Pub. 8 2019-2020 Issue 1

16 San Diego Dealer W hen it comes to t r a i n i n g s a l e s people, sometimes the best approach is a unified one. Dealer members of NCDA realized during the early 1990s that it would be much more efficient to have a consolidated training and recruitment program than for each dealership to have its own system. Not only has the CSTA been a success, it has been a model for other dealer associa- tions who have wanted to take the same approach because they’ve seen how successful it is and how smoothly it works. The NCDA started the California Sales Training Academy as a way to teach anyone who is interested, but especially those who want to learn how to sell cars, what they will need to know to succeed as a professional in the automobile industry. Each four-day class, held Mondays through Thursdays from9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is taught every other week throughout the year at the NCDA Conference Training Center. Students learn how to: • Present and sell cars • Create a referral business • Develop prospects Those who finish the class receive a certificate of completion and help with finding a job through a deal- ership job referral program. San Diego County residents can take the class for free. The prerequisites for taking the course are as follows: • Students have to be 18 years or older. • A great attitude and a will- ingness to learn are both important. • All students need to have a valid U.S. driver’s license. Their driving record also has to be clean. • They have to be able to get a Vehicle Sales License from the DMV. Attendees are expected to dress like professionals. Men should wear a dress shirt and dress slacks; women should wear skirts, dresses or dress pants.Forthemen,ajacketandtieare optionalunlesstheinstructorasksfor them. Casual clothing, suchas shorts, jeans, or tennis shoes, is not allowed. The class isn’t just about selling cars. It’s about elevating the pro- fession by ensuring that those who sign up for it learn about products and are taught the basics of ethical behavior and excellent customer service. The current teacher is Bob Heintz, who built a successful career in the automobile industry starting when he was in college. He moved to San Diego in 1987, worked as a general manager for three dealer groups, and retired in 2009 from Hoehn Motors. But Bob realized he didn’t want to be fully retired. He enjoyed being a guest speaker from time to time at the class, and when the next head instructor position became available, Bob was ready. He enjoys teaching on a part-time basis because it gives him a chance to stay engaged in the industry, meet incredible people, and pass alongwhat he has learned over the course of his career. This course has benefited thousands of peoplewho have completed it and starteda career inautomotive sales. In fact,manydealerswill oftenhire sales personnel and then enroll them in the class as the first step in their training. The CSTA Registration form is available online. Go to ncda.com/train- ing-seminars, look for the section titled Registration Information, and click the CSTA Registration Form link. You can also call (858) 550-0080. CALIFORNIA SALES TRAINING ACADEMY