Laura Brailey has been appointed senior manager for national sales at Mazda Motors UK.
Brailey, who has spent the past 17 years with the brand, now heads a team of 14 business and regional managers and has said her priority will be to improve profitability at the marque’s 140 retail outlets.
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Brailey will focus on Mazda’s main sellers – including the Mazda2, Mazda3, and MX-5 – all of which are subject to a renewed zero deposit and 0% APR finance package through Mazda Financial Services.
Profit from people perspective
However, the strategy also includes approaching sales reorganisation "from a people perspective" including the empowerment of staff, echoing a sentiment expressed by Mark Squires, chief executive of dealer network Benfield Motor Group.
Speaking at the recent Finance & Leasing Association Motor Finance Convention, Squires said changes to digital research and reduced dealer visits by customers meant the pressure was now on forecourt staff to make the most of visits by relaxing and empowering consumers.
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By GlobalDataAlso at the Convention, Graham Wheeler, managing director of Volkswagen Financial Services, predicted the future of UK forecourt profitability required greater links between finance and sales, similar to those enacted by captive finance providers and larger dealer groups in Germany.
Further coverage of the FLA Convention will be published in the December issue of Motor Finance magazine.
