After a home, a car is likely the biggest purchase most consumers ever make. And arguably, no other big-ticket item is as dependent on the quality of personal selling to close the deal. For decades, U.S. automakers clearly dominated the auto industry, but that picture began to change in the 1970s, when the Japanese began exporting cars to the United States. Gradually, by paying close attention to consumers' changing preferences, Japanese imports gained a foothold in America, and in 2007 Toyota overtook General Motors in worldwide sales. Surprisingly, that same year, with Toyota cruising along in the United States, the president of Toyota Motor North America left his employer of 37 years to become vice chairman and president of Chrysler. Observers described the move as a huge coup by Chrysler, to have lured Jim Press away from Toyota. Press, widely regarded as one of the industry's leading sales and marketing professionals, is credited with masterminding the sales strategy that made Toyota king of the hill in the United States.

1. Skilled sales leadership is essential in the auto industry, particularly when an organization has profitability problems. How should Jim Press approach the issue of too many dealerships? What attributes of a successful sales manager will be useful in solving this problem?