Work experience is a really fun way to get into the world of work and see what it’s all about. It’s not just for school kids and you can do work experience within any (or even all) sectors of the industry.
Here are a few reasons to consider work experience:
The Administration Department is headed by an accountant, often referred to as the Administration Manager. “Admin” is a busy and hugely important part of the business that ensures our paperwork, and adherence to procedures, legislation and accounting practices are correct. It looks after the payment of invoices, creation of our own invoices, control of credit amounts and the management of money/banking. It also manages the Sales Department’s vehicle taxation matters, often via the DVLA. At the end of each month the Admin Department also produces a full set of management accounts for the business. There are a large number of inter-dependant disciplines in an Admin Department and the pace rarely slows down! As with work in all departments, Admin is a demanding place to work.
Sales departments sell vehicles – new, used, pre-reg, ex demonstrators and ex-service loan cars. They are also expected to sell a range of finance and insurance products, as well as a number of key accessories. In order to deliver the level of profitability needed to sustain the business, the various targets have to be achieved and a large number of “standards” need to be achieved too. Customer Satisfaction standards are hugely important. The role of a Sales Executive has changed a lot over time and a high degree of computer literacy is now required as are great communication skills and strong numeracy. An interest in cars is a great advantage too.
The Parts Department, like the Sales Department is set demanding sales targets to achieve by us and by the manufacturer. They will hit those targets by ensuring the correct parts are in stock for both Service and Sales customers. A Parts Department will also operate a bit like a retail shop inasmuch as they look to stock and retail accessories to customers both in the showrooms and online. A Parts Department can have a profound effect on customer service as the knock on effect can be serious is we don’t have the right parts in stock. Knowing that customer service standards can affect the income of the business highlights the role played by the parts department.
If is often said that the Sales Department sell the first car, but the Service Department sell the next one! This refers to the goodwill that can be created – or lost – by virtue of the “aftersales” service provided by a dealership. Service Departments are unrecognisable from a few decades ago with the advent of electronic diagnosis and computer analysis. The need for a high level of mechanical skill is also essential. Today’s technician is a highly (and expensively!) trained professional. Of course there is a large customer-facing team of Service Advisors too who interact with our service customers. Their organisational skills and communication skills are essential when it comes to delivering exemplary customer service.
