Skilled Salespeople Qualified
Wellington-based Sales Consultant for Ingham Motor Group, Hayden McKeown (left), and Sales Manager for Kia at Brendan Foot Supersite, Kerry Fackney, are the first to become qualified in vehicle sales after completing MITO’s National Certificate in Sales (Level 3). Comprising three two-day workshops, and on-the-job training, the one year sales qualification covers everything from prospecting through to legislation.
24-year-old Hayden found the programme’s focus on legislation invaluable. “For me, being able to gain a far greater understanding of the Vehicle Sales Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act legislation as it applies to this industry, was a key takeaway from the programme. In the past, I’ve had questions which I wasn’t able to answer, highlighting a gap in my industry knowledge. Now, I’m able to answer those questions and even pass on that knowledge to my colleagues which is extremely useful – not only for the business but for our customers too.”
Being able to gain a far greater understanding of the Vehicle Sales Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act legislation as it applies to this industry, was a key takeaway from the programme - Hayden McKeown
Kerry agrees that the training programme’s coverage of the legislation was enormously beneficial. “I think most salespeople would have a basic understanding of the Consumer Guarantees Act, but now I know much more about it which is a huge advantage of completing the training programme. It’s vitally important to have that increased knowledge of compliance and how the laws apply to our business.”
The workshops were also particularly valuable to Hayden, who says being able to discuss real-life examples with the wide variety of other learners, and hear their own experiences and opinions, was really insightful. “It exposes you to numerous new techniques and perspectives which complement your own approach. We’re all there to improve our knowledge and I was able to implement some lessons learnt from the others into improving my own performance – right from day one. It’s effectively re-shaped my whole daily routine!”
Having been in the industry for over 10 years, Kerry is a seasoned salesman. But, with a solid focus on the sales process and buyer behaviour, and an overview of the different roles within the industry, the programme benefits those with any level of experience. “I think everyone will gain something from this programme – whether they’ve been in the industry for 5 minutes or 15 years,” says Kerry. “That’s the thing with sales. There’s a general process you follow but there are also a lot of tweaks you can make to that process that may be very beneficial. I don’t think there is anyone who can say they know everything about this industry so, as long as you’re willing to learn, you will definitely benefit from what this programme has to offer.”
Dealer Principal for Ingham Motor Group, Greg Renner, sees significant value in the programme. “It’s an important qualification for the industry. It’s more competitive than ever these days and the market is constantly changing. So it’s a great thing for our people to be able to upskill and develop their career with a training programme like this - we will be looking at getting as many of them enrolled in it as we can!”
Hayden’s delighted to be among the first to complete the qualification and has already started recommending the training programme. “I’ve suggested it to two of our cadets at our Mitsubishi dealership and will continue to suggest it to others going forward. It’s such a thorough overview of the industry - right from the fundamentals through to the advanced principles and theories. For anyone in a vehicle sales role, it’s an absolute must.”
