Selling In The Motor Trade

Jason Cranswick is back on the pod. Last time we spoke it was book club stuff, but a lot's changed since then. Jason stepped out of his C-suite role and now runs Cranswick Consulting, working as an executive coach and board advisor. In this episode we get into what that move actually looks like, what he had to learn (and qualify for), and why so many motor trade leaders struggle to let go of the day-to-day. 
We talk about the real line between being a non-exec, a board advisor, and a coach. Jason explains why leaders "step onto the pitch" when pressure hits, and how that limits team development. We also cover what he sees again and again with senior managers right now: feeling isolated, chasing validation, imposter syndrome, and having no space to think. We finish on AI, generational change, and a simple way to approach new tools: treat AI like a 16-year-old intern — useful, fast, but you still check the work 
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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

Most "lost" leads aren't lost because the car sold. They drop out because something went wrong in the follow-up, the numbers didn't stack up, or they quietly went and bought a different brand.
In Part 2 of my chat with Jeremy from Marketing Delivery, we get practical about how dealers can pull people back into the funnel, keep aftersales communication relevant, and stop annoying customers into hitting unsubscribe.
We cover how Jeremy's team follows up "lost" prospects with simple, well-timed messages, what dealers should do when customers say affordability killed the deal, and why missed call-backs still cost more sales than most teams want to admit. We also talk about how aftersales can run a proper contact plan (without peppering customers with separate emails for service, MOT, and maintenance) and why good data beats shiny tech every time.
Episode highlights:
We break down the most common reasons dealers lose sales, beyond "the car was sold".
Jeremy explains what a sensible lost-lead follow-up looks like and how it pulls customers back in.
We talk about affordability, part-exchange, finance, and the very real problem of customers not getting a call back.
We get into how new entrant brands are changing buying behaviour and why that matters for traditional dealer groups.
You'll hear how to run aftersales contact in a way customers actually welcome, including combining service + MOT + maintenance into one message.
 We cover why "AI" isn't a plan, and why clean, measurable data comes first.
If you run sales, aftersales, or marketing in a dealer group, you'll nick at least one idea you can use this week.
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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

Jeremy Evans built Marketing Delivery after years inside dealer groups, OEMs and contact centres. He shares how "reward the lead, not the lag" thinking, plus stock-alert automation tied to your CRM, turns missed enquiries into sold cars.
What we cover
How a cross-department start at Bristol Street and Nissan shaped a no-nonsense view of dealer ops, from dot-matrix "walk-in" sheets to today's AI-assisted follow-ups. 
Setting up Marketing Delivery in 2007 and sending automated emails by 2009, and why the business shifted from "agency" to product. 
"Reward the lead, not the lag": get the data right, then let tech keep the conversation warm until intent spikes again. 
Stock alerts that scan group inventory and price drops, email customers, and ping sales when they click, with around 10% of recipients going on to buy. 
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

We are back with Oliver Phillpott from Generational to discuss used EV values and stock turn.
What you'll learn
Battery health needs to linked to used EV values
The need for a healthy used EV market
How to improve stock turn in used EV's
Customer confidence in EV buying process
Include battery health in your whole sales funnel
If you're a dealer principal, used-car manager, buyer, or seller of EVs and looking to tighten your EV process. Press play and share this with your sales and buying teams.
Finding this useful? Follow the show
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

Battery health now beats mileage for used EVs. I sit down with Oliver Phillpott (Generational) to cut the noise and show you how state of health (SOH) drives value, trust, and stock turn.
What you'll learn
The battery factors that actually move price, and how to explain them simply to buyers.
Practical SOH thresholds dealers use to retail vs trade.
PHEV vs EV: different degradation patterns and what they mean on appraisal.
Warranty basics, servicing pitfalls, and when to test anyway.
The battery health report: the one-pager that reduces returns and speeds up the sale.
If you're a dealer principal, used-car manager, buyer, or seller of EVs and looking to tighten your EV process. Press play and share this with your sales and buying teams.
Finding this useful? Follow the show
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