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Opportunity knocking

You are probably asking yourself why you have clicked through to my website? Intrigue, pity, boredom whatever the reason I have caught your attention so that’s objective 1 achieved. Now for objective 2, to keep your attention while I explain how I could be of benefit to your business.

OK so you may not be recruiting at the moment, but is there not always an opportunity for someone who is going to improve your business prospects or streamline your overheads enough to justify a new position?

Let’s say you were interviewing me, I imagine your first question would be: “If you are such a desirable employee why are you looking for work  now?” Allow me to explain.

The motor trade was one of the earliest casualties of the current economic climate, in which I became a victim of my own success. I managed my dealership so efficiently, employing the best staff and growing them, setting procedures and controls firmly in place and creating an environment that enabled each team member to succeed.

This meant that when the inevitable reduction in staff arose, I had effectively managed myself out of my position. I hold no bitterness for this as the long-term stability of the business had to be the primary concern, and while the timing was not ideal it allows me the opportunity to seek new challenges and opportunities.

Having never been out of work since I was sixteen I find it impossible to simply kick back, watch Jeremy Kyle and let some job agency decide my ongoing career path.  I therefore took work in the motor industry at a lower grade than I had been at, as a Business Manager at Cotswold BMW Cheltenham.  From this position I was recruited to Sales Manager at JT Hughes Mitsubishi in Telford.  Whilst I have secured employment I am seeking that fresh challenge, hence the unorthodox but pro-active approach to finding myself a new position.

So if you are still with me then perhaps a brief overview of what I perceive to be my key skills could help you decide if you have an opportunity for me within your organization.

Trustworthy – Other than an early stint in the Special Constabulary I have had extensive dealings with client confidentiality. In fact I have even signed the Official Secrets Act!

Accomplished – I have a proven track record best illustrated by my taking the dealership from £4.5k to £300k in just four years.

Determined – I never give up. Perhaps it is merely a stubborn nature but I don’t accept no as an answer and view every problem along the way as an opportunity for a different approach. As you can see I may not look pretty in the process but failure is never an option!

What kind of a position am I ideally seeking then?

With a solid background in business and people management, sales and customer service I believe there is a wealth of roles I could thrive in, another reason for the ‘virtual’ approach to seeking my next position.

I see my skills as lying in three key areas which I would bring to any potential role;

1. People Management. I have a strong belief that people are the key to success, but they must be guided and nurtured whilst being challenged to grow. I will set these challenges and develop the individuals thus growing the overall business.
2. Sales and Negotiation. Many staff do not have a good understanding of these skills.  However, through my skills I will show teams how to increase revenue and sales in a sustainable manner and how to focus on a product that may be of special importance, whilst exceeding my own targets along the way.
3. Customer Service. By appreciating the experience from the customers viewpoint we can truly see how improvements can be made to the service – the thing that surprises most is that improvements frequently do not require any spend, simply a change of process. Easy words to say but the skill is in creating an environment that breeds this thought process, this is a skill I will train others to understand.

In short I will bring the fresh ideas and approach your business needs to thrive. I will interact with customers in such a way as they will feel that no other organisation or individual can for fill their needs.

If you are still with me then thank-you for your time, and do please have a read of my CV. I hope you will decide to contact me so we can discuss how I could contribute to your business’ success in 2010.

My CV

My CV

PROFILE

• 15 years management and sales experience
• A natural leader, achievement focused
• Experienced in making tough decisions
• Budget planning and control to delivery
• Highly motivated and an excellent problem solver
• Superb negotiator, using influencing and people skills
• Quick to adapt to new situations and environments
• Able to direct a team to the common goal

EDUCATION

• BTEC National – Business and Finance
• BTEC First – Business and Finance
• 6 GCSE’s English, Maths, Computers, Geography, History and Physics

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

• Delivery of planned volumes and profits
• Profit and Loss accounts review and actions
• Cost control
• Health and safety review and control
• Handling of customer issues that have been escalated

NEGOTIATION AND SALES

• Negotiation and persuasion skills learnt and crafted in the customer services industry transferred to sales trade, enabled successive promotions
• Able to quickly build rapport and gain trust from the customer
• Skilled in objection handling – objections are buying signs
• Easily able to adapt and mirror different personality styles
• Can successfully hold opposing views and negotiate them according to needs

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Recruitment of staff for senior, middle and entry level positions
• Experienced in dealing with disciplinary issues and redundancy
• Installed new operational philosophy to focus on success and developed a can do attitude in the team
• Reported to director level, both formally and informally
• Successfully able to relate to staff at all levels and gain support

EMPLOYMENT

Sales Manger

I was asked by the senior management of JT Hughes to take this role as the business was not performing satisfactorily.  Since arriving I have put new processes and procedures in place resulting in increased sales and higher profits.  This has required the development of some existing staff whilst necessitating some staff changes and the recruitment of new staff.  In addition my role I have proactively brought fresh ideas into the group and assisted in their implementation.  An example of this would be the setting up of a second string finance partner across the group.  This has increased profits whilst enabling the group to deliver a consistent retail experience group wide, resulting in increased customer satisfaction.

The focus of this role is the management and operation of the finance department in this busy BMW main dealership. This required meeting each retail and SME business customer to maximise the uptake of dealership funding facilities and add on products.  Other responsibilities included ensuring full compliance with FSA regulations including training for all customer facing staff.  I also provided additional cover for the Mini dealership on the same site.  I was recruited to this post by a former senior manager whom I worked under whilst at Listers Group Ltd.

LISTERS GROUP LIMITED
Stratford upon Avon
2000-2008

Dealer Principal 2005-2008

 Overall responsibility for a Honda main dealership.  Management of all departments and staff.  Budget planning and delivery.  Control and delivery of targeted marketing plans.  Ensuring all franchise standards are complied with.  Participation in meetings with directors and senior Honda UK management.

Sales Manager 2003-2004

Responsible for the profitable operation of the Sales department within a Honda dealership.  Management of sales team, coaching and performance reviews.  Stopped the monthly pre-registration of new vehicles and focused on retailing them, this enabled our used vehicle operation to increase its profitability.  Increased customer satisfaction to highest standard as measured by Honda UK.  Liaised with Honda UK management.

Business Manager 2002-2003

To ensure that our finance facilities were used and add on products purchased.  Controlled the sales process to maximise profits.  Ensured that the volume funding targets across the range of lenders was achieved.  Fully complied with all legal requirements. 

Retail Sales Executive 2000-2002

Welcomed customers to the dealership and led them through to sales process.  Followed up customer enquiries.  Prospected customers who had either previously enquired or purchased.  Actively asked all contacts for referrals.  Sold my first car on my first day, to a customer who the experienced sales executives had failed to convert.

RAC Motoring Services
Walsall
1997-2000

Customer Care Manager

Handled incoming complaints and enquiries by telephone, post and email.  Liaised with internal departments and external contractors to investigate reported instances of unsatisfactory performance.  Responded back to customers with the outcome of my investigations and explained the circumstances.  If appropriate I negotiated a successful conclusion between the departments/contractors and the customer.

Tatung UK Limited
Telford
1994-1997

Customer Service Assistant

Day to day liaison with dealers, consumers and general trade enquiries, mainly by telephone though occasionally in person.  Use of many contacts both internal and external to provide serviceable answers whilst maintaining company integrity.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Police Special Constable 1994-1997
• Regularly raise money for various cancer charities through sponsorship of running events competed in

HONOURS AND AWARDS

• High achieving dealer of the year 2005 and 2006, winning trips to the Maldives and Thailand from Honda UK
• Business Manager of the year – Listers Group 2002-2003, winning a trip to the Maldives
• Member of the Institute of the Motor Industry

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Running and competing in organised events most months covering anything from 5 miles to full marathons
• Reading thrillers, legal and crime novels
• Keeping up with the latest technology advancements
• Cars hold a particular interest, particularly classic or future classics

REFERENCE

• Paul Neale, Centre Principal, Cotswold BMW, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, Gloustershire, GL51 9SG
• Other references available on request