For over 50 years Star Trek's Spock has been a relevant and popular philosopher accessible to everyone. With his inspirational logic and struggle with emotions Spock's insights have made him one of the most influential characters to grace screens across the world. Here are five famous Spock insights that apply to your dealership CRM system.
Fascinating is a word I use for the unexpected; in this case, I think interesting would suffice. -- Star Trek, season 1, episode 17 ("The Squire of Gothos", 1967)
Does your CRM make the dealership hum? Does it allow customers to log in and see the same relevant information available to your associates? Is it available on a mobile device? What makes your CRM fascinating...probably nothing.
Next question, what makes your CRM interesting? Is it because your dealership hasn't struggled worse with the crummy tools available to the team? Is it how hard you've tried to make it work with limited success?
Computers make excellent and efficient servants, but I have no wish to serve under them. -- Star Trek, season 2, episode 24 (“The Ultimate Computer”, 1968)
Rigid systems don't support modifying a dealership's business processes. Instead of becoming a tool to assist in supporting leadership initiatives the system becomes an impediment that needs a workaround. Instead of running a system that requires your dealership to change their process to match it, run a system that's flexible enough to support your business processes.
Change is the Essential Process of all Existence. -- Star Trek, season 3, episode 15 ("Let That Be Your Last Battlefield", 1969)
Organizational innovation and agility are key capabilities enabling your dealership to thrive in the dynamic landscape of retail automotive. Changes are coming hard and fast to this industry which is actively undergoing a sea change. External forces are encouraging large shifts in the dealership model and technical advances are changing the shape of vehicle ownership. Is your dealership ready to participate in this essential process?
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. -- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 1982
Every dealership has the salesperson who thinks they don't need to participate in the processes designed to keep the entire organization humming. While they might not seem like it these mavericks are a true impediment to success. They send the message that dealership processes aren't important and it ends up undermining the quality of the system data.
Insufficient facts always invite danger. -- Star Trek, season 1, episode 24 (“Space Seed”, 1968)
Your CRM isn't just a way to keep up to date with your customers but also to ensure your team is on track and making progress. Without quality data in your system accountability is lost. Create a religion in your dealership..."if it's not in the CRM, it didn't happen."