Experience

Before I founded Dani Sayegh Motivation, I worked in sales for many years I found that success came when I focused not on the bottom line but on each customers’ specific needs. That’s the foundation of my success, and can be yours, too. A little more about my experience:

Career Overview:  Top-producing, results-driven, high integrity sales manager, leader, trainer and motivator. Valuable knowledge, skills and experience gained by earning a stellar reputation in an 11-year career with four dealerships.  Drove sales results up to 100+ vehicles/month. Strong knowledge of luxury market and consumer needs/expectations. Proven ability to create an exceptional customer experience, driving customer loyalty and business growth. 

Key Strengths: Excellent analytical, organizational, sales, service, leadership and managerial skills.  Entrepreneurial spirit. Self-motivated. Success driven. A hands-on “sleeves rolled up” industry pro who can instill a high level of professionalism and performance through personal example, effective training and attention to detail.  

Business Philosophy:
“Serve the Customers’ Needs and the Deals Will Come!” 

Previous Career Experience

NEW COUNTRY MOTOR CAR GROUP – Hartford, Connecticut
A Family-Owned Company with Dealerships in NY, CT, PA, MD and FL

General Sales Manager (2017-Present)
Direct the efforts of a New Car Sales Manager, a Used Car Sales Manager, 18 sales professionals and three delivery specialists.  Report to the General Manager.  Put a major emphasis on the rapid, continued development and improvement of the sales skills, product/competitive knowledge, performance expectations and professionalism of staff and managers.  Teach the philosophies and techniques of uncovering hidden prospect motivations, excelling at “targeted walkarounds”, delivering fulfilling test drives, and constantly building value in the organization in all aspects of sales and service.  Utilize team meetings, private coaching and a highly visible, “sleeves rolled up” leadership by visible example.  Embrace the challenge of setting a pace for others to aspire to and follow.  

• Increased Efficiency by Streamlining Inventory Process and Repurposing Staff Role – Inventory process needed redesigning. Cars were arriving from factory, dropped off in the lot, keys left at reception desk for days. This made it difficult for the sales staff to do their job and more importantly, it affected the customer experience. Devised plan and discussed with General Manager. Cars are now inventoried quickly, parked, tagged and ready to show on same day of arrival, which significantly improved efficiency and improved morale of the staff when it came to inventory. For complete details, Click Here.

• Increased Sales Through Training, Motivation and Focusing on the Customer Experience – Assessed the sales team and found the team was not focused on identifying the needs of the customer. Customers were simply “shown” cars and then financial “numbers.” Trained the team on my version of the sales process, which is customer-focused. Motivated the team to do more than what is required of them. By November, there was a massive 123% increase in year over year numbers, and we presented the team with a reward of $5000 hitting target. The amount was not important, the collective goal was the point.  Increased Sales, by converting opportunities to sales – achieved by teaching team members that a customer’s decision on a brand of vehicle can be persuaded with effectively executing the sales process. For complete details, Click Here.

• Improved Customer Service Index through Training and Efficiency – CSI at this store was slightly below Mercedes requirements prior to my arrival, but was otherwise meeting expectations. Refocused training the staff in how to think about the survey scores – to not consciously manage to increase the score, but instead to take proper actions with customers. During the fourth quarter the store increased by 10 points, to 14 points over Mercedes standard.  

HOFFMAN AUDI HARTFORD – East Hartford, Connecticut 2009-2017  
Award-Winning New Audi & Used Car Dealership

Sales Manager (2016-Present)
Worked closely with General Sales Manager and team members to set appropriate sales objectives, measure individual performance, and provide necessary training and support to meet objectives in New Car Sales (which represented 70%+ of the dealer’s business). Conducted Sales department meetings to review performance objectives with team. Coached and managed team members for top performance. Developed and maintained effective Customer Retention programs and processes.  Met high standards of sales performance while training/motivating sales staff.   

• Successfully Drove Team to Exceed 4th Quarter 2016 Sales Targets – Set an ambitious goal.  Coached team and led by example. Focused on the fundamentals of the car sales business everyday – the sales process.  Projected a positive attitude and more importantly – focused on the accomplishments – drove everyone to do more. These meetings made a direct connection between the team’s effort and the results. Fourth quarter sales exceeded the ambitious target set by senior management by 28 cars.  For complete details, Click Here. 

• Audi Magna Society – Helped the dealership achieve this respected designation, held by less than 25% of Audi dealers nationwide.  Winning dealers are recognized as “ranking among the most outstanding Audi retailers in the U.S.”

• Interim General Sales Manager – Took on the added responsibilities of Interim General Sales Manager in the prolonged (three month) absence of the General Sales Manager. 

• Improved Staff Morale, Curbed Negativity, & Improved Cohesiveness in Sales Team – Organized and led the “Gratitude Meeting.” Called on one individual to start with saying something positive about themselves or their life; then asked the same individual to say something positive about the person to their right. Continued this around the table until everyone spoke including management – everyone participated.  For complete details, Click Here. 

• Resolved an Excessive “Burnt” Unit Issue – The management team in place between roughly 2014-2015 had a problem with car deals falling apart after the car was reported to the manufacturer. These failed deals were coming from one sales person, and steps were not taken to understand and prevent the issue with this sales person, and the reported – yet not actually sold units aka “burnt units” – were not addressed. When cars are identified as “not registered,” the dealership either pays a heavy penalty or potentially forfeits the sales objective bonus. Worked with employee on his sales process, and exposed the burnt units – moved cars to the showroom and offered them to every customer considering a remotely similar vehicle. That was the last burned unit from the repeat offender sales person. And in 2016, we only had one burnt unit. For complete details, Click Here. 

Streamlined New Vehicle Inventory Process – The Dealership adopted a new Dealer Management System (DMS) in December 2016.  Shortly after its roll-out, was notified by Sales Administrator that she could not get vehicles prepared unless inventoried first. Discovered an inefficiency: office personnel were waiting for vehicles to physically arrive at the dealership before electronically adding them to inventory. The delay in the stocking of vehicles had major negative repercussions on the rest of the sales operation. Held meeting and got everyone together in one room and determined the best resolution. The Sales Administrator noted that the dealership is emailed a bill of loading the night before cars are shipped to the dealership, and that we are invoiced for vehicles shortly after they arrive at port. Vehicles could be inventoried prior to arrival. Problem solved. For complete details, Click Here.

• Trained Staff to Integrate CRM Usage – The sales staff were utilizing the basics of the newly adopted customer management system (CRM) system, but not universally. Most of the team wasn’t using the electronic credit application system called Credit Kiosk. The low usage was from lack of training. Organized a live demonstration in conference, and same day decided paper credit application were to no longer to be utilized. Everyone not only understood the new system, but now wanted to use it.  It made sense and improved their work flow, which improved the dealerships efficiency and ultimately the customer experience.  For complete details, Click Here.

• Training & Development – Continually train staff on the fine points of sales and service to help them succeed in this competitive market niche.  Adopted an “all in – whatever it takes” approach to learning the job and excelling at it.  

Brand Specialist (2009-2015)
Marketed and sold new and used cars.  Exemplified the principles, practices and standards of Audi in all aspects of this work. 

• Achieved and Maintained #1 CSI Ranking – Consistently achieved top customer service scores.  Recognized by management as a Model Salesperson.  Represented the dealership at high profile events in the US and overseas. 
  • Texas and New Jersey – featured on ‘walkarounds’.
  • Germany –  one of the only salespeople sent on a trip to the corporate home office in Germany.  All other participants were managers.  To see a photograph, Click Here. 

• Secret Shopper Review – Lavishly praised by a Secret Shopper.  Selected quotes: “. . . the building and showroom looked very professional and well maintained. . . the atmosphere of the lobby was friendly. . . Dani was very helpful and answered all of my questions in a professional manner”. . .To read the review, Click Here. 

• Promotion – Promoted to Sales Manager on December 31, 2015. Received Congratulatory email from owner Bradley Hoffman, “You represent everything I want in a Manager and leader.” To read email, Click Here.

BMW OF WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Springfield, Massachusetts 2011-2012
New, Certified Pre-Owned and Used Car Dealership – Acquired by Gengras in 2008
Salesperson – Excelled in sales and service.  Handled all aspects of the business development and client relationship management process.  Maintained high CSI scores. 

FATHER & SONS – West Springfield, Massachusetts 2007-2009
Automotive Dealership – Volvo, Saab, Audi, and Porsche
Salesperson – Transitioned strong sales and service skills into the automotive profession.  Spenttime with customers to determine their needs and discuss new and pre-owned vehicle options. Learned the entire sales cycle.

SAYEGH JEWELERS – East Longmeadow, Massachusetts 2005-2007
Family Owned Jewelry Store with Two Storefronts
Salesperson – Worked directly with clients to sell loose diamonds, colored stones, and finished jewelry. Provided authentic, exemplary customer service.  (Note – worked part-time in the business in high school and college).

Education

WESTFIELD STATE COLLEGE – Westfield, Massachusetts
Bachelor of Arts, Business Management, 2005
Marketing Curriculum
Honors – Dean’s List (2005)

SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE – Springfield, Massachusetts 
Associate in Science, Business Administration, 2001
Entrepreneurship Curriculum 
Continuous learner; deeply involved in motivational books and tapes.  Selected highlights: “Extreme Ownership – How US Navy Seals Lead and Win”; “How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level”; “The 10X Rule”.