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Bucking the trend...

18th August 2005, Page 86
18th August 2005
Page 86
Page 87
Page 86, 18th August 2005 — Bucking the trend...
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Emma Jacobs is a woman making her mark in the world of used motor transport sales and if her determination and ambition are anything to go by she has a great career ahead.

Road transport is traditionally viewed as being dominated by men over 40, who have spent half their lives driving, fixing and selling used trucks. Emma Jacobs, however, is young, ambitious and passionate, and keen to make her mark.

She is one half of the used sales team for the independent Scania dealer Haydock Commercials at Ellesmere Port, and is based at Preston with Dan Dawson.

Her CV shows loyalty and determination; she has been with the company for the past eight years, starting out as a parts driver before stepping up to used sales executive in 2003. She picked up her C+E licence when she was 21 and recently celebrated her 26th birthday.

It's impressive stuff, but initially she wondered if she had done the right thing in moving to sales"I thought it would be hard," she says. "The first couple of months were a bit bad,I didn't get any calls.Then after three months it just picked up and I sold nine in a month." While a couple of customers shied away at first, preferring to deal with a"fellow man".Jacobs remained undaunted. One or two didn't want to talk to me, but I've done my research and have gained respect from customers." Following a management buyout in 2003 Jacobs wanted to progress within the company for which she travels 60 miles to and from work each day. Having been brought up with trucks her uncle, father and boyfriend are all driversher commitment is uncompromising and managing director Simon Dykes gave her a chance. Jacobs sells between six and 10 vehicles a month across the country to mainly owner drivers and smaller fleets. Most enquiries are for R-cabs with 420hp-plus drivelines. By building up her contacts she is gaining the trust of customers and is seeing plenty of repeat business into Norfolk, Coventry, Ireland and Scotland. Most of the used vehicles sold are twin-steer tractors.

High demand

Tag axles are rare at the moment and any that arrive are snapped up straight away. Four-axle tippers tend to come in group acquisitions and, depending on demand,can sit around before a plethora of calls snap them up, but either way prices remain strong. Tippers tend to be more common around Deeside and can be any specification. Sleeper cabs and ranging bodies mean these are more specific, which could explain any delay in selling. Late-year modelsaround 2003tend to come with older vehicles that have been sold privately. Ellesmere Port handles more pet-reg specifications tractors, but that's no surprise as Stanlow refinery is next door. There is a shortage of 18-tonne and 6x2 rigid curtainsiders with tag axles. In fact, Jacobs has seen just one of the latter come through Ellesmere Port in her time in used sales. Six-by-four rigids with cranes perform well, but Jacobs has to do some preparation before the vehicles actually arrive to ensure they sell quickly because. like 8x4 tippers, they are specific.

She admits the Scania product does tend to sell itself and most callers are set on purchasing the truck , but her modesty covers the fact that she still has to close the deal.The price doesn't tend to waver much,but haggling over the extras such as Scania jackets and light bars can go on to the early hours.

Jacobs has plans to sit her CPC and start a haulage company, but for the moment she is more than happy with her current job. "I love it, really love it," she says in answer to the obvious questions.

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Locations: Coventry, Preston

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