Bridgestone/Firestone is offering commercial dealers an online behavior evaluation report to assist them in the process of hiring salespeople.
Don Streiff, national manager, training and development for commercial tire sales, said one of the ways the tire maker has enhanced its training and development programs is by making a 28-page online report available to dealers on its Web site. Dealers can download it and give the test portion to candidates interviewing for sales positions. After the candidates complete the approximately 15-minute test, BFS will e-mail to dealers a confidential, complete evaluation on the candidates' behavior and personality.
This ``before you hire'' report gives dealers tips on an individual's quality points and character as well as insight into what motivates him or her to work and how to retain the person, Mr. Streiff said. It also provides ``triggers and keys'' on how to manage each individual applicant and improvements they will need to make in the future for professional and self-development.
For example, Mr. Streiff said the report would answer the following questions about an applicant:
* Does this person have the necessary negotiating skills?
* Does this person know how to get up the ladder and talk to CEOs, key financial officers and owners of companies with whom the dealership does business?
* Can the applicant stand the pressure of sales? And
* How would this person represent the dealership?
Mr. Streiff also announced other enhancements to BFS's programs, including online registration to its training courses and an online newsletter that gives tips on selling tires. The tire maker also has developed an evaluation report for dealership employees who attend its training seminars.
Dealers can use this report to gauge their employees' performance before and after attending the seminars, Mr. Streiff said.