SALES TRAINING SUCCESS STORY
Lucas Oil Creates Sales Pipeline and Generates 19X ROI
See how Lucas Oil increased distributor and direct sales and generated 19X return on its investment in sales training from The Brooks Group.
Results at a Glance
19x ROI on training
14 additional sales per rep
Bigger deals
11% increase in average sale amount
Higher win rate
28% increase in conversion rate
Shorter sales cycle
10% decrease in sales cycle length
Explore The Story
Overview
Lucas Oil is one of the most recognized names in the automotive lubricants and additives industry. In the additive segment specifically, Lucas Oil holds a dominant market leadership position—a strength built on product quality and brand recognition rather than formal sales discipline.
The Challenge: Lack of Repeatable Sales Process
When Andy McMillan joined Lucas Oil as vice president of Sales Operations in early 2020, he quickly recognized a significant gap. Despite the company’s market success, there was no formal sales training process in place—and, for most of the sales team, Lucas Oil was the only sales job they’d ever had.
“We’d never had any kind of sales training process. Most of the people we had in sales, this was their only sales job they’d ever had. We sold a product a lot of people wanted, so it looked like, ‘Hey, why change the process?'”
–Andy McMillan, Vice President of Sales Operations, Lucas Oil
The company’s strong product-market fit had masked an underlying fragility: The sales team was succeeding in spite of having no repeatable process, not because of one. McMillan knew that competitive markets don’t stay static—and that relying on product strength alone left Lucas Oil exposed.
Winning Support for Change—and Fixing Real Sales Gaps
McMillan convinced senior leadership that change was necessary. Operational issues facing the sales organization were real and mounting:
- Salespeople defaulted to competing on price because they lacked the skills to understand and address customer objections.
- Lost opportunities were not tracked or revisited. Prospects slipped away without any follow-up cadence.
- Territory transitions created gaps; accounts that should have been maintained fell through the cracks.
- The team was not asking the right discovery questions, limiting their ability to identify true customer needs.
- There was low pipeline visibility, and leadership had no reliable way to forecast what was coming down the road.
Additionally, Lucas Oil’s sales model added complexity: The team sells both through distribution channels and directly to major retailers like O’Reilly Auto Parts, AutoZone, and Advance Auto Parts. Any training solution would need to be tailored to that dual-channel reality.
The Brooks Group IMPACT Selling®—Intuitive, Customized, and Built to Last
McMillan had previous experience with The Brooks Group’s IMPACT Selling® framework from an earlier employer—and it stood out among the multiple sales training programs he’d encountered throughout his career.
Unlike script-based programs, IMPACT Selling provides a structured, sequential sales process that is intuitive enough to feel natural, yet rigorous enough to be transformative.
“It doesn’t change the way you approach your sales delivery—it changes the way you approach the sales process. Every salesperson has their own unique way to deliver, but they all need that foundational process. The Brooks Group has the best.”
–Andy McMillan, Vice President of Sales Operations, Lucas Oil
Delivering a Comprehensive Sales Training Solution
Lucas Oil deployed a comprehensive suite of Brooks Group tools, customized to their distribution-focused sales environment:
IMPACT Selling Training
The full IMPACT methodology was delivered to all 12 account managers, integrating the six sequential steps of the sales process into how the team thinks and works every day.
Brooks Talent Index® Behavioral Assessment
Each team member completed a DISC assessment, giving leadership and individual sellers insight into personality styles, communication preferences, and potential blind spots.
IMPACT Selling Skills Index® (SSI)
The SSI was used to benchmark existing selling competencies, identify skill gaps, and inform a team restructuring around three distinct roles.
Armed with SSI data, Lucas Oil restructured its sales organization from a geographic model into three specialized functions: strategic account managers (focused on existing key accounts), sales managers (focused on new business development), and business development managers. The SSI results helped position the right people in the right roles.
Lucas Oil Achieves Measurable Skills Improvement and 19X ROI
The impact of IMPACT Selling at Lucas Oil has been visible across multiple dimensions—from measurable skill gains to observable behavioral changes and new organizational capabilities.
One year after receiving IMPACT training, the company saw a 19X return on its investment. Sellers reported closing an average of 14 additional sales each, with an average of over $90,000 per salesperson.
19% increase in sales acumen
11% increase in average sale amount
28% increase in conversion rate
10% decrease in sales cycle length
One of the most transformative operational outcomes has been the creation of a real sales pipeline. Prior to IMPACT Selling, Lucas Oil had no pipeline to speak of—deals were worked in isolation, and lost opportunities were rarely tracked.
With the IMPACT framework integrated into the CRM, leadership now has clear visibility into what’s in progress, what’s at risk, and what’s coming. In a volatile market environment shaped by global supply chain pressures, that forecasting capability has become especially valuable.
“We’re extremely pleased and definitely see the benefit of it. The fact that you tailored all of the learning materials to our needs was fantastic. The Brooks Group training will continue to be part of Lucas Oil sales.”
–Andy McMillan, Vice President of Sales Operations, Lucas Oil
Learn more about IMPACT Selling consultative sales skills training from The Brooks Group.