DANTE ILAGAN REYES
Sales Manager Directly Reporting to the President
General Motors Automobiles Philippines

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Business Management, De La Salle University

What are the challenges facing the automobile industry right now?
Right now, it’s a tough market because of the economic and political instability. You really have go to out and make the customers aware of the brand and how it can best serve them. You have to emphasize value of their money.

Please tell us about your career path and how you got into sales.
One-term before I graduated from college, I applied for a job as a Sales Representative in Nissan Mantrade. I wanted to try it out, though a lot of people my age wanted a comfortable job in an office and wouldn’t even consider a sales job without a regular salary. I was earning P30 a day as transportation allowance. But I liked it, and never left.

On my sophomore year as a Sales Representative, I joined and became a finalist in The Outstanding Philippine Salesmen (TOPS) in 1992. I’d win awards as Fleet Account Executive from 1993-1998 and Fleet Sales Supervisor of the Year from 1998-2001. My biggest break came in 2001 when Mr. Jan-B Banson, the former owner of Nissan Gallery Ortigas asked me to join his organization as Vice President for Operations concurrent General Sales Manager.

I consider it a quantum leap. Previous to that, I was just a supervisor. I remember I didn’t want to go to the job interview myself because I didn’t want to leave my “comfort zone.” I was earning well, and going up the corporate ladder was not an option.

But I did accept the offer --- and I knew well enough the needs of the sales people. I got their support and my boss empowered me. That was the nice part: he empowered me though I had no prior experience in management.

Mr. Banson emphasized the importance of communication. To state it bluntly, you cannot have teamwork unless you have communicative players. Without communication, you don’t have a team; you have a collection of individuals.

His regular meetings with me and my teammates made us realize that open communication fosters trust. Having hidden agendas, communicating to people via a third party, and sugarcoating bad news hurt team relationships. Open communication increases trust, trust increases ownership, and ownership increases participation.

In my term, Nissan Gallery rose from number 4 in the Nissan dealer network to number 2.

In 2004, I joined Nissan Commonwealth as Vice-President and General Manager. It was here that my discipline was further sharpened. This is where I learned that Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability. The President of Nissan Commonwealth, Mr. Amando San Juan is the driving force of the organization. I developed discipline in 2 areas: (1) Disciplined Thinking. The pressure to produce and commitment to succeed made me keep my mind active, regularly taking on mental challenges and continually think about the right things to do. (2) Disciplined Emotions. I learned that I have 2 choices when it comes to my emotions. I can master my emotions or be mastered by them. That doesn’t mean that to be a good leader, you have to turn-off your feelings. But it does mean that you shouldn’t let your feelings prevent you from doing what you should or drive you to do things you shouldn’t.

Boss Amang as we fondly call him is a living legend. Nissan Commonwealth is the Dealer of the Year for 2 consecutive years and I expect more awards and recognition in the years to come.

Right now, even as we speak, I am moving to my new post at GM Automobiles Philippines as Sales Manager who will be handling some of the GM and Chevrolet dealers nationwide. I report directly to the President and General Manager. A lot of doors are opening at this point, including management in the regional areas a few years down the line.

How do you make sure you stay sharp and on the cutting edge?
I always prepare myself so I can help my team as it faces the challenges ahead. I think ahead so that I recognize now what I will need later. I research and become more familiarize with the tools of selling so I can make myself expert using them. I also learn from my mistakes. This is the greatest preparation tool we can have-- our own personal experience.

I’m always in the war zone. I always talk to the customers, and I accompany my team during the negotiations. That is where I sharpen my edge. I also network. I can choose not to go out and just stay in the office and make all the plans and monitoring---but I do go out because I love selling.

Modesty aside, give me any product or object and I can sell it. I look at the needs of the customer and I hone in on his specific needs.

How would you describe your management style?
I’ve always believed that happy people are productive people. I started at the bottom. I know what the needs of the sales people.

I’m a Relational-type of leader. “If you get along-others will go along.” I love my people and connect with them. I understand that relationships are the glue that holds team members together-- the more solid the relationships, the more cohesive they are.

Where do you from here? What else would you like to do?
I’m taking another big challenge in my career by joining GM Automobiles Philippines, a young and fast-growing car company in our country. I’d like to be part of this company as it grows and increase its market share in the Philippines.

I want to achieve a Work / Life Balance.

I have devoted everything to work-- but where does this leave me? I have to pay a price for success. The biggest challenge is how to get the rest of my life in order.

I have been working hard the past 15 years. I have to admit that there was point wherein I ignored minor health problems and my personal relationships have become more distant. Finances taking a turn for the worse can be written off as a “blip”’, weakening family bonds and failing to acknowledge religious convictions. I know those “minor problems” are signals of something far more serious. I don’t want to wake up one day and wonder how my life go so seriously out of balance.

I want to cope up with change, and how to make it work for me. I want to find that formula that can make me stay in the driver’s seat of my life and career.

I’d like to spend time and provide my family with a very bright future.

Let me say this. My trophies are my kids, my 9-year-old son Polo and my 5-year-old daughter Chloe. When I was still in Nissan Mantrade, my ex-boss told me, “Dante, you have to learn how to play golf to get in touch with the fleet managers and do business with them.” Sometime in 1998, I learned how to play golf with my son who was then 3 years old. Now he is 9 years old and became part of the Philippine Junior Golf team which competed at Williamsburg Virginia, USA, 2 years ago.

My children are very active in golf. My boy has won a total of 19 trophies, and my girl has 9 trophies. I look forward to being with them during weekends. My wife Lalaine has become a full-time homemaker to look after the needs of my growing kids while I’m at work.

What success tips would you give a junior employee who says he’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Have integrity. Maliit ang mundong iniikutan natin (The sphere that we revolve in is a small one). Word will get around fast if you do something unethical. That is why you should always be upfront with your customer and your company. Dishonesty should never tarnish your name.

Inspire people to learn more.

Passion should be present in what you do. Don’t drag yourself to work to do an 8-5 job. Set your goals and be excited about what you are doing.

Dream. Aim high to hit high.

Pray. The good Lord will never fail you.

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THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A HIGH-POWERED EXECUTIVE? Send your resume to eportfolio@jobsdb.com.ph.

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