Are you ever HAPPY with your sales figures?

[Nick M.K. 574]

I read a couple of posts recently and some people seem to have had a great month, others only just scraped by... 

I had a very good November, probably my best ever (not finished yet so the calculator isn't out) but I personally am never ever happy with my sales, I always think I could've done two-three more, could've sold certain cars for more or quicker, could've paid less for some part exes or repairs and in general when I do the figures I have this sense of unfinished business. 

So, do you reward yourselves at the end of a good month or go into the next trying to better it?

 

 

[Mojo121 229]

If you don’t enjoy it when you do well when do you? When you’re retired, too ill and knackered from years of work? I imagine you do well, Nick. Make better money than I do. You probably have to, every now and again, give yourself a bit of a break. It helps me sometimes if I look back a year or two and go, wow, look how far we’ve come.

The ones I feel really sorry for are the old timers who were raking it in in days gone by (maybe never saw the writing on the wall) and are working for, relatively, pennies now. The ones you always hear at auctions “bloody shit job” “the job is quiet at the minute”. No. That’s just how it is now. I can excuse them not being happy.

Long post - sorry! It’s raining here!

[sparky 274]

5 minutes ago, Mojo121 said:

If you don’t enjoy it when you do well when do you? When you’re retired, too ill and knackered from years of work? I imagine you do well, Nick. Make better money than I do. You probably have to, every now and again, give yourself a bit of a break. It helps me sometimes if I look back a year or two and go, wow, look how far we’ve come.

The ones I feel really sorry for are the old timers who were raking it in in days gone by (maybe never saw the writing on the wall) and are working for, relatively, pennies now. The ones you always hear at auctions “bloody shit job” “the job is quiet at the minute”. No. That’s just how it is now. I can excuse them not being happy.

Long post - sorry! It’s raining here!

Good post. Although I'm not sure I feel sorry for the old timers, better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.

It's also pissing down here!

[justina3 518]

I am very into figures for all the businesses, The ones i delve into first are / overheads / net profit / historical comparisons, comparisons are not massively important to some sectors but i do like to see growth year on year.

 

[NOACROSS 414]

The weather here on the sunny South Coast?......it's...raining again.  Still, it often brings out the nutters that buy!

The job is definitely 'not like the old days' and hasn't been for a long time- thanks at least in part to the internet- which I for one embrace as saves me many hours of travelling and being mega busy/ a busy fool.

Adapt or die as the expression goes.  A lot depends on your hunger, need and drive I think obviously. I don't think I could put myself through all that came with selling 40 plus a month etc on a regular basis, but on the odd months where we do more than 30, I still 'feel the buzz'.

I'm guilty of not pushing anywhere near as hard as I did and often have to kick myself up the butt a bit. As to being happy with the numbers: I don't think you can ever be as, as Nick says, you always think you could have done better.  Historic figures don't do much for me, as I never see a pattern.  January is a good example: one year you can have it off, and the next barely a thing.  You're busy when you're busy and also depends on the stock at the time as buying is a lottery.

 

[Mark101 536]

I know what I need to achieve and I am ecstatic when I do but of course we always want more.

My problem is May was my best month to date (only incorporated in March) and I have only got close once since (June) - so every month looks dissapointing in comparison.

My ultimate goal is to reduce ex's over the next 5 years to a point where I own everything outright - once you've been bitten you soon realise that turnover and gross profit are insignificant vs. outgoings.

I also plan on growing my stock steadily over the same period - i.e. scale stock levels/turnover up and scale down the ex's (proportionally of course) - should mean each year, the bottom line figure (the important bit) gets better and better.

PS: gone flat again this week and pissing it down/freezing cold.

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

1 hour ago, Nick M.K. said:

I read a couple of posts recently and some people seem to have had a great month, others only just scraped by... 

I had a very good November, probably my best ever (not finished yet so the calculator isn't out) but I personally am never ever happy with my sales, I always think I could've done two-three more, could've sold certain cars for more or quicker, could've paid less for some part exes or repairs and in general when I do the figures I have this sense of unfinished business. 

So, do you reward yourselves at the end of a good month or go into the next trying to better it?

 

 

every single word ingrained into my DNA

[grant8064 219]

Improving the business each month, whether it's presentation, more efficient admin, cutting costs etc. That's the stuff that gives me 'job satisfaction'. Trying to improve is my motivation. Sales and wages are great some months but sometimes you'll just have a crap month for no real reason, and sometimes it's just plodding along average....no point beating yourself up about it.

I've never known the old days but if it was as good as people make out then I'd struggle to find any sympathy, used to be easy money everyone old school says to me. A fair few of the old guys we see down the block are just bored, wife doesn't want them at home. Should have retired ten years ago but haven't learnt how to relax and wouldn't know what to do with a week off. One in particular sits in the cafe every week moaning about how it's not like it was, internet this and that...

[Nick M.K. 574]

^^ LIKE

[SC Derby 259]

You might see this as defeatist but I relax each month the minute the overheads are covered. Sometimes that can be in week 1 or in week 4, but that's when the pressure alleviates for me.

It only really started to feel like this when I went solely on my own so everything good or bad rests on me.

[James01 21]

I have had an average month but my average may be someone else's "good", we all have different targets we are looking to hit.

For me I do tend to beat myself up if I do not end up where I want to be at the end of the month but as said above sometimes it is just quiet and everyone is in the same boat so cannot get to down about it. 

I don't think enough will ever be enough for me, that is just how I am wired which can be a good and bad thing! 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

13 minutes ago, SC Derby said:

You might see this as defeatist but I relax each month the minute the overheads are covered. Sometimes that can be in week 1 or in week 4, but that's when the pressure alleviates for me.

It only really started to feel like this when I went solely on my own so everything good or bad rests on me.

Exactly the same as me, keeping myself self motivated I do struggle with sometimes especially when it’s quiet. 

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

I have no trouble with self motivation, Luckily what i do i thoroughly enjoy, I have few overheads and  can easily achieve what is needed to break even, But enough is never enough, Its a healthy business that is striving  for more sales and more efficiencies, Who knows what the future brings but what makes me happy is knowing that i got more than my fair share from the end of that month, Knowing that i could not have done anything more to have got another sale from what was presented as a  sale opportunity, 

 

 

[Mark101 536]

5 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Exactly the same as me, keeping myself self motivated I do struggle with sometimes especially when it’s quiet. 

I always look to do something when it is quiet but motivating myself to go out in the cold and wet weather doesn't help.

I have a new plan - to earn enough money to never see another winter.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

12 minutes ago, Blenheim Car Sales said:

I have no trouble with self motivation, Luckily what i do i thoroughly enjoy, I have few overheads and  can easily achieve what is needed to break even, But enough is never enough, Its a healthy business that is striving  for more sales and more efficiencies, Who knows what the future brings but what makes me happy is knowing that i got more than my fair share from the end of that month, Knowing that i could not have done anything more to have got another sale from what was presented as a  sale opportunity, 

 

 

If you could bottle it........

8 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

I always look to do something when it is quiet but motivating myself to go out in the cold and wet weather doesn't help.

I have a new plan - to earn enough money to never see another winter.

I treat myself and the family to a couple of holidays abroad each year and weekends down the caravan, otherwise only beer and Chinese (food) 

[trade vet 703]

It’s all about the bottom line.How you get there is up to you,some people want big mark ups but historically the guys with pitches who work on sensible margins always appear to do better over time.It appears to me that a lot of people maybe doing business but they are infact treading water and deep in debt.

[lastyboy 23]

I dont make a fortune from car sales but when combined with the workshop then the company does well.

Ive done the pre internet era and the internet era. As someone says its adapt or die.

Ive actually found it quite motivational reading this forum. Nice to see others having the same highs and lows as myself.

[Nick M.K. 574]

I get more motivated by the lows... Nothing more depressing than reading about other people’s exceptional sales :-)))

[CCC 31]

When I had my old business people used to say “are you busy”. Obviously clueless about how having your own business works, where if you’re not busy then you’re busy making yourself busy (more advertising, sales calls, etc). 

I’m a bit ocd about the numbers too and it’s all about net profit and keeping overheads down. 

As others have said many might look successful but are treading water, those are the ones who will be left high and dry when the tide drops as it does every decade or so. 

[andymc1973 199]

last week was very good and I was on top of the World, this week is pants and I'm on the bottom

[umesh 336]

Love what I do , get a buzz every day , the days when I stop getting the buzz I'll Pack it all in.

Of course we all want to do well as already said each one of us has different targets/ objectives to achieve each month, and as we all know it's so mixed up one month could be the best this year and the next the worst! Just got to be positive and look for new ideas, little tweaks that all add that extra to the bottom line.

Some look at sheer numbers of cars sold others look at margins - we're turned on by different things.

When I see others doing well I always think fantastic ! love to see others succeed.

'Good old days' ? was there such a thing? 21 Years in business and every year is different - new challenges and new opportunities ever year. 

Keep smiling and fighting guys and girls the big dealers /groups are after more of 'used car business' share.

[Mark101 536]

3 hours ago, andymc1973 said:

last week was very good and I was on top of the World, this week is pants and I'm on the bottom

+1 here Andy

[andymc1973 199]

great October, average November and at the moment it feels like the phones been cut off

[Dealer 54]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

+1 here Andy

+2

[David Horgan 564]

Not one to get down on a months figures  

Its what you do each year when in business , make this deal  better than the previous is the goal . 

Each deal earns money in my world , some more than others and lady luck does play a part in this job I must admit .

Take one example ; Buy car £15k and sell make profit with px and bolt ons + commission on finance , take px  and prep to sell on at profit plus bolt ons and commission on finance & PX ,  take px and sell after prep for profit , down the line this goes till you get a £100 chopper and sell out to last of line customers for £500 sometimes its 6-8 cars till its finished Known one deal last 15 cars and finish with a 50cc moped .

Another example buy car £15k sell on debit card no bolt ons , no Commission for finance with no chain finishing with £400 profit on a banger .

This is in my view how things can change a great month into a medium month as Ex 1 earns £8/9,000 poss £12k  , Ex 2 earns maybe £1,800 

My MOTTO is chase every £££££££££££ i can get out of them EVERY single time , every customer , learn new tricks every day to increase profits , As my old dad said ;

"Lad if its not working its not the job ITS YOU " Get off your arse and make it work and don't let me hear you MOANING "I never moaned

Plus , if your happy your NOT pushing for profit and you have met your ceiling , I don't have a ceiling ,as my wife puts it "your never satisfied  " She doesn't get drive  

The old lads are romancers too , they earned pro rota similar money as us  , it was hard , stock didn't fall at their feet , customers were just the same . There was great traders , lazy traders and shit traders just like today , traders who earned money and traders who lost it all just like today . 

November 

Today we bought 4 and sold 4 + two phone deposits taken for Friday and Sat , took two PX as well , two sales on finance , all upgrade warranties , one paint protection . 

£1200 in warranty upgrades £299 paint protection +  £1400 in finance commissions with Metal profits too on top . .

I don't trawl through last weeks / months / years figures chasing rainbows , I watch /learn /think of different approaches , modify techniques , change ideas , Adapt and survive  and in my thinking that moves you forward one deal at a time , its where the fun is for me , Deal Deal Deal Profit profit profit  , as the happy customer drives away i smile and that's the kick of working .

So in answer to Nick , No I'm not happy , But I damn well will be trying to improve tomorrow and that makes me ecstatic . 

I'm very very old school though , so you young un's  can ignore me LOL  if you want