Call Team Six, Charlotte, NC (2026)

10/07/2026

DEALERSHIPS: BEFORE YOU SPEND MORE MONEY GENERATING LEADS, ASK THIS QUESTION.

What happened to the opportunities you already had?

Today’s automotive customer is dealing with higher payments, longer loan terms and a much more expensive buying decision.

That means consumers are more selective.

And that makes every opportunity a little more valuable.

Yet inside almost every dealership are customers who simply disappeared from the process:

A fresh lead that stopped responding.

An appointment that didn’t show.

An unsold showroom customer.

A service customer facing a major repair.

A declined repair.

A previous buyer entering the replacement cycle.

An owner who might have exactly the used vehicle you need.

We call what happens next opportunity decay.

The longer a legitimate opportunity sits without the right conversation, the less likely the dealership is to convert it.

That’s why follow-up isn’t simply a BDC activity anymore.

It’s revenue management.

At Call Team Six, we’re increasingly focused on helping dealers identify those opportunities, prioritize them and put a real human conversation behind them.

Because sometimes the fastest way to grow sales isn’t another 500 leads.

It’s making sure the opportunities you’ve already paid for don’t quietly disappear.

How much opportunity is sitting untouched in your dealership right now?

— Call Team Six

10/07/2026

DAILY IMPACT — DAY 3

LISTEN FOR THE WHY.

Monday we talked about the value of the inbound sales call.

Tuesday we talked about PACE before you LEAD—earning the right to move the customer forward.

Today I want to take that one step deeper.

One of the biggest mistakes we make in sales is answering the customer’s first statement before we understand what it actually means.

Customer says:

“What’s your best price?”

And immediately we start talking about price.

Customer says:

“I’m just looking.”

And immediately we start presenting the vehicle.

Customer says:

“The payment’s too high.”

And immediately we start trying to overcome the objection.

Customer says:

“I need to think about it.”

And we start explaining why they should buy.

Slow down.

There is usually a question behind the question.

“What’s your best price?” might mean:

I’m comparing three vehicles. Give me a reason not to eliminate yours.

“The payment’s too high” might mean:

I’m comfortable at $650 and you just showed me $775.

“I need to think about it” might actually mean:

I like the vehicle, but there’s one thing I’m still uncomfortable with.

You can’t solve something you don’t understand.

That’s why I’ve taught salespeople for years to funnel the conversation.

Ask another question.

Listen to the answer.

PACE it.

Then go a little deeper.

One of my favorite questions with an unsold customer has always been:

“If you had to choose just one thing that prevented you from moving forward, what would that one thing be?” Keffer training book.doc

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Because most automotive objections eventually start falling into a few categories—the vehicle, the money, the buying cycle, or sometimes the relationship itself. Kingstad_Associates_Complete_Communications_Workbook.pdf

And once I understand the real problem, I have a chance to help solve it.

TODAY’S ACTION

On your next five customer conversations, make yourself do one thing:

Before giving your answer, ask one more good question.

Not another sales pitch.

Not an interrogation.

A genuine question designed to understand WHY.

Great salespeople aren’t great because they always know what to say next.

They’re great because they know what to ask next.

Better questions.
Deeper conversations.
Better opportunities.

One Idea. One Skill. One Action.

10/06/2026

Would You Give Up the SUV to Save $200 a Month?

I’m curious what everyone thinks about this one.

We’re starting to see Americans take another look at sedans, smaller SUVs and hybrids as the cost of owning a vehicle continues to matter.

And it makes sense.

It’s not just the price of the vehicle.

It’s the payment.

Gas.

Insurance.

Interest.

Maintenance.

It all comes out of the same household budget.

So let’s make this real.

Suppose you’re driving or shopping for an SUV you really like.

But you discover that a sedan, smaller SUV or hybrid could give you most of what you actually need, get considerably better fuel economy and save you $150–$200 every month.

Would you switch?

Or would you happily spend the extra $200 to keep the larger vehicle?

I’ve spent most of my life in the car business, and I think consumers are becoming much more thoughtful about the total cost of owning the vehicle, not simply what it costs to buy it.

So I’m curious:

Would you downsize to save $200 a month?

YES — $2,400 a year is real money.

or

NO — I’m keeping my SUV.

And tell me why. That’s the part I’m most interested in.

10/06/2026

Before you try to control the call, earn the right to lead it.

Yesterday we talked about inbound sales calls and my benchmark of roughly 7 out of 10 legitimate calls becoming quality appointments.

Today let’s sharpen one small part:

The first 30 seconds.

I hear this all the time:

Customer: “I’m calling about the Tahoe I saw online.”

Salesperson: “What’s your name?”

Customer answers.

“What’s your phone number?”

“Do you have a trade?”

“How soon are you looking to buy?”

Stop.

We’re asking reasonable questions—but we haven’t built any relationship yet.

For years I’ve taught a simple communication principle:

PACE → PACE → PACE → LEAD.

Meet the customer where they are first.

Customer: “I’m calling about the Tahoe I saw online.”

PACE:

“Absolutely. Was it the white LT you were looking at?”

PACE:

“Great choice. I can understand why that one caught your attention.”

Then LEAD:

“Let me verify everything for you and grab a couple of details so I can make this easy.”

Now we’re having a conversation instead of conducting an interrogation.

Here’s the analogy I use when teaching it:

A PACE is a $25 deposit.
A LEAD is a $50 withdrawal.

You can’t keep making withdrawals from a relationship you haven’t put anything into.

Early in the call, build some deposits.

As trust develops, you’ve earned more permission to lead.

I’ve spent more than 30 years studying, teaching and applying communication and human behavior in dealerships, and this remains one of the simplest fundamentals:

People are much easier to lead after they feel understood.

Try it today.

Listen to five inbound calls—but only grade the first 30 seconds.

Did we connect?

Or did we interrogate?

That’s today’s sharpen-the-saw exercise.

Daily Impact — One Idea. One Skill. One Action.

— Ken

10/05/2026

One of the hottest opportunities inside a dealership is still one of the most mishandled:

The inbound sales call.

Think about it.

The customer picked up the phone and called you.

They already raised their hand.

And yet I still hear too many calls where the salesperson answers a question, gives out information and then lets the customer hang up.

That’s not selling.

That’s being an information desk.

My benchmark has always been aggressive but realistic:

Roughly 7 out of 10 legitimate inbound sales calls should result in a quality appointment.

And by quality appointment, I don’t mean:

“Maybe I’ll stop by.”

I mean the customer knows:

Why they’re coming.
When they’re coming.
Who they’re meeting.
And what happens next.

The process starts from the moment the phone is answered.

Your tone matters.

Your pace matters.

Your confidence matters.

Your ability to listen matters.

And before the customer hangs up, one of the things I’ve taught for years is what I call the mental drive.

Where are they coming from?

What roads will they take?

What landmark will they see?

Where should they pull in?

Who should they ask for?

Then reaffirm the appointment and send the follow-up text.

That may sound simple.

It is.

But simple does not mean easy.

After more than 30 years in automotive training, BDC development and dealership operations, I still believe this:

The best dealerships become brilliant at the basics.

And as a dealer owner/operator today, I can tell you that these basics still matter.

So here’s today’s challenge:

Listen to 10 inbound sales calls from beginning to end.

Not the report.

Not the disposition code.

The actual conversations.

Then ask yourself:

Would I buy from this person?

That answer may tell you everything you need to know.

Daily Impact — One Idea. One Skill. One Action.

10/05/2026

HOW OLD IS THE VEHICLE YOU’RE DRIVING RIGHT NOW?

I’ve been thinking about this because people are keeping their vehicles longer, and I think the reason is pretty simple.

Cars have gotten expensive.

Payments are higher. Interest rates matter. Insurance costs more. And today’s vehicles can run a very long time when they’re properly maintained.

So I’m curious:

What would finally make you replace the vehicle you’re driving today?

A major repair?

Reliability problems?

Better gas mileage?

A lower payment?

New technology?

Or simply getting tired of it and wanting something new?

Having spent most of my life in the car business, I think there’s been a real change in consumer behavior.

People don’t necessarily replace a vehicle simply because it’s “old” anymore.

They replace it when the economics or their needs finally make sense.

So let’s see what everyone is driving.

What year is your current vehicle, and what would make you trade it tomorrow?

I’m curious to see the answers.

10/02/2026

I’m starting something new today that I’ve wanted to do for a while.

Training and developing people has been a big part of my career for more than 30 years.

I started in the Tony Robbins training environment, later became a cofounder of the original BDC model, and throughout my career I’ve been a salesperson, manager, trainer, consultant and dealer owner/operator.

And I’m still an active dealer operator today.

That gives me a perspective I think is important.

I know what it’s like to sit in the chair.

I know the pressure.

Hiring the right people.

Developing managers.

Making sure the phones are being handled correctly.

Following up with customers.

Creating accountability.

Protecting gross.

Improving the customer experience.

Keeping good people.

And trying to grow a business at the same time.

What concerns me today is that dealerships have more technology than ever before, but in many cases we’ve gotten away from developing the human skills that make everything work.

AI is powerful.

Automation is powerful.

CRMs are powerful.

But somebody still has to know how to communicate.

Somebody still has to listen.

Build rapport.

Create value.

Handle the phone.

Follow up.

Prospect.

Work the Road to the Sale.

Lead people.

Hire the right people.

Coach them.

And hold them accountable.

So I’m launching something called Daily Impact.

One Idea. One Skill. One Action.

Every weekday I’m going to share one practical idea that can help a dealer, manager, salesperson or BDC professional get a little better.

Some days we’ll talk about phone ups.

Some days follow-up.

Some days prospecting.

Some days the Road to the Sale.

Some days leadership, hiring, coaching and human capital.

The goal is not to make this complicated.

The goal is to give you something useful that you can take back to your dealership and put into action.

Because while the tools have changed, the need to develop great people has not.

Daily Impact starts today.

And Monday, we’re going right at inbound sales calls.

If the customer is calling your dealership, you already have an opportunity.

The question is:

What are your people doing with it?

10/02/2026

Would You Go Smaller to Save Money?

Here’s something I’m curious about.

For years, Americans kept moving toward bigger trucks and SUVs.

But we’re starting to see something interesting happen.

Smaller vehicles are getting attention again.

Sedans like the Honda Accord, Civic, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra are seeing stronger demand, along with smaller SUVs like the Chevy Trax and Trailblazer. Recent industry reporting points to affordability and fuel costs as important reasons.

And I understand it.

It’s not just what a vehicle costs anymore.

It’s the payment.

Insurance.

Fuel.

Interest rate.

Maintenance.

Everything adds up.

So here’s my question:

Suppose you really liked a larger SUV, but going to a smaller SUV, sedan or hybrid could save you $200–$300 every month between the payment and fuel.

Would you do it?

Or is having the larger vehicle worth the extra money to you?

There isn’t a right answer. Everybody’s situation is different.

I’m genuinely curious where people stand.

Would you downsize to save $200–$300 a month? Yes or no—and why?

10/01/2026

If gas stayed above $4 a gallon, would it change what you buy next?

I’ve spent most of my career in the automobile business, and one of the most interesting things happening right now isn’t necessarily electric vehicles.

It’s hybrids.

For the last several years, it felt like the conversation was always:

Gas or electric?

But consumers may be telling the industry they want another answer.

Give me better fuel economy without completely changing the way I drive.

That’s one reason we’re seeing manufacturers put more attention into hybrids and offer them across more vehicles.

And I understand why.

You don’t have to plan around charging.

You can still take a long road trip without thinking twice.

But you can dramatically reduce how often you’re standing at the gas pump.

For a lot of families, especially when they’re already dealing with higher vehicle payments, insurance costs and everyday expenses, fuel economy becomes part of the affordability conversation too.

Maybe the future isn’t about everybody driving the same type of vehicle.

Maybe it’s simply about giving consumers more choices and letting them decide what works best.

So I’m curious:

If you were buying a new vehicle tomorrow and all three were similarly equipped and reasonably close in payment, which would you choose?

⛽ Gas
🌿 Hybrid
⚡ Electric

And more importantly — why?

I’m really interested to see where everyone stands.

09/30/2026

Has the monthly payment become more important than the price of the car?

I’ve been in the automobile business for a long time, and I think we’re seeing a real change in how people shop for vehicles.

The latest TransUnion data puts the average new-vehicle payment around $785 per month and used around $544 per month.

Think about that.

For a lot of families today, the question isn’t necessarily:

“How much is the car?”

It’s:

“Can I comfortably fit this payment into my life?”

Interest rates matter.

Trade equity matters.

Insurance matters.

The vehicle you choose matters.

And if you’re carrying negative equity from your current vehicle, that matters too.

That’s why when a customer says, “The payment is too high,” I don’t think our industry should automatically look at that as an objection we need to overcome.

Sometimes we need to listen to what the customer is actually telling us.

The solution might be a different vehicle. A better trade strategy. A different financing structure. More money down. Or sometimes simply waiting until the timing makes more sense.

Good automotive professionals aren’t there just to sell somebody a car.

They’re there to help somebody figure out the right way to buy one.

So I’m curious:

If you were buying a vehicle tomorrow, what would matter more to you?

The PRICE of the vehicle—or the MONTHLY PAYMENT?

And why?

For the picture

Don’t use the BMW picture again. Save that exclusively for LinkedIn today.

For Facebook, I would make a clean graphic around the number:

$785/MONTH

Average New-Vehicle Payment

PRICE or PAYMENT?

What matters more to you?

Call Team Six

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

10/01/2026

09/30/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request