Sales and performance training company brings three former Cox Automotive executives onboard as part of company relaunch

LAKE MARY, FLA., Sept. 8, 2021 – Applied Concepts, the largest auto dealership sales and performance training company in the country, has hired three former Cox Automotive executives for senior positions within the company. The company’s new hires, as well as its new and updated training programs, courses and coaching products, are part of an overall relaunch of the company following its recent acquisition.

Brett Kelly was hired as executive vice president of dealer performance. With more than 20 years in the auto industry, Kelly spent 15 years at Cox Automotive where he led several brand growth initiatives including Autotrader, VAuto, Vin Solutions, Haystak Digital Marketing and Dealer.com. Kelly is responsible for the product and customer success departments as well as business development. He will champion the company’s recently launched training and coaching offerings and work with clients to develop customized programs best suited to their needs and ensure they are using the programs to their full potential.

Anthony Sudon was hired as director of customer success. Previously, Sudon held executive positions at Dealer.com and Haystak Digital Marketing and brings expertise in performance improvement strategies. Sudon is responsible for the company’s customer success department and managing a team of customer-facing account managers.

Jeff Wheeler, hired as the company’s director of people and culture, has championed talent development at VinSolutions, Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader. He provides a wealth of experience building high performing, customer-driven teams. Wheeler is responsible for the company’s human resources function focusing on talent acquisition and development. He is also providing counsel to senior management on the implementation of new company initiatives and structure.

“Brett, Anthony and Jeff all have extensive experience in their respective areas and are a tremendous asset to the company and our clients,” said Jason Jones, CEO of Applied Concepts. “We are continuing to recruit innovative talent as we begin this new chapter in the company’s history and better help dealerships adapt to today’s evolving auto consumer and train their teams to adopt modern auto retailing best practices.”

Additionally, Jose Morales, a key account manager, was promoted to director of strategic partnerships. Morales is considered one of the industry’s top lead handling experts and has trained thousands of front-line dealership personnel and been a featured presenter at dealerships across North America. In his new position, Morales is responsible for developing relationships and partnerships with auto groups, manufacturers and other strategic third parties. He also speaks at trade shows and industry conferences on sales and performance-related topics.

Applied Concepts provides sales and performance training and coaching for employees of auto dealerships to improve the way they connect and communicate with customers. The company has partnerships with more than 3,000 dealerships across the country and has conducted more than 2 million training and coaching sessions. A wide variety of programs and topics are offered through live, one-on-one remote training and coaching as well as an e-learning platform. The company was founded in 1983 and acquired in 2019 by CEO Jason Jones, along with a growth-oriented Boston-based private equity firm, with the mission of turning it into the definitive source of training in the automotive industry. The company is based in Lake Mary, Florida. More information is available online at AppliedConcepts.com, on Facebook (AppliedConceptsLLC) and Linkedin (company/applied-concepts/).

Company brings modern retailing approach to dealerships, launches e-learning platform and adds human resources, multichannel communication and cybersecurity tracks

Applied Concepts, the largest auto dealership sales and performance training company in the country, has officially rolled out its new and updated slate of training programs, courses and coaching products for frontline employees of auto dealerships. The new programs are designed to reflect modern retailing and the way in which today’s auto consumers shop for vehicles in an ever-evolving marketplace.

The new training and coaching curriculum reflects an approach incorporating both the “educate and inform” and the often overused “command and control” methods of communicating. Numerous studies have shown this blended approach is the most effective way to interact with today’s auto consumer.

“Sales methods in the automotive industry have largely remained unchanged for decades despite the constantly evolving way in which consumers purchase cars,” said Jason Jones, CEO of Applied Concepts. “Dealerships that take a more customer-centric approach to sales and adapt to how the modern auto consumer shops for and purchases vehicles will see a significant impact on their bottom line.”

Applied Concepts was founded in 1983 and became one of the top providers of sales training programs for auto dealerships. In 2019, Jones, along with a growth-oriented Boston-based private equity firm, acquired the company with the mission of turning it into the definitive source of training in the automotive industry by completely renovating the company’s training programs, adding new services and hiring several auto industry veterans.

Also new is the company’s e-learning platform that gives dealership employees the opportunity to learn visually with video content and interactive activities. Applied Concepts also introduced a series of elective courses to complement the core program that provide training in multichannel communication, cross-selling sales and services, supporting F&I and other topics central to the strategic objectives of dealerships. A human resources track and cybersecurity program were also added as new offerings.

A study evaluating the company’s new training and coaching programs at a 30+ location auto group showed a 14% increase in gross profit, a 15% increase in the appointment-show rate, a 43% increase in securing contact information, a 29% increase in customers asking for appointments, a 23% increase in discovery questions and a 41% increase in appropriate calls-to-action. Overall, the auto group showed a return-on-investment of 10.9x over the cost of the training and coaching programs.

The company’s current programs, offered through live, one-on-one remote training and coaching sessions as well as the e-learning platform, include:

- Modern retailing: A core program that improves frontline employees’ communication skills and a customer-centric approach to sales.

- Elective courses: Topics such as multi-channel communication, developing long-term customers, cross-selling sales and service, maximizing trade-in profits and how to support finance and insurance.

- Coaching action plan: A customized plan to ensure the training is responsive to and fulfilling its unique strategic objectives and goals.

- Call evaluation: Assess and better identify coaching needs using live recorded calls or generated mystery shopping calls.

- Individual coaching: Provides one-on-one training and coaching to employees to help them improve in specific areas of communication and sales.

- Maximizing leads: How to most effectively turn leads into sales, including navigating online sales platforms.

- Cybersecurity/HR: Courses and training on how dealerships can better secure their data and online operations; human resource training on diversity, harassment and other employee-related topics.

Applied Concepts provides sales and performance training and coaching for employees of auto dealerships to improve the way they connect, communicate and interact with auto consumers. The company has partnerships with more than 3,000 dealerships across the country and has conducted more than 2 million training and coaching sessions. A wide variety of programs and topics are offered through live, one-on-one remote training and coaching as well as an e-learning platform. The company was founded in 1983 and acquired in 2019 by CEO Jason Jones, along with a growth-oriented Boston-based private equity firm, with the mission of turning it into the definitive source of training in the automotive industry. The company is based in Lake Mary, Florida. More information is available online at AppliedConcepts.com, on Facebook (AppliedConceptsLLC) and Linkedin (company/applied-concepts/).