Commercial Vehicle Pro

Commercial Vehicle Pro

Toolbox for the Commercial Vehicle Pro --- Powered by Work Truck Solutions

  1. 4d ago

    How to Recruit and Retain Commercial Vehicle Leaders with Amy Smith | Ep. 224

    Building a thriving commercial vehicle department requires a completely different strategy than standard retail operations. In this episode of the Commercial Vehicle Pro Podcast, host Candy McCollum sits down with Amy Smith, Managing Partner & Senior Executive Recruiter at Autopeople, to explore what it really takes to recruit, onboard, and retain high-performing commercial leaders and sales teams. Amy breaks down why commercial sales is a relationship-driven long game, why handing a retail salesperson a fleet list rarely works, and how commercial buyers prioritize fleet uptime and total cost of ownership above all else. She also shares actionable advice on cross-industry hiring, structuring scalable commercial teams, and preparing for succession planning. "You are building a business within a business, and it's going to take work." — Amy Smith, Autopeople Key Highlights & Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to Episode 224 00:58 – Amy Smith’s path into commercial auto recruiting 04:33 – The state of commercial vehicle talent in dealerships 06:21 – Transactional vs. relationship sales: Retail vs. Commercial 11:13 – What commercial buyers actually care about (Uptime & TCO) 13:14 – What’s harder to teach: Technical specs or B2B discipline? 15:53 – Why getting the Commercial Manager role right is crucial 17:50 – Red flags and warning signs of a stalling commercial department 21:01 – Looking outside automotive for B2B sales talent 22:50 – How to structure and scale a commercial team for succession Subscribe to CVBNetwork on YouTube to stay up to date on new podcast episodes, industry insights, and market news. Visit CVBNetwork.com to read the latest articles, explore market data, and access our full publication library.

  2. Aug 14

    Ep. 219: Q2 2026 Data: Used Truck Trends, Fleet Turnover, and Dealership Profitability

    In Episode 219 of the Commercial Vehicle Pro Podcast, host Steve Henning sits down with Aaron Johnson, CEO of Work Truck Solutions, and Kathryn Schifferle, Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Work Truck Solutions. Together, they break down the findings from the Work Truck Solutions Q2 2026 Commercial Vehicle Market Analysis. The group explores how macro-economic factors like interest rates, inflation, and federal spending are influencing commercial fleet buying behaviors. They also share practical advice on how dealerships can better serve local businesses through targeted used inventory, uptime-focused service programs, and smart upfit configurations. Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction & welcome 01:08 - Q2 market data highlights: New vs. used inventory trends 05:25 - Fleet replacement cycles and steady commercial demand 09:37 - Why commercial operations represent high profit margins for dealerships 13:50 - Strategies for marketing and pricing higher-mileage used trucks 17:03 - Commercial BEVs and medium-duty market developments 20:50 - Market predictions for the rest of 2026 24:18 - Closing thoughts and CVB Summit dates Read the full report here:  https://worktrucksolutions.com/news-and-events/q2-2026-commercial-vehicle-data-signals-key-shift-in-fleet-turnover-and-market-velocity Read the segment highlight on Duty Classes Market Analysis, here: https://worktrucksolutions.com/news-and-events/q2-2026-work-truck-segment-highlight-duty-classes-market-analysis Save the Date: The Commercial Vehicle Business Summit returns November 4–5, 2026! Registration details available at https://worktrucksolutions.com/cvbsummit Read more and subscribe for the latest news at cvbnetwork.com

  3. Aug 7

    30 Years in Heavy-Duty: Terry Williams on Community, Industry Tech, and the UTA Board Run | Ep. 218

    In this episode of the Commercial Vehicle Pro Podcast, host Candy McCollum sits down with Terry Williams, who leads heavy-duty sales at Work Truck Solutions and works closely with the Comvoy and Arcadium platforms. With over three decades of experience in the heavy-duty market, Terry reflects on how he originally fell into the truck world, his early days learning the ropes in used trucks at Volvo, and why the fundamental human connection in this industry hasn't changed—even as digital tools evolve. Terry also touches on his mentorship philosophy, his perspective as a dad shaping his leadership style, and his run for a seat on the Used Truck Association (UTA) Board of Directors for 2027. Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:01 - How Terry fell into the heavy-duty truck industry 30 years ago 02:32 - Early days in used trucks, Volvo, and the birth of the UTA 05:42 - What has stayed the same in commercial trucks despite new tech 07:36 - Giving back through mentorship and running for the UTA Board 10:40 - Family values and how being a dad shapes leadership 14:07 - Why used trucks remain the backbone of class 8 sales 17:35 - UTA Board voting details and closing thoughts Learn more about CVBNetwork and catch up on industry news: https://cvbnetwork.com Voting Details: Voting for the UTA Board of Directors is open to eligible UTA members through Friday, August 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern.

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Toolbox for the Commercial Vehicle Pro --- Powered by Work Truck Solutions