Colin Burge
Horsham,West Sussex
Summary
Results-oriented professional with extensive leadership management and customer service expertise. Proven ability in staff mentoring, compliance auditing, and branch operations, emphasizing ethical leadership and financial product knowledge. Skilled in technical support and customer relationship management, achieving high customer retention rates. Committed to utilizing negotiation skills and interdepartmental coordination to enhance organizational success.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Branch Manager
GSF
Horsham, West Sussex
2025.06 - 2026.06
- Managed recruitment, induction, training, and development of all branch staff.
- Optimised financial procedures for improved fiscal management.
- Built partnerships with local businesses fostering community relations.
- Liaised with clients, resulting in strong relationships and repeat business.
Service & Parts Advisor
Stedman Garage
Worthing, UK
2022.07 - 2024.06
- Insured availability of needed parts by regularly checking inventory levels.
- Assisted in training new staff members to ensure consistency in service.
- Handled multiple tasks simultaneously, demonstrating excellent organizational skills.
Parts Executive / Service Advisor
RW Crawfords
Billingshurst, UK
2021.01 - 2022.07
- Managed inventory effectively to ensure availability of high-demand parts.
- Rebuilt customer relationships and managed parts sales.
- Managed workshop bookings, quotations, and optimized profitability.
- Scheduled engineers for site visits and processed sales orders.
Parts Executive
Ernest Doe Agriculture ( Made Redundant / Covid )
Albourne, UK
2019.03 - 2020.12
- Established positive relationships with customers through excellent communication skills, improving overall service quality.
- Participated actively in regular stock checks to maintain accurate inventory levels.
- Managed inventory effectively to ensure availability of high-demand parts.
Assistant Service Manager
Eurovans & Skoda ( No Longer In Business )
Portslade-by-Sea, UK
2016.09 - 2019.03
- Achieved high satisfaction ratings with regular follow-ups on client queries.
- Maintained strong relationships with customers to ensure loyalty.
- Responsible for moving dealership from bottom to 20th in the country for customer satisfaction within 3 months.
Assistant Service Manager
SMG VW Commercial
Horsham, UK
2010.06 - 2016.09
- Maintained strong relationships with customers to ensure loyalty.
- Optimizing the workshop resource to generate the most revenue.
- Responsible for moving dealership from 130/150 to 50/150 for customer satisfaction.
- Upsell via service bookings and achieving continually £3000-£4000 over set monthly target.
Service Business Development Manager
Frosts Jaguar / Land Rover, Jeep, Lotus, Seat.
Hove, UK
2004.04 - 2010.06
- Spearheaded training programmes, enhancing team capabilities.
- Implemented marketing initiatives for greater brand visibility over 5 brands.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to align business goals and objectives.
- Identified market trends, resulting in enhanced product offerings.
- Customer liaison and feedback.
- Mail shots / Cold calling / generating new business.
Service Manager / Parts Manager
Haven Motor Company ( Went Bust )
Horsham, UK
2003.02 - 2004.03
- Setting up service department.
- Mail shots / Cold calling / generating new business.
- Liaising with customers.
- Ordering parts / dealing with parts returns.
- Dealing with warranties & other related issues.
Service Advisor / Audit Manager
Lockyer VW & Audi / Subaru Imports
Horsham, UK
1996.01 - 2003.02
- Recommended additional services to customers according to their needs, boosting sales opportunities.
- Running the VW and Audi service desk.
- Liaising with three other branches with their warranty administration and manufacturer audits.
- Handling claims with the manufactures / Warranty Audits.
Education
NVQ Level 3 - Motor Vehicle Technology
Great Barr Motor Vehicle College
Birmingham 1989.01 - 1992.03
Skills
- Leadership experience
- Great communication skills
- Good people skills
- Initiative and Problem-solving Abilities
- Management
- Leadership
- Invoice preparation
- Attention to detail
- Mechanical aptitude
- Repairs scheduling
- Cost estimation
- Process improvements
- Excellent communication
- Customer retention
- Technical support
- Strong work ethic
- Customer service
- Multitasking and organization
- Listening skills
- Product training
- Reporting and documentation
- Order fulfillment
- Regulatory compliance knowledge
- Branch audit experience
- Customer relationship management systems
- Technical proficiency
- Ethical leadership
- Financial product understanding
- Financial reporting
- Change implementation
- Interdepartmental coordination
- Business networking
- Staff mentoring
- Compliance auditing
- Staff management
- Branch operations
- Staff recruitment
- Negotiation proficiency
Custom
Alan Haines, Crawfords Ltd, The Dene, Ropley, Hampshire, SO24 0BJ, alan.haines@crawfordsltd.co.uk, 2021-10-01, This is a letter of reference for Colin Burge to who under unfortunate circumstances due to a company re-structure is now no longer employed by Crawfords Ltd. Colin is a very passionate, knowledgeable, and hard-working individual who holds customer centricity at the heart of every task he completes in a timely & professional manner. We wish Colin the very best for the future and I'm sure he will continue to be a success in any future roles that he takes up. Should you wish to know more details? Please do not hesitate to email or phone me.
Timeline
Branch Manager
GSF
2025.06 - 2026.06
Service & Parts Advisor
Stedman Garage
2022.07 - 2024.06
Parts Executive / Service Advisor
RW Crawfords
2021.01 - 2022.07
Parts Executive
Ernest Doe Agriculture ( Made Redundant / Covid )
2019.03 - 2020.12
Assistant Service Manager
Eurovans & Skoda ( No Longer In Business )
2016.09 - 2019.03
Assistant Service Manager
SMG VW Commercial
2010.06 - 2016.09
Service Business Development Manager
Frosts Jaguar / Land Rover, Jeep, Lotus, Seat.
2004.04 - 2010.06
Service Manager / Parts Manager
Haven Motor Company ( Went Bust )
2003.02 - 2004.03
Service Advisor / Audit Manager
Lockyer VW & Audi / Subaru Imports
1996.01 - 2003.02
NVQ Level 3 - Motor Vehicle Technology
Great Barr Motor Vehicle College
1989.01 - 1992.03