Cars have been part of Robert Wray’s life since his teenage years.

And despite a brief foray into other sectors of business – including owning a fish and chip shop at one stage – Robert says: “I have always gravitated to the motor industry. You could say it’s in the blood, I suppose!”

Robert’s father, John Wray, ran St Andrew’s Motor Company in Huddersfield for many years before Robert and his then business partner bought him out in 1991.

Before that, Robert set up and ran Marsh Motor Company at Luck Lane, Marsh.

He also worked for automotive information business CAP, then part of Emap, where he ran the operational side of its research arm for 12 months.

Nine years ago, Robert formed The Small Auto Company Ltd at Woodhead Road, Holmfirth, to focus on the niche sector of selling pre-owned small automatic cars. And the business has grown every year since.

“The automatics we choose to sell represent just 2% of used cars sold in those sectors,” says Robert.

“But it is a growing segment of the market.

“Automatics used to be classed as the ‘poor’ end of the market,” he says. “You were lucky if one person in a hundred drove an automatic. Historically, automatics were heavy on fuel and considered boring to drive.

“But a lot of automatics are more efficient than manual cars and technology has changed things dramatically in the past seven years.”

Also, he adds, with an automatic, you don’t need to change gears 400 times whenever you drive from Huddersfield to Leeds!

Robert foresees the day when manual cars cease to exist – as hybrid technology requires an automatic gearbox.

To get a feel for the future, Small Auto Company sales manager Michael Sibary “trialled” a Nissan Leaf for three months, driving it to and from home.

“We have to understand what we sell,” says Robert.

“The internet has changed everything,” he adds. “Today’s customers are very wise. They have been online and done the research, they’ve read all the reviews and they know what they want.

“For us, it’s about locating and buying the right product.”

Robert’s role at The Small Auto Company is to focus on the buying, which means building and maintaining good relationships with suppliers.

Trawling through the online offerings, Robert may view up to 2,000 cars a day before tracking down the ones he knows will appeal to the firm’s customers.

Robert Wray of the Small Auto Company.

It’s a method that works.

After nine years at the firm’s Woodside Works site, Robert says: “Seventy per cent of our customers are won through referral or retention.

“We have 60 or 70 cars in stock at any one time and we have customers all over the country.

“When we started this business we wanted to be near the M62 looking at places like Leeds, Bradford and Manchester as our target market,” he says.

“That has all changed and we now have customers nationally. Recently, I got a car from Aberdeen, brought it back here and sold it to a man in Fife.”

A quick check on the paperwork for the next 11 vehicles due to leave the forecourt shows they’re all going to customers outside the HD postcode area – including Stockport, Somerset, Durham, Liverpool and Perth.

Sales are healthy, with the company three months ahead of target for this stage in the year.

Says Robert: “We don’t sell add-ons. There’s the price on the windscreen and that’s the price people pay.

“The vehicles are just the same as those at the main dealer. We’re a little old-fashioned that way and our customers appreciate the honesty!”

Robert finds his role as managing director “massively rewarding” but is quick to credit the key staff in the firm’s seven-strong team for the business’ ongoing success.

“It’s my name over the door, but the business is about ‘us’ rather than ‘me’.

“There are three or four people in particular who have been with us a long time,” he says.

“I’ve only succeeded at anything I’ve done because of the contribution made by other people.

“If I’m successful, it’s because of our staff who are reliable and understand what they are doing.

“And I’m confident that people will do what they say they’ll do. I can leave them to get on with their job.”

Roberts adds: “The biggest asset for any sales person isn’t the patter – it’s the ability to listen. Your ear is the most important thing in sales.”

Robert says: “The future of the business is to carry on doing what we currently do – understanding the customer and adding value.”

Away from work, Robert says: “I have a wonderful family – my wife and two sons – and a dog which I walk every day.

“We have a good group of friends and we take as many holidays as we can fit in!

“I’m passionate about food and I’m involved with a number of organisations that I find very rewarding.”

Role: Managing director

Age: 51

Family: Married to Helen with sons Billy, 23, and Alfie, 17

Car: Anything that takes diesel! I’m not precious about the car I drive

Holidays: I’ve been around the world three times. My next holiday will be in England. I haven’t seen enough of my own country

First job: Washing up and serving at Winn’s fish stall in Queensgate market. I also worked on a concreting gang

Best thing about the job? The people I work with and the people I meet

Worst thing about the job? I can’t think of anything. As a business, we resolve issues before they become problems

Business tip: Listen to your customers and your staff – and be passionate about work. If

Work: Specialists in small automatic cars

Site: Woodside Works, Woodhead Road, Holmfirth

Phone: 01484 691761

Email: thesmallautocompany@gmail.com

Website: www.thesmallautocompany.co.uk