That winning feeling: Australian Hyundai consultant Melissa O’Kearney with her third place award at the Global Sales Consultant Championship.

HYUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) employees have continued to excel on a world scale, with a third-place finish in the Global Sales Consultant Championship.

Held in Seoul, South Korea, the competition pits 85 of the best Hyundai sales consultants from 45 different countries in a series of tests to determine the best that the company has to offer.

HMCA representative Melissa O’Kearney was able to place equal-third alongside reps from Kazakhstan and China in what was this year’s second biennial championship following the Hyundai World Skill Olympics.

Ms O’Kearney, from Keema Hyundai in Springwood, Queensland, and Pascal Brogan, from Stillwell Hyundai in Nailsworth, South Australia, were chosen to represent HMCA after performing exceptionally in previous Australia-wide elimination rounds.

Global finalists were tested individually for their product knowledge and sales ability by judges posing as customers, and testing took place at Hyundai’s Motorstudio Cars and Culture Experiment, Auto Square and Hyundai Motorstudio Digital facilities in Seoul.

Part of the judging criteria addressed nine steps in the sales process that Hyundai calls ‘moments of truth’, and points were awarded in three categories: overall, sales skills challenge and team building adventure.

As well as placing third globally, Ms O’Kearney was also made a Hyundai Brand Ambassador and unveiled a special plaque on behalf of contestants at the opening ceremony of the games.

“Being selected as the Brand Ambassador on behalf of all of the contestants was an absolute honour,” she said. “To top off an amazing experience by placing third globally in the Sales Skills Challenge was overwhelming and definitely a proud moment in my career.”

Ms O’Kearney has been a Hyundai consultant for six years, and said that the internet is changing the way that people research and buy cars.

“Customers are especially more aware now of such things as warranties and special offers,” she said. “When customers come into the dealership, we’re able to point out differences between our cars and others they’ve researched. Once they drive the cars themselves, they’re usually sold on them.”

The impressive result from Ms O’Kearney comes hot on the heels of more HMCA achievements, with Master Technicians Tim Orr and Matthew Adamo recently nabbing a silver medal at the Hyundai World Skill Olympics, also held in the company’s home market of South Korea.

Hyundai has sold 94,845 units to date this year, passing their 2014 total of 92,354 thanks to strong sales performances from models including the i30, Accent and new Tucson.

By Robbie Wallis