In September, Glen Oaks Community College partnered with DeNooyer Automotive Group to deliver a dynamic, hands-on sales training workshop through its Workforce Development program. Led by Ed Harper from Growth Development Associates, the three-day session focused on empowering automotive sales professionals to sharpen their skills, build confidence, and boost customer engagement.
The course, customized in collaboration with Denooyer leadership, emphasized real-world strategies for improving appointment-setting, building rapport, handling objections, and closing deals. Participants practiced each skill through structured role-play sessions, with feedback from the instructor after every exercise.
“To be good at sales, you have to be a good communicator,” shared participant Wally Ghazal. “Ed is a great communicator and trainer—he made everything precise, practical, and easy to apply.”
By the end of the training, participants had set 12 real appointments and reported noticeable increases in their confidence, clarity, and customer engagement techniques.
From phone ups to walkarounds, and from objection handling to engaging closing techniques, the training gave Denooyer’s team new tools to optimize performance. One participant even called the workshop “a new look at sales” that reenergized their approach to the customer experience.
“This was more than a refresher—it was transformational,” said sales team member Chris B. “My confidence grew, and I’m excited to put it all into action.”
Want to boost performance at your workplace?
If your business is ready to invest in workforce training—whether in sales, leadership, compliance, safety, or technical skills—Glen Oaks can help. We work directly with employers to deliver customized training solutions designed to meet your goals and schedule.
Contact Kristine Stevens, Workforce Development Coordinator, at kstevens@glenoaks.edu or 269-294-4276 to explore your options.
