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August 12, 2004
Mr. Jim Ziegler
3950 Shackleford Road
Suite 100
Duluth, GA 30096
Dear Jim,
I don't know where to begin, as I could
write a book about the problems a single point General Motors Dealer
faces today. Specifically, I am exasperated by the reliance a dealer has
on his people and the independent freelance approach they take with
their lives and careers - whatever happened to the "Protestant Work
Ethic" our Fathers and Grandfathers lived by? I am guessing Generation Y
will never know anything about this!
As you know, I worked my way up from
sales to owner without any real help from any one individual, without
winning the lottery, without inheriting any money; without Motors
Holding, DD or any factory assistance; in fact I didn't even get that
lucky - I was focused and I worked hard.
In the past five years I have spent three
of them being the sixth largest GM dealer in the Greenville ADI. What is
impressive about this is I am in a small town of 8,000 residents forty
miles from Greenville. But one year ago my world started to change, my
sales declined, and after much analysis I realized that I was only
winning as a result of the Super Human Effort (SHE Method) of a few
propelled by my charisma and work ethic. I realized I couldn't even take
a day off, go on vacation or for that matter turn my back.
I realized that I was people-dependent vs
process dependent and a change had to be made. I trained two of my
existing managers in your class and asked them to become "Zieg-Pliant"
and utilize every aspect of your program, they resisted and my sales
declined further. I recruited a new GSM and two new Sales Mgrs, have
trained them in the Ziegler way, I am using AIM Data as well and your
Battle Plan
and have regained control of my store.
Finally I should tell you that July was
my best month in a year and I have moved up in the rankings (see
attached report). I am enjoying the business again and I want to thank
you for providing the curriculum to teach my people the processes I want
to use in my store. We only do things one-way now - the Ziegler Way.
Thank You!
Very Truly Yours,
Kurt Mechling
Kurt V. Mechling - President |