Our product genius staff create a brilliant showroom experience for our customers.
Our product genius staff create a brilliant showroom experience for our customers.
Car buyers now have more choice than ever before. As well as the option to visit branches, you can browse through thousands of cars online, see all the features up close in videos, and read a range of reviews in various publications. Add in the wide variety of finance options, and all this extra choice makes for a more difficult decision.
That’s why Arnold Clark introduced the product genius, the first step on a customer journey. They’ll be on hand to greet you when you enter an Arnold Clark showroom and guide you through the whole process. They have detailed knowledge of all the cars in stock and help to explain everything you need to know in a clear and concise way.
Product Genius Fiona Gray emphasises that it’s a continuous learning process.
‘There are about 20–25 cars that I need to know, so we’ve got good training. Every day you need to learn – there are new cars coming out all the time so you’re always trying to keep up to date with it, but I know them inside out.’
If there’s a car that’s of particular interest, the product genius will demonstrate all of the features, whether that’s in the form of a custom-made video sent directly to your inbox, or in person, walking you around the car. They also take customers out on test drives and explain some of the great features while the car is in action.
It’s all part of the evolving way that customers interact with products, especially before making a big purchase. Many people like to be as informed as possible and don’t want to feel pressured into making a purchase, even when visiting a branch. Product geniuses act as a friendly information service, and can then pass over any interested customers to the Sales team to handle the more formal aspects of the process.
While the way we buy has changed, the job market has also evolved, with younger people less inclined to apply for traditional sales positions. The product genius role is far more appealing to young people and has attracted younger staff into the company – half of the staff in the role are under 34 and one fifth are aged between 18–24.
Richard Kennedy, General Manager at Arnold Clark Hillington said:
‘We’re attracting a level of staff that we probably wouldn’t be able to attract if it wasn’t for the product genius role. They come into our business and they’re very lively and passionate about what they do. In fact, I would say they’re fearless in what they do.’
Becoming a product genius represents a great option for those looking to begin their automotive careers. Training is provided within Arnold Clark’s GTG training centres, before further on-the-job education on the shop floor. The most important attributes are a passion for cars, enthusiasm for customer service and the ability to learn quickly.
