More Student Thoughts about Compliance and Ethics Training...

"Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do" Potter Stewart

From the Assignment: Your Turn - What has legal compliance training done for you? 

“Excellent, I've learned a little more on ethics & compliance then in previous training due to the in-depth info used in this course. This course has helped me understand more clearly on what other situations can affect myself & the dealership when it comes to advertisement issues, disclosures to do with the regulations, compliance with more in depth examples (videos & docs) to make it easier to grasp I'm sure that there will be more to learn in the up-coming courses, videos & I'm looking forward to learning a lot to make it a better environment for Customers & the dealerships growth into the future...”

Michael Y., Hawaii

 

”When I first started the compliance training course I wasn’t sure what to expect, but to my surprise it was a very informative course. Alot of the information I already knew some of it was new and I will make sure I put it to use, I have always been a firm believer in treating people fairly and trying to always do the right thing and always apply it in my everyday life and at work. As for it increasing my confidence in the automotive industry I’m not sure that it did I have always been confident in following rules and making sure all customers and employees are treated fairly.”

Lori J., Virginia

“This course was very enlightening on alot of areas that our dealership can improve on to make it and me as a sales manager a better place for our employee's and customer's to benefit. As we have also tried to put the buyer first this course has made me be determined to make our sales staff and all other employee's to put the customer first. I have been in car sales since 1984 and thought I knew everything and while I knew alot of this test I also learned and was refreshed on some stuff I had forgotten. I think all dealerships and employees should take this course to at least refresh the laws and values of the customer”

David C., Virginia

“Very informative!! Excellent Course! As someone who hasn’t been in the industry long, yet am a top seller, I had no idea how close to crossing the line we have gotten in some of our deals. I see more clearly now, how to avoid the line completely in my future deals. There are some ways that some of the seniors in the business have shown me, that I thought were normal business practices and now I see these ways are no longer acceptable. This course has helped me in many ways, and because I am still new I can easily adopt the correct principals because I haven't formed any bad habits yet”

Melinda S., Missouri

“This course is excellent!! It was a very humbling experience from thinking i knew everything to now knowing i knew very little about the industry. I have learned alot from the college of automotive management. I have been in the car business for 2years and 9 months, I have taken compliance tests before but never had it broken down the way this course had done by far. I thought being in the business for close to 3 years I knew alot and when going through the courses it really opened my depiction of the business and really showed me that there is tons that I don’t know and by completing this courses I will be more knowledgeable I have always been real ethical when it comes to people in general if they ask me a question I will always give them the 100% truth whether good or bad. I am looking forward to keep learning and excited to see the upcoming courses I will be taking and learning from. I have enjoyed everything so far and I am positive that will not change through my learning. I never knew that there was that many law's in the business to follow.”

Christopher R., Hawaii

“I ALWAYS BEEN AN HONORABLE SALES PROFESSIONAL QUOTE "DOING THE RIGHT THING" IN PROTECTING THE DEALERSHIP AND CUSTOMER DUE TO CUSTOMER RETENTION ETC.”WORD OF MOUTH" REFERRALS SNOWBALLS INTO  WHICH, RETURNS IN INCREASING MY INCOME ANNUALLY, THIS COURSE REINSTATED MY BELIEFS IN ALL MY SALES EXPERIENCES.”

Dino M., Hawaii

“Excellent. After taking this course, it has shed light on how many dealers are not in compliance. This is a very important tool to have for the dealers and their staff. I learned quite a bit from taking this course.”

Paul S., North Carolina

“I've been in the car business my whole life. I knew a lot of the information already, but I did learn a great deal as well. I learned about how better to utilize ethics and saw some great examples of what not to do. Building personal relationships with customers is important if I want them to keep coming back to me and to continue doing good business.”

Charlie B., Virginia

 

Doing Right by Your Customers to Do Right By the Business

Since 1992, the College of Automotive Management has been dedicated to teaching auto dealership personnel the benefits of legal compliance and ethical behavior. In the auto industry at large, there is sometimes the perception that this type of training is somehow a "burden" or a "necessary evil". Below, students of the College share in their own words how in reality, compliance and ethics training is so very important to their overall personal success and the success of their dealerships.

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.”
― C.S. Lewis

From the Assignment: Your Turn - What has legal compliance training done for you?

"This compliance training has been the most valuable part of this course to date. I consider myself a person with high ethics, but to know and understand that even if I do things the right and correct way in the court of law I am still liable if a customer feels deceived. It is an eyeopener to ensure that I am very clear and concise with consumers of what we are offering and that consumers understand that prior to moving forward. It is good to have available the federal auto dealer regulations at my finger tips. I will be studying these along with the remainder of the course. I have been in the auto industry for many years but, most of these laws and most of this information has not been provided in the past. Knowing the laws and showing my employer that I am aware of what is expected of me in the court of law will make me a more valuable employee. I know that after this course I will absolutely be more confident in the decisions that I make in the finance office and being confident in what is lawful and unlawful will show to my employer."
Angela G., Ohio

"Legal compliance training. This course covers so much it calls into question a lot of common practices around our dealer ship that are done everyday. I know for a fact we are very lax about how we display buyers guides on our used cars, I have found them stuck in glove compartments and laying on the floor or not there at all. One of the now owners I started out with when I first started in the business and we are still good friends to this day. He will I know take what I tell him very seriously. Just being so well informed when I am talking to a customer and explaining the sales process they will have to be more relaxed and fell more secure they are talking  to and being helped by some one looking out for their best interest. Customers pick up on the fact that they are being helped or hustled to make a quick decision. When you have a good relationship with a customer if something comes up they will listen with a open mind and most times will not fly off the handle. That is the way to get customers coming back to purchase more cars form you."
David W., Indiana

"Legal Compliance has shown me that deceptive practices taught years ago in the auto industry, is not the path to more income and self value. It is, in fact the opposite. By practicing not only compliant, but ethical behavior, I can proceed to increase my income and customer satisfaction. This will lead to more sales and satisfied clients."
Herbert S., California

"The legal compliance training provided by the College of Automotive Management has and will continue to help me as I continue with this new career path in the car industry in many ways. Being that I am a green-pea in this business, there are many things that I have yet to learn. Sometimes as a car salesman, I will be faced with the shady ethics that dealerships have infamously been known for. In the gray world of car sales, the legal compliance training will help me see things more black and white and will not only help me do the right thing, but also keep me out of trouble with the law. This will make me much more valuable to my employer because I can now be more independent in decision making regarding compliance with the law. And as long as I remember one of the first rules in this training, "do what is right by all parties" my moral compass will always point me in the right direction, which will help build my relationships with my customers and establish trust with everyone I deal with."
Jeffrey B., California

"I feel the road to success in any business is to deal with your clients with integrity and the correct knowledge at all times. The amount of information and specific areas covered provided thru the training of the College of Automotive Management is invaluable. Also having the ability to reference the many aspects of compliance quickly is extremely helpful. Any dealership that is not conducting business today with the customer's needs and wants as a number one priority is operating in the dark ages. The " love your customer first " mentality will help insure both immediate and future success in the marketplace for a dealer. It allows the dealership to establish long term relationships with their customer base."
Mike L., Oregon

"This course was very resourceful for me and my dealership. Luckily we have stuck with in rules and regulations but I did see a couple that did not apply to us yet but may in the future. Regardless if they apply or not it is important to know what is expected of our dealership compliance. I will be referring to this material as time progresses to make sure we run a tight ship!"
Chris S., Michigan

"This course should be a must for every person involved in the selling process. It would be of great help for any new or experienced auto sales person."
John S., Wisconsin

"This training has helped me to understand the importance of compliance in not just the car business but in any business.  Understanding the difference between ethics  and compliance.  Compliance is following the laws that guideline each transaction. Remaining truthful in the way you approve deals and always disclosing every detail to the buyer.  Ethics are how your character leads you to do business.   Always putting forth the customers best interest before your own.  Ive learned that even though a person in a higher position may ask you to "fudge" the information a bit to make the deal work.. Not only he can get in trouble you can along with the entire dealership.  No body wins short term. is one of the things I heard that stood out through this whole course.  Treating customers the right way and always being on their side will build a good foundation for a relationship which in turn can lead to repeat business and referral business. Where everyone all around wins. Doing everything according to the law and with good ethics will bring more money in the long run."
Briana L., California

"I have been in the Automobile Business off and on all of my life.  Not only will this course help me in my profession, but it will help me in every day life and make me a better person. I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot. Thank you so much."
Scott S., Missouri 

"This training is a good jumping off point for developing an interpersonal style of working with customers, co-workers, management and feeling comfortable that your training will allow you to be more confident in approaching people you want to do business with and make them more comfortable in working with you.
And that your integrity coupled with the training in ethics and compliance makes you a stronger more qualified and knowledgeable addition to any organization's goals and bottom line.
Also that helping your customers is your main focus and having them think of you as a person they can trust and rely on increases your value to them and will help you achieve a personal sense of self assurance and achievement."
Jeff C., North Carolina 

"The legal compliance training, in my opinion should be learned by all managers in the dealership. It is crucial information that I feel has informed me of not just the facts that have to do with the customer but the behind the scenes facts. Even though I work with managers all day, most of the information on this course was new to me. From the advertisement rules to product presentation. I will definitely keep a copy with me of the manuals and revise them every once a month, because the dealership isn’t responsible for ones wrong doing, the person can also be held accountable.
After learning all the facts I definitely feel more confident working at my dealership. I am informed and love being able to answer questions and to processes the right way. Building a personal relationship with customers is vital in avoiding disputes. Ive witnessed many mistakes be made at work but because the relationship with their customers is honest and genuine, a solutions is quickly achieved. When a customer feels that you’re there to help them and truly care about their needs, they become more understanding that everyone is human and sometimes make mistakes."
Elizabeth Z., California

"The legal compliance section has been very helpful. There are so many factors that one wouldn't think would be non-compliant, however, having an understanding that some words and actions can sometimes hold myself and the dealer accountable for non-compliance is a big eye-opener. I had a basic understanding of compliance, but this course brought many things to my attention that I was unaware of in the past. Being from an advertising background, working in a 3 state territory, I had to know the advertising compliance regulations for each state, and they all varied considerably. Knowing that the wording or the placement of verbiage can sometimes be misleading and be reason for violations and fines in one state, may not be the case in another. Having a relationship, built on trust and honesty from the beginning, and not always having the relationship result being the goal of a sale, and having the customer know that I have always been up front and honest with their best interest at heart could avoid any legal disputes in the future. Maintaining the utmost business practices and being completely ethical and compliant should also avoid any non-compliance legal actions in the future."
Janice E., New York

Cross Training Benefits Everyone On the Team

From the Assignment: Your Turn - Finance Calculations and Deal Structuring Calculations.



"As a Sales associate, it is good to understand how the finance department does their end of the deal. knowing how they operate will help me work with them for future deals. If I can better understand how they do their job, I can help make their job easier by knowing what information they need and I can help the process run more smoothly, keeping everyone involved happy. Also, by showing an understanding, perhaps the finance manager will see that I have potential to someday do their job which would be a great advance in my career in the auto industry."  Thomas B., Professional Salesperson, CA

-         Cross trained employees are more capable and confident employees.  The College provides all the cross training content so the entire team can benefit.

Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities or make the money that you want without becoming very good at it.
Brian Tracy
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/teamwork.html#f0jHTMySLijLKMaB.99

 “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
― Phil Jackson

Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities or make the money that you want without becoming very good at it.
Brian Tracy
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/teamwork.html#f0jHTMySLijLKMaB.99

Success Starts With Attitude

“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
― Lou Holtz

“Everyone likes to be around someone with a high PMA.. it is contagious…I start to prepare my day positively by thanking God for opportunity..then I do my daily motivational reading and workout…This information keeps  me in touch with the very best of being a true professional while helping me to maximize every opportunity that presents, with the necessary tools and proper mindset.”  

Walter M., Professional Salesperson, TX

“I have a more positive attitude toward the day (I start the day with love in my heart).  

David N., Professional Salesperson, Mercedes, Laguna Niguel, CA

“The Course Professional Sales Best Practices” help put me in the right frame of mind to build a relationship with my customers…I am now breaking away from the group huddle and focusing on the customer.”   

Carlos B., Professional Sales, Kia, Arlington TX

-          The College Automotive Career Training helps students understand how to develop and maintain positive attitudes at work and in life. People with better attitudes sell more cars and have more fun and joy in life.