Why do we have such a high turnover of staff in the used car market?

In my opinion, one of the main contributors is the lack of sales and interpersonal skills training in the used car market.

Due to the lack of training, new entrants into the used car sales environment soon realise that this segment is a dead-end street with no scope for development or personal improvement.

Interviews with people that have left this profession list this as the number one reason for leaving.

The last couple of years the training was mainly focused on compliance i.e. The Credit Act, FICA, FAIS, the Act on Secondhand Goods and The Consumer Protection Act – which is all good and well, but did not help our salesforce to sell more cars.

Don’t get me wrong, compliance is a reality in our business and we need to train our staff to be compliant. Not only is it a legal requirement but also punishable by law. However, we are in the business of selling cars.

Sales and interpersonal skills training can improve business performance, profit and staff morale.

Some of the advantages of training include:

• Training courses can be focused on the most-needed skills
• Training can result in better customer service, improved work practices and enhanced productivity
• Training is an investment in staff that makes them feel valued, thus improving staff loyalty and staff retention
• Trained staff can make a more valued contribution to your business