The UK automotive industry may be portrayed by the mainstream media in a negative light, but being a car dealer in Australia is seen as one of the least trusted professions by consumers.

The credibility of the Australian retail motor trade is at an all time low, according to Australian-born founder of automotive coaching and development specialists, Symco Training, which is urging UK dealers to lay the ghost of ‘Arthur Daley’ to rest once and for all.

According to the findings of the annual ‘Trust Survey’ 2010 carried out by Reader’s Digest Australia, the car sales sector in Australia was rated less trustworthy than the oldest ‘profession’ in a poll that asked respondents to rank forty professions in order of perceived credibility.

Car dealers were ranked 39th, two places behind sex workers, with telemarketers in last place for the fourth consecutive year. Car mechanics came in at 27th place.

Simon Bowkett, Symco managing director, moved to the UK in 1995 and established Symco Training five years later.

Bowkett said: “It’s shocking to think that our profession has such a poor public standing on the other side of the world, but in the UK, we are still dogged with outdated, negative stereotypes.

“My advice to sales professionals is always be yourself. Encourage people to buy from you, don’t just sell a deal.”

Additionally, the traditional ‘suck it and see’ approach to training in the retail motor sector is unsustainable and costs dealers thousands of pounds off the bottom-line, according to Symco.

Whilst the majority of dealers acknowledge that skills have a positive impact, few actually measure staff performance on an ongoing basis.