Motor trade sales rep?
Discussion
Hi guys, i have been in the trade as a mechanic in a main dealer for the past 11 years, i have decided some time soon i fancy a change from being on the spanners everyday.
I really fancy a change to become a motor trade sales rep for a products like worshop consumables,garage equipment. This is something i have been thinking about for some time and i am keen to follow up.
I have been browsing the net for some time but cant find much information on the day to days of the job.
If anyone would be kind enough to give me some information about the job etc that would be great.
I really fancy a change to become a motor trade sales rep for a products like worshop consumables,garage equipment. This is something i have been thinking about for some time and i am keen to follow up.
I have been browsing the net for some time but cant find much information on the day to days of the job.
If anyone would be kind enough to give me some information about the job etc that would be great.
I have worked for car manufacturers in after sales development roles for a good few years now and have many years of experience in recruiting, training, assessing parts sales reps for dealers. Unfortunately the vast majority of them are really very poor - but that's because they have been promoted from the parts monkey position, and whilst they are capable of ordering parts and tidying the stores, they are useless at talking to people, which is rather fundamental in a sales job.
So .. what advice can I give... Are you and extrovert? or at least can you talk to people, even ones you do not know and be able to build a relationship with them?
You need to know a little bit about the sales process, and with parts its mostly a numbers game, you will have to make 15 visits per day and have a meaningful conversation with most of those visits.
As a plus point the fact that you are a mechanic will definitely help, as if you sell parts for the manufacturer you've trained with then you will actually be able to offer some technical support to the independent workshops you visit. This will help you build a relationship much more easily and quickly. Having an interest in motorsport will also help, as it is amazing the number of techs interested in racing, rallying, bikes etc.
You need to work for a manufacturer like Ford, Vauxhall or VW as they have the most active trade parts programmes.
However be warned, you will be badly managed by the parts manager and you will have to be self motivated and provide your own direction. Or you will be micro managed by your parts manager and this will frustrate the hell out of you. There is no middle ground.
Also with Ford/VW/Vauxhall the manufacturers rep will be all over you, assessing your performance, going on trade visits with you and either helping or hindering you depending on how good he thinks you are.
It is a very frustrating job, not least of which is that the manufacturers think that they can get 100% of all the trade parts business, and this is not possible, but no one in the ivory towers will admit this. Even after I pointed it out to the Senior Management team at Ford. In essence whatever you do wil never be enough.
Its not that easy to get into if you have no sales background, however as you are not a partsman this might be to your advantage.
Do you work for a big main dealer? If so ask the parts manager if he has any vacancies for the role. Perhaps offer to cover when the parts rep is on holiday? May be do some otj training alongside him.
You need to look at am-online for parts rep roles several do come up quite often.
If you are really good, you may end up working for the manufacturer, this would take 5 years however.
You might also end up as parts manager - this may not be a good thing.
Anyway there is so much that I could tell you about the job and how to get one that you are betteroff asking the questions and I'll endeavour to answer them.
But please consider this..
Your working day:
In at 8, plan visits. Visit each IMT, get many knock backs, people to busy to see you, speak to a couple of people you know, they might by some gloves off you. Lunch time. Visit a few more IMT's no joy with most of them, then do a deal on a clutch and some filters with the last one visited back to dealership. Calculate mileage submit expense form.
Or in reality, swan in at nine having faked a doctors appointment, spend the morning faffing about, taking parts phone calls and doing a couple of deliveries. Get out and see a few IMT's, have a coffee with most of them. Fail to visit any new accounts, blame traffic. Get back to dealer by 3.30. Submit expenses, take a phone call from the wife. leave early claiming that you are going to delvier a part on the way home - get sacked after 6 months, to be put in the parts telesales office.
hth.
So .. what advice can I give... Are you and extrovert? or at least can you talk to people, even ones you do not know and be able to build a relationship with them?
You need to know a little bit about the sales process, and with parts its mostly a numbers game, you will have to make 15 visits per day and have a meaningful conversation with most of those visits.
As a plus point the fact that you are a mechanic will definitely help, as if you sell parts for the manufacturer you've trained with then you will actually be able to offer some technical support to the independent workshops you visit. This will help you build a relationship much more easily and quickly. Having an interest in motorsport will also help, as it is amazing the number of techs interested in racing, rallying, bikes etc.
You need to work for a manufacturer like Ford, Vauxhall or VW as they have the most active trade parts programmes.
However be warned, you will be badly managed by the parts manager and you will have to be self motivated and provide your own direction. Or you will be micro managed by your parts manager and this will frustrate the hell out of you. There is no middle ground.
Also with Ford/VW/Vauxhall the manufacturers rep will be all over you, assessing your performance, going on trade visits with you and either helping or hindering you depending on how good he thinks you are.
It is a very frustrating job, not least of which is that the manufacturers think that they can get 100% of all the trade parts business, and this is not possible, but no one in the ivory towers will admit this. Even after I pointed it out to the Senior Management team at Ford. In essence whatever you do wil never be enough.
Its not that easy to get into if you have no sales background, however as you are not a partsman this might be to your advantage.
Do you work for a big main dealer? If so ask the parts manager if he has any vacancies for the role. Perhaps offer to cover when the parts rep is on holiday? May be do some otj training alongside him.
You need to look at am-online for parts rep roles several do come up quite often.
If you are really good, you may end up working for the manufacturer, this would take 5 years however.
You might also end up as parts manager - this may not be a good thing.
Anyway there is so much that I could tell you about the job and how to get one that you are betteroff asking the questions and I'll endeavour to answer them.
But please consider this..
Your working day:
In at 8, plan visits. Visit each IMT, get many knock backs, people to busy to see you, speak to a couple of people you know, they might by some gloves off you. Lunch time. Visit a few more IMT's no joy with most of them, then do a deal on a clutch and some filters with the last one visited back to dealership. Calculate mileage submit expense form.
Or in reality, swan in at nine having faked a doctors appointment, spend the morning faffing about, taking parts phone calls and doing a couple of deliveries. Get out and see a few IMT's, have a coffee with most of them. Fail to visit any new accounts, blame traffic. Get back to dealer by 3.30. Submit expenses, take a phone call from the wife. leave early claiming that you are going to delvier a part on the way home - get sacked after 6 months, to be put in the parts telesales office.
hth.
Jerry Can said:
Or in reality, swan in at nine having faked a doctors appointment, spend the morning faffing about, taking parts phone calls and doing a couple of deliveries. Get out and see a few IMT's, have a coffee with most of them. Fail to visit any new accounts, blame traffic. Get back to dealer by 3.30. Submit expenses, take a phone call from the wife. leave early claiming that you are going to delvier a part on the way home - get sacked after 6 months, to be put in the parts telesales office.
hth.
lmao!!hth.
Thanks jerry can, i would say im pretty good at speaking to people and dealing with all kinds, in my current job
i do this on a daily basis.
The dealership i am currently at run a small department, so any chances of the career i want are very slim.
I would prefer to leave the main dealer side of things and find a company who are willing to give me a chance and some training.
The internet has been helpfull in finding the different companys out there and some that i have never heard of.
My next step to take is sending out my cv and a covering letter to these companys and maybe i might be lucky.
i do this on a daily basis.
The dealership i am currently at run a small department, so any chances of the career i want are very slim.
I would prefer to leave the main dealer side of things and find a company who are willing to give me a chance and some training.
The internet has been helpfull in finding the different companys out there and some that i have never heard of.
My next step to take is sending out my cv and a covering letter to these companys and maybe i might be lucky.
I think Jerry Can has covered 'reality' in his excellent post.
I've been in direct sales for over 30 years, and I'd say that if you really do have SELLING skills, then follow the money.
There are only so many hours in a day, so you may as well extract the most cash out of them.
I don't have a lot of experience of the motor trade, but if you want to stay in that environment then I believe you will find vehicle sales and leasing to be the most financially rewarding sector, and one where you're more likely to be given the respect you deserve.
I've been in direct sales for over 30 years, and I'd say that if you really do have SELLING skills, then follow the money.
There are only so many hours in a day, so you may as well extract the most cash out of them.
I don't have a lot of experience of the motor trade, but if you want to stay in that environment then I believe you will find vehicle sales and leasing to be the most financially rewarding sector, and one where you're more likely to be given the respect you deserve.
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