Bobcat Company Improves Dealer Performance and Generates $2.4 Million

Bobcat Company is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of compact equipment. Best known for its skid-steer loaders, the manufacturer’s product offerings also include utility vehicles, mini-track loaders, compact excavators, and heavy equipment and accessories.

Like many industrial OEMs, Bobcat relies on distribution networks. The company faces an increasingly competitive marketplace with serious challenges:

• Demanding distributors
• Strained relationships with dealer networks
• Growing competition
• Margin pressure
• Threat of lost market share

For many years, one of Bobcat’s greatest strengths has been its exceptional brand. However, the OEM’s dealer network needed to prepare for a changing market before emerging competitors could gain a foothold. Bobcat needed to forge a customer-focused network of regional and local distributors, but it was having difficulty compelling distributors to sell more strategically and change old habits.

As a leader in its industry, the OEM was looking for a way to respond to its distribution network’s need for sales training. Meeting this challenge would result in a win-win situation in which the manufacturer maintained market share while its dealers increased revenue and cash flow.

The OEM explored several options for both foundational sales training and sales management training. After reviewing several proposals, it chose The Brooks Group for its strength in six key areas:

The Brooks Group ran 14 four-day programs for dealerships across North America. The first two days were designed specifically for sales managers and dealer principals. They learned how to build a high-performing sales team, drive sales results, and hold salespeople accountable.

The second two days were devoted specifically to dealer salespeople. Sales managers and dealer principals accompanied their reps to this program, in which they learned how to prospect for new business, overcome objections, build value, and close more business using a consistent sales process.

Following the training, dealers participated in a follow-up reinforcement program. Dealer sales managers and reps practiced prospecting strategies and joint sales call audits using techniques they had learned from the program. The OEM rebated a percentage of each dealer’s investment in the training after the three-month reinforcement program, during which the dealership proved they were using the new strategies in the field. 

The Brooks Group and Bobcat partnered to streamline training rollout. Several factors lead to a successful implementation:

1. Designed with manufacturer and dealer input
2. Tested with a group of “bell ringer” dealers
3. Audited by high-performing dealers before release to the entire network
4. Supported with OEM and dealer advocacy at meetings
5. Promoted with marketing and field support

The Brooks Group sales training improved bottom-line results in terms of market share and dealership cash flow. Four months after the training program, Bobcat dealer reps reported these improvements:

Revenue came from three sources: increase in volume of skid steer loader sales, increase in volume of additional equipment and accessory sales, and increase in gross margin per sale.

To support its continued growth, the OEM plans to continue IMPACT Selling^® and sales management training and development programs with The Brooks Group to:

• Help dealers hire and retain top-producing sales professionals
• Roll out strategic growth initiatives at the dealer principal level
• Maximize the company’s position in the marketplace
• Prevent product commoditization in a competitive market

Bobcat looks forward to delivering this powerful training program to its entire distribution network.

Learn how to improve dealer performance with IMPACT Selling^® from The Brooks Group.