member or dominating personality in the room. Many failures believe that they are a leader because they think they always have something to say, and the louder they talk the more they believe they are leading.

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Once, I had a CEO that used to come into the board room and beat his chest and just start yelling. Mark Twain once wrote, “It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are a fool then open it, and remove all doubt.” This was so true in this particular case.

The more this CEO yelled and screamed the worse the executives performed and their staff performed. The company ended up failing. What is worse is that he took these same traits into two other companies, and both of those companies failed as well. In reality, the louder the person is the less likely followers hear. Now, do not mistake loudness for passion. A passionate leader may be very vocal to get there point across at a crucial time when trying to achieve a goal. Passion can emphasize the severity of the consequences of actions or lack thereof. Those of you who played sports or were in the military understand that there are times that a vocal leader is needed at times. This is passion, and not yelling just to yell.

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Coach Mike Krzyzewski has coached at Duke University since 1980 winning four NCAA Championships, 11 Final Fours, 12 ACC regular season titles, 13 ACC Tournament Championships, and 2 gold medals for the United States Olympic Team. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame becoming the winningest coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history.

Some feel that all leaders have a charismatic personality. The term charisma has two senses. The first meaning is having a compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, and the second meaning, a divinely conferred power or talent. Truth is that most of the famous leaders had some sort of shortcoming or personality issue. Your cause, your purpose, and your mission in life will make you seem charismatic, not the other way around.

Delivery Experienced Leader President Ronald Reagan is one of our most beloved presidents in American History. He was perceived as charismatic because of his success. He was not successful because he was charismatic. He had a cause, purpose, and mission in life and he inspired others to help America reach those goals.

Others feel all leaders have an extroverted personality. Leaders aren’t all extroverts. There are actually highly successful leaders who are introverts. From Microsoft's founding in 1975 until 2006, Gates had primary responsibility for the company's product strategy. He aggressively broadened the company's range of products, and wherever Microsoft achieved a dominant position he vigorously defended it. He gained a reputation for being distant to others; as early as 1981 an industry executive complained in public that "Gates is notorious for not being reachable by phone and for not returning phone calls."

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Bill Gates is consistently ranked among the world's wealthiest people and was the wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2009, excluding 2008, when he was ranked third; in 2011 he was the wealthiest American and the second wealthiest person. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and chief software architect, and remains the largest individual shareholder, with 6.4 percent of the common stock.

The personality of leaders can vary from demanding, friendly, stoic, calm, methodical, and even lucky; however, these personalities did not make the leaders. The leaders led using their personalities to the best of their abilities and achieved success by reaching a common goal.

Myth #2- Titles Define the Leader

Leadership is not based on position or rank. It is based on action, performance, ability, and effectiveness. We all relate to working for those people who were placed in leadership roles who did more to demoralize and destroy the business than anything else. The best companies strive to develop and create as many leaders as possible. Real leaders are acknowledged by their peers, supervisors and subordinates. It’s not a matter of position within an organization. It’s a matter of who has the best skills, knowledge and resources to enable the team to achieve a common, shared goal.

When I was younger, working for my first “real job” after college, my supervisor nominated me to be a Change Leader in our organization. Our corporate team had set out a goal to create a “Best Place to Work” and devised a vision to be everyone’s choice in the automotive educational industry. We developed a plan to empower employees to help our company reach these lofty goals. Although the company is considered a success eventually going public in 1996 putting a lot of us in a different tax bracket, management deviated from this path and failed to realize the company’s full potential. However, a great example of a company that practices Leadership by Empowerment is Harley-Davidson.

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Harley-Davidson Inc. is an American motorcycle manufacturer which was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the first decade of the 20 th century. It was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. It also survived a period of poor quality control and competition from Japanese manufacturers.

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In 1983, new management adopted best practices by allowing employees at any level to share new and innovative ideas to improve the quality of business for the organization. Many components and technical improvements were made saving the company from shutting its doors for good. Furthermore, the leadership team, identified with their consumers building trust and allegiance to develop Harley-Davidson into a Worldwide Brand that is so popular people is willing to permanently tattoo the company logo on parts of their body.

Myth #3- Leaders are Born Not Made

Many people still think leaders are born and not made. Just research Qualities of a Great Leader, and you will find millions of articles and books trying to find the gene that makes up such a person. What you will find is that everyone has an opinion on the matter. Many people who are trying to sell books say that anyone can become an effective leader. Obviously, the books have the “secret sauce”, so you have to pay $19.95 to find the answers which will lead you to wealth. The truth is that if you are reading this article, you have a desire to improve yourself or your company. The second truth is that you must have a goal that you are trying to accomplish. So, in reality, you will be defined as a leader by the circumstances that have been created and how you are able to accomplish these goals inspiring others to help you accomplish these goals.

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Mother Teresa spent her entire adult life working for the indigent, sick, and uneducated. She had a goal to help these people, and believed in the cause. By her actions and convictions, she was able to inspire royalty, wealthy, and countries to take up her cause.

Myth #4- Leaders are More Formally Educated than Others

When today’s leader steps in front of a microphone to give a speech on the economy or a presentation to their staff, we often mistakenly perceive they have been educated by some of the finest schools that gave them that “secret sauce” in school. The truth is that education does not make anyone a good leader. Learning, understanding, ambitious, visionaries, experience and communicators become leaders. Leaders identify situations and then apply their experience and knowledge to reach their stated goals.

For example, Henry Ford identified that the middle class American needed a vehicle they could afford. His introduction of the Model T automobile completely revolutionized the transportation and automotive industry. He is credited with “Fordism” which is the mass production of inexpensive goods coupled with high wages for workers. Ford had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to success. His commitment to systematically lowering costs resulted in many technical and business innovations.

Ford grew up on a farm near Detroit, Michigan. He left his farm to work as an apprentice machinist later coming back to farming. After becoming adept at operating the Westinghouse portable steam engine on the farm he was hired by the Westinghouse Company to service their steam engines. He became an engineer with Edison Illuminating Company gaining enough time and money to devote attention to his personal experiments on gasoline engines. This led to the completion of a self-propelled vehicle named the Ford Quadricycle.

DeliveryMaxx Experienced Leader After an opportune meeting with Thomas Edison as well as much encouragement from Edison himself, Ford built his second vehicle. Ultimately, Ford Motor Company was incorporated on June 16, 1903 with the Model T being introduced in 1908.
Henry Ford on his Quadricycle  

Henry Ford was Time’s Man of the Year in 1935, and in 1999 was among 18 included in Gallup’s List of Widely Admired People of the 20th Century, from a poll conducted of the American people.

Myth #5- Leaders have all of the Answers

Leaders are fallible. As a matter of fact, they appear to make more mistakes or wrong decisions then the average person because they may make more visible decisions at stages than others. However, leaders know that they have to have a vision and sense of direction while learning from others. Ultimately they will be judged by their success and failures, but they have to collaborate with their team. A leader has to be able to admit mistakes while learning from them. A leader will not be so egotistical that they think they have all of the answers, and they will surround themselves with knowledge or knowledgeable people to help their team achieve its goals.

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President Abraham Lincoln led our country through its greatest crisis, the Civil War, while preserving the United States of America. Many people know about President Lincoln presiding over the Union during the War of the States, but his legacy of collaboration between the defeated South and victorious North to repair the harms of the war should not be overlooked.

Take a look at the civil wars in Africa and Middle East. Those countries, after hundreds of years of battling, continue to have unrest in their country.

In addition to scholars ranking Lincoln as one of the top three presidents; he paved the way through collaboration and compromise that the United States of America still flies Old Glory.

Not all leaders are moral leaders

Once again, a leader organizes a group of people to achieve a common goal. I say this again because not all leaders are ethical, but they have a lot of the same traits of the leaders above. For example, Adolf Hitler was able to coerce, manipulate, and control his country into hating and ultimately killing 6 million Jews as well as 5000 children by lethal injection because they were mentally and physically disabled.

Leadership is about the future, not the past. Joel Barker's has the best quote about leadership, "A leader is someone you would follow to a place you would not go to by yourself." Leaders gain followers out of respect and their ability to cause people to work toward a particular goal or achieve a destination. People follow because they can relate to the vision or goal personalized by the leader. Ultimately, Hitler’s leadership failed because a leader helps people become better than they are. A leader creates a work environment that attracts, keeps and motivates its workforce. Thankfully, his plan failed.

Leadership Traits

According to the American Library Association leadership traits that are characteristics of good leaders can be divided into seven categories. These characteristics are: physical, emotional, social, intellectual or intelligence, communication, experience, and trustworthy. When we practice being good leaders, leading and motivating others to reach a common goal, we are able to take our companies, communities, families to new heights.

Physical

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Many leaders spend time exercising trying to stay in top physical condition. When the body is strong, we are able to perform at a high level. Our energy needs to remain strong, so we can prepare for the challenges ahead. Great leaders don’t break a sweat in stressful situations. As a matter of fact, they thrive on it. Many leaders are not concerned about being overworked and while having solid vitality.

Emotional

Leaders have self-confidence and are more likely to attempt to influence and look for challenging tasks. They have a desire to improve while understanding their own strengths and weaknesses. The best leaders have self-objectivity. Their emotional intelligence is the extent to which a person is attuned to their own feelings and the feelings of others. They are self-aware have empathy, and self-regulation. Many do not dwell on mistakes and view mistakes as opportunities to learn and move forward.

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Ambitious

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President George W. Bush speaks to employees of DeliveryMaxx about success.

Leaders have courage and are not paralyzed by fear of failure. They have a deep understanding of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs, and drives. They love what they do. They are risk takers, and confident in their ability to take these risks. Leaders are able to handle negative reactions to the outcome. They are not intimidated by superiors and believe they have control over their own destinies.

They are optimistic, even when times are tough. A good leader will accept responsibility and remain persistent.

They do not let potential objections or criticisms stop them despite resistance or setbacks. They keep going and stay the course. A good leader exhibits concern for others showing genuine interest. They give a humanistic touch always recognizing others success. A leader is perceived by others as constant and reliable picking positions or ideas and sticking to them. Self-discipline is important to them. They are determined and good at managing their emotions. Leaders have a desire to achieve.

Social

Socially leaders are well-adjusted and oriented toward improving ones self while not denying weaknesses. They treat followers in a fair objective fashion and are honest, ethical, trustworthy. Their promises are kept and they fulfill their responsibility. A good leader is able to convert purpose and vision into action producing desired results. They are able to adjust their behavior to fit the situation. A great leader makes people feel valued from their contributions to the goal. The leader understands others and knows how to influence them. They show empathy, social insight, charm, tact, diplomacy, and persuasiveness. Their decisions are based on reality and needs of others. They listen, empower, generate trust, negotiate collaboratively, and resolve conflicts.

The leader understands others and knows how to influence them. They show empathy, social insight, charm, tact, diplomacy, and persuasiveness. Their decisions are based on reality and needs of others. They listen, empower, generate trust, negotiate collaboratively, and resolve conflicts.

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One of the most respected congressmen, Honorable Ralph Hall meets with DeliveryMaxx’s CEO helping improve small businesses and the US economy.

. Leaders are well-adjusted, a superior listener, understands small group dynamics, and emphasizes partnerships. They persuade others to follow, and do not rely solely on authority to get things done. A great leader will find common ground with all types of people and builds rapport with them. They take the initiative in social situations. A competent leader appraises readiness or resistance of followers to move in a particular directions, and senses when there is dissent or confusion.

Intellectual/Intelligence

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A powerful leader learns from experience and adapts to change. They possess extensive knowledge used by subordinates to perform the work. They develop inspirational image of new products, services, or ideas and exercise good judgment, foresight, intuition, and creativity. These leaders have the ability to find meaning and order in ambiguous, uncertain events.

Self-knowledge

An effective leader plans, organizes, and solves problems. They coordinate separate specialized parts of the organization, and understand how external events will affect the organization itself. They have an honest attitude toward facts and objective to find the truth. They are decisive in their decisions because they get the facts; assess information, and act, even if all of the information is not available, or if their decision does not make others happy. A leader will look and ask for more responsibility, and knows how to delegate. They are willing to ask tough questions and search openly without bias for practical answers to the most vexing problems. The leader has learned to experiment and withhold judgment until they have completely assessed a situation and identified a well-reasoned course of action.

They have a plan to deal with criticism by listing the benefits of the project in advance and prepare to articulate them to others. The leader who has self-knowledge anticipates how others will react to situations and prepares to minimize the impact. They are able to combine both hard and questionable data and intuitive guesses to arrive at a conclusion.

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Senator George Mitchell and COO of DeliveryMaxx, James Schaefer participates at a Leadership Summit. Senator Mitchell was author of the Mitchell Report which is trying to rid Major League Baseball of steroids. He is also a minority shareholder of the Boston Red Sox.

Communication

Communication from leaders is essential to being successful. They have to articulate a vision outlining purpose, direction, and meaning. It is a must to have clear goals and the determination to achieving them. Their passion is essential for followers to align behind the overarching goals of the organization. They are able to use metaphors that others can relate to in order to symbolize their vision and inspire others. A good leader is an expert at one-to-one communication. A major advantage for strong leaders is great orator and writing skills; however not all leaders possess one or the other. They create and maintain a communication network and informs all on problem situations. They are able to network with people inside the organization and profession that may have certain knowledge and different viewpoints from those within.

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Former Secretary of State, Condoleezz Rice

They do not depend on only once source of information, and are able to communicate with key individuals in areas of specialization that may each have a different dialect. Leaders with good communication explore new approaches to their work, and are not fuzzy about results. They communicate persuasively because they have the facts and believe in the goal taking advantage of opportunities to speak to large groups.

Experience

Successful leaders usually had experience in a variety of different types of situations where they acquired broader perspective and expertise in dealing with different types of problems. They may give followers freedom to take responsibility for their own ideas, decisions, and actions. They are committed to collaboration and require everyone to participate in leadership. They have the competency which is skilled in performing required tasks and the ability to mentor those that follow them.

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Trustworthy

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Leaders have to be trustworthy to lead others to accomplish goals. They genuinely are concerned with followers’ lives and well-being. They empathize and care about the implications of their actions and their staff has to believe the leader will support, defend, and come through for them.

Leadership Styles

No one leadership style is the best or worst. Leadership styles should be used like a marketing strategy. A leader must be able to adapt to all situations when helping their followers’ reach their goals. In addition, leaders must use their traits to maximize their effectiveness when utilizing a leadership style. That means they will have to take a cognizant approach when administrating a certain leadership style. For example, when someone goes to church, they dress differently than when they spend a day at the beach. The same theory applies to a leadership style. In addition, all leaders have a default style that they are more comfortable with. However, the most productive leaders who reach their goals adapt, and are able to motivate their followers into performing necessary task to accomplish the overall objective.

There are several definitions available and descriptions of leadership styles. I will combine them into two major categories. One definition that is available is called the Situational Leader which adapts to the situation. However, all great leaders have to adapt to situations or they will ultimately fail to reach the desired goal. Another described leadership style is called Cross-Cultural Leadership. Again, we live in a society that requires leaders to, once again, adapt to various cultures. So, if you accept the myths, and leadership traits described earlier then you will be able to identify with the four major categories. If you accept the premise that leaders can utilize the four different leadership styles, then we can simplify the description of a leader.

Authoritarian

The authoritarian leadership style or autocratic leader keeps strict, close control over followers by keeping close regulation of policies and procedures given to followers. To keep main emphasis on the distinction of the authoritarian leader and their followers, these types of leaders make sure to only create a distinct professional relationship. Direct supervision is what they believe to be the key in maintaining a successful environment and followers’. In fear of followers being unproductive, authoritarian leaders keep close supervision and feel this is necessary in order for anything to be done.

Do not mistake this person as obtuse to your needs or less compassionate. This person simply sees successful processes, and requires followers to adhere to them. An authoritarian leader usually manages in one-way, downward communication, and controls the discussion with followers. They cannot be persuaded easily without detailed facts to justify a change in policy. This leader is very aware of the “how’s and why’s” of their business, and expects others to know too.

Democratic

The democratic leadership style consists of the leader sharing the decision-making abilities with group members by promoting the interests of the group members and by practicing social equality.

This style of leadership encompasses discussion, debate and sharing of ideas and encouragement of people to feel good about their involvement. The boundaries of democratic participation tend to be circumscribed by the organization or the group needs and the instrumental value of people's attributes (skills, attitudes, etc.). The democratic style encompasses the notion that everyone, by virtue of their human status, should play a part in the group's decisions. However, the democratic style of leadership still requires guidance and control by a specific leader. The democratic style demands the leader to make decisions on who should be called upon within the group and who is given the right to participate in, make and vote on decisions. Ultimately followers feel more value in the organization and perceive more control in their destiny. However, with this trust comes responsibility and accountability from the followers’ outcome in reaching the ultimate goal.

Motivation for Success

Many authors have identified other leadership styles such as Laissez-faire which adheres to a “hands-off” approach because the leader delegates the tasks to their followers while providing little or no direction to the followers. I’m in disagreement that this is a style, but more of a motivation that is part of the Democratic approach. In addition, Max Weber described in 1947 a transactional style of leadership where leaders focus their leadership on motivating followers through a system of rewards and punishments. Again, I feel this is a motivation because all leadership sub-styles fall into Authoritarian or Democratic Leadership Styles. My favorite sub-leadership style is described as the Servant Leader. This leader puts the needs of their followers first. They lead by example, and feel that if they take care of their employees the employees will be motivated to accomplish the goal.

A Successful Leader

First, and foremost a leader is successful. The reason they are called a leader is because they have led a group to accomplish a goal. A successful manager, president, owner, parent, or preacher is a Leader. Leadership is not a title. It is an outcome. It can be measured. Leaders have experienced the reward of accomplishment. Great Leaders continue to accomplish goals.

How to become a Leader

  1. Have a vision.
  2. Set a clear goal.
  3. Communicate your goal.
  4. Understand and acknowledge your limitations and strengths.
  5. Understand how and when to use Leadership Traits to motivate others.
  6. Know when to adapt, and change your Leadership Style to motivate others.
  7. Stay the course, and continue to believe in your goal.
  8. Reach your goal, and identify another one.
For more information on leadership, and social media marketing visit www.DeliveryMaxx.com  DeliveryMaxx specializes in helping Automotive Dealerships win Customers for life.  However, before you can do that- you must be able to develop a team that will share your vision, and follow you towards the goals you have for your dealership.