Swansway launches trainee sales exec academy

Multi-award winning Swansway Motor Group has launched an in-house Trainee Sales Exec Academy programme and its first six recruits are now in-situ at the group’s Blackburn and Preston Audi centres.

Scott Walker, Swansway group sales training manager has put together a new trainee sales exec programme and the first new intake have now begun their training.

Scott explained, “There were over 500 applications for the six roles and we whittled those down to 24 who came for an assessment day at the beginning of June. On the day we ran a group exercise, role play and also structured interviews and from that we offered the roles to our 6 new trainees.

“We were looking to recruit for the right attitude and so we had no preconceived ideas about previous sales or motor trade experience. All our new trainees come from different backgrounds, with experience of different types of roles, but what they do have in common is they’re full of enthusiasm and up for some hard work, in short, they just have a great attitude, which makes them ideal Swansway family members."

One of the trainees, Ellis Bunney, was a trainee solicitor before joining the programme, he commented, “Our first week has been an outstanding experience; from picking up our company Audi A1s and iPads to Swansway winning a national dealers group award in our first week, everything has been extremely motivating”.

Another trainee, Harriet Evans, studied Astrophysics at university, “Just meeting the team behind the scenes and learning about how the sales process works has been eye-opening. I feel this is an amazing opportunity to be taught by the best in the business and I feel very lucky to work for a first class, luxury brand.”

During the six month programme the trainees will receive both in-house and brand training, learning about the sales process, the role of the sales exec, becoming FCA accredited and completing the Audi UK course to become fully Audi accredited sales execs.

Pictured L-R Blackburn trainees: Elliot Danson, Harriet Evans, Ellis Bunney

Pictured L-R: Preston trainees: Jamie Bennett, Juliana Podolianko, Charlotte Boycott