Women in Business
Showcasing all of the amazing women that work in variety of departments within Sytner BMW.
Robyn Flower, Sales Apprentice at Sytner Sunnningdale answers our Women in Business questions.
How long have you worked for Sytner BMW/MINI? Since November 2020
How long have you been in your current role? Coming up to 9 months now!
What is your favourite part about your current role? Getting to know a whole range of different customers and building a relationship with them. I love seeing their faces when they pick up their new cars and knowing that I played a part in their excitement.
What motivates you in the morning? Having a coffee in hand and setting myself a goal to achieve throughout the day helps me to stay on track.
Three words to describe yourself? Positive, ambitious, bubbly
What is your greatest achievement? Working my way into such a prestigious company without a University degree. When I was at school, I truly believed the only way to get a good job was through a degree and I am proud that I have managed to prove myself wrong!
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be in your role? No question is a silly question! I thought that I’d need to know absolutely everything to do with the industry on my first day, but learning takes time and it never stops! The best way to develop your knowledge it to ask your colleagues and managers whenever you’re unsure of anything – they’ll always be happy to help!
How have you seen the Automotive industry landscape change and evolve to engage more women? Although I haven’t worked in the industry for long at all, I know that there has always been stigma around it being a very male dominated field and was nervous when I first started about being one of the only women – but I couldn’t have been more wrong! Our Head of Business and New Car Sales Manager are both women and our New Car Sales Team is now also 50/50 men and women, which is something I never would have expected.
Top tip for how you organise your days? Always take a few minutes at the beginning of the day to run through your diary and organise your thoughts. Starting the day with a clear plan makes sure that nothing gets missed and there are no potential overlaps with appointments/handovers etc. It is also so important to keep as up to date with your customer contacts as possible and finish the day with a clear diary, as this will allow you to come in the next morning with a clear mind.
Top tip for working in the automotive industry? People buy from people! It’s an age old saying but it couldn’t be more true. If you are friendly, attentive and treat the customers how you would expect to be treated yourself you’ve basically done half the sale already. Customers are also extremely understanding – if you ever don’t know the answer just be honest – they will not expect you to know absolutely everything and will be more than happy to give you some time to find out. It’s always best to wait and give the correct answer, rather than rushing and giving the wrong information!
