Path 01 โ Dealer Acquisition ยท Coaching Playbook
Stage 8 of 10
Stage 8 ยท Rep Coaching Toolkit
Coaching Playbook
Three structured tools for rep execution in the field. Joint Sales Call Protocol, Quarterly Business Review template, and the resistance scenarios reps encounter most often when developing a new dealer.
Joint Call
QBR
Resistance
Objective
Observe the dealer's replacement sales process directly โ financing presentation, premium equipment quoting, and objection handling โ and debrief with specific behavioral coaching tied to their lowest-scoring metrics.
How to Prepare
Pull the dealer's quantitative scorecard. Know which two metrics are lowest before you walk in.
Confirm with the dealer in advance: this is a structured observation, not a ride-along. The debrief is part of the visit.
Have the relevant Business Development Framework module reference ready for the debrief.
Identify one specific behavior you want to observe โ either financing presentation or premium equipment quoting. Pick one before you go.
Confirm the appointment includes at least one replacement conversation โ not a service-only call.
What to Do
Stay silent during the homeowner conversation. You are observing, not selling.
Take notes on the exact moment the tech or owner presents the price or payment. Word-for-word if possible.
Note whether the homeowner was given one option or two. Note whether financing was offered or not offered.
After the homeowner interaction, run the debrief in the truck โ not at the shop later.
Lead with what you observed, not with what you recommend. Data before prescription.
End with one specific behavioral change and a commitment to try it on the next replacement call.
What to Avoid
Do not interrupt the homeowner conversation even if you see a mistake. Document it, debrief it.
Do not turn the joint call into a product demo or a program conversation. That is a different visit.
Do not debrief with a list of everything the rep did wrong. One observation, one change.
Do not let the debrief get skipped because the next call is coming up. The truck debrief is the entire point.
Do not schedule this for a service-only day. A joint call on a maintenance call produces no financing or replacement data.
Call Structure โ Step by Step
1
Pre-Call Setup
Before leaving the shop โ 10 minutes
Confirm the role with the dealer or tech: "I'm here to observe your replacement process โ not to help close, not to introduce programs. I'll stay quiet during the homeowner conversation and we'll debrief after." This sets expectations and removes anxiety about your presence.
2
Observation
During the homeowner conversation
Stand back. Watch specifically: when is price mentioned, when is payment mentioned, and in what order. Does the tech present two options or one. Is financing offered, mentioned, or absent entirely. Does the tech present features or outcomes. Note the exact language used โ quotes are more useful than paraphrases in the debrief.
3
Truck Debrief
Immediately after โ 15 minutes in the truck
Open with what you observed, not what you recommend. "I noticed you quoted the $4,800 price about 30 seconds into the conversation. Tell me โ what happened after that?" Let the tech or owner reflect before you offer a different approach. This produces better adoption than being told what to change.
4
One Change Commitment
Before leaving the parking lot
Identify the single highest-impact change based on your observation. Tie it to the dealer's lowest-scoring metric. Get a verbal commitment to try it on the next replacement call. Set a specific follow-up date โ not "let me know how it goes." A date on the calendar, nothing else.
5
Documentation
Same day
Log what you observed, what you discussed, what change was committed to, and the follow-up date. This record feeds the 90-day rescore conversation and protects the rep if the dealer later denies committing to anything. It also creates a coaching record the sales leader can review.
Debrief Talk Tracks
Opening the debrief โ lead with observation
"I want to share something I noticed during that conversation. When you gave the homeowner the price, you said '$4,800 for the system.' About five seconds later, her posture changed. Did you notice that? Tell me what you were thinking at that point."
Lead with a specific observation, not a critique. Let the tech respond before introducing an alternative. This creates dialogue instead of a lecture.
Introducing the payment-first change
"Here's what I'd like you to try on the next replacement call. Instead of leading with the price, try this: 'Most homeowners in a situation like this finance it for around $89 a month.' Then pause. Watch what she does. You may be surprised."
Give them exact language, not a concept. "Lead with payment" is a concept. "$89 a month" is language they can say tomorrow morning.
When the tech resists the feedback
"I hear you โ you've been doing it this way for a long time and your close rate feels fine. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm saying try it the other way on the next five calls and compare. If the numbers don't move, we don't talk about it again."
Do not argue. Propose a trial. Five calls is a small enough commitment that resistance to it reveals unwillingness to improve, not uncertainty about the method.
Closing the debrief
"Next time I come out, I want to observe you present the payment first. I'll book it for two weeks from now so you've had a few calls to practice. Sound good?"
Always leave with a date. "I'll follow up soon" is not a commitment. A calendar entry is.
Objective
Present a 3-month data comparison to the dealer, confirm trajectory, set targets for the next cycle, and formalize the partnership through a structured 60-minute meeting with the owner or GM only.
How to Prepare
Pull the dealer's current vs baseline quantitative metrics before the meeting. The data is the agenda.
Know the co-op balance and expiration date. Bring this number โ most dealers do not know it.
Identify one specific metric that moved and one that did not. Frame the meeting around those two.
Schedule with the owner or GM only. A QBR with a counter manager is not a QBR โ it is a product conversation.
Prepare one specific program or resource recommendation based on what the data shows.
What to Do
Lead with data, not relationship. Open the QBR by putting the before/after numbers on the table immediately.
Let the dealer react to the data before offering interpretation. Their reaction tells you what they already know.
Show progress on any metric that moved, no matter how small. Progress reinforces the system.
Set specific numeric targets for the next 90 days โ not directional goals. "Increase financing to 25%" not "work on financing."
End with an agreed action โ one thing the dealer will do differently and one thing the rep will provide.
What to Avoid
Do not show up to a QBR without data. A QBR without numbers is a sales call with a fancier name.
Do not let the meeting turn into a complaint session. Acknowledge operational issues briefly, then redirect to the metrics.
Do not skip the target-setting step because the dealer is disengaged. No targets means no accountability next quarter.
Do not run a QBR longer than 60 minutes. A dealer who keeps it going past 60 minutes is avoiding a decision.
Do not present the QBR as your report. It is the dealer's business data โ you are showing them their own numbers.
60-Minute QBR Agenda
Standard QBR Structure
60 min ยท Owner or GM only
0:00โ0:05
Open With the Numbers
Put the baseline vs current comparison on the table immediately. No preamble. "Here is where you were 90 days ago and here is where you are now."
Data
0:05โ0:15
Dealer's Read of the Data
Ask the dealer what they notice before offering interpretation. "What stands out to you here?" Their answer tells you what they already understand and what they are avoiding.
Conv
0:15โ0:25
Metric Deep Dive โ One Metric That Moved
Identify the metric with the most meaningful movement, positive or negative. Spend time here. What drove it? What does it mean for the next cycle?
Data
0:25โ0:35
Co-Op Balance and Deployment Review
Show the current co-op balance and expiration date. Review what was committed in the last cycle and whether it was used. Identify the next deployment before leaving.
Data
0:35โ0:50
90-Day Targets โ Specific and Numeric
Set one primary metric target and one secondary. Write them down. The dealer signs off โ even informally. "We agree: financing to 25% and systems per week from 1.8 to 2.2 by the next review."
Commit
0:50โ0:60
Next Steps and Calendar
Rep commits to one specific deliverable before the next visit. Dealer commits to one behavioral action. Set the date for the next QBR and the date for the next joint call. Both dates leave the room as confirmed calendar entries.
Commit
QBR Talk Tracks
Opening โ put the data on the table
"I pulled your numbers from when we started to today. I want to show you what moved and what didn't โ because that tells us exactly where to focus the next 90 days. Here's the comparison."
The data goes on the table first. No warm-up, no relationship preamble. This signals that the QBR is a business meeting, not a sales call.
When a metric improved
"Your financing percentage moved from 9% to 19%. That is meaningful. Ten more replacement jobs per year financed at your average ticket โ that is roughly $48,000 in additional equipment revenue you would not have had. What did you change?"
Let the dealer own the improvement. The rep's job is to show them the dollar value of what they did differently. That reinforces repetition.
When nothing moved
"The numbers are flat from where we started. I want to be direct with you โ that tells me one of two things. Either the coaching sessions haven't translated into field behavior, or there's a constraint we haven't identified yet. Which do you think it is?"
Do not soften a flat result. The dealer needs to hear it directly and own the answer. The rep's job is to diagnose, not to excuse.
Setting the next target
"For the next 90 days, I want to pick one number we both agree to hold each other accountable to. Based on what I'm seeing, financing percentage is the highest-upside metric right now. What would 25% feel like for you to commit to?"
Let the dealer propose or confirm the target rather than dictating it. A target the dealer proposed has more ownership than one the rep assigned.
How to Use This Section
These are the six resistance scenarios reps encounter most often when developing a new dealer. Each entry shows what the dealer says, what it actually means, and exactly what to say back. These are field-tested responses โ not theoretical frameworks.
6 Resistance Scenarios โ Click to Open
๐ฌ
What the dealer says
"I'll think about it."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
They did not see the value in what you presented. "I'll think about it" is not a timing objection โ it is a value objection with a polite exit. They are not going to think about it. The conversation ended before it should have.
What Not to Do
Do not say "great, I'll follow up next week" โ that is accepting the deflection
Do not present more information โ they have enough information
Do not push harder โ that produces defensiveness, not a decision
What to Say
Response
"Of course. Before I let you go โ is there a specific part of this you're not sure about? I'd rather address it now than leave something unanswered."
If they give a specific hesitation
"That's helpful. Let me address that directly."
Why This Works
It does not accept the deflection but does not push aggressively either
It invites the real objection to surface without pressure
If they have no specific hesitation, you have identified a low-commitment prospect
๐
What the dealer says
"I'm happy with my current distributor."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
They have a relationship they do not want to disrupt, and the rep has not yet shown them anything that makes the disruption worth it. This is a relationship objection, not a product objection. The current distributor is not necessarily better โ they are just already there.
What Not to Do
Do not criticize the current distributor โ it is unprofessional and usually backfires
Do not lead with product features or price โ neither addresses the relationship issue
What to Say
Response
"I'm not here to replace anyone. Most of the dealers I work with buy from multiple distributors. What I want to understand is whether there's something we can offer that you're not getting today โ specifically around the program support and the development system behind it. Can I ask you one question about that?"
Why This Works
Removes the zero-sum framing โ you are not asking them to leave anyone
Shifts to a specific gap question rather than a general competition argument
The ask at the end is small โ one question โ which lowers the resistance threshold
๐
What the dealer says
"Business has been slow โ now isn't a good time."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
They may genuinely be slow, or they are using slowness as a shield to avoid a commitment conversation. Slow business is often a symptom of the exact problems the development system addresses โ but the dealer does not see it that way yet.
What Not to Do
Do not dismiss their concern โ if it is real, dismissing it damages trust
Do not immediately pivot to programs โ they are not ready to hear about programs if they are struggling
What to Say
Response
"Slow is exactly when this matters most. When volume is strong, dealers don't need a system โ the phone rings anyway. The dealers I've seen grow out of a slow period are the ones who used it to fix how they sell. What does your pipeline look like right now?"
Why This Works
Reframes slow as the right time, not a barrier
The pipeline question opens a diagnostic conversation โ which is where development opportunities hide
๐ฐ
What the dealer says
"Your prices are too high."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
One of three things: they are using a different distributor as a price anchor and that comparison may not be apples-to-apples, they have a margin problem and are trying to fix it at the distributor level instead of in their pricing model, or they buy primarily on price and are not a Growth or Developing candidate. Diagnose before responding.
What Not to Do
Do not immediately start defending your pricing โ you do not know if the comparison is valid yet
Do not offer a discount as a first response โ that anchors every future conversation
What to Say
Response
"Help me understand the comparison. When you say too high โ compared to what, specifically? Because the total cost picture isn't always just the unit price. Program support, warranty handling, co-op deployment, and development time have real dollar value. What are you paying for all of that with your current source?"
Why This Works
Asks for specifics before conceding anything
Expands the definition of cost to include non-unit-price value
Forces the dealer to quantify the comparison โ most cannot, which shifts the conversation
๐
What the dealer says
"I don't really track my numbers like that."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
The dealer is operating without financial visibility. This is not a disqualifier โ it is a coaching entry point. A dealer who does not track their numbers is almost always leaving margin on the table and will not resist a development conversation once they understand what they are missing.
What Not to Do
Do not tell them they should be tracking it โ that is a lecture, not a partnership
Do not skip the data-gathering step just because they say they don't have it
What to Say
Response
"That's actually really useful to know. It means we're starting from a clean slate. Most business owners in your position find out they're doing better than they thought in some areas and worse in others. Can I ask you a few rough questions โ ballpark numbers only โ so we have something to work from?"
Why This Works
Treats the lack of data as useful information, not a problem
Positions the data gathering as being in the dealer's interest, not the rep's
The "ballpark only" framing lowers the barrier to sharing numbers
๐ซ
What the dealer says
"I'm not interested in any programs right now."
Expand โ
What It Actually Means
The real signal
They have been approached with programs before and the experience was not valuable. "Programs" is a loaded word for many contractors โ it implies paperwork, requirements, and benefits they never actually see. They are not rejecting partnership. They are rejecting the version of it they have experienced before.
What Not to Do
Do not immediately explain why your programs are different โ they have heard that too
Do not retreat to "no problem, maybe next time" โ that ends the development conversation entirely
What to Say
Response
"Understood. I'm not here to sell you a program. The reason I'm asking questions about your business is to figure out whether there's anything I can do that actually moves your numbers โ not whether I can get you enrolled in something. Those are different conversations. Can I ask what you actually need more of right now?"
Why This Works
Explicitly separates the development conversation from the enrollment conversation
Shifts from pushing a solution to diagnosing a need
The closing question redirects to the dealer's actual priorities โ which is where development starts
