x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Selling In The Motor Trade

Simon Bowkett, from Symco Training, shares tips and ideas on selling in the motor trade from a sales and aftersales perspective, as well as interviews with industry leaders sharing some of their best practices. To find out more visit www.symcotraining.co.uk

education how to

All Episodes

43:25

The PCP Timebomb in Chinese Brands: Former CAP HPI...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/04/16

There is a number that should get every used car manager's attention. The OMODA J5 7 was the biggest selling car in March. The deal was around £299 down, £299 a month. That is an extraordinary amount of car for that payment, and it is working. The problem is that car becomes a used car in three years, and the used car market for Chinese brands does not really exist yet. Derren Martin ran the entire forecast and valuation portfolio at CAP HPI for several years. He knows better than most what happens

en

22:10

The Central London Dealer Who Can't Sell EVs, No...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/04/09

You'd back central London as prime EV territory. Josh Apps from V12 can't move them. He'll sell a red-on-red Range Rover faster than a well-specced Tesla every time. That counterintuitive reality is one of several sharp observations from a dealer who built a credible high-end business in one of the most expensive places in the UK to operate, with no forecourt, no showroom, appointment only, and overheads that would make your eyes water. On top of that, why the Auto Trader Deal Builder rollout felt

en

36:22

Josh Apps, Founder of V12 Automobil | From Pro...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/04/02

What happens when a former professional footballer and football agent walks into the motor trade… and decides to build a dealership with "more care, more style, and a lot less ego"? In this episode, I'm joined by Josh Apps, founder of V12 Automobil in Central London. Josh didn't grow up in the trade. He's built V12 from scratch since 2022, and he's straight-talking about what actually works when you're buying and selling everything from a £20k GLC to a £1m+ hypercar. We get into the real

en

45:20

Ali Reda, 100-Car-a-Month Salesman | Stop Waiting for...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/03/26

Most salespeople wait for the dealership to hand them customers… then wonder why they're stuck at "average". In this episode, I'm joined by Ali Reda, one of the highest-volume salespeople I've ever spoken to, to break down the mindset shift that changes everything: you don't "work for the dealership", you run your own business inside it. Ali explains how he builds trust through community work (so customers come looking for him, not "a price"), why he refuses to sell from panic, and how he's built a

en

35:00

Ali Reda, Record-Breaking Car Salesperson | 1582 Cars...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/03/19

Ali Reda is the car salesperson who sold 1,582 cars in 12 months, hit 32 cars in a day (twice), and talks through the exact model behind it, without living at the dealership. He works Monday-Friday, doesn't do weekends, and built a "business within a business" by going all-in on relationship selling, community presence, and a delivery process that removes bottlenecks. Episode highlights: How Ali went from "hair on fire" chasing fresh ups to having customers queue to see him. The mentors and

en

28:49

Neil Carrahar, Operations Director | Why Top...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/03/12

Most dealerships still do the same thing. They take the top salesperson, give them a title, and hope they become a great leader. In this episode, I'm joined by Neil Carrahar to talk about why that move often backfires, what to do instead, and how to build a leadership pipeline that actually works. We get into the real issues that show up on the floor, like high performers who poison the culture, managers who slip into micromanaging, and teams that drop their heads the moment targets feel out of

en

33:17

How Do I Get Into the 200 Club? The Mindset That...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/02/26

In this episode, I'm joined by Neil Carrahar to talk about the bit most dealerships get wrong: motivation and mindset. Neil shares a real story from a sales training program, where a new starter put his hand up on day one and asked, "How do I get into the 200 Club?" That one question told Neil everything he needed to know. We break down what that kind of hunger looks like in the real world, and the simple behaviours Neil told him to focus on if he wanted 200 sold and delivered. We also get into

en

24:03

OKRs | Why Your Team "Didn't Do It" (And How to Fix It)

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/02/19

You've told the team what needs doing. You check in later. Nothing's happened. Your blood boils… then you realise you might not have been clear enough in the first place. In this episode, I'm joined by Stuart to break down OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in plain English. It's a simple way to set a clear goal, define 3 to 4 measurable checkpoints, and keep everyone pulling in the same direction without turning into a micromanaging nightmare. We cover the difference between "good intentions" and

en

41:01

Neil Carrahar, Operations Director at Symco Training...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/02/12

Neil Carrahar is back for Part 2. This one goes deeper on what high standards actually look like in practice, especially on the "nothing special happening" days that quietly define your dealership. We talk about consistency, manager behaviours, and why customer confidence depends on the process you run every single day. If you lead a team, manage used cars, or sell day in day out, this episode will give you a sharper way to think about standards and performance. Finding this useful? Follow the show

en

37:44

Neil Carrahar, Operations Director at Symco Training...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/02/05

I'm joined by Neil Carrahar, Operations Director at Symco Training. This is a straight talk episode about standards, culture, and the day-to-day operational stuff that drives results in a dealership. We cover what "good" looks like in the real world, why teams drift over time, and how managers can set expectations that actually stick. If you're a dealer principal, sales manager, or anyone trying to lift performance without turning the place into a misery factory, press play. Finding this

en

19:31

Jason Cranswick, Ex Dealer Principal | 3 Books That...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/01/29

This one's another Book Club episode with Jason Cranswick, talking about the books that actually change how you think (and how you run a dealership). We recover The Chimp Paradox (Steve Peters) and how your "chimp mind" shows up on the forecourt, The Mindset Workbook (Carol Dweck) and why fixed vs growth thinking changes performance, and A Path Through the Jungle (Steve Peters) for handling pressure and staying consistent. If you manage people, sell cars, or you're trying to stop the same problems

en

33:43

Jason Cranswick, Executive Coach | Why the Best...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/01/22

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

en

30:07

Jeremy Evans, Founder of Marketing Delivery | Lost...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/01/15

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

en

25:22

Jeremy Evans, Founder of Marketing Delivery | From...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2026/01/08

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

en

27:41

Oliver Phillpott, Co-Founder of Generational | Fast...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/12/18

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

en

23:48

Oliver Phillpott, Co-Founder of Generational |...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/12/11

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

en

32:57

Wendy Harbutt, Leadership Coach | Why Your Team Don't...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/12/04

Leadership isn't about shouting "be more driven". It's about creating the conditions where people choose the right behaviours. In this episode, I talk with leadership coach Wendy Harbutt about practical management strategies you can use today: getting beyond "carrot and stick", setting agreements that people actually keep, and replacing lazy money fixes with recognition, growth, and clear processes. What we cover Nature vs nurture: you can encourage drive, you can't inject it. Focus on the outcome

en

30:44

Wendy Harbutt – Dramatic Improvement | Our Strengths...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/11/27

We are joined by Wendy Harbutt from Dramatic Improvement, who specialises in leadership and management coaching. You'll hear: - How role play is a powerful learning tool - Ensure you build relationships for your next step - Stop reading and start putting things into place - Try to catch people doing things well and talk about it We are delighted that Wendy will be back in the next episode to enlighten us with more top tip leadership skills. About Symco Training: Symco Training was

en

29:19

Daksh Gupta & Andrew Wakelin | The playbook that...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/11/20

In this episode, you get two motor trade veterans' perspectives on leading teams and fixing underperforming sites. Daksh discusses imposter syndrome, making your ambitions visible, and why you start with the numbers, not vibes. Andrew breaks down the turnaround that took a Peugeot site from 168th to 1st in two years. Daily basics, visible metrics, relentless follow-up, and genuine appreciation for the team (yes, even fish-and-chip vans). If you run a department or you've just stepped into

en

21:12

Autotrader's Deal Builder | Leads Down, Fees Up, and...

Selling In The Motor Trade ·

2025/11/13

In this episode, I unpack Auto Trader's move to make Deal Builder mandatory and ask the question dealers care about: who owns the customer and the deal? You'll hear: What Deal Builder actually does (reserve for £99, PX, finance) and why Auto Trader says those journeys convert better and often happen after hours. The real-world headaches dealers are reporting: reservation timeframes, cars marked "reserved", and customers vanishing over a weekend. Why "omni-channel" is right in

en

272 results

Similar Podcasts

Science Talk

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

五分钟心理学

柠檬心理

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Veterinary Clinical Podcasts

The Royal Veterinary College