Individual agents are constantly striving to be the best in their industry, but what does it take to be considered “the best?” What are the characteristics of those agents who are considered the best?

These questions prompted us at Agent Entrepreneur eMagazine to seek out some top executives in the industry and get their perspective on what these characteristics are. We consulted with Robert Corbin, president and CEO or Innovative Aftermarket Systems; Charlie Robinson, president and COO of Resource Automotive; and David Duncan, senior vice president at Safe-Guard Products International, LLC to get their opinions on what they considered characteristics of the best agents.

Although the feedback we received varied, the No. 1 answer was work ethic. Other descriptions we received were self-motivated & highly-motivated, hardworking and tenacious, and dependable.

When asked what the best agents do or need to have, our industry executives focused on two issues: 1) agents need to be knowledgeable in all areas of the dealership: F&I, sales, fixed operations, service, compliance and reinsurance; and 2) agents need to know what it takes to help the dealership’s success by tailoring income development and training to each dealership he/she services.

Duncan added, “An agent’s key value proposition is providing income development, a service that OEMs cannot provide in the same way. In addition, they are prompt and willing to help dealers find solutions, whether with staffing issues, training issues or generally being a partner in running the F&I department.”

We next sought out experience or backgrounds of those agents considered to be the best, and though there are always exceptions to the rule, most respondents said that having industry experience was the most common.

Some claimed that though it was not necessary, having retail experience in F&I or sales management was common among many successful agents. Corbin noted, “Having F&I experience certainly gives an agent an advantage when they are recommending F&I products. Having an understanding of the functions of an F&I department and the processes definitely gives the agent the ability to help manage their accounts and provide good sound business advice to their dealerships.”

Now that we have a good idea of the experiences, backgrounds and attributes that many of the best agents have, how many dealerships can one agent service and continue to provide the absolute best service they can?

The average answer is about 20 dealerships per agent. That is not to say that an agent can't take on more, but each dealership's size and volume plays a key factor in determining the optimum number.

Robinson explained: “While many of the top agents typically service 20 to 25 dealerships successfully, circumstances could occur where twice that number may be practical, or just ‘one dealer group’ would be the appropriate answer. This is because there are significant variables to consider that include the intensity of agent value proposition, client size profile, geography, product depth and more. Done right, the role is scalable and there is no growth limit.”

Corbin added, “To be effective, agents should have a goal to visit dealer accounts at least twice a month, and although approximately 20 rooftops would be ideal, if an agent has only one or two products to offer, it is possible that the number of rooftops can increase dramatically.”

So, is it better to be a top servicer or a top salesperson? There is no clear answer.

According to Robinson, “Separating these functions and suggesting there is a specific skill that defines a successful agent is altruistic. The simple fact is that you cannot service an account until you sell it, and you cannot be an agent without accounts to sell or service.”

The most positive trait of an agent who is both a top servicer and a top salesperson is having a strong work ethic, having a positive attitude and being a self-motivator. Duncan said, “You can have great agents who don’t have retail automotive or F&I backgrounds. Having a great work ethic and working harder than anyone else are the key traits to their success.”

Lastly, we sought out the advice from our providers on what agents could do to improve their relationships with their product providers. The strongest suggestion was to build rapport! Having a clear understanding of the provider’s products offered and operations helps not only with placing the products in the dealerships, but also when claims arise. The agent is the liaison between the customer, the dealer and the provider, and it is in their best interest to keep a positive flow of information and customer service moving in all directions.

To sum this up, you, the independent agent, can be the best agent by maintaining a strong work ethic, being highly motivated and self-motivated, and understanding the operations of a dealership enough so that you can do what it takes to help the dealership achieve its income-producing and volume goals.

Having retail or F&I experience is not necessary, though it can make the difference when an agent needs to help advise and manage his dealerships and staff.

Finally, keep a good rapport going with your providers because you are the key to keeping the customer-dealer-provider relationship in good standing and running smoothly.

I will leave you with a quote from Margaret Thatcher that all of us who have high hopes of success should keep in mind:

“I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe! It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near.”