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Preliminary - The consultant must first gain an understanding of the client-dealer's current compensation methods. Copies of compensation plans, together with the employees' earnings history must be provided to the consultant. Additionally, the consultant needs to know how the various compensation categories relate to the dealership gross profit and expense structure. This information is gained from an analysis of past and current financial statements and, if available, from future planning documents. The underlying focus of this preliminary phase is to clarify the client-dealer's objectives. (Why is a change in compensation strategy desired?)

 

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Definition of Consulting Engagement - The consultant prepares and submits a detailed "letter of engagement", which establishes the parameters of the consulting project. This document includes, but is not necessarily limited to, 1) a statement of the project objective(s), 2) a description of both the consultant's and client's responsibilities to the project, and 3) an estimate (by project item) of the engagement time, the associated consulting fees and expenses, and the completion date. One of the key statements in this letter is that "both the consultant and the client-dealer agree to individually attempt to maximize the efficiencies of the consulting engagement” . . . . so that the project is completed on time, at or below estimated budget, without sacrificing the quality of the end product.

 

Determining and Forecasting "Key Results Areas" (KRA's) - The consultant and client dealer must identify and quantify each element for which the management or sales employee is totally accountable ....and also those for which he/she is only partially accountable. The consultant then prepares a computerized planning model, depicting various performance scenarios involving the KRA's. Using a "What If?" approach, the consultant assists the client dealer in finalizing a Planned Performance Level (PPL). Where feasible, the respective manager or salesperson should participate in the development and finalization of his own PPL.

 

The final step in this phase is for the consultant and client-dealer to agree on individual and overall compensation philosophies and budgets (What should this position cost? As a percent of gross? Per Retail Unit? In annual dollars? . . . . . And what does this specific person expect, need, or deserve? Based on past performance? Based on past and current earning levels? Based on the competitive local labor market?)

Plan Development and Testing - Based on the decisions made in the previous phase (and building from the existing computer planning model), the consultant designs a compensation plan that attempts to match the client-dealer's objectives at the Planned Perform­ance Level. This "Plan" is then tested at numerous variances from the PPL. If necessary, the consultant modifies the "Plan" so that it closely matches the client's objectives over all possible performance scenarios. The consultant then provides the preliminary plan and test documents to the client-dealer for review. Frequently, further "minor" modification is required, accompanied by retesting and review. In some cases, the client-dealer may even "negotiate" this preliminary plan with the involved employee. The final planning and test documents are provided to the client-dealer to use for communication, implementation, and the permanent record file.

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Plan Documentation - Depending on the client-dealer's wishes, the consultant will, as an option, prepare a "long-form" compensation document for signatures of the employee and a senior manager. This document explains the compensation plan and the "accountability philosophy" in detail. Even if the client-dealer elects not to have the consultant perform this phase, it is strongly recommended that similar plan documentation be prepared "in-house", executed, and filed for future reference.

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Automated Plan Calculation and Presentation - Those dealerships with personal computer capabilities in the accounting department may wish to take advantage of this option. The consultant will convert the computerized planning model into a "Plan Calculation and Presentation” application. With minimal operator input, this software application will 1) automatically calculate and present (for compensation communication purposes) current and prior performance and earnings (by line item) for a twelve month period, 2) project annualized earnings, assuming current month performance represents the "monthly" average, and 3) project annualized earnings "pace", based on actual year-to-date earnings.

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Implementation - This phase involves assisting the client-dealer, as necessary and/or as requested, in communicating and validating departmental objectives and individual compensation plans. The consultant also has the responsibility to "load the lips" of the client dealer, prior to "selling the Plan" to the involved employee. Each client-dealer has his own "attitude" about the consultant's role in implementation. Some like to keep the consultant "invisible" during the entire enragement period; these dealers are prepared to take full responsibility for the authorship of any new compensation plans, and thereby accept full credit (or criticism) if the change is well-accepted (or cursed). Other dealers prefer to "feature" the consultant as the catalyst of any change, making him very "visible” from the beginning of the engagement; this allows the dealer to always take, or negotiate, a fall-back position ("the consultant did it.....it's not my fault…..but I'll fix it!). And some dealers elect to make the consultant "visible" only on a selective basis . . . . particularly in critical situations.

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This consultant believes that, where feasible, Compensation Planning Engagements should be conducted on an Off-Site basis ....strictly by phone, FAX, Federal Express, and U.S. Postal Service; On-Site consultations relating to compensation planning are normally expensive and inefficient. On-Site consultations are justified only when "third party credibility" is necessary to make a smoother transition from one compensation plan to another.

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Follow-up and Fine-Tuning - "The best laid plans of mice and men . . . . . !" No, life doesn't always (or maybe ever) work out the way we expect it to. The same is true with the best designed compensation plans, once they are exposed to the dynamics of the “real world retail automotive business". If the basic parameters are sound to begin with, they will remain sound. But the "detail" of the Plan may need to altered, to accommodate unforeseen, and uncontrollable, circumstances.

The consultant acknowledges an ongoing responsibility to ensure that each compensation plan he recommends 1) Fulfills the needs of the employee, as perceived by the client-dealer, and 2) Provides operational and financial results compatible with the defined client-dealer objectives.

 

Our Methods and Priorities

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• Solidify Expectations with Client

• Review Current Operating Performance and Compensation Payout

• Review Existing Compensation Plan for Position(s) in Question

• Review and Discuss Planned Operating Performance

• Determine Required “Elements” of Compensation Plan (i.e. Sales $$$, Sales Units, Gross $$$, Gross PVR, GPM, CSI Parameters, Controllable Expenses, Miscellaneous Spiffs and Incentives, Other Key Results Areas)

• Develop and Test Plan(s) at Four (Minimum) Performance Levels

           “A” Job – Superior Performance

           “B” Job – Expected Performance

           “C” Job – Average, Acceptable Performance

           “D” Job – Unacceptable Performance

• Submit Preliminary Plan(s) to Client for Review

• Modify Plan(s) as Requested by Client

• Submit “Working” [Stage 2] Plan(s) to Client for Approval

• Communicate and Implement “Working” Plan(s)

• Evaluate “Working” Plan Effectiveness

• Revise Plan(s) as necessary to Improve Effectiveness

• Submit Final [Stage 3] Plan(s) to Client

• Communicate and Implement Final Plan(s)

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