Mark Gilbert, CEO of ATN, on the Power of In-Dealership Training to Transform Sales Teams

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, UNITED STATES, July 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As automotive retail evolves, Mark Gilbert, CEO of Automotive Training Network (ATN), is doubling down on a proven yet often overlooked approach to performance improvement: immersive, in-dealership training.

"There’s no substitute for hands-on coaching where the work actually happens," says Gilbert. "When you train in the showroom, with your team, your inventory, and your customers, it’s real, immediate, and highly effective."

ATN’s in-dealership training programs are embedded into daily dealership life, offering sales and service professionals not just knowledge, but real-time feedback and accountability. Unlike traditional seminars or virtual sessions, this method allows for personalized observation, tailored strategies, and immediate course corrections.

Gilbert believes that in a market where margins are tighter and buyer behavior is more complex, dealerships can no longer afford a one-size-fits-all approach to training. “Generic training doesn’t change behavior. What changes behavior is watching someone interact with a customer, coaching them right there, and reinforcing best practices over time.”

ATN’s trainers work side-by-side with dealership staff, conducting live role-plays, reviewing actual customer interactions, and supporting managers in reinforcing new habits. Whether it’s overcoming objections, improving follow-up, or closing with confidence, the in-dealership format helps teams sharpen their skills in a high-impact, low-disruption way.

Dealerships that have adopted ATN’s in-house model report faster adoption of new techniques, stronger teamwork, and improved customer satisfaction. Gilbert says the transformation isn’t just in individual performance, but in culture.

"When your team sees leadership investing in their growth on the floor, it builds buy-in and accountability," he explains. "You’re not just training skills. You’re creating a performance-driven environment."

With more dealerships juggling changing inventory, hybrid customers, and digital tools, ATN’s in-dealership training adapts to each store’s specific context. From sales departments to service drives, Gilbert and his team are helping dealers close performance gaps without pulling staff off the floor.

"We believe the best classroom is the dealership itself," Gilbert concludes. "Because what happens in your building, with your people, and your customers, is what drives results."

Mark Gilbert
ATN
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