The Challenge
Introduce a new automotive product substantially different from existing models and aimed at a new customer base. Generate and maintain excitement and enthusiasm among dealership personnel. Quickly educate Volvo dealership staff on the product features and benefits of a technologically advanced automobile. Promote strong sales of the Volvo 850 without harming sales of traditional existing models. Make sure the effort includes all dealership personnel throughout the network.
The Solution
Develop a tiered training program targeted a specific audiences. Working in a planning team, Interpersonal Development, Volvo and two other product launch vendors identified the challenges inherent in the Launch and designed comprehensive program solutions. Interpersonal Development´s segment included:
- Development training methodologies and materials aimed at helping dealership staff identify customer needs (i.e., luxury, family, performance cars) for the purpose of segmenting the market correctly and thus presenting the most appropriate Volvo model.
- Developing a new "walk-around" presentation for the 850 that focused on the car´s strongest benefits.
- Creating modular training packages adaptable for use in a number of training venues and presented by Volvo management as well as Interpersonal Development trainers.
Interpersonal Development designed and produced trainer course materials, audio-visual support, motivational and sales modeling video presentations, product benefit reference materials, and competitive selling pocket guides. In addition to creating all-new materials, we "Americanized" some existing materials that had been used during the 850 Launch in Sweden.
The 850 Launch training was designed for three distinct phases:
- Kick-off Training, held at a central location. More than 1600 dealership managers and selected sales consultants attended the two-day training, held in rolling sessions. The focus was on product training, sales management of a new product and ´"competitive selling skills." Interpersonal Development trainers conducted all the sales training. Managers left the training session with:
- A sales meeting kit which included instructions for a three-hour sales meeting to be held in the dealership, a "snapshot" video of the Kick-Off Training and substantial referenced materials for use during after the sales meeting.
- In-Dealership Training was designed for use when the cars arrived on the dealership lots. Separate half-day training programs were developed for sales, service and parts personnel. The programs included a motivational 850 video, a detailed features and benefits "walk-around" and a test drive. Interpersonal Development trained Volvo regional managers of parts, sales and service to conduct the training.