Client Advisors
The operating standard for every Client Advisor at Gulliver Auto Group. This is the floor, not the ceiling.
What this document is, what it isn't, and how to use it.
1.1What This Document Is
This SOP outlines the daily expectations, tools, and best practices for the sales team at Gulliver Auto Group. Our goal is to provide a consistent, transparent, and customer-focused experience while maintaining efficiency and accountability across all stages of the sales process.
Three things to understand on day one:
- This is a playbook, not a script. The steps and standards are required. How you bring your personality to them is yours.
- This is the baseline for evaluation. Every coaching conversation, every review, every PIP, and every termination references this document.
- This is the foundation, not the final word. As we add stores, tools, and complexity, this will evolve.
1.2What This Document Is Not
- It is not a substitute for training. New CAs complete a structured onboarding program before working a customer alone.
- It is not the employee handbook. For PTO, benefits, harassment, and conduct policies, see the Gulliver Employee Handbook.
- It is not negotiable based on tenure. Top producers and brand-new hires follow the same process.
1.3How to Use This Document
Use the navigation on the left to jump to any section. When you need to look something up, the sidebar gets you there in one click. If it's in this document, you should not need to ask anyone. That saves your time and theirs.
1.4Document Governance
Sales Operations owns this document. Changes are approved by the COO and communicated in writing with a minimum of seven days notice. Suggestions for improvement go to your Sales Manager in writing.
Who we are, what we promise every customer, and the five non-negotiables that define your job.
2.1Who We Are
Gulliver Auto Group is the flagship U.S. superstore for IDOM Inc., one of the largest used car retailers in the world. We hold a Guinness World Record (554 cars, 2019), operate 6 U.S. locations, and our Plano TX store is the flagship superstore. When a customer walks through our door, they are walking into a global brand.
2.2Our Promise to Every Customer
- A real human within the SLA. Our AI Assistant handles the first touch on internet leads. Your job is to take over with a personal connection, fast.
- Honest pricing. The price you see is the price we work from.
- A test drive without a fight. If a customer is qualified to drive, they drive.
- Disclosure of known vehicle history. Carfax, AutoCheck, and recon notes are shared on request.
- A clear path off the lot. If the customer is not ready, we set the next step in writing before they leave.
2.3The Role of the Client Advisor
You are a professional who guides a buying decision. You are not an order taker, a tour guide, or a price reader. Your job:
- Discover what the customer actually needs.
- Match them to the right vehicle.
- Move them through the process to a signed deal, a delivered vehicle, and a five-star Google Review.
2.4The Five Non-Negotiables
Follow the Gulliver Sales Process (Section 6) on every customer, every time. No skipping the walkaround. No skipping the demo drive. No write-ups without a manager T.O.
If it did not happen in VinSolutions, it did not happen. Every up logged, every conversation noted, every task cleared before end of day.
Impel handles the first 3-minute response on internet leads. Your job is to follow up personally and set the appointment. See Section 7 for the full SLA table.
We do not lie to customers, managers, or in the CRM. A single confirmed instance of dishonesty with a customer is grounds for immediate termination.
Hit your daily activity standard (Section 9) every business day. Activity is the only input you fully control.
2.5Professional Conduct & Appearance
Dress Code
- Business professional. Pressed slacks or skirt, collared shirt or blouse, closed-toe dress shoes. Gulliver polo/jacket acceptable.
- Visible name badge at all times.
- No jeans, shorts, athletic wear, sandals, hats indoors, or damaged clothing.
Floor Conduct
- No phones out on the floor.
- No food, drink (other than water), or vaping in customer areas.
- No huddling when there are ups on the lot.
- No discussing deals, commissions, or frustrations where customers can hear.
Punctuality
- On the floor, ready, 15 minutes before your start.
- Late 3x in 30 days = documented coaching. Late 6x = written warning.
- Running late? Call your Manager. Do not text. Do not no-call no-show.
How to structure your day for maximum customer touches and maximum commission.
3.1Pre-Shift Routine (15 min before start)
- Log into VinSolutions. Check "My Tasks" count and "customer alerts" box (top right).
- Read every new AI Assistant conversation in Notes & History.
- Confirm today's appointments via text or call.
- Check vAuto for new arrivals and price changes.
- Walk the lot. Note what changed overnight.
3.2Morning Huddle
Daily, 15 minutes, mandatory. Led by the Sales Manager: yesterday's numbers, today's appointments, new inventory, aged units, one coaching topic.
3.3Time Blocks
| Block | Time | What You're Doing |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shift | 15 min before | CRM check, lot walk, confirm appointments |
| Huddle | First 15 min | Sales meeting |
| AM Outbound | 90 min | Fresh leads, follow-ups, walkaround videos |
| Floor | Continuous | Walk-in ups in rotation |
| Lunch | 30 min | Off floor |
| PM Outbound | 90 min | Calls to leads not reached, sold follow-ups |
| Appointments | As scheduled | Highest priority. Block everything else. |
| End of Day | Last 30 min | CRM updates, schedule tomorrow |
Walk-in ups break the schedule. They are the reason we are here. When an up arrives, stop everything else. Make up outbound time at the next available block.
3.4End-of-Day Routine
- Clear all "My Tasks" in VinSolutions. Every customer touched today has a note and a next step.
- Confirm tomorrow's appointments.
- Submit daily activity report to Sales Manager.
- All vehicles you opened are locked.
- All keys returned to the 1Micro key machine with correct lot location. Transferred via iLot if applicable.
- Workspace clean. Demo plates returned.
"My Tasks" must be cleared and all keys returned before you leave. No outstanding overnight keys. No exceptions.
Every tool you need to do your job. Learn these in your first 30 days or you will not make it here.
This is where your paycheck lives. If it didn't happen in VinSolutions, it didn't happen.
What You Do in VinSolutions Every Day
- Log every up, phone call, text, and email.
- Update the customer status at every change (Fresh → Working → Appt Set → Appt Shown → Sold or Lost).
- Schedule the next task with a specific date and time before closing a record.
- Use VinSolutions texting and email, not your personal phone or Gmail.
- Clear all tasks before end of day.
- Use the Desking module for deal structures.
Walk-In Customer Profiles
Create the profile immediately for every walk-in. If a buyer submits a loan application before the profile exists, Impel starts communicating with them unnecessarily. Click "Add Customer," fill name/phone/email/address, search inventory by stock number. For Lead Source: if they found the vehicle on gulliverauto.com, select "Overfuel" (not "Dealer Website"). Select "Walk-In" as Lead Type.
Showroom Visits
Click "Visit" to start. When done, click "End Visit" and fill all fields (Demo, Manager Turnover, Walkaround, Trade, Finance, Desking, Sold). Get manager confirmation before ending.
Print Forms Packet
Click the icon at the top of the Customer Dashboard. Available forms: Credit App, Guest Sheet, Test Drive Form, Trade Payoff, We Owe, Cover Sheet, Waiver, Make Ready Form.
The AI responds to every internet lead within 3 minutes via text and email, and follows up 17 times across 51 days. Your job is to take over with a personal touch.
How It Shows Up in VinSolutions
- Messages appear as General Notes from Todd Story (Impel support rep).
- The "outbound phone call" logged by Todd Story does NOT mean the AI called the buyer. It is an automated log entry only.
- Click "Link to reply as assistant" to view the full AI conversation with the buyer.
When to Take Over
- "*Requires human takeover*" in the General Note → contact the buyer as yourself ASAP. This means they asked something the AI can't answer (price, service, specific condition).
- Buyer responds to AI → read the context, reach out as yourself on the same channel (text or email).
Replying as AI Assistant permanently stops all AI communication with that buyer. Once you do this, you own the lead 100% in VinSolutions. Only reply as the AI if you have a specific reason. In most cases, reply as yourself.
Stopping the AI
Click "Link to stop communication." Only stop after you've made personal contact or set the appointment. The AI can be turned back on, but it will only respond if the buyer re-engages.
Every internet lead gets a walkaround video. Video is the single highest-converting follow-up tool we have. Use the mobile app for recording and AI Avatar setup. Use the web dashboard for library and sending.
Initial Setup (Required)
- Download "HelloRamp Engage" from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
- Log in at engage.helloramp.ai with your
firstname.lastname@gulliverauto.comemail. Enter the 4-digit code from your inbox. - Set up your AI Avatar in the mobile app: Profile → My Avatar → Take/Upload Photo → Record Voice (1-2 min, speak naturally). Approval takes up to 24 hours.
Sending a Video Tour (360 Walkaround)
- Web dashboard: Library → Video Tours → find the vehicle → click "Copy Link" or "Share."
- Paste the link into VinSolutions text/email, or send via SMS/Email directly from HelloRamp.
Recording a Personal Video
- Mobile app: tap the green Video icon from any screen.
- Enter Title (Year/Make/Model) and Description (customer sees this).
- Tap "Record Video," record the walkaround, tap "Send."
- Select the lead, write your message, tap "Send Message."
AI Avatar Videos
For fast follow-ups: Create Video → AI Avatar → write a script (keep under 30 seconds) → Generate → Preview → Send via SMS or Email.
Detailed screen-by-screen instructions for every HelloRamp feature are in the separate HelloRamp Engage SOP. Refer to that for step-by-step screenshots.
The employee last responsible for the key pays a $500 cash fine per lost key. Payroll deduction is immediate. No additional keys are issued until the fine is paid. Nightly audits are performed. No outstanding overnight keys. You signed this policy at hire.
iLot App Setup
- Open iLot → Settings → Account Settings → confirm "1Micro.net" is selected under Server Options.
- Username: first initial + last name (lowercase) +
_7779(e.g., John Doe →jdoe_7779). - Password: get from your General Manager or Service Director.
Removing a Key from the Machine
- Log in with your name and password.
- Choose "Remove." Enter the stock number.
- Select the reason (Test Drive, Sold, Demo, Detail, Lot Move, Service).
- Take the key from the lit-red slot.
- Log out when done. If you stay logged in, anyone can take keys under your name, and you are responsible.
Returning a Key to the Machine
- Log in, choose "Return."
- Select the location where you parked the vehicle: Intake/Trade, Used Car Inspection, Parts Waiting, Diagnosis, State, Sold Units, Detail, Photos, Major Repair, Arb/Recon/WS, Paint, Final QCI/Done, Frontline Ready, Frontline 1/2/3/4.
- Confirm the location. Return the key to any open slot.
- Wrong location? Remove the key and start over.
Key Transfers Between Employees (iLot App)
Every key movement between people must go through iLot. Hand-to-hand without iLot is prohibited.
- Sender: Open iLot → tap the "iLOT" logo at top → "Transactions" → tap "Key Transfer" FIRST (before touching the QR) → then tap the vehicle's QR code.
- Receiver: Tap "Scan Barcode" and scan the QR from the sender's phone.
- Sender: Tap "Yes" to confirm.
- Receiver: Confirm the key appears in your transaction list.
Lot Locations
- Test Drive OUT: all cars going out for test drives park here. Appointments and walk-ins.
- Test Drive IN: all cars returning from test drives park here. Brief the customer before the drive.
- Delivery: customer delivery spot. Service parks cars here after make-ready.
- Unassigned areas: do not park there. That space is not ours.
Every car you move must be returned to its original location. Check the key machine screen to see where a car is parked before you go looking for it.
Scans the buyer's driver license before every test drive. "Passed" = clear. "Failed" = potential fraud; GM gets an alert.
- Front desk computer: "Create New Guest Record" or search existing.
- Scan license. Confirm uploaded image.
- "Test Drive Agreement" tab → "Print Disclaimer and Get Signed."
- Customer signs "Customer Name" line. You sign "Manager Signature" line.
- "Print" tab → "Print ID Drive Report with Photo." Keep in deal jacket if deal confirms.
- Every morning: check new arrivals and price change reports.
- Use search filters (year, make, model, price, equipment) to match a customer in under 30 seconds.
- Know the aged inventory (60+ days). Be the advisor who moves it.
Bookmark "My Cox Automotive" for single sign-on to VinSolutions and vAuto.
System of record for the deal, customer file, and accounting. You won't enter deals or run credit (desk and F&I own that), but you must collect complete, accurate customer info. Typos delay funding. Incomplete credit apps are the #1 cause of stalled deals.
4.1Vehicle Status & Recon Questions
Client Advisors do not have access to recon or service status systems. If you have questions about a vehicle's readiness, ask the General Manager or Service Director directly. Do not speculate with the customer about what repairs will or will not be done. Repair decisions go through an approval process. Not every item identified during inspection gets repaired. Committing Gulliver to unapproved work breaks customer trust and creates we-owes we cannot honor.
4.2Tool Certification
Within 30 days of hire, you must pass a proficiency check on VinSolutions, vAuto, Impel, HelloRamp Engage, 1Micro/iLot, and eLend Solutions. Your Sales Manager administers the check. Failure to pass within 60 days is grounds for termination.
How to handle every lead source. The AI gets them in the door. You set the appointment and close the deal.
5.1Internet Leads
Impel responds within 3 minutes. Your job is to read the AI conversation, gather context, and follow up personally.
- Read every conversation log in Notes & History. Know what Impel already said.
- If "*Requires human takeover*" is noted, contact the buyer as yourself immediately.
- Acknowledge the existing conversation so your message feels like a continuation.
- Match the channel the customer has been using (text or email).
- Send a HelloRamp walkaround video of the vehicle.
- Set the appointment. That is the goal of every outbound touch.
5.2Hot Leads
Leads with "Cargurus - Appt - Digital Deal" include a requested appointment date/time. Most are within 24 hours. These do NOT auto-populate in VinSolutions and are NOT picked up by Impel. Click the ADF details for the appointment info. Contact the buyer directly, confirm, manually schedule in VinSolutions, stop the AI.
A buyer who visited the VDP before and returned to submit a lead. They came back. They are serious. Contact ASAP. Read the comments for the gap between the first VDP visit and the lead resubmission.
5.3Follow-Up Cadence (Internet Leads, Unsold)
| Day | What You Do |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Impel auto-responds in 3 min. You: call + text/email + HelloRamp video within your shift. Second call attempt 4 hours later. |
| Day 2 | Morning call. Afternoon text. |
| Day 3 | Morning call. Email with a second vehicle option. |
| Day 5 | Call with a price update or new arrival angle. |
| Day 7 | Text check-in. |
| Day 14 | Phone call. "Are you still in the market?" |
| Day 30 | Final attempt. Move to long-term nurture. |
| Day 60+ | Impel continues its 51-day cadence. Manual call at 90 days. |
5.4Walk-Ins
- BDC greets at the front desk. If BDC is unavailable, next CA in rotation greets.
- Walk-ins assigned round-robin by arrival time. No skipping. No cherry-picking.
- Guide to lounge, offer water/coffee.
- Create VinSolutions customer profile immediately. Second occurrence without one is a fireable offense.
5.5Phone Ups
The goal is to set the appointment. Not sell the car on the phone.
- Answer in three rings or fewer.
- Get the name in 30 seconds. Get the vehicle. Confirm in vAuto while on the call.
- Two questions, then ask for the appointment.
- Get phone and email before the call ends.
- Log in VinSolutions immediately.
5.6Referrals, Repeat, Orphan Owners
- Referrals: respond within 4 hours by phone. Mention the referring customer by name.
- Repeat: pull their prior deal before the conversation.
- Orphans: first contact is an introduction call, not a sales call.
5.7Appointment Management
Appointments from the AI appear in the "Appts" tab (created by Todd Story). Confirm with the buyer directly. For your own appointments: click "Appt." on the customer dashboard, fill the details, click "Create." Confirmation email auto-sends.
| Before Appointment | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 3 days | VinSolutions task. You reach out to remind. |
| 1 day | VinSolutions alert. You remind again. |
| 3 hours | Automatic email from VinSolutions. |
| 1 hour | VinSolutions alert. Verify vehicle is ready: condition, appearance, fueled, parked at Test Drive OUT. |
Same process, every customer, every time. This is the foundation of every dollar of commission you will earn here.
Do This
- Get the customer's first name in 30 seconds.
- Offer water, coffee, or restroom before any sales talk.
- Create VinSolutions profile immediately (walk-ins).
Never Do This
- "Just looking?" or any yes/no opener.
- Pitch a vehicle in the first three minutes.
- Ask about budget, credit, or trade before discovery.
After the greet, walk the buyer to the gallery room. Keep it to 2-3 minutes:
- History of IDOM. Global parent company, decades of experience.
- Guinness World Record. 554 cars, 2019.
- Global presence. 6 U.S. locations, Plano as the flagship superstore.
FORD Framework
| Family | Who rides? Car seats? Pets? |
| Occupation | Commute? Job-related needs? |
| Recreation | Weekends? Towing? Cargo? |
| Driving | Current vehicle? Love? Change? |
The Four Buying Questions
- Timeline: When do you want to be in your next vehicle?
- Trade: Trading in or selling private?
- Payment: Financing or cash?
- Decision makers: Anyone else involved?
Use vAuto to filter by year, make, model, price, equipment. Present up to three options:
- Option A: The vehicle they came in for.
- Option B: The right vehicle based on what discovery told you.
- Option C: A trade-up. One trim higher, one year newer, better equipped.
Before walking the customer to the lot, confirm the vehicle is ready with the General Manager or Service Director. Do not walk a customer to a car in recon, at the body shop, or missing a key.
8-12 minutes. Six-point walkaround (see Appendix B). Start a VinSolutions showroom visit.
- Front: Hood up. Engine, condition.
- Driver Side: Body, paint, tires.
- Driver Seat: Customer sits. Tech, comfort.
- Rear & Cargo: Family, function.
- Passenger Side: Condition.
- Front Again: Recap. Transition to demo.
No price discussion before the demo drive. If the customer pushes: "I want to make sure this is the right vehicle before we talk about numbers. Let's get you behind the wheel and you'll know in five minutes."
Before the Drive
- Scan license at the front desk via eLend Solutions.
- Print Test Drive Agreement. Customer signs. You sign.
- Copy of license. Copy of insurance card.
- Print Test Drive Form from VinSolutions.
- Remove key from 1Micro (reason: Test Drive). Park vehicle at Test Drive OUT.
The Route (Plano)
Right on W Plano Pkwy, then Coit Road → W 15th St → Independence Pkwy → W Plano Pkwy. No toll roads.
The Drive
- You drive first off the lot (5 min). Demonstrate tech.
- Pull over. Customer becomes the driver.
- Residential street. Feel the ride.
- Highway merge. Acceleration.
- Parking maneuver. They park it.
- Trial close before returning: "If we can get the numbers to work, is this the vehicle for you?"
Customer returns to Test Drive IN. Brief them before the drive. Return key to machine with correct location.
Print "Trade Payoff" from Print Forms Packet. Fill VIN, Year/Make/Model, odometer, customer name, lienholder, 10-day payoff, per diem.
What You Do
- Walk the trade with the customer. Note dents, scratches, mods verbally.
- Photograph four corners, odometer, VIN plate, tires, interior.
- Transfer trade keys to the GM via iLot for appraisal.
- Get customer back to your desk.
- After GM appraises, write the offer on the sheet.
What You Do Not Do
- Quote a trade value. Ever. You are not the appraiser.
- Promise "top dollar" or "above book."
VinSolutions Desking module: "Desking" tab → "Start a New Deal" → search inventory. Price, add-ons, taxes auto-populate. Add trade once appraised. Present payment scenarios across 48, 60, 72 months.
Do not present numbers until the Sales Manager or GM has reviewed and approved. Self-desking gets advisors fired.
Every deal gets a T.O. This is the standard, not a sign you failed.
When
- Before any number is presented (mandatory).
- "Let me think about it."
- Customer ready to leave without a next step.
- Whenever you're stuck.
How
- Step away. Brief the manager: name, vehicle, trade, where you are.
- Walk the manager to the customer. Introduce by name and title.
- Stay. Do not leave. Do not check your phone.
Always have the GM or Finance Manager speak to them first. Do not say "let me go get my manager." Say: "My manager would like to thank you for coming in today." This save T.O. works more often than you think.
Three rounds max on price/payment before the desk resets. Every counter delivered in person.
If financing: buyer fills out the 5-Liner (credit application). VinSolutions data auto-populates. Confirm any empty fields with the buyer.
Closing: "Agreed: [Vehicle], [Price], [Trade], [Down], [Term], [Payment]. Sound good?" Get a signature on the buyer's order before moving to F&I.
While Customer is in F&I
- Print Make Ready Form. Fill VIN, Year/Make/Model, customer, items.
- Get GM approval.
- iLot transfer vehicle keys to Service. Bring form with keys.
- Service parks at the Delivery location after completion.
- Ask buyer for a Google Review using the desk plaque or: https://g.page/r/CTvpFfEJ25khEBE/review
The Delivery Walkthrough
- Walk all features. Bluetooth. CarPlay/Android Auto.
- Keys, manual, accessories accounted for.
- Service department intro. First service appointment if possible.
- Photo with customer, vehicle, and Gulliver signage (with permission).
- Business card. Google Review reminder.
- 48-hour follow-up scheduled in VinSolutions.
End the VinSolutions showroom visit. Confirm all details.
| When | Channel | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 48 hours | Phone | How's the vehicle? Confirm Google Review. |
| 14 days | Text | First service reminder. Ask for referrals. |
| 45 days | Tag and registration update. | |
| 6 months | Phone | Equity check-in. Service reminder. |
| Annually | Phone | Equity, trade timing, refer-a-friend. |
| Birthday | Text/card | Personal. No pitch. |
Speed, tone, and professionalism. Every channel.
7.1Response Time SLAs
| Channel | Business Hours | After Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Internet lead | Impel in 3 min. You within shift. | Impel in 3 min. You by 9 AM. |
| Inbound call | Live in 3 rings or 15 min callback | By 9 AM next day |
| Customer text | 15 minutes | By 9 AM next day |
| Customer email | 1 hour | By 9 AM next day |
| Voicemail | 30 minutes | By 9 AM next day |
| AI takeover | ASAP (hot lead) | By 9 AM next day |
7.2Rules
- All communication through VinSolutions (text, email) or HelloRamp (video). Not your personal phone or Gmail.
- Include "Reply STOP to opt out" on the first text (TCPA).
- No texting before 8 AM or after 9 PM.
- One question per text.
- Subject lines specific to this customer and vehicle. No "Following Up."
- Voicemails: 20 seconds or less.
7.3What Never Goes in Writing
Never put in a text, email, or VinSolutions note: a guaranteed approval, a guaranteed rate or payment, a guaranteed trade value, repairs not approved by the Service Director or GM, or any commentary about another customer, advisor, or dealership. If you wouldn't want it read during a deposition, don't type it.
Most deals die in the gaps between people. You own every handoff.
8.1The Deal Jacket
Green folder. Assemble it when the buyer agrees to move forward. Contents:
- Cover Sheet (stapled to front).
- 5-Liner / Credit App (if financing).
- Trade Payoff Sheet (with GM appraisal offer).
- Copy of driver license.
- Copy of insurance card.
- Signed Test Drive Agreement (from eLend).
- Signed Test Drive Form.
Hand the complete jacket to the Finance Manager. Incomplete jackets get sent back.
8.2Handoff to F&I
- Walk the customer to Finance personally. Do not point.
- Introduce by name and title.
- Brief F&I out of earshot: vehicle, terms, trade, anything sensitive.
- Tell the customer: "I'll grab you when you're done and we'll do delivery."
8.3Handoff to Service (We-Owes & Make Ready)
- We-owes: document on the We Owe form. Signed by customer, Sales Manager, you.
- Submit Make Ready and/or We Owe to Service with GM approval.
- Key custody to Service must go through an iLot transfer.
- Service uses a yellow file to track vehicle and keys. Signed forms return to the deal jacket.
Activity is the only input you fully control. These are the numbers that matter.
9.1Daily Activity Standards
Daily Minimums · Every CA · Every Day
9.2Weekly Funnel Metrics
| Metric | Standard |
|---|---|
| Lead-to-Appointment-Set | 40%+ |
| Appointment-Set-to-Show | 65%+ |
| Show-to-Demo | 85%+ |
| Demo-to-Write-Up | 60%+ |
| Write-Up-to-Sold | 50%+ |
| Overall Lead-to-Sold | 10%+ |
9.3Monthly Production
| Tenure | Min | Std | Top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Months 1-3 | 4 | 8 | 12+ |
| Months 4-12 | 10 | 15 | 20+ |
| Year 2+ | 12 | 18 | 25+ |
9.4How You're Measured
- Activity. Daily tracked, weekly reviewed.
- Funnel conversion. Weekly reviewed.
- Production. Monthly reviewed.
Activity is the leading indicator. Production is the lagging one. We coach to leading indicators because by the time production is bad, that month is already lost.
Clear standards. Clear coaching. Clear consequences. No surprises.
10.1Coaching Cadence
| Frequency | Format | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Huddle + EOD check (5 min 1:1) | Sales Mgr |
| Weekly | 1:1 funnel review (30 min) | Sales Mgr |
| Monthly | Production review (60 min) | Sales Mgr |
| Quarterly | Full review & goal-setting | GM |
10.3Performance Improvement Plan
| Phase | Duration | Exit Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Verbal | 1 week | Activity standard 5 consecutive days |
| 2: Written | 2 weeks | Activity + funnel 10 consecutive days |
| 3: Final + 30-Day | 30 days | All standards met |
| 4: Separation | Immediate | Failure at Phase 3 |
10.2The Three Tiers
Tier 1: Elite
Hits activity every day. Top quartile units and gross. Earns: top inventory, first crack at hot leads, advancement.
Tier 2: Standard
Meets all standards. Follows the process. Coaching targets the 1-2 metrics that move them to Tier 1.
Tier 3: Below Standard
Misses standards. Structured, written, time-bound coaching. Failure to improve = separation.
10.4Immediate Termination
- Dishonesty with a customer.
- Falsifying CRM records.
- Discrimination or harassment.
- Theft, including stealing deals or skipping up rotation.
- Bringing a customer to a competitor.
- State or federal legal violation during a sale.
- Lost key without iLot documentation (plus the $500 fine).
The car business is heavily regulated. As the person who faces the customer, you sit at the front of compliance risk.
11.1Truth in Advertising
- The advertised price is the price we work from. Adjustments must be disclosed in writing.
- Vehicle descriptions must match the vehicle. "Available" means available.
11.2Required Disclosures
- Carfax/AutoCheck on any used vehicle, on request, free.
- "As-Is" or warranty status in writing.
- Prior-use disclosure (rental, fleet, commercial).
- Title brand disclosure (salvage, rebuilt, lemon, flood).
- Open NHTSA recall status before purchase.
11.3Customer Data
- Customer info stays in Gulliver-approved systems. Never personal phone or email.
- No running credit without signed authorization (FCRA).
- No sharing customer info outside Gulliver without permission.
11.5Reporting
Report concerns to your Sales Manager in writing. If it involves your manager, go to the GM. If it involves the GM, go to HR. Retaliation against a good-faith report = immediate termination.
11.4What You Cannot Promise
You cannot promise: credit approval, a specific rate, a specific payment (before desk/F&I approval), a trade value, repairs not authorized by the Service Director and GM, delivery on a vehicle not cleared, or any benefit not documented in writing. "I'll see what I can do" is fine. "I can guarantee that" is not.
How you get paid and where this role can take you.
12.1Pure Commission
Client Advisors are 100% commissioned. The structure rewards unit count and front-end gross, with bonuses for volume tiers, F&I product penetration, and CSI. Specific numbers are in the Gulliver Pay Plan (separate document, signed at hire).
12.2Career Path
| Role | How You Get There |
|---|---|
| Client Advisor | Day 1 hire. The role this SOP describes. |
| Senior CA | 12+ months. Tier 1 for 3 consecutive quarters. |
| Sales Desk Manager | Senior CA + leadership readiness. Salaried + override. |
| F&I Manager | Senior CA + F&I certification + Sales Manager recommendation. |
| GSM / GM | Desk Manager + 2+ years. Store P&L responsibility. |
| Metric | Standard | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound calls | 40 | ____ |
| Outbound texts | 25 | ____ |
| Personal emails | 10 | ____ |
| Appointments set | 3 | ____ |
| Walkarounds | 2 | ____ |
| Demo drives | 2 | ____ |
| Write-ups | per opp | ____ |
| Sold | per opp | ____ |
- Front. "Let's start at the front. We don't put a vehicle on our lot until our shop signs off on it."
- Driver Side. "Take a look at the body lines, the paint, the glass."
- Driver Seat. "Hop in. Let me show you the [tech / safety features]."
- Rear & Cargo. "Plenty of room for [kids / passengers]. Trunk: [dimensions]."
- Passenger Side. "Anything we missed?"
- Front. "That's the vehicle. Honest first impression?"
Get the name: "Absolutely. May I have your name?"
Get the vehicle: "Great, [Customer]. Which vehicle were you calling about?"
Confirm: "Let me pull that up. Yes, the [Year Make Model], stock [####], it's here."
Two questions: "Looking for yourself or a family member? Trading anything in?"
Set the appointment: "I have openings at 4:00 today and 11:00 tomorrow. Which works better?"
Get info: "Best phone number and email for a confirmation?"
Expectations: "Ask for me at the front desk. I'll have the vehicle ready."
| They Say | You Say |
|---|---|
| "I'm just looking." | "Perfect. Let me walk you around for ten minutes so you have something real to compare." |
| "What's your best price?" | "Before I throw a number, let me make sure this is the right vehicle. Five-minute drive." |
| "Need to talk to my spouse." | "Absolutely. Let's get them on FaceTime now, or set a time you can both come back." |
| "Let me think about it." | "Of course. What specifically? If it's numbers, let me grab my manager." |
| "Your competitor is cheaper." | "Show me the offer in writing, let me see what I can do." |
| "I want to sleep on it." | "If you came back tomorrow and it was sold, would that be okay? Then let's lock it in tonight." |
- Up: Walk-in customer.
- T.O.: Turn Over. Bringing a manager in.
- Write-Up: Price, trade, down, payment worksheet.
- Desk: Sales Manager who structures deals.
- Be-Back: Customer who returns after leaving.
- F&I: Finance & Insurance department.
- Recon: Reconditioning to frontline-ready.
- Frontline: Customer-facing lot, ready to sell.
- We Owe: Post-sale commitment (key, repair, etc.).
- CSI: Customer Satisfaction Index.
- Aged: On lot 60+ days.
- 5-Liner: Credit application form.
- Deal Jacket: Green folder with all deal docs.
- Make Ready: Service prep form for delivery.
- ADF: Auto-lead data from third-party sites.
- VDP: Vehicle detail page on Cargurus, etc.
- BDC: Business Development Center (front desk).
Start of Day
- Clear "My Tasks" in VinSolutions
- Read every lead and AI conversation
- Send walkaround videos (HelloRamp)
- Follow up where AI was stopped
- Confirm appointments (3 days, 1 day before)
- Check vehicle status with GM/Service Director
Showroom
- Gallery room walkthrough after greet
- Create VinSolutions profile (walk-ins)
- Start showroom visit in VinSolutions
- End visit with manager confirmation
Test Drive
- eLend ID verification
- Print + sign test drive agreement
- Copy license + insurance
- Print + sign test drive form
- 1Micro key checkout (Test Drive)
- Brief customer: return to Test Drive IN
Deal
- Complete deal jacket
- Submit to Finance Manager
- GM/FM speaks to buyer before they leave (if no purchase)
Delivery
- Make Ready Form + GM approval + submit to Service
- iLot key transfer to Service
- Google Review request
- Final walkthrough
- Photo at Delivery location with signage
End of Day
- Clear all "My Tasks"
- All vehicles locked
- All keys returned to 1Micro (correct location)
- No outstanding overnight keys
- Daily activity report submitted