Tracey Pendino, Internet Manager, Ferman Chevrolet

Kyle Mountsier: 0:00This is in the dirt with ASOTU.Unknown: 0:04

Alright, so I'm sitting here with Tracey Tracey is better known as the chemist of the Ferman organization, right? Yes. So how did you get the title, which is now recently known? How did you get the title of the chemists?

Tracey Pendino: 0:16

Um, actually, we were trying to come up with something for the laboratory, you know, coming in saving deals, training the salespeople, holding them accountable to do everything they're supposed to do. So I guess, chemist, I, the chemists, chemists would work. Yeah,

Kyle Mountsier: 0:32

I like it. Alright, so explain to me because most dealerships don't have a place that they call a laboratory that's normally held for colleges and many medical professions. But what is the laboratory for the, for this group at first,

Tracey Pendino: 0:46

um, the laboratory is basically holding salespeople accountable, sitting with them going over, all they're walking leads, going through internet leads, just making sure we're not missing anybody. A lot of them still need training, even if they've been here a long time, they forget things. So it's a constant reminder, which is, which is actually really good. Because as we're reminding them in here, when they go out there on the floor, now, they're doing it themselves, you know, because they know eventually, you know, I tried to sit with them at least twice a week, that they're going to have to sit and do it in here. So they're doing it out there. So it's, the more people I can get do it out there. The more opportunities we have to bring more people back in.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:31

That's awesome. What do you love most about this particular job, because you were a sales manager before, right?

Tracey Pendino: 1:36

I love helping the salespeople. I love being creative with them. I you know, getting a guest back in, you know, doing the videos, helping them with words, you know, a lot of them don't like getting on the phone. They don't like getting on the phone, because they don't know what to say. So I'm loading their lips as they're getting on the phone. If they're not answering, telling them what to text them, telling them to go shoot a video. I mean, it's just, it's on and on and on and on. And it's relentless. And they add, they actually love it. They really love it. I'm actually so passionate about it, because they have bought in. So that's my excitement. That's my I love helping them. I love that they come in and find me wanting to sit in here instead of me going to chase them and bring him in which I thought when we started this, that's the way it was gonna be. But it's the opposite. They want to come in here and said,

Kyle Mountsier: 2:30

I love it. Yeah, because people are passionate about growing they want the like people want a career path no matter where they're at. And career path happens, not just like to the next thing, but also within your current career. Can you get like, I'm sure you have a story or a couple of stories of really cool successes that you've seen out of people leaning into that. All right, here we go.

Unknown: 2:52

The biggest one. When I first came in here, I had one of the used car guys come in here. And we were going over his weekend traffic. And he mentioned this guy in the jeep and he only wanted that Jeep we couldn't get to his payments. And it's like, but we got four other Jeeps out there. Nope, he won't take any other jeep. If I hear that. I mean, if I had $1 for every time I heard that, I would probably be a millionaire right now. But anyways, I said that's okay, let's call him anyway. So let's offer them that other vehicle again. Well, it just so happened, we called them, they went shopping, they realized, yes, that was out of their budget, even though that's what they wanted, they had to have all these options where they started suddenly. So we call that the perfect time got them in, they ended up buying another Jeep that they didn't even really want but they started settling because they realized what they wanted they couldn't afford. So in there so many stories like that, you know, where I'm forcing the salesperson to get out of their comfort zone and call these people see how their shopping is going because they're not going to call us back after leaving here. So we have to do the follow up with them. So but that's one of the success stories that it made a believer out of that salesperson now. Don't ever believe what the guest says because once they go shopping that they couldn't afford it, they're gonna start stepping down you know, and go after something that's more reasonable for them.

Kyle Mountsier: 4:11

You know it for there's other salespeople or managers that maybe don't have the opportunity to sit with someone like yourself in our industry, what how would you encourage them to like, pick up their own stuff and and find their own way and make sure that they're progressing in the way that you get to help people if they don't, maybe you don't have someone like you in their store?

Tracey Pendino: 4:33

They're just going to have to find time really, I mean, sitting at the desk, sometimes gets a little convoluted like you're trying to help salespeople you need to be there to desk a deal. You have a guest that's complaining. So having this separate is huge. I mean, it really is because then you can focus right on that salesperson and they know you're focusing straight on them. So they like that attention to they like to be they like to be noticed. They want everybody to help them so Having it separate. It just helps. It's a win win for the dealership.

Kyle Mountsier: 5:04

That's awesome, man. How long have you been in the industry?

Tracey Pendino: 5:06

Oh my gosh. I'm not gonna say because about 35 years the concrete

Unknown: 5:12

that's amazing. No, no, that's awesome. So to people that are like, maybe they've just started in the industry or they've never been in the industry before? Or maybe they're there, they've been in it long suffering and they're going, Ah, just tired. What would you say to those people that that like how to get them continuing in earnest toward a career path?

Tracey Pendino: 5:31

Um, I would say, honestly, just somebody that's been in the business for a while. You gotta love it. I mean, really, you have to love it. If you don't love it, I would say get out quickly. Find something that you're passionate about that you love. But we're fortunate here we have a lot of people that that love cars love selling cars, and they're just very talented people.

Kyle Mountsier: 5:58

That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, thanks for spending a little bit of time congrats on your new role as a chemist. And thank you so much for caring for the people in our industry in the unique way that you do it really appreciate. Thank you for listening to in the dirt with ASOTU. We love the automotive industry and the people who make it run day in and day out. We would love to connect with you more through our daily dose of fun, a free email that you can sign up for at ASOTU.com That's a s o t u.com. We put our heart and soul into it every day. Thanks again for listening. Join us next time for more Conversations in the dirt with ASOTU

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