Motor dealers get management development

Capital Bank, a motor-finance company, has engineered a development module for dealers to ensure that prospective managers have the techniques needed to inspire, motivate and manage others, as well as the ability to achieve good sales figures.

The program consists of six, seven or eight-week modules looking at business strategy, market awareness, creating vision, purpose and values, clarifying roles and goals, developing appropriate leadership skills, team decision-making and conflict resolution.

In addition to the training, all delegates receive a bespoke post-module follow-up by a dedicated coach, which is accredited to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). The aim is to help dealers to become more profitable.

“Being a great sales-person is the key to personal success in the industry, but as a manager the individual must invest as much time and effort in his or her employees as in himself or herself to ensure the business is a success,” said Paul Jordan, senior director for Capital Bank.

“There is a need for effective leadership in our industry and training is also a requirement. Sales-people are naturally gifted to sell but, according to the management experts, even the very best can often be focused very much on their own targets. So why should the most successful sales-person be the automatic choice to go into management – at least without being given the correct training and development to help him or her to get there?

“All employees have negative points equal to or worse than those often attributed to sales staff. It is the responsibility of senior management to check that potential leaders have the ability to manage others. Of course, there are some people who say that employees are either born with leadership skills or not, and there maybe an element of truth in that, but ultimately the facets of leadership can be taught and, over time, mastered.”

The course was short-listed at the Motor Trader Awards and has been commended by dealers in the industry.

Ian Beardmore, head of finance and insurance at Sunwin Motor Group, said:“Every dealer principal and general manager should attend the course in order to have these tools in his or her box.”