Carplus is thrilled to unveil the Carplus Academy, an innovative training programme designed to equip new recruits with an in-depth understanding of car finance. Led by industry expert Graeme Mitchell, the academy meets the vital need for an effective induction process in the motor trade. This programme combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, ensuring every new recruit is ready to excel in the competitive car sales sector.
After a successful sales career in various industries, Graeme Mitchell joined the Motor Trade about eight years ago.
His experiences with the onboarding processes at both a Main Dealer and a Large Car Supermarket revealed the potential to develop an induction process that would benefit both the business and new recruits.
Car Finance can be an intimidating field to learn initially. Too often, new recruits are thrown into the deep end and quickly churned out if they do not meet the required standards in a short timeframe. This results in promising talent leaving the industry before they can fully develop.
Carplus has introduced “The Carplus Academy”, designed to give new recruits a fast-track understanding of the most important aspects of Car Finance. This foundational knowledge is essential for launching their success.
The Carplus Academy Process
The Academy starts with an overview of Carplus’s History, our origins, key highlights, and future vision. Understanding our background helps clarify our future direction and purpose.
Next, we examine our Core Values and what it means to work at Carplus. We see ourselves as a collaborative community where success is shared and celebrated. Only after this do we explore the Customer Journey and Sales Processes.
The training continues with in-depth product knowledge, strategies for overcoming customer objections, and familiarisation with our lender partners’ platforms.
The induction also covers Industry Compliance, including SAF testing, as well as topics such as recognising vulnerable customers and ensuring fair treatment during the sales process.
After completing the theoretical training, trainees are tested with a 50-question Carplus quiz, requiring 80% or higher to pass.
The Induction training culminates in trainees creating a presentation based on feedback from our call listening exercise. This presentation is delivered in the boardroom with our Head of Sales and CEO present.
After the induction, trainees transition to the sales floor to begin handling live customer calls. This is where our collaborative community truly shines. If a manager is unavailable to assist a trainee, any available colleague will share their expertise to help ensure the trainee’s success.
Once trainees reach the first two milestones in the academy, they are fully integrated into the Sales Team.
