Car leasing boss on staying relevant in changing times

Richard Wileman has been a part of the Chamber for the entirety of my life; 24 years, writes Feron Jayawardene.

He 's a stoic minded businessman who is a jack of his trade, spanning 40 years.

“My background is from the motor industry, ” he tells me from his desk chair with a big virtual banner of Select Car Leasing behind.

“My father started in the industry in 1964, and when I was born, my future was embedded there too. ”

Richard is an Appointed Representative of Select Car Leasing and currently Principle of their Burton-on-Trent office. He has seen many things over his career which includes roles as sales director, fleet consultant, and franchise manager.

At present, Richard deals with over 30,000 vehicles which are supplied by Select Car Leasing. And the trick to his durability?

“Keeping relevant, ” he said.

“Ever since I started in the industry, I did my best to be relevant with the changing times. You always must adapt to the times and embrace the changes that happens around you. Those days, our Unique Selling Points were word of mouth and a good personal connection with customer service.

“In these days, it 's all about the internet and Trustpilot ratings. We always aim to get a rating of 5 stars through a good customer service. ”

His stoic embeddedness comes out again when asked about the current economic climate.

“Businesses must be resilient these days. It 's all about taking the maximum use of the market opportunities that exist. This is where the Chamber comes in to help with their support.

“Whatever the climate, a high level of customer service is critical. When the service is amazing, it reflects the values of the business. ”

Moving forwards, Richard is keen to get his knowledge across to the next generation.

“I quite like the idea of being an ambassador or a mentor to an upcoming professional with the industry knowledge I have. The diversification in Britain has been incredible. Every culture is accepted and respected, meaning there are more opportunities to people. ”

On an ending note, I ask about the role played by the Chamber.

“You certainly can get more services and benefits than the amount you paid for through the Chamber. The opportunities for networking and getting to know about more businesses as potential clients has been a tremendous help for me. ”