Understanding Aftersales - A guide for sales managers

Why This Guide Exists

Aftersales is the most stable and profitable part of a dealership — yet it is also the area many sales managers feel least confident engaging with.

Parts and service can feel:

• Technical
• Operational
• Difficult to challenge
• Best left to specialists

As a result, sales leaders often disengage — or intervene in the wrong way.

Both approaches damage performance.

Aftersales for Non-Aftersales Managers was written to solve this exact problem.

What This Guide Is

This is an executive-level leadership playbook written specifically for:

• Sales Managers
• Used Car Managers
• General Sales Managers
• Dealer Principals
• Group and Regional Leaders

It explains how aftersales actually works — in plain English — and shows sales leaders where their decisions directly affect:

• Service capacity
• Parts performance
• Used car reconditioning
• Customer retention
• Long-term profitability

No technical knowledge required.

What You’ll Learn

By working through this guide, you will be able to:

• Understand how aftersales really makes (or loses) money
• Read service and parts KPIs without confusion or fear
• Avoid leadership behaviours that quietly damage service performance
• Align sales, used cars, and aftersales into one commercial system
• Improve customer retention starting from the point of sale
• Lead aftersales managers confidently — without micromanaging

This guide focuses on thinking, decision-making, and leadership behaviour, not operational detail.

What Makes This Different

✔ Written specifically for non-aftersales leaders
✔ Plain language, no jargon
✔ Globally applicable (not OEM or market specific)
✔ Neutral, professional, executive tone
✔ Designed for real dealerships, not theory

This is the guide many sales managers only realise they need after they’ve been promoted.

What’s Included

• 12 structured chapters covering:
  • Aftersales fundamentals for sales leaders
  • Service and parts explained simply
  • Aftersales KPIs that actually matter
  • Sales-to-service handover mistakes
  • Used cars and reconditioning impact
  • Retention strategy from a sales perspective
  • How to lead aftersales managers effectively
• Appendix A: Aftersales Operational Health Checklist
• Appendix B: Aftersales Glossary (Plain English)
• Appendix C: Monthly Leadership Review Questions

Delivered as a downloadable executive guide.

Who This Is Not For

This guide is not intended for:

• Technicians
• Service advisors
• Parts interpreters
• Operational aftersales training

It is written for leaders who influence aftersales — not those who run it day to day.

How This Is Commonly Used

• Onboarding new sales or general managers
• Internal leadership development
• GM / DP coaching and alignment
• Monthly performance review preparation
• Breaking down silos between sales and aftersales

Final Thought

Aftersales does not need to be avoided, delegated, or controlled.

It needs to be understood and led.

Aftersales for Non-Aftersales Managers gives sales leaders the clarity to do exactly that.

Is this suitable outside my market or brand?
Yes. The guide is deliberately OEM-neutral and globally relevant.

Is this a technical aftersales manual?
No. This is a leadership and decision-making guide for non-aftersales managers.

How long is the guide?
Approximately 40 pages of focused, practical content.

Who typically buys this?
Sales Managers, General Managers, Dealer Principals, and dealership groups.

Can I use this internally across my team?
Yes — it is designed for internal leadership development and alignment.