To hear Glen Roberts tell it, he’s nothing special—just your typical, average working man. While all outward appearances convey the image of a Regular Joe (he’s usually in jeans and a t-shirt), his sales numbers beg to differ with his self-assessment. He averaged 48 sales per month throughout most of 2010, an impressive figure by itself, but even more so when you consider that he works for an independent dealership which does less than two percent of its business in buy here pay here.

Roberts, who is Auto Dealer Monthly’s 2010 Sales Professional of the Year, happened into vehicle sales by sheer chance. Prior to his employment with Rich’s Car Corner in Shoreline, Wash., where he’s been for nearly 12 years, Roberts had no experience in sales and his expertise extended no further than a love of cars and an affinity for a little mechanical tinkering. He left a construction job in his native Idaho to move to Washington in search of something new and different.

His tenure at the dealership started when his then-roommate, who detailed cars at the store, needed some help keeping up with the workload. Roberts, who was working as a small-equipment mechanic at a rental company, spent two or three hours in the evenings after work detailing cars, simply to help his roommate. When the roommate suffered a back injury and decided to return to school to pursue a different field, Roberts was hired as a full-time detailer. His sales career began somewhat by accident about a year later.

Richard Sargent, owner of Rich’s Car Corner, recalled, “One of my salesmen couldn’t work a weekend and [Roberts] said, ‘Well, let me try it,’ and he sold a bunch of cars.” Although Roberts had no prior experience, Sargent knew right away “that there was something special” about his detailer and decided to move him into sales.

Roberts certainly didn’t intend to launch a sales career that weekend; he simply wanted to help a co-worker be able to take some time off. He admitted that he was pretty nervous leaving a position with a set paycheck and taking the plunge into the financial uncertainty of commissioned sales. “Probably the first three or four years of working commission can be pretty stressful, at least it was for me … even though I did well,” he revealed. “Especially the first six months to a year, I was really nervous that it wouldn’t work out, but Rich told me, ‘Worst case, you can go back to detailing.’”

Fortunately, that never happened and he continued to excel. Sargent said Roberts’ greatest strengths are his honesty and a genuine desire to help people whenever and however he can. His laid-back demeanor and everyman, down-to-earth approach seems to resonate with customers. “He’s straightforward and people trust him because when they look into his eyes, he speaks from his heart, and that’s what sells his cars,” said Sargent. “He’s forthright and honest and finds a way to get it done … He wants to help [the customer] buy a car and he never high-pressures anybody.”

Roberts thinks customers often arrive at the lot expecting to encounter the stereotypical used car salesman, an image he definitely doesn’t project. Approaching the customer in blue jeans and a sweater, he looks more like a friendly neighbor than someone trying to sell them a car. “I’m just an everyday person. I still pretty much dress and act like, I guess, a construction worker in a lot of ways,” he said. “I’m not going out there in a sport coat or a tie or anything else … I’m usually … helping the same type of person that I am, and I think that also makes the customer feel very comfortable.”

He said the key is to ask the right questions in order to get a feel for each customer’s personality and assess their needs. “Each person is different. They have different needs and they need to be handled that way,” he said. He enjoys helping customers find a way to purchase a car they really like, especially those with less-than-perfect credit. “A lot of times they come in and they don’t think they can get financed,” he said.

Sargent said Roberts excels in making deals happen, whether it’s finding a relative to co-sign or just the right finance source to work with. “What Glen does probably better than anybody is if somebody wants to buy a car, he finds a way to get it done,” said Sargent. That ability has earned him some loyal customers and referrals. “He doesn’t go out and prospect all the time. These are people that come to my car lot … and ask for Glen and want to buy another car from him.”

Roberts didn’t assume all the credit for his success and attributed it in part to Sargent’s commitment to stocking the lot with quality vehicles.  “Rich buys the best possible car he can in the price range, whether it’s a $1,000 car or a $12,000 car,” he said. “It’s pretty easy for me to go out, look a customer in the eye, and tell them that what they’re either about to test drive or … buy is a good, dependable car.”

His monthly average is even more impressive given that he only works five days a week. Of course, those five days are busy and at least 10-hour days. “I do try to do the best I can while I’m here,” he said. “I believe that if you’re going to be at work, whether you’re selling cars or you’re a mechanic or doing concrete work, you might as well make the most of it and get as much done as you can in your shift.”

Said Sargent, “He is absolutely as dedicated and as focused as anybody you’ll see – you can’t sell that many cars and not be that dialed-in – but … he’s not just married to his work. He has a life outside of the business.”

Balancing the work he loves with the rest of his life is important to Roberts, whose priorities in his free time are his wife and kids. “Sometimes you’re on the phone on your day off in sales,” he acknowledged, “but for the most part I have always had two days off … I just try to take a couple of days off a week to get rid of some of the stress and spend time with my family.”

As far as the future goes, Roberts sees positive things ahead at Rich’s Car Corner. “I think 2011’s going to be good. I think Rich has made some really good decisions in expanding his inventory and … we’re starting to buy a little more expensive car … and I think that’s going to make a big difference,” he stated. “I think we’re going to have a pretty good year.”

The staff of Auto Dealer Monthly congratulates Glen Roberts, 2010 Sales Professional of the Year, and thanks go out to Carol Sargent for bringing Roberts to our attention.

Nominate Your Sales Pro Now

Vol 8, Issue 1