Chester T. Dean 
A combined 743 years of service from 40 employees has been recognized by the UK’s largest used car supermarket group, Motorpoint.
Employees have reached a range of work anniversaries between 15 and 24 this year, and to help mark their milestones staff have been brought together for celebratory photos at various Motorpoint stores including Derby (pictured), Burnley, Glasgow and Newport.
Motorpoint has focused in recent years on improving employee satisfaction and engagement, including attendance and during the event staff shared some of their favorite stories about their best Motorpoint moments in their careers so far.
Ryan Cheyne, Acting Director of Human Resources at Motorpoint, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to share this good news about our long-serving employees – it’s an incredible total to have achieved.
“We were recently named the #1 Automotive Company to Work For by Best Companies and we recognize that our people are the backbone of our business helping us build the Motorpoint name to become the largest independent retailer of cars and accessories. vans in the UK.
“Some of our employees were with us at the start when our first Motorpoint store in Derby opened in 1998. We are proud of them and recognize that their loyalty and commitment are crucial to our long-term success as we enter in our 25th anniversary in 2023.”
In 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, Motorpoint joined most car retailers in furloughing staff and quickly promoting the support measures in place for staff wellbeing.
Its managing director, Mark Carpenter, said at the time that Motorpoint’s values of “Proud, Happy, Honest and Supportive” drove its culture and underpinned its “incredible team spirit”, and added: “That doesn’t change. simply because we find ourselves in a difficult time, and we will continue to go above and beyond to support our people.”
Motorpoint topped up staff furlough pay, and Carpenter temporarily waived his pay.
Now Head of Retail Operations for the West Midlands, Kevin Cartwright says the best thing about working at Motorpoint is the “people”.
He said: “From day one it’s been the people, even if it’s a cliché. Massive energy and the will to win at Burnley and then the incredible teamwork of the Widnes team and now the West Midlands team as we reintroduce corporate culture – there are great characters.
Customer Experience Marketing Manager Edem Ankutse, who has worked at Motorpoint for 20 years and began her career as a collections cashier at the Derby store in 2002, reflected on her birthday: “I have held various positions at Motorpoint and my favorite thing is the family vibe that i have felt in every department/store i have worked in. i have made lifelong friends working at Motorpoint.
“There have been a lot of highlights over the last 20 years, but I think landing my first managerial job at Birmingham and then winning an award for that role in 2016 was a wonderful moment for me.
John Hood, now Motorpoint’s managing director of business acquisitions, joined the company in 1998 as director of Motorpoint Derby. He said: “Since the early days, Motorpoint has been forward-thinking in its HR approach, ensuring that young people entering the business are able to develop their skills and careers – we have a strong culture of support. here at Motorpoint.”
Commercial Director John Baird has been with Motorpoint for 22 years. He said: “I’ve met lots of friends (and a wife!) working for Motorpoint, employing people who share the same values you share creates that connection.
I’ve been lucky enough to work my way through the business, from sales to where I am today, it’s not just because of my desire to be the best (or have the bigger mouth….which I do) Motorpoint has pushed and supported I’ve been through countless trainings throughout my journey, both as an individual and as a team.
“I didn’t join Motorpoint because I liked cars or I was great at sales (which I was), I joined Motorpoint because they were a ‘rebellion’ in the business, challenged short-term thinking and had a strong desire to put customers and employees at the heart of every decision that is made.”
Baird said one of the highlights was the company becoming a PLC in 2016 was a huge achievement and a just reward for all the hard work and sacrifices made over the previous 15 years, he said .
