The “No Commercial Department” Dealership
(Starting from Zero — No Structure, No Strategy, No Dedicated Leader)
These dealerships have no formal commercial department and often rely on retail salespeople to “handle” business customers when they show up. This lack of a formal arrangement highlights that there is no commercial department in place. There is no targeted outreach, no account management system, and no inventory plan designed for commercial buyers.
Common Characteristics:
- Commercial sales happen by accident, not by strategy.
- No dedicated commercial salesperson or manager. The absence of a commercial department here is evident.
- No structured prospecting, fleet account list, or follow-up process.
- Retail inventory dominates, with very few vocational units.
- Zero upfitter relationships and no understanding of government bids. The fact there is no commercial department is a barrier to understanding these processes.
- Fixed Ops loses massive revenue because it rarely retains commercial service customers.
Risk:
Competitors with commercial programs dominate local businesses, leaving the dealership invisible in this high-profit segment.
Opportunity:
This dealership has the potential for rapid growth with a proven blueprint, low startup cost, and immediate gains for Fixed Ops once the right system is implemented.
