Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
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sales professional of the month january 2013 vehicles since joining the independent lot in 2004, which equates to more than 30 units a month. Through the first 10 months of 2012, Pair had sold 360 vehicles, including 42 in October alone. In mid-November, just hours after Pair had sold five cars in a single day, Kelley told Auto Dealer Monthly the dealership hoped to award Pair a 3,000-sold plaque by Christmas to go alongside the 2,000sold already at his work station. David Pair Bourne's Auto Center Easton, Mass. Customers use terms like friendly, helpful, patient, professional and knowledgeable to describe David Pair, a sales associate at Bourne's Auto Center in Easton, Mass. Perhaps the quality most appreciated by those who have bought a vehicle through Pair, according to reviews the online database DealerRater, is that fact that he does not come across as pushy. "This was my first experience with a car salesperson who was not trying so hard to 'sell' me whatever they had to offer, but rather seemed to just want to help me find what I was looking for," reads a review from June of last year. "He takes a no-pressure approach," the dealership's general manager, Michael Kelley, agreed. "He's so good on the floor. (And) the F&I; guys love Dave," Kelley said. "He dots every i and crosses every t." Pair was selected as Auto Dealer Monthly's first Sales Professional of the Month for 2013 not because of his demeanor, but rather his performance on the sales floor. Kelley said the soft-spoken Pair as of Oct. 31, 2012, had sold 2,942 Pair's friendly, but reserved personality— Kelley calls him a "silent assassin"—may not be what earned him this month's sales honor, but Kelley said the attitude is directly related. "He's got his own way and technique that's worked for him, and it works for us," the GM said. "I can honestly say that in working with him for eight years, he has never received a complaint and the compliments are endless. He's all over making sure his customers are all satisfied." More than a third of Pair's customers come from referrals or repeat customers. Pair was the first salesman Kelley hired after Bourne's Auto Center went to a volume, no haggle store in 2003. A local having been born and raised in Easton, Pair had zero experience at selling cars when he came over from unaffiliated auto body shop. But the 29-year-old has been into automobiles since just before getting his license as a teen. "I was interested in cars," Pair said of his decision to apply for a sales position, "so I decided to talk about cars." Bourne's employs five sales consultants, but Kelley said Pair's work ethic has kept him a longtime top-performer among the sales staff. In fact, he's sold nearly twice as many cars as the next highest individual total of anyone at the store. "He's the last guy to leave every night. Every night!" Kelley said. "He's just a workhorse. We've got to tell him to take a vacation." Just 25 miles south of Boston, the thirdgeneration business generally keeps the lot stocked with about 300 to 350 units. "We pride ourselves on buying clean cars," Pair said. The variety of quality used vehicles kept on the lot ranging in price from under $5,000 for fuel-efficient models to upward of $50,000 for luxury brands makes finding the right fit for each customer relatively easy. Kelley estimates the average sales price to be about $16,000. "We don't have a huge mark-up," Pair added. "We focus on volume." If you cannot find Pair making deals with customers, you will probably find him at Bourne's working with another of his interests—computers. Though much of his technical expertise is self-taught, Pair has studied computer networking, Web design and computer programming at the New England Institute of Technology in nearby Rhode Island, just a short drive from his home in Taunton, Mass. Most troubleshooting, systems set-ups and networking responsibilities at the dealership rest with Pair. Since tinkering with computers is something of a hobby, as is working on his own vehicles, Pair seems to be in just the right spot to earn his living. And he will tell you the same. "I have no plans of leaving," the father of five said. Congratulations to David Pair, Sales Professional of the Month, and thank you to Michael Kelley for bringing him to our attention. nominate a sales professional of the month Each year, Auto Dealer Monthly recognizes 12 sales professionals for their achievements. Each monthly winner is automatically considered for the Sales Professional of the Year. Dealers, General Managers, and General Sales Managers are encouraged to reward a top achiever in their organization by submitting their name for nomination. To nominate your sales professional, send his or her name, dealership information and a testimonial on why you think they should be considered. You must include your name, position and contact information as supervisors will be interviewed and sales information verified. Nominations can be e-mailed to Editor@AutoDealerMonthly.com 34