Selling In The Motor Trade

Simon Bowkett, from Symco Training, shares tips and ideas on selling in the motor trade from a sales and aftersales perspective, as well as interviews with industry leaders sharing some of their best practices. To find out more visit www.symcotraining.co.uk

Ex-Farmer-Turned-Dealer Mogul: From £450 Peugeot to 150-Car Empire 06/05/2025

Ex-Farmer-Turned-Dealer Mogul: From £450 Peugeot to 150-Car Empire Malcolm Beatty was meant to auction cattle, not cars. But after his dad died and the family farm future vanished, the 16-year-old opened the Yellow Pages, circled “car salesman”, and never looked back. In this raw conversation, the MB Motors founder reveals: • How a £450 Peugeot 306 on his driveway became a 150-car forecourt – and why he still trusts auction sheets over glossy adverts. • The thieves who stole seven of his best cars and the brutal lessons that now keep his yard fortress secure. • Why farmers make the toughest negotiators and the one tactic that still closes deals today. • Building an award-winning website on an independent budget and using #SourceIt to beat franchised giants. • Franchise vs. independent sales – the red-tape, the margins, and the simple reason customers drive past showrooms to buy from him. If you’re dreaming of swapping a salaried sales-manager desk for your own lot, or just want to know how to turn setbacks into silverware, Malcolm’s story is the playbook. About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36849360

5 Objection-Handling Scripts Every Service Advisor Needs. 05/29/2025

Email Templates Are Costing You Sales 05/22/2025

Valuation Apps Don’t Sell Cars. You Do. 05/15/2025

Valuation Apps Don’t Sell Cars. You Do. Too many salespeople think they’re being helpful by sending valuation app links upfront. They’re not. They’re handing the deal away. In this episode, Simon breaks down how lazy reliance on digital tools is losing you sales. He explains why quoting a part-ex price before building rapport is a dead-end, how to uncover hidden objections using the “1 to 10” condition scale (24:41), and why most customers rate their banged-up car as a 10/10 without blinking. Highlights include: • [10:50] Why sending the app link too soon ends the conversation • [14:22] The psychology behind overvalued part-expectations • [24:41] The “1 to 10” trick for surfacing hidden damage and selling cosmetic upsells • [31:15] Turning distant enquiries into committed phone calls (not ghosted leads) This one is a must-listen for sales leaders. Want fewer walkaways and more gross? Fix how your team handles the first contact. This episode shows you where to start. About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36552840

B2B Sales: Where Do You Start Prospecting? 05/08/2025

B2B Sales: Where Do You Start Prospecting? In this episode we look at business to business sales. Obviously, you are still dealing with people but getting to speak to the right person first of all is key. With this in mind, where do you start? Simon discusses some approaches to help when cold calling: from canvassing your suppliers to competitors of your existing customers. If your hand feels heavy prospecting your business database, then these top tips will help. Here are the highlights: {01:14} Marketing isn’t selling {02:25} Bouncing off one customer to another {03:37} Suppliers {04:28} Competitors of your existing customers {09:23} How to get through voice mail and gate keepers {12:15} Farmer rather than hunter About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36460210

The 3 Sales Mistakes That Kill Deals — And How to Fix Them 05/01/2025

The 3 Sales Mistakes That Kill Deals — And How to Fix Them Every dealership loses deals, but do you actually know why? After 25 years of training thousands, I'm breaking down the 3 most common deal killers in the motor trade — and what top-performing salespeople do differently. In this episode: Why the trial close is make-or-break (and how most reps botch it) The subtle ways your team avoids asking for the sale How most demo drives are a mess — and what to do instead A smarter way to spot underperformance (hint: it's not a mystery shop) How to stop salespeople from reverting to bad habits under pressure If you manage a sales team or want to close more deals yourself, this episode will sting a little — but it’ll help a lot more. About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36369640

Chris Wiseman: Why Success Starts With Daily Discipline, Data-Driven Meetings & Human Customer Service 04/24/2025

Chris Wiseman: Why Success Starts With Daily Discipline, Data-Driven Meetings & Human Customer Service As you know we often have so much to discuss with our guests, that it covers two episodes, and our recent interview with Chris Wiseman (Managing Director – Wessex Garages) is no different. In the first instalment we discussed the OEM partnership and this week we move onto the culture within Wessex, staff recruitment and their online navigation team. We also look the how the market may be structured in the future, the barriers to success and Chris’s top tips. Here are the highlights: {01:10} What does the week look like {08:15} Recruitment {13:25} Online Navigators {22:57} Team Motivation {28:16} Market structure going forward {31:10} Road Blocks About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36269545

Partnership with Your OEM 04/17/2025

Empower Your Sales People 04/10/2025

Empower Your Sales People We continue with Joe St John, Chief Customer Officer from AutoFi, in this episode. Joe is so passionate about his role, that he went on a journey round the states, in disguise taking sales jobs in order to understand the current process good and bad. What stood out to him, is that managers are exhausted and covering many roles. Customers are more sceptical than in the past and the trust gap with the trade has grown. We discuss empowering your sales team and giving them the tools to succeed. Here are the highlights: {00:52} Back to the floor {03.33} Transaction time is longer {04:32} Trust Gap {05:36} Negotiation Process {11:35} Empower your sales people {14:53} Best manager on the journey {20:09} People make the difference {26:51} Why change career {31:23} Break everything About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/36063570

Time Kills Deals 04/03/2025

Time Kills Deals We are delighted to have Joe St John, Chief Customer Officer from AutoFi, with us for the next two episodes. His background is automotive, his parents worked in dealerships, and he has been a salesman, manager and trainer in the trade for a number of years. Joe was our favourite speaker from this year’s NADA conference in New Orleans. He is so passionate about the customer experience and how we transition from their digital research to the buying process on site. As he says time kills deals, so let’s focus on making it as smooth and efficient as possible. Here are the highlights: {02:25} Joe’s background {06:55} Time Kills Deals {10:25} Fastest growing tech company since 2010 {13:05} The we purchase has changed {15:00} Customer digital research {17:14} Start process in the dealership where the customer is {19.50} Too much time taken to stack the deal lets the customer shop elsewhere {25:07} Disconnect between digital research and selling in the showroom About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/35966845

Surviving & Thriving 03/27/2025

Surviving & Thriving Gareth Williams, MD of Hatfields Motor Group joins us again, in the second instalment of his two part interview. With the changes in Jaguar in recent years, Gareth and his team have had to adapt, he elaborates on their new focus and their aims for the future. Also, as Hatfields now offer Omoda & Jeacoo, Gareth is well placed to discuss with us, the future of established brands compared to the offering from China. Then finally, we look at electric vehicles and the opportunities they offer now and beyond. Here are the highlights: {00:47} Changes in Jaguar {05:50} New Focus {12:12} Chinese Brands {21:09} Forward thinking {24:13} Don’t say it, do it {26:50} The opportunities electric vehicles offer {39:36} You can’t have responsibility without authority About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/35869530

Happy Customers and Profit 03/20/2025

Happy Customers and Profit We are delighted to be joined by Gareth Williams, Managing Director at Hatfields Motor Group. There was so much to discuss, we decided to make this a two part interview and this is the first instalment. Gareth grew up in the trade, and has worked in the industry since he finished university. After working at a Ford dealership, he went to work with his father, and they then bought that business in St Helens together. Gareth still lives by the lessons learnt during those early years, such as always take the people with you, being respectful, presentable, well-mannered and listening to the people who know more than you. He sees some benefits in the agency model, such as consistent profits and stability. One of the mantras throughout his businesses is: treat customers like you want to be treated yourself. There are so many great take aways from this instalment, and in next episode we delve into surviving and thriving after the changes with Jaguar and the benefits of EV’s to investors. Here are the highlights: {02:20} Implementing DARTS {09:12} Always take the people with you {14:08} Learn from those around you {17:21} Work Life Balance is the key to attracting staff {20:27} Agency and JLR {23:15} Agency isn’t wrong {34:00} Customer service is not about cost {36:00} Culture of empowerment About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/35780300

Excellent Service = Success 03/13/2025

Getting the Best from Your Aftersales Department 03/06/2025

Getting the Best from Your Aftersales Department This week we are joined by Jonathan Sharman, CEO of AutoBi. Jonathan has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the trade from selling cars to managing large dealer sites. He now focuses on aftersales and bringing real time reporting enabling teams to catch issues quickly and react to changes. We discuss the importance of being able to pivot quickly whilst implementing changes, keeping your WIP low and looking at the volume of parts stock. As we know part of the key to selling a second, third or fourth car to customers is the service department, so this episode is beneficial to all. Here are the highlights: {03:23} Door to door {12:19} Experience all parts of the business {19:35} Motivating Technicians {28:35} Two ways of making money {39:51} WIP Control {42:59} Parts Stock About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/35547785

NADA Wrap Up 02/27/2025

The NADA Lowdown 02/20/2025

Close the Loops 02/13/2025

Close the Loops We are delighted to welcome Phil Williams – CEO of Direct Affinity CX. Phil has 37 years’ experience being a supplier in the motor trade. He started his career in subprime finance before starting Direct Affinity after the credit crunch in 2008. Phil is passionate about great customer experiences. One important element in building a good customer experience, is the culture in your business. Another is to close the loops. One way of doing that in sales is to examine your lost sales process. On average 33% of these enquiries are still in the market to buy and 50% of those are happy to come back into your dealership. These are opportunities not to be ignored. Here are the highlights: {05:49} Credit Crunch {10:24} What makes a great business {15:49} Moments of truth {30.03} Lost sales {36:15} Close the loop in aftersales {44:50} Predictive CSI {47:43} Keeping staff motivated About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/35235700

Scared to Second Face? 02/06/2025

Be the Car Guy 01/30/2025

Be the Car Guy We continue our interview Jono O’Byrne, Sales Director for Endeavour Automotive. Starting off with being a mentor and learning from Billie Jean King. Jono has also worked in a couple of different agency modules, so he shares the benefit of his experience. We also look at how you move up the career ladder from sales to management, and making the job yours to lose. Then closing with Jono’s top tip. Here are the highlights: {01:54} Billie Jean King {08:40} EV Targets {17:48} Value of traditional car dealer {20:43} Agency with Volvo {23:43} Best Customer Experience {30:55} Sales to Management {32:48} Energy is the currency {34:08} Get your job on merit {38:12} How tight is your sales process About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/34947760

The Power of Customer Service 01/23/2025

The Power of Customer Service We are delighted to welcome Jono O’Byrne, Sales Director for Endeavour Automotive. Jono tells us about his journey in the motor trade, experiences and mantras. Simon trained Jono when he was first starting out, so it was lovely catch up again. There such a lot to discuss, and so much inspiration given, that we have had to split this interview into two episodes. In this part we look at Jono’s background, how to manage 23 sites, points to assess when looking at your business and his mentors. Here are the highlights: {03:57} Working at George Corbett Motors {06:51} Moving to the UK {10:10} Working for Marshalls {11:20} Difference in the Irish Market {19:30} Sweat the Small Stuff {20:45} Communication {27:25} Priorities {32.05} George Corbett and Daksh Gupta {39:25} Ask Why About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/34947810

Selling Used EVs 01/16/2025

Selling Used EVs Umesh Samani - Owner of Specialist Cars Stoke, and Chairman of the IMDA, joins us to chat about selling used EVs. We focus on used electric vehicles from an independent dealer’s point of view. The challenges buying and selling them initially creates and the opportunities afforded once mastered. At the moment approximately 6% of vehicles on Auto Trader are EVs, but this is growing all the time and gaining knowledge and confidence to sell them early is the key to ensuring future success. We discuss some best practices and pitfalls to avoid, that can help with the transition. Here are the highlights: {02:25} Biggest Opportunity {06:12} Confidence {07:22} Educate Consumers {10:21} Frustrated Used EV Customers {10:38} Charging {16:59} Pricing {22:34} Battery Degradation {31.27} Servicing {36:13} Sourcing {40:00} Sell by Date About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/34856570

Books for 2025 01/09/2025

Books for 2025 We are delighted to welcome back Jason Cranswick with another instalment of our book club. In this episode we discuss a selection of books that are brilliant to have on your reading list for 2025, if self-improvement is one of your goals for the year. The nine books we are recommending, cover everything from effective habits, to using AI, understanding behavioural science and managing the direction of your career path. These books can really increase your skill set, help you manage and understand your team and manage your business and personal finances. Here are the highlights: {03:36} 7 Habits of Highly Effective People {06:52} Unreasonable Hospitality {15:06} Show Me The Money {19:53} Co Intelligence {28:10} Thinking Fast and Slow {30:51} Elon Musk {36:39} The Squiggly Career {41:35} Rich Dad Poor Dad {43:27} Atomic Habits About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/34779000

Importance of the Trial Close 12/19/2024

Best Price 12/12/2024

VHC Call 12/05/2024

VHC Call We return to our ‘5 Key Touch Points’ in service with Darren Bedford. In this episode we focus on the VHC Call. When it comes to this, planning is everything and structuring your call will increase your chances of success, whilst ensuring you give all relevant information to the customer. We discuss various techniques to aid with tyre sales and being mindful of the language used to describe red and amber work. Darren also explains how to present amber work in way that gives the customer the choice of convenience. In closing we leave you with some top tips for service managers. Here are the highlights: {03:20} Structure the call {05:45} Credit Card {18:55} Percentage worn {26:38} Language {32:46} Presenting amber work {41:21} Top tips for Service Managers About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only in spiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/34281310

Just Looking! 11/28/2024

The Ever Important Meet & Greet 11/21/2024

The Ever Important Meet & Greet This episode has been requested by one of our loyal listeners. His sales team were struggling to meet and greet customers that walk in, as so many initial contacts are made digitally or over the phone. Simon explains that we should treat meeting a customer like an interview. They are interviewing you to be their sales person. Now, that’s a scary thought! We then explore some straight forward techniques that can help get over the initial barriers and start a conversation. It’s important to be yourself, and introduce yourself to everyone in the buying party. Here are the highlights: {01:48} Remember your interview conduct {03:17} Starting a conversation {07:34} Introduce yourself within a few minutes {09:26} The used car meanderer {11:18} When you can smell ‘just looking’ {17:28} Introduce yourself to everyone About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only inspiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/33994872

EV Experts 11/14/2024

EV Experts We are very pleased to announce our podcast association with Carwow, and look forward to working with the team. Estelle Miller, the inspiring Co-Founder of EV Experts Ltd, has been kindly introduced to us by Carwow, and we are delighted to share her interview in this episode. Estelle and her husband Martin, established the business in 2017, with the aim to help customers make informed decisions about moving to EV. They had experienced difficulties themselves when trying to source a second hand EV and thought there was a GAP in the market. She explains that customers can take longer in the buying process moving to electric, and to start with its often not about the car, but seeking information on range and charging. Ensuring your systems are in place to keep in contact with those customers is key. We go on to discuss everything from sourcing electric vehicles to depreciation curves and the disposal of the batteries. Here are the highlights: {01:14} The start of the journey {17:20} VAT rate at public charging stations {18:58} The drawbacks of hybrid technology {31:51} Depreciation on electric vehicles {58:21} Is Hydrogen the future? {01:03:22} Advice for selling EV’s About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only inspiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/33852022

Drop Off 11/07/2024

Drop Off We continue with the second instalment of our much requested series on the 5 key touch points in your service department. Darren Bedford joins us again, to provide expert guidance for your team with the vehicle drop off. What does a good vehicle drop off look like these days? We have self-service options with 100% of upsells offered to 100% customers, 100% of the time. Is the human interaction still needed? Although we are not talking about the vehicle health check in this episode, it’s important that the VHC is explained and it’s the last thing the customer is left with at the drop off. Some simple actions explained in this episode that can made a big impact in your productivity and upsell success. The next instalment of this series will be the VHC. Here are the highlights: {00:55} 5 Touch points refresh {08:28} What is a good number of people for service advisor to see in a day {14:08} Look at the previous VHC {17:05} Explain the VHC, build trust in amber work {22:52} Air Conditioning Service {33:02} Desk Aids About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only inspiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/33815082

Interview with John Veichmanis 10/31/2024

Interview with John Veichmanis It is with great pleasure that we interview John Veichmanis, CEO of Carwow. John certainly has admirable credentials, with 30 years experience working for global brands including Dell, Apple and Skype. The second half of his career has been focused on helping to build scalable marketplaces for Expedia, Farfetch and Carwow. We delve into some of the myths around Carwow. How they have grown and changed in the last four years to become a marketplace that is trusted by customers, dealers and OEMs alike. The future is very exciting for them: developing Ai to improve listing quality on auctions and building new capabilities on dealer facing tools. An insightful conversation for all. About Symco Training: Symco Training was founded in 2000 by Simon Bowkett and it was his belief that the business had to offer its clients something different. That difference was clear to Simon from his days in the dealership when he experienced many sales trainers who had all the answers, but were unable, unwilling or both to actually show the delegate how they could be implemented. It remains the ethos of the business today. You see, Symco only employ trainers that are committed to delivering not only inspiring and insightful training, but are equally as happy to demonstrate these skills and techniques with real customers in your own showroom. We believe in order for sales training to be effective and in Simon’s words ‘real world’, it needs to be tried and tested in the only place it matters the showroom floor. There is no room for theory when your goals are for your team to sell more cars, hours or parts and retain more profit. In dealerships around the world the focus applied by many of the sales executives is to try and sell a deal. Symco specialise in getting your teams to focus on selling themselves, the product and then supporting this with the deal. To find out more visit: /episode/index/show/symcotraining/id/33681412

Selling In The Motor Trade

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