9:14 am, April 12, 2023
A former teacher who ditched the education sector for a career in the motor trade has been named a dealership group’s top sales colleague.
Hendy Nissan Bournemouth sales executive Nick Mead scooped the title at the family-run Hendy Group’s awards night.
Some 1,300 Hendy staff gathered at Bournemouth International Centre for the company’s annual gala evening, and accolades were handed out to a number of deserving teams and individuals after a busy and successful year.
Mead, who made the switch from classroom to showroom 16 years ago, was among those receiving official recognition.
Having spent 12 years as a teacher in the UK and abroad, he moved from Oxford to Dorset in 2007 and decided he wanted a change of profession, so trawled the local paper for options.
‘I saw that a car salesman was required in Bournemouth – and as I was driving a battered old runaround at the time, I fancied a job that had a company car as a benefit,’ he said.
‘I remember accepting the job but then went into panic mode as I had never done anything in sales before.
‘I stood on the forecourt for three days straight when I started, dreading all the technical questions that people might ask.’
Mead, who lives in Wimborne, added: ‘I’d never driven an automatic and my first test drive was in a Nissan Qashqai, which happened to be an automatic.
‘I kangarooed up the road trying to style out my inadequacies and appear professional at the same time.
‘The customer did buy the car – mainly out of fear, I think! I was hooked from that moment onwards.’
He has built up a loyal database of customers ever since, and said: ‘I’m now approaching 50 and people tell me my enthusiasm will dim at some point, but I enjoy it now as much as I did when I was doing that very first Qashqai deal.’
Paul Murrells, new vehicle operations director at Hendy Group, said: ‘Nick is a valued member of the Nissan team and has consistently performed at an outstanding level, leaving his customers more than satisfied with the service he provides.
‘Through positive feedback and customer loyalty, he has built an excellent reputation for himself. Not only do his customers appreciate him, but his colleagues at Nissan and the wider Hendy Group hold him in high regard.
‘Being named Sales Colleague of the Year is a well-deserved award. We extend our sincere congratulations to Nick.’
Pictured at top from left are Craig Redford from sponsor Martec Europe, Hendy Group used car sales director Simon Palmer, Nick Mead, Paul Murrells and awards compere Colin Murray
