Customers still walk into used car dealerships expecting to get stitched up. Craig Walker decided to let them in before they arrive. In this episode, Craig talks to Simon Bowkett about Dealership Diaries, the YouTube channel where the whole team films behind the scenes, mistakes included. Craig explains how pointing out every mark on a car calms a nervous buyer, how a customer flew up from Kent to buy an F-Type after watching the channel, and how a £24.99 a month service plan brings buyers back to the workshop. Craig puts take-up at around 40%. The conversation also covers using the workshop to buy stock, treating the appointment as the new sale, hiring for personality and running KPIs through Claude straight from a DMS export. Craig finishes with the challenge still to crack: finding a number two. What's covered: • Why Craig puts 'disarming the customer' in the brand book and how the team does it on every car • How Dealership Diaries got the whole team on camera and what it has done for sales • The difference between active and passive customers, and how to stay in front of both • Running a £24.99 a month service plan at break-even, and the take-up of around 40% that Craig reports • Using the workshop and service advisers to spot cars worth buying in • Why Craig sees the appointment as the new sale, and why trial closes matter after the test drive • Hiring salespeople for personality and training everything else • Dropping a DMS CSV into Claude to track KPIs and stock turn, plus Simon's tip for recording sales meetings with Wispr Flow Craig Walker runs The Walker Motor Group, which owns Culloden Cars on the outskirts of Inverness, and co-owns the Top Car Services workshop with business partner Liam Grant. Craig says the group employs 17 people, and that the workshop, which started with three ramps, is moving up to seven with an MOT testing station. Craig still loves being in the weeds of the business. If you run an independent or manage a used car or service department and want more repeat business out of every customer you sell to, give this one a listen. 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: <a title="www.symcotraining.co.uk" href= "https://www.symcotraining.co.uk" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">www.symcotraining.co.uk</a>

Customers still walk into used car dealerships expecting to get stitched up. Craig Walker decided to let them in before they arrive. In this episode, Craig talks to Simon Bowkett about Dealership Diaries, the YouTube channel where the whole team films behind the scenes, mistakes included. Craig explains how pointing out every mark on a car calms a nervous buyer, how a customer flew up from Kent to buy an F-Type after watching the channel, and how a £24.99 a month service plan brings buyers back to the workshop. Craig puts take-up at around 40%. The conversation also covers using the workshop to buy stock, treating the appointment as the new sale, hiring for personality and running KPIs through Claude straight from a DMS export. Craig finishes with the challenge still to crack: finding a number two. What's covered: • Why Craig puts 'disarming the customer' in the brand book and how the team does it on every car • How Dealership Diaries got the whole team on camera and what it has done for sales • The difference between active and passive customers, and how to stay in front of both • Running a £24.99 a month service plan at break-even, and the take-up of around 40% that Craig reports • Using the workshop and service advisers to spot cars worth buying in • Why Craig sees the appointment as the new sale, and why trial closes matter after the test drive • Hiring salespeople for personality and training everything else • Dropping a DMS CSV into Claude to track KPIs and stock turn, plus Simon's tip for recording sales meetings with Wispr Flow Craig Walker runs The Walker Motor Group, which owns Culloden Cars on the outskirts of Inverness, and co-owns the Top Car Services workshop with business partner Liam Grant. Craig says the group employs 17 people, and that the workshop, which started with three ramps, is moving up to seven with an MOT testing station. Craig still loves being in the weeds of the business. If you run an independent or manage a used car or service department and want more repeat business out of every customer you sell to, give this one a listen. 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

Customers still walk into used car dealerships expecting to get stitched up. Craig Walker decided to let them in before they arrive. In this episode, Craig talks to Simon Bowkett about Dealership Diaries, the YouTube channel where the whole team films behind the scenes, mistakes included. Craig explains how pointing out every mark on a car calms a nervous buyer, how a customer flew up from Kent to buy an F-Type after watching the channel, and how a £24.99 a month service plan brings buyers back to the workshop. Craig puts take-up at around 40%. The conversation also covers using the workshop to buy stock, treating the appointment as the new sale, hiring for personality and running KPIs through Claude straight from a DMS export. Craig finishes with the challenge still to crack: finding a number two. What's covered: • Why Craig puts 'disarming the customer' in the brand book and how the team does it on every car • How Dealership Diaries got the whole team on camera and what it has done for sales • The difference between active and passive customers, and how to stay in front of both • Running a £24.99 a month service plan at break-even, and the take-up of around 40% that Craig reports • Using the workshop and service advisers to spot cars worth buying in • Why Craig sees the appointment as the new sale, and why trial closes matter after the test drive • Hiring salespeople for personality and training everything else • Dropping a DMS CSV into Claude to track KPIs and stock turn, plus Simon's tip for recording sales meetings with Wispr Flow Craig Walker runs The Walker Motor Group, which owns Culloden Cars on the outskirts of Inverness, and co-owns the Top Car Services workshop with business partner Liam Grant. Craig says the group employs 17 people, and that the workshop, which started with three ramps, is moving up to seven with an MOT testing station. Craig still loves being in the weeds of the business. If you run an independent or manage a used car or service department and want more repeat business out of every customer you sell to, give this one a listen. 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: <a title="www.symcotraining.co.uk" href="https://www.symcotraining.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.symcotraining.co.uk</a>

How Craig Walker Uses His Workshop to Buy Stock

A great interview with Lee and Jonny, discussing what makes a successful event. Simon interviews Lee Higgins - Founder & CEO, Jonny May - Managing Director, Rhino Events.

A great interview with Lee and Jonny, discussing what makes a successful event. Simon interviews Lee Higgins - Founder & CEO, Jonny May - Managing Director, Rhino Events.

A great interview with Lee and Jonny, discussing what makes a successful event. Simon interviews Lee Higgins - Founder &amp; CEO, Jonny May - Managing Director, Rhino Events.

SMT209: Lee Higgins & Jonny May

Matt is one of the best sales trainers I've ever come across.

Matt is one of the best sales trainers I've ever come across.

SMT208: Matt Sykes

More ideas on how to deal with this objection.

More ideas on how to deal with this objection.

SMT207: I Want To Think About It - Part 3

As a sales manager you need to second face customers, this episode will help you do just that.

As a sales manager you need to second face customers, this episode will help you do just that.

SMT206: Sales Managers - 3rd Review

An interesting interview with William, looking his view of the market for Isuzu and their future plans.

An interesting interview with William, looking his view of the market for Isuzu and their future plans.

SMT205: William Brown

SMT204: I want to think about it - Part 2

Sell the deal to your salesperson, so they think this it's the best deal.

Sell the deal to your salesperson, so they think this it's the best deal.

SMT203: Sales Managers - 2nd Review

This job is simple, we just make it complicated. Ensure your salesperson has qualified the customer, not just the deal.

This job is simple, we just make it complicated. Ensure your salesperson has qualified the customer, not just the deal.

SMT202: A Failing Salesperson - What to do

Ensure your salesperson has qualified the customer, not just the deal.

Ensure your salesperson has qualified the customer, not just the deal.

SMT201: Sales Managers - 1st Review

This was such an interesting interview with James, we just couldn't stop talking! Rather than cut it, we decided to split the interview into 3 parts, so you don't miss a thing! Enjoy the first part with parts two and three to follow in the next two weeks.

This was such an interesting interview with James, we just couldn't stop talking! Rather than cut it, we decided to split the interview into 3 parts, so you don't miss a thing! Enjoy the first part with parts two and three to follow in the next two weeks.

SMT120:  James Weston - Part 3

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

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Education

How To

Management

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

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