When should a manager step in, what should they say, and how do you do it without burning trust? In this episode I sit down with trainer (and ex-sales manager) Stuart Wallbanks to break down “second-facing” the right way - why it must feel organic (never “before I can let you leave”), the quick “first-face” intro that makes later manager conversations effortless, and the exact language that keeps deals (and relationships) intact.

We cover praising your salesperson in front of the customer, using authority without ego, and simple word-tracks like “we work within a market” that reset expectations fast.

If you’ve been buried in reports, this is your nudge to get back on the floor and enjoy the bit of the job that actually moves the needle.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

I sit down with I sit down with one of our lead trainers, Stuart Wallbanks, to fix the dealership walk-around.

We unpack why the best presentation starts after qualification, swap “it’s got…” for the simple has–which–so framework, and show how to pick 3–5 customer-specific hot buttons that create real desire before numbers.

We talk Apple-Store-level questioning, when a demo drive should do the presenting, how to make videos entice (not replace) the visit, and the one manager check that upgrades every sales exec: “What 3–5 features are you presenting—and why?"

Real examples include Tesla’s showroom misfire, Hyundai IONIQ 5’s remote-park wow, Euro NCAP child-safety proof points, and small touches (hello, Skoda ice scraper) that tip decisions.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

In Part 2, I sit down with Harry Bott, the co-founder of the industry's leading call-tracking software, to audit the holes in your sales process you can’t see. 

20% of sales calls never reach a salesperson on the first attempt, and around half of the calls that do get through never make it into the CRM, so you’re losing up to three quarters of your phone opportunities before follow-up even begins. 

We walk through exactly how to plug those holes. The language that saves a “sold car” enquiry, why silence beats feature-dumping, mirroring pace to build trust, the “three-point affirmation” to defuse price, when to offer delivery vs. an appointment up-front, how to telephone-interview candidates, and why every shopper should be treated like a rock star. 

Listen to this on your commute.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

Before your first sip of coffee, 75 % of Auto-Trader shoppers have already picked their dealer - will it be you?

In this episode, Harry Bott - Co-founder of the industry’s #1 call-tracking platform, Mediahawk - breaks down the “48-hour window” that decides 75 % of your digital leads. 

I ask Harry exactly how top dealerships capture, coach and convert those calls. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The single objection-handling phrase Harry’s AI flagged as a “profit killer” (and what to say instead)
• How to slice every inbound call into coachable micro-moments, without drowning your team in data
• Real client case study: from 29 % to 67 % appointment set-rate in one month
• A zero-cost script tweak that turns “just looking, mate” into booked test-drives

If you sell cars, manage a team, or simply need more deals from the leads you already pay for, hit play.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

I sit down for part 2 of my conversation with Paul Kirby - better known as the Electric Van Man - to unpack the eyebrow-raising data and low-risk actions that are already letting smart dealers and fleets slash costs, win new contracts and keep drivers happy today. 

If you’re still thinking “maybe later” on e-vans, I really recommend you hit play.

Episode highlights

• The four headline numbers Paul says every sales manager should memorise before the next fleet pitch.
• How he turned one “range-anxious” driver into an overnight EV evangelist (and the exact email template).
• Why payload panic is largely a myth - and the models that now carry 1.6 t with ease.
• The simple tariff tweak saving contractors up to £3.5k a year on energy alone.
• What the looming 2027 ZEV quota really means for stocking decisions this quarter.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

Eight out of every ten vans you sell today still burn diesel, but the numbers say they don’t have to.

Paul Kirby, founder of EV Essentials and host of the EV Café, breaks down the REAL cost equation that’s pushing giants like BT, British Gas and the AA to flip their fleets.

Listen and learn:

• 00:45 Why that “range-anxiety” line is five years out-of-date
• 06:30 The charging-at-home problem - and the simple tariff hack that slashes running costs to 7 pence per mile
• 14:10 How one OEM priced an e-van LOWER than its diesel twin (and what it means for residuals)
• 24:40 Total-Cost-of-Ownership for dummies: the 4 levers every sales manager must show business buyers
• 31:15 Drivers can kill any deal—Paul’s playbook for getting “bums on seats” and turning sceptics into EV lifers
• 38:20 What the 2030 ZEV mandate really means for dealerships, leasing companies and front-line sales staff

Perfect for dealer principals, sales teams and anyone who’s still hearing “I’ll wait till the tech’s ready.”

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

Slow replies, templated scripts, zero urgency. But in 2025, that’s where the buyers are hiding.

In part two of this session with Stuart Wallbanks, we dig deeper into the one channel most dealers underuse: the email enquiry. 

You'll learn:

•    Why customers ghost when you treat email like admin (03:10) •    How to get commitment before the phone call (11:05) •    The word-for-word responses that actually convert (16:42) •    A smarter script for price objections (23:15) •    What your team should say when they hear: “Just email me” (27:20)

Enjoy. 

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

Still asking “What do you think?” after you quote a payment? Still apologising when a car fails its MOT? Simon and Stuart reveal how those tiny verbal habits shape customer mood, trust and spend – and how flipping them from negative to neutral (or better, positive) lifts conversions across sales and aftersales. This episode tells you exactly which words are costing you deals, how to swap them out, and why your brain is wired to default to the negative in the first place.

Key moments:

{02:00} – Why humans are programmed for pessimism

{07:30} – The “Sorry drink” and the Pepsi problem 

{11:45} – The trial-close phrase that plants objections in a buyer’s head

{18:10} – How managers infect the showroom with hidden negativity

{23:40} – Three practical swaps you can roll out tomorrow

Join thousands of salespeople, managers, and dealer principals who’ve transformed their careers and businesses by understanding what drives car sales success.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

What if the difference between missing your targets and joining the top 1% of car salespeople came down to one simple trait?

Today, I’m revealing what truly separates the top 1% from everyone else.

In this episode, you'll discover:

The single ‘hunger’ trait that determines whether you’ll reach the top 1% or struggle to hit targets Why staying in one dealership long-term creates more wealth than job hopping every 18 months The 5-step sales process every successful car salesperson follows (even when they claim they don’t) How top performers get their ‘running shoes on’ to capture more leads than anyone else The SPACER qualification method that eliminates time-wasters and identifies serious buyers Whether you're new to the motor trade or a management veteran looking to motivate your salespeople, this episode reveals the uncomfortable truth about what separates the best from those who struggle month after month. I share real examples of salespeople who’ve built their own businesses within dealerships, regularly sell over 100 cars in peak months, and have developed the mindset that drives extraordinary results in car sales.

Key moments:

{02:30} - Why top car salespeople stay in one place for years (not job hopping)

{06:45} - Getting your ‘running shoes on’—the hunger that drives success

{12:25} - When top performers break sales rules (and why you shouldn’t yet)

{20:34} - The 5-step process that guarantees car sales results

{28:44} - Why ‘hunger’ beats product knowledge and talent every time

Join thousands of salespeople, managers and dealer principals who’ve transformed their careers and businesses by understanding what really drives car sales success.

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk

In this special re-release, we revisit our enlightening conversation from September 2020 with Peter Smyth, Swansway Group Director. We delved into the history of the group and their values of caring, honest and proud. The insights shared remain remarkably pertinent today, offering valuable perspectives on retailing and the importance of culture

Episode Highlights:

{02:15} - Born in the motor trade

{06:01} – Deal with a customer complaint straight away

{14:41} – Coats on chairs

{28:05} – Retail is in the detail

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: www.symcotraining.co.uk