Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/134362
by John Zoller & David Bowen, Zoller Consulting, Inc. With few exceptions, the common denominator for successful garage door dealers is that they are well-managed companies. Most door company operatives understand garage doors and are very familiar with installation procedures. Most garage door dealership owners have at least rudimentary people skills, meaning these owner/ managers can manage feld personalities as well as make customers happy. However, for those owners seeking to run a successful frm, they must learn how to combine fnancial acumen with sound business management principles, or their quest for success most likely will be elusive. Many dealers originally started their business with the goal of doing a better job than their boss did. The art of management was eventually learned by trial and error, through the school of hard knocks, or through careful observation of the actions of successful business friends. Many times the second or third generation of the family received formal business education and returned to the family business. While garage door dealership management is indeed an art, there are a myriad of specifc topics and skills that must MaNageMEnt Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of a three-part article on how to successfully manage a garage door dealership. Part 1 appeared in the International Door & Operator Industry, Volume 45 – Issue 6 entitled "Making Money in the Garage Door Business" and discussed the fnancial management side of the business. The second article appeared in Volume 46 – Issue 2, and covered the operational side of a dealership. This third part delves into the tasks and skills needed to manage the business. be learned and applied to hone that art and successfully manage a door company. The list of management topics below is certainly not complete, but it does give a taste of the procedures and goals a successful manager must understand and implement in order to manage a truly successfuldealership.Possiblyevenmoreimportantly, employees of a well-managed dealership who comprehend the company's goals, understand the rules, and know what is expected of them are consequently happy company associates that will likely become long-term employees. • Develop Set Procedures – Set procedures help to eliminate confusion and angry words. These procedures cover a diverse number of business activities. For example, an owner might insist that the phone must be answered within three (3) rings, and set the order of who is responsible for answering thephone.Likewise,rulesshouldbe created regarding which employee (or employees) is responsible for greeting and selling a walk-in showroom customer. Sales persons and the offce staff need set billing procedures, both how invoicing is to be completed and by when. Strong dealerships mandate all invoicing be completed 24 hours after the installation or service call and all invoicing must be completed and submitted within 48 hours of the end of the month. Firms with lazy invoicing procedures invariably have cash fow problems. Strong managers set procedures for routine business functions, thus giving good managerial direction to all employees. • Defning Employee Rules and Boundaries – Without employee rules and boundaries, chaos will reign. Managers must set starting times and Continued on page 50 48 International Door & Operator Industry™