What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vehicle Acquisition Specialist (Vehicle Buyer) position at Principle Auto?
Principle BMW of San Antonio
Vehicle Acquisition Specialist (Vehicle Buyer)
Our Mission: We Live to Provide Exceptional Care.
Our Purpose: A trusted, caring friend helping people move through life in a sustainable way.
Simply put, we desire to change the automotive industry. We are in the business of building relationships and we want to ensure that we are there for our guests throughout their journey. We do this by hiring the Greatest People that foster our unique culture of giving exceptional care for our guests. Our culture is found in our values.
- Great People- We hire people with heart. We care about each other, so caring for the customer comes naturally.
- Unparalleled Service- We understand everyone defines great service differently and we aim to meet our guest needs individually and with complete focus.
- Integrity- We never allow pressure to influence our guidance to guests or fellow associates. We are accountable to each other to do what is right.
- Defining Excellence- We desire to be the best, changing constantly to the next environment. We have a burning need to learn and be a leader in our industry.
- Enthusiasm- We aim to have fun every day. If it's not fun, we find a way to make it so. We are energetic, and our energy draws people to us.
Responsibilities of the Vehicle Buyer
- Customer Engagement & Retention: Build and maintain strong relationships with service guests and existing customers, proactively discussing potential trade-in opportunities.
- Vehicle Appraisal & Acquisition: Use market data and dealership tools to evaluate trade-in vehicles, assess equity positions, and determine fair purchase offers.
- Proactive Outreach: Utilize equity mining and CRM tools to identify and engage customers with high trade-in potential, contacting them via phone, email, and text.
- Service-to-Sales Opportunities: Work closely with the service department to monitor and act on alerts related to lease expirations, equity positions, and potential upgrades.
- Inventory Sourcing & Management: Ensure acquired vehicles align with dealership needs, coordinating with the sales and finance teams for a smooth transition into inventory.
- Appointment Coordination: Schedule and coordinate customer appointments with the sales team to facilitate trade-ins and vehicle purchases.
- Data Management & Reporting: Regularly update customer profiles, track trade-in conversions, and prepare reports on key acquisition and customer engagement metrics.
- Loyalty & Retention Initiatives: Assist in developing and executing customer loyalty campaigns, such as trade-in incentives or exclusive upgrade offers.
- Collaboration & Strategy Development: Work with the marketing team to create targeted communications aimed at retaining and upgrading existing customers.
- Compliance & Training: Ensure all transactions adhere to dealership policies, OEM standards, and Principle Auto’s customer service expectations.
Requirements of the Vehicle Buyer
- Automotive Expertise: Strong understanding of vehicle appraisals, market trends, and used car valuations.
- Customer-Centric Approach: Ability to build rapport, communicate persuasively, and enhance customer retention.
- Sales & Negotiation Skills: Confident in presenting trade-in offers, handling objections, and closing deals.
- Data & Analytics: Proficiency in CRM platforms, and dealership management systems to identify and act on retention opportunities.
- Collaboration & Coordination: Ability to work seamlessly with service, sales, and marketing teams to create a streamlined trade-in experience.
- Detail-Oriented & Organized: Strong ability to track, manage, and report trade-in activity and customer outreach efforts.
- Sense of Urgency & Ownership: Proactive mindset with the ability to identify opportunities, follow up consistently, and meet dealership acquisition targets.
Position Summary:
The Vehicle Buyer at Principle BMW of Corpus Christi is responsible for identifying, engaging, and acquiring trade-in vehicles from existing customers, primarily through service drive interactions and targeted outreach. This role requires a blend of customer engagement, market analysis, and negotiation skills to maximize acquisition opportunities and ensure a steady flow of high-quality pre-owned inventory. By leveraging CRM tools and proactive retention strategies, the Vehicle Buyer helps enhance customer loyalty, optimize trade-in conversions, and support the dealership’s long-term growth goals.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to hold, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to talk, hear, walk, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Principle Auto maintains a strong policy of equal opportunities for all associates and applicants of employment. We hire, train, promote, and compensate associates based on personal and professional competence and potential for advancement, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or citizenship, as well as other classifications protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. EOE.
