Here's something that gets missed all the time. A dealer decides to grow their fleet and commercial business, and the first move is pulling somebody off the retail floor and handing them the account list. Come on. That's not how this works.
Fleet and commercial is its own business inside the dealership, and if you staff it like a car lot, you're going to be disappointed with what you get.
It's a Different Sale, Full Stop
A retail sale is mostly emotional and it happens fast. Somebody walks in, drives it, likes it, signs.
A fleet or commercial sale is a business decision made by somebody who's thinking about total cost of ownership, uptime, financing terms, and what happens to their operation if a vehicle is down instead of earning money. The buyer isn't asking how it feels to drive. They're asking what it costs them if it's parked.
That means whoever's running that account has to understand the business behind it, not just the vehicle. Fleet size, application, financing structure, all of it. You can teach somebody the numbers. What's harder to teach is the patience for a sales cycle that runs months instead of an afternoon, and the discipline to keep showing up on that same account the whole time it takes to close.
The Manager Matters as Much as the Salesperson
A strong fleet and commercial manager isn't just a good closer wearing a different title. They're running relationships, managing a pipeline that doesn't move at retail speed, and coaching a team that's selling a completely different way than the showroom does. Put the wrong person in that seat, somebody who's used to walk in traffic and quick decisions, and the whole department stalls out, even with good product and good pricing.
Don't Overlook Entry-Level Talent
Here's the other piece dealers get wrong. They think fleet and commercial only works with seasoned B2B people, so they never build a pipeline underneath them. That's a mistake. Some of the best long-term fleet and commercial hires start entry-level and get coached into the account-based, longer-cycle mindset from day one, instead of trying to unlearn ten years of retail habits first. A department with only veterans and no bench is one resignation away from a problem.
Growing a fleet and commercial operation takes a different kind of hire at every level, the manager running it, the experienced B2B rep working the accounts, and the entry-level talent you're developing underneath them. Staff it like a retail floor and you'll get retail results. Staff it right and it becomes one of the most profitable parts of the store.
Get in Touch
Autopeople's Fleet & Commercial Recruitment team specializes in exactly this, finding Fleet & Commercial Managers, experienced B2B Sales Professionals, and entry-level sales talent who can grow into the role.
Schedule a call with David Adragna today: 650 808-7066
Contact Autopeople: https://autopeople.com/contact-us/
