Client Overview
Name: TrueCar
Industry Vertical: Automotive Technology / Online Vehicle Marketplace
Size: National footprint, 100+ enrolled sales professionals
Business Model: Connects car buyers with dealers, using a pay-per-sale advertising model.
TrueCar has long positioned itself as a customer-first service, offering car buyers a seamless digital experience and dealers a flexible billing model—only charging when a sale is made.
Challenges Before Sandler
With a core focus on service and retention, TrueCar excelled in maintaining relationships rather than actively hunting for
new business. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted dealer inventories and consumer demand, this service-centric
approach faltered. Suddenly, the team needed to adopt a hunter mindset, something they weren’t fully equipped for.
Lisa Hess, a sales leader at TrueCar, identified the gap: “The challenge of having that hunter mindset or sales ability was
an opportunity for us… I can lead sales, but I’m not a trainer. I knew we needed help.”
Why Sandler
TrueCar discovered Sandler through a referral from a trusted partner JumpCrew and quickly resonated with the structured,
professional, and supportive approach of Sandler’s curriculum. After they met with the Sandler team, True Car recognized
the need to have a standard selling process, and they saw the need for a common sales language
Implementation & Experience
With limited internal training resources, Lisa and her team launched Sandler virtually. The first cohort included everyone—from new hires to seasoned reps. The approach emphasized:
- Building sales fundamentals (prospecting, pipeline management, presentation).
- Introducing concepts like the “cookbook,” helping reps understand and plan key activities.
- Reinforcing learning with leadership involvement and performance tracking.
Outcomes & Results
TrueCar saw tangible results from the Sandler training, including:
- 20% increase in revenue attributed to having a sales process, improved pipeline management and
clearer accountability. - Standardized pipeline metrics and clearer benchmarks for prospecting and conversion.
- Greater confidence among sales reps, using Sandler tools to re-engage prospects.
- Leadership alignment around a unified sales methodology, described by Lisa as the difference between “a rock band and a nice orchestra.”
Lessons Learned
Lisa emphasized that consistency is key:
“The training needs to be embedded into every touchpoint—onboarding, manuals, playbooks. If it’s not part of the DNA, it fades”
She also highlighted the importance of leadership visibility in training.
