Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Fired Up! No Nonsense Talk and Car Dealership Solutions

In this episode of The Fired Up Podcast, Susan Gaytan and Michael Renaud expose the missing piece in dealership performance — true accountability. They reveal how traditional sales metrics fail to show efficiency and introduce the Lead Conversion Calculator to track what really drives results: leads, appointments, show rates, and conversions. The hosts highlight how poor lead handling burns marketing dollars and stress the importance of separating phone and internet leads for smarter coaching. Using real data, managers can pinpoint performance leaks, provide targeted training, and build stronger, more accountable teams. Wrapping up, Susan and Michael preview upcoming AdaptVT.com training focused on appointment-making, trade acquisition, objection handling, and follow-up strategies to finish the year strong.

The conversation revolves around a road trip and training sessions with various automotive teams. Susan and Michael discuss the importance of senior leadership's involvement in training, noting that managers often know less than their staff. They highlight a training session with Hennessy, where the president's hands-on approach was impactful. The discussion also covers the use of a lead conversion calculator to improve performance metrics, emphasizing the need for consistency and rapport-building. Upcoming content includes a focus on referrals and building rapport, with sessions in Long Beach and West Palm Beach for management training. They also mention personal anecdotes and a humorous reference to a Beach Boys song.

Susan and Michael discuss the monthly spot training focus: Road To Revenue, as well as CBD and the upcoming Management By Fire event. Michael asks Susan to talk about her recent experience buying a car in her new local community. She reviews her unforgettable experience in this first part of a 2-part episode. 

In this no-fluff, boots-on-the-blacktop episode of Fired Up, Susan and Michael break down what’s really happening on the phones and showroom floors in today’s market. From mystery shopping a Porsche store to discovering a rockstar BDC rep in Brooklyn, they expose the difference between salespeople who show up and those who stand out. Plus, Susan gives a first look at her new training series The Human Code, focused on rebuilding connection in a digital world. Whether you’re in sales, management, or somewhere in between—this episode is packed with truth, tactics, and a few laughs you won’t want to miss.

Michael and Susan bring real talk (and real data) to this month’s hot-button training topic: internet leads. From funny voicemails to transactional copy-and-paste emails, they reveal the top 5 mistakes your team is probably making—and how to flip the script. Bonus: Susan still hasn’t bought a car, and now you know why. 

Michael and Susan discuss Agentic AI, today’s newest dealership sales resource for communicating with potential dealership buyers. Already a solution for service appointment -setting, some people fear this may not work as smoothly in sales. The importance of blending AI tools with human interaction is key. Most consumers still want the human experience. 

Join Michael & Susan recording straight from the 1-40 in Arkansas, on their last leg of this year’s Penske training trip. They discuss their partnership with Penske standing the test of time, some of those managers previously knowing Alan personally and being trained by him years ago. The excitement and hospitality received were top-notch, they reset the training program and injected confidence in the sales teams.  

Michael and Susan recap their busy year, review events, trips, highlights and special dealership managers that proved training can greatly impact dealership's success.

On this episode of Fired Up! Michael and Susan discuss the big frustration most salespeople are dealing with right now: Internet Leads. From a longer buying cycle, fears of uncertainty, and high interest rates, Internet leads are beginning to get a negative stigma. We are here to talk through that and provide you some relief by helping you master the follow-up game by using speed and making sure you understand the importance of following up early and often! 

In this episode of Fired Up, Michael Renaud discusses what he is seeing on the road with dealerships across the country including common challenges, great managers who make all the difference, what those managers are doing week to week, performance conversations with sales reps, commissions, structuring your sales teams’ day. 

Michael and Susan discuss the clear winners in 2023, including but not limited to: Great dealership managers, appointment-driven teams, successful leadership trends, Covid-attitude killing your dealership, eliminating back-and-forth pencils, and empowering your salespeople, faster manager T.O.s, empathy & compassion with shoppers needs, CallDrip for winning phone accountability, and a little Barbieheimer & Elon Musk sprinkled in there. 

In this episode, our three trainers discuss the reality of today's car business managers who have lost their mojo and are struggling to keep their gross on the table, and their sales teams successful. Listen to what we are seeing and hearing across the country when it comes to good managers, bad managers, and what you can do as a salesperson to maintain success regardless.

In this episode, Susan Gaytan, Michael Renaud, and Michael Paulk discuss the struggles they are hearing from automotive sales representatives around the country when it comes to successful selling and the impact that new buying challenges are posing for dealership salespeople (and sales managers) everywhere. We're making good salespeople and managers GREAT!

Susan Gaytan & Michael Renaud chat with Matt Jones, Senior Director of Brand & Industry at True Car about everything your sales team needs to know about today's used car shopper.

SPEED: How you are responding to the lead. Time and efficiency.
LEARN THE LEAD: How much do you know about the shopper and their preferred vehicle?
THE EXPERIENCE: Must look beyond price. What motivates the shopper?

Join us as we have a great chat with Tom Kline, CEO of Better Vantage Point, about Dealership Compliance. Listen in as we chat about things like texting prospects and customers, what to be cautious about in terms of Used Cars/Appraisals, and risks managers should be aware of.

We are excited to launch the new Phone-Ups That Show-Up course and hope you all find it beneficial. Listen to Susan explain her thoughts and mindset as she updated Alan's flagship course. 

We wanted to take some time to officially welcome Michael "Mad Mike" Paulk to the Alan Ram Team! Join us for an interview with Mad Mike and learn all about his background and how he will help take us to the next level!

We're discussing our past experiences with dealerships and female associates with special guest, Cathy Droz, Founder & CEO of HER Certified. She is an accomplished automotive journalist, author, speaker, sales trainer, dealer consultant and we are excited to break it down on this month's Fired Up Podcast! 

In this episode of Fired Up, Michael and Susan talk about their training experiences around the country and the constant demand for BDC training. 

They review the top 3 mistakes they see teams with BDCs make and how to overcome them with simple solutions. 

In our quest to teach salespeople how to be the buyer and hook the trade whether they buy a car from you or not, we met Abraham Perez, Manager at CDJR North Savannah Step one Automotive.

Abraham was brought on as a sales/Internet Manager and had so much success using our scripts for getting more trades. He's now transformed his position into the KBB/Instant cash offer manager and awards his customers with oversized checks and spreads those memories on Facebook. Many of those customers that come in just to sell end up buying of course, and it's created quite a buzz in revenue for the store and for Abraham! 

Abraham is inspirational and we wanted to sit down and learn from him in this episode of Fired Up! 

Video Follow Up in the dealership! The time was YESTERDAY to level up with video. Make video a new standard.

Join Michael and Susan along with special guest, Margaret Henney, Marketing Director of Covideo, talk the importance of video in converting the customer.  We’re talking where, when and how to use it to be effective. 

This episode is brought to you by Covideo. Get a free trial: https://www.covideo.com/freetrial/

Michael & Susan talk about the sudden demand for in store training, dealers eager to get their teams refocused on the fundamentals, and why the farmers on your sales team will eventually outperform the others. 

This episode brought to you by Management By Fire® THE most impactful in-person automotive sales training event! Our next MBF is May 18-19 in Denver!  https://proactivetrainingsolutions.com/management-by-fire/

Susan & Michael reminisce about their recent training tour around the country, and what truly makes a dealership team stand out from the rest. Find out what training moment still gives Susan goosebumps! Also, exciting highlights from NADA like what Michael did in spite of his fear of heights, and spending time (and podcast interviews) with their new partner and social media queen, Melanie Borden. 

Why don't car sales reps ask about the trade? Michael and Susan are breaking down the automotive culture and Hooking the Trade on this episode of Fired Up! Listen to Alan Ram's Proactive Training Solutions debut podcast where conversations will be raw, unfiltered, fun, and full of no-nonsense car talk and dealership solutions.