Kelly Mauriello-Zaytsoff, sales associate for A.M. Ford Trail, has been recognized for her stellar work by winning a regional Peak Performer award from Ford of Canada. The Peak Performer award is given to the top one per cent of performers in sales and customer satisfaction.
By all accounts Kelly is very hard working and dedicated, having earned several accolades in her past nine years working at A.M. Ford Trail.
She does, however, admit to having a bit of a one-up as “Ford” does run in her blood.
“My grandfather (Gig Mauriello) used to co-own the Ford dealership in Trail years ago, which was called Speedway back then,” Kelly told the Trail Times. “All of the Mauriello guys went into automotive, even my dad (Joe Mauriello) is an automotive tech, so I’ve been around vehicles my whole life and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Nonetheless, when Kelly first applied for the job, she did it on the sly.
Her family was protective of her, knowing through firsthand experience what a tough business the automobile dealer industry is.
“My dad has seen sales people come and go because a lot of people don’t last,” she chuckled. “So I didn’t tell him I was applying. But Dan (Dan Ashman dealer principal at A.M. Ford Trail) hired me on the spot.
“And it’s been a pleasure to help people in a really fun way — this is much more suited to my personality than my previous job.”
The previous job Kelly was referring to, and enjoyed for many years, is one that many locals will likely recognize her from — she was a front face at the Trail and District Public Library for close to 23 years.
That’s where she stayed ahead of the curve in terms of keeping up with technology and curating top-notch customer service. Through that position, she also learned key communication strategies by working with CUPE for many years.
All that knowledge and experience helped steer Kelly to where she is now in her second career — a highly successful A.M. Ford sales and fleet associate with a great track record.
But selling vehicles isn’t easy, and the learning curve is steep.
So, what’s her secret to success?
“You really have to be prepared, dedicated and willing to put in the effort because it’s very challenging,” she said. “And you need to like what your selling, that’s number one, you have to have a passion for vehicles.”
Just as important is the customer service aspect, Kelly continued.
“It’s a business that revolves around the customer; if you think your day is going to go in one direction it might go in a completely different direction based on your appointments and who walks in the door. Like this morning I’ve already talked to 20 or so people.”
With a passion for helping people to find that perfect ride and not being afraid of hard work, Kelly looks forward to the years ahead.
“I love the group I work with,” she said. “And the tools are here to grow because Ford has a lot of resources available for learning. You just have to be willing to put in the time.”
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newsroom@trailtimes.ca
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