The real question is, “What happens if you don’t?”
According to prominent futurists and business leaders, we have clearly entered the knowledge era. Our new economy is a knowledge economy. Knowledge now provides the raw materials for wealth creation and is now the primary source of organizational and personal power.
In our highly competitive industries, being able to learn faster than the competition may be the only sustainable advantage you can maintain. Under these circumstances, lifelong learning is no longer a pleasant fringe benefit to be enjoyed by the few. It is the critical difference between success and failure.
The creation and dissemination of knowledge will differentiate the companies that will survive from those that don’t. Such knowledge is crucial for staying ahead of competition in quality, speed and innovation. Brainpower is becoming a company’s most valuable asset. Brainpower conveys a competitive edge in the marketplace. In other words, it is the sum of everything your company knows that gives you a competitive edge.
In many distributors (and manufacturers) the management of intellectual capital is still uncharted territory. Managing know-how is not like managing cash, inventory, production or sales. Step one in getting more from your intellectual capital is to find it. Step two is to link your company’s intellectual needs to your strategic plan.
In summary, knowledge has become more important for organizations than financial resources, market position, product technology or any other company asset. Knowledge is the only meaningful resource in today’s workforce. Unlike physical assets that gradually wear out, knowledge, problem-solving skills and insights from the learning of employees actually increase in value when used and practiced.
Employee Training Yields More Profitable Growth
A recent Arthur Andersen study found that one key characteristic of small to midsize businesses (under 100 employees) that achieved over 10% revenue growth each year was employee training. In this survey, fast-growing, profitable companies invested 3.4% of revenues in employee training, 26.4% more than slower growing, less profitable firms.
In the emerging knowledge economy, employees at every level will be challenged to develop new knowledge, take responsibility for their ideas and to pursue their ideas as far as they can go. The leadership role of management is to create an environment that allows workers to increase this knowledge for the benefit of the entire business.
Textbooks in these programs include Walter’s 10-Volume Master’s Program in Dealer Management book set. These popular dealer management resources are being utilized by OEM and dealer management teams worldwide.
Forget boring “death by transparency” presentations. The McDonald Group’s accelerated distance learning management development programs are fun, highly participative and very productive. Retention is strong and we take extensive steps to help ensure that tools and techniques are implemented on the job.
The McDonald Group offers the most comprehensive dealer/distributor training curriculum available in the heavy and compact construction, forestry, municipal, fire apparatus, fork lift, heavy duty truck and trailer and farm power equipment industries. And we have blue chip client references in each industry. Every program in our current curriculum has been field tested in literally hundreds of sessions. Since 1975 we have created and presented over 2,650 workshops and programs for manufacturers and their dealers in North America, Europe, Australia, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Program – #1 Distance Learning OEM Customer Contact Managers 2022 Curriculum for OEM Customer Contact Managers, OEM Regional Sales Managers and OEM Aftermarket Managers
Researched and Presented by Walter J. McDonald, President The McDonald Group, Inc. Walt@mcd.winsbystorage.com • winsbystorage.com/ The 16 module Distance Learning and private, personalized development program designed for machinery OEM customer contact managers and senior distributor/dealer executives and managers. This is the OEM Curriculum Track. A Certificate in Machinery Dealer Development will be awarded upon successful completion of all course and study requirements. Mr. McDonald will work personally with each participant on assignments, discussion sessions and study projects in each module. Video conference sessions will enable each participant to receive private coaching on course work.
Work Together to:
Evaluate and Strengthen Dealer Market Position
Examine Best Practices in Sales and Operations Management at Both the OEM and Dealer Levels.
Improve Dealer Market Penetration
Build Dealer Development Problem-Solving Skills
Strengthen Relationships with Dealer Principals and Managers
Workshop Highlights…
Examine the Roles and Responsibilities of a highly-effective Dealer Development Manager.
Work in a small group to Audit each Dealer Sales, Rental and Aftermarket Operations against our high-performance dealer checklist.
Identify and discuss the critical success factors for each Dealer that contribute most to improve Dealer Profitability, Cash Flow, OEM Market Share and Customer Service & Retention.
Special section on aftermarket operations and aftersales marketing based on world-class dealer best practices and performance metrics.
Build a performance improvement plan for each regional OEM dealer.
The very best industry-specific workshop custom-designed for OEM Level Regional Sales Managers (RSM) and Inside Support Personnel and Dealer Executives. Assess dealer development problems, discuss issues, complete dealer performance improvement planning projects. Examine and discuss the critical role and responsibilities of Managers responsible for dealer development, how to build better dealer relationships and how to motivate the dealer teams to respond more favorably to your leadership and encouragement.
Program – #2 Distance Learning for Dealer Managers The Master’s Program in Dealer Management is a 16 module personalized, distance learning training program with a curriculum track for machinery dealer distribution executives and managers and a track for OEM customer contact managers and distributor executives.
Step One: Establishing Personal Learning Objectives
Building the Dealer Development Portfolio of All Dealer Locations Assessing 10 dealer performance strengths against 10 market attractiveness attributes for each dealer location. An essential first step in understanding the big picture.
Importance of Quants The role of quantitative assessments in building dealer profitability, market share, and customer retention. Review critical revenue center management tools and operations performance metrics that enable you to best control the business.
Customer Service and Retention How to build value delivery in every customer interaction. Examine best practices and premier dealer metrics. Identify performance standards and tools essential to manage customer expectations and maintain high levels of customer retention. Investigate how to best monitor dealer performance, listen to the voice of the customer, and how to develop the employee-customer retention team.
Product Support as a Competitive Weapon The big differentiator today in machinery distribution is product support. How to determine a competitor’s aftermarket vulnerability. How to leverage this advantage. Discuss how to significantly increase the value delivery in your aftermarket product support business.
Parts Operations Examine best practices and premier dealer metrics. Examine why Off-Shelf Parts Fill Rate to Service is the single most important performance measurement in a machinery dealership. Discuss how obsolescence impacts parts fill rate and inventory turns. Review best approaches to improve Parts Fill Rate, Parts Warehouse Management, Parts Inventory Management, Parts Business Management, and Parts Employee Development
Service Operations Examine dealer best practices and premier dealer metrics. Project current real cash loss of low current technician productivity. Identify drivers of individual technician productivity, and shop recovery rate. Discuss benefits of tracking technician efficiency and how to structure standard times in every shop environment. Review best approaches to Service Operation and Work Order Management, Service Supervisory Management, Service Labor Productivity Management, Service Business Management and Service Employee Development.
Aftermarket Marketing Tools and Techniques How to optimize aftermarket market penetration to achieve high levels of Absorption Rate. How to project market size and share for your primary product line. Analytical tools that clearly identify high potential accounts for incremental business. Promotional tools and techniques that yield best results.
Personal Hot Topics (Part 1) Private assistance from your Coach on your personal challenges related to dealer development. Topics could be how to build better relationships with dealer owners or how to improve sales rep demonstration skills.
Rentals and Used Machinery Sales and Operations Examine dealer best practices and premier dealer metrics. How to Conduct a Rental Market Assessment, utilize a Rental Rate Calculator, establish Rental Revenue and Profit Controls, structure proper Rental Business Policy, and potential for Long Term Rentals. Create a Used Machinery Market Development Strategy, structure proper Used Machinery Inventory Controls, and study the Eight AXIOMS for Used Machinery Success.
New Machinery Sales and Sales Management Examine dealer best practices and premier dealer metrics. Create a comprehensive Market Development Strategy. Build an effective Key Account Development Strategy. See how team selling with Product Support gives you a strong competitive edge. Discuss best approaches to Machinery Sales Rep Development, Sales Supervision and Sales Management.
Key Account Management See how to best utilize the Key Account Management Profile. Review how to avoid the 10 biggest mistakes in Key Account Management. Learn how to assess customer roles, rate buyer support and degree of influence, and get up to higher levels in the account. See how to assess the prospect’s fear level. And, examine the Key Account Management checklist.
Financial Value of Optimizing Dealer Performance Develop the incremental value of achieving high-profit dealer performance targets in each revenue center. Document where you are today. Project financial value of optimizing dealer performance in Service, Parts, Used Machinery, and Rentals based on your current machinery unit sales levels .
Personal Hot Topics (Part 2) Private assistance from your Coach on your personal challenges related to dealer development. A topic could be what are the minimum management information systems a machinery dealer should support.
Final Action Plans, Tools, and Strategies for Successful Implementation What are the three to five management actions that must be taken in each area to improve overall dealer performance? Project financial impact of proposed Action Plans. Examine how to ensure successful implementation. Many great plans never get executed because of the rush of day-to-day business. These implementation tools will help ensure your success.
Personal Action Plans for Continued Self-Development In addition to a recommended reading list and future study program, I am available to coach each participant on structuring a year-long self-Development plan. This will be private assistance from your Coach on your personal challenges related to dealer development. A topic could be what are the minimum management information systems a machinery dealer should support. This can either be a small team project or an individual special study effort, depending on your wishes.
Required Texts: 8 Volume “Master’s Program in Dealer Management” by Walter J. McDonald. Many of the exercises, readings, and program activities are in these essential textbooks. You must have a set in order to participate in this training activity.
Program – #3 Dealer Management Workshops Classroom Training
Master’s Program in Machinery Dealer Management The very best industry-specific machinery and aftermarket sales and operations improvement workshop for Company Executives, Branch Managers, Department Managers, and Financial Managers to help improve profitability, market share, and cash flow, sharpen teamwork, and build management problem-solving skills. We recommend the entire management team participate in this highly interactive program, working together toward overall improvement in each revenue center.
The McDonald Group, Inc. now has Certified Instructors in North America and Europe, providing dealer training support on a global basis.
Program #4 – Dealer Management Workshops Instructor-Led Distance Learning Program
Master’s Program in Machinery Dealer Management The 14 module Distance Learning Program is a private, personalized development program designed for senior machinery dealer executives and managers. Participants work with their Instructor following a study curriculum designed to meet their specific dealer management needs. A Certificate in Machinery Dealer Management will be awarded upon successful completion of all course requirements. Mr. McDonald will work personally with each participant on assignment reviews, discussion sessions, and study. Video conference sessions enable each participant to receive private coaching on coursework as needed.
OEM Regional Management Workshops Classroom Training • Instructor-Led Distance Learning
The OEM Regional Management Workshops build on the Dealer Master’s Program in Dealer Management. The OEM program features modules on how to best utilize Eight Crucial Dealer Development Tools and how to effectively Build an Optimum Manufacturer-Dealer Partnership. OEM Regional Managers throughout the world have found this course to be helpful and relevant to their dealer development efforts.
