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Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
47210 messages, Last post on Nov 07, 2009 at 11:23 PM
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I've told stories here before, from back when I sold cars years ago in another city, for 4 months. Now, enough time has passed that I can tell some of the story of working for another dealer for only 2 days! When my wife and I relocated, she had a good job lined up, and I had none. So I went out looking several different places in different fields. My previous experience selling cars had been OK, I had only left because I was lured away by a former boss who wanted me to come back and work for him in a much greater role, in sales. As I was looking around at all options in the new city, I got hired on at the local Ford store, on the spot. It was part of a big chain, and they tried to act very high volume although they really were not that much bigger than my first store. Maybe 300 cars a month, but too many salespeople to count. The experience at this dealer was completely different right from the start. In the interview, the hiring manager explained they have two types of salesmen, "Consultants" who get full share (25% and up) commissions, and "Representatives" who only got 10% and had to work with a Consultant to close deals. He said everyone starts as a Rep and has to work their way up. I knew I wouldn't be able to survive long on 10% of every deal, so I tried to negotiate with the manager right there. He even played the "I have to check with my boss" game, with me, the prospective employee. Eventually, I heard "Great news! My manager says that because you have previous experience, you can start as a Consultant! We don't usually do this." Weird. It was all down hill from there. First day on the job started at 8AM and happened to be the day of a big sales meeting. Everyone had to project how may cars they'd sell in the new month, under great criticism from the general manager. Management was really giving one guy a hard time, he hadn't sold many cars the month before, and they were telling everyone that it was because of a nasty divorce. The poor guy didn't think they were funny at all, and kept honestly saying so, but they kept right on harassing him about it. "A whole month? Get over it already," "Channel your anger into closing some deals!", "Are you going to have another lousy excuse this month?" and so on. When the meeting was finally over, they decided to call me out to see what I could do. I was volunteered to demonstrate an F-150 to the entire staff. It was my first day, and it had been 2 years since I was in sales, but I talked about the boxed frame rails, low end tourque, all the features and benefits. I think it went OK, didn't hear anything positive or negative from anyone, even the managers. After that, no one would take the time to show or tell me anything I wanted to know. My team leader, the sales manager who had interviewed me, who now wanted to be called "Chief Slapahoe, cause every five minutes I slap a hoe," just told me to wing it. I went out on the floor not even knowing where the blank paperwork was should I need it. Had there been any buyers, I would not have known what do do with one, meaning how to go the whole process and give the customer the impression that I had the slightest idea what I was doing. At least I had observed where the sales tower and key machine were. The day went slow. One of the managers introduced himself to me and learning that I had no children, told me to buy a picture frame from Wal-Mart, one of the ones that comes with a sample photo. "Use the picture to close deals, it really works." I tried to play it off as a joke, but he was dead serious. "We do what it takes." Wow. At my previous job we had rotating shifts, each day one team stayed to close and one went home at 5. At this place it seemed like everyone was expected to work bell to bell, 9 to 9. One of my only "ups" wanted to see a "BRAND NEW" Ranger the store had advertised on a billboard for $9,979. Of course, we had nothing even close. You can imagine how that went. Nearing the end of the second day, after about 23 hours on the job in 2 days, I walked up to my manager and quit. Back when I'd left my previous dealership, I had gone straight to the GM, who had seemed like I was wasting his time. So this time I just told my manager and left. He tried to talk me into staying, but everything I had seen and heard so far just gave me a really bad feeling. I'm an honest guy, and like to do business a certain way, and just didn't feel like I was fitting in on these front lines. Here's where it got interesting. The next day, while back on the job hunt, I got a call from the General Manager, and this was the first time he had spoken to me. "So, I heard you had a problem here," he said. "No sir, I just decided that a sales position in your organization was not for me," I responded. "What? Why?" he demanded. Instead of telling him that his dealership was ten times sleazier than the other one I had worked for, I just said I wanted to be in more of a customer service oriented role. After a long speech about how much they value customer service, and while I was still wondering what this was all about, he stated that he wished I'd have seen him before I left, he'd have told me about another job in the dealership. He wanted me to come back in for an interview. Curiosity was killing me, so I went back in. He explained that he had just lost his "Personalization Manager" and said that if I read the newspaper, I would see why, but that he couldn't go into it. Evidently the guy had some major personal issues? I never found out exactly, although I really wanted to know. The position came with a nice office, was "Quasi-Management" and would involve working with customers who have bought or were about to buy, and who were interested in any kind of dealer installed accessory. The position would also entail coordinating inventory with parts dept. and installation with service, plus generate some managerial type reports on vehicle sales for the GM. It was salary plus commission but we never got to exact figures. He wanted me to come back later in the week when thier corporate computer guy would be there to talk further about my MS Excel knowledge, and then we'd "Iron out all the details." Well, during the interim, I heard back from a different company in another field, non-sales related, which I had interviewed for several weeks before. I had the other job, and it payed OK, so I took it. I called the GM back to explain and apologize, but as soon as he heard I wasn't coming back, he just hung up on me! Which pretty much confirmed (again) my gut feeling about the place anyway. Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I still wonder how the job would have been. I think I'd have rather enjoyed the job itself, and possibly would have made quite a bit of money. I know many customers ask for things to be added to their cars. In a big dealership, what would you guess the salary of a "personalization manager" be? Would it have been a good job? Thoughts?
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Replying to: geffen (Apr 30, 2008 12:24 pm) Because more than likely the buyer didn't know what a good deal was because he didn't do his research. He probably thought you just keep working one dealer against another and the well never runs dry. Sooner or later you have to s--- or get off the pot. jmonroe |
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Replying to: benderofbows (Apr 30, 2008 2:07 pm) Not at that hell hole. |
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Apr 30, 2008 4:17 am) Richard
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Replying to: mikefm58 (Apr 30, 2008 11:33 am)  Sorry to hear about your experience Mike. What I don't understand is why were you looking at an Altima or a Tundra? Two totally different vehicles. I could see an Altima , Accord, and Camry, or Tundra, Silverado, or F-150. Reminds me of the couple I assisted on Saturday. They wanted to test drive a RAV4, a Prius, and a Hybrid Camry. I obliged with the Rav and we only looked at a Prius that was already sold, we were also out of hybrid Camrys. So they end up loving the RAV4. I went for the close and they tell me they have a 24 hour rule. Think over the purchase for 24 hours then make a decision. I said "We're open tomorrow so if you decide you want the car give me a call since I'm off." Then I tried to get their address and phone number and guess what? They were winter birds from Florida traveling in their motor home staying at a local campground. Too bad I didn't see the plates on their Cherokee otherwise I would have run the other way  Just kidding, I still have hope that they will come back as they told me they were staying here for two weeks. (holding my breath)! Mack
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Replying to: greanpea68 (Apr 30, 2008 12:52 pm) "I already gave you my price." Mack 
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Last night was a special evening. We don't get customers like these often so you learn to appreciate them. It was right before sundown when a 2000 Toyota Solara pulls into the lot. I standing there with two other sales guys and I see the car had our dealership license plate holders. "Hmm, I think I sold this guy this car." I say to the guys. "Go ahead and take him, you were out here first." says one of my compadres. A older gentleman (older than me) gets out of the car with a folder full of paper work. (Oh no! probably an engineer!)  but NO! I greet him and he tells me with a big smile: "I'm here to buy a car." to which I reply: "Well that's great you're in the right place as we sell cars here.!" He laughs and I introduce myself and give him a business car. I then go into investigation mode and he tells me he's wants to look at a 4runner and a Highlander. We walk the lot to where these two vehicles are and then I ask him what he's going to be using the vehicle for. "Just for daily commuting and taking the family out." he tells me. "Do you ever go off road? if not then a 2wd will be just fine." I tell him. As we stand there looking at both vehicles I tell him about the Highlander being on a car chassis and the 4runner on a truck chassis so the Highlander will have a nicer ride. He tells me to show him a Limited and we walk back behind the building where we have a lot of Hl's and 4rnrs. As we are walking by the Highlanders a light blue one catches his eye. This one is a base model so we keep looking at the other vehicles. "You like that blue color?" I ask him. "Yeah, it's quite pretty. My wife will like it." he replies. "Ok, let's look for a 2wd in that color." I tell him. We keep walking the lot and come upon a Sport model in the color he likes and loaded to the gills with navi, leather, heated seats, bluetooth, moonroof etc. I have to go back to the store to get a key since it's just arrived and the keybox is not on it. I go looking for the key and its' ........................................TO BE CONTINUED....- |
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Replying to: laurasdada (Apr 30, 2008 9:46 am) Since you were kind enough to call me "Young Richard", I'll confess to something. There was no elevator at the Washington Monument in 1957 when I was a teen. Promise that you won't tell jmonroe. I have him convinced that he is older than dirt. To stay on topic: When I went to DC that summer, my father was driving a 1955 Buick Roadmaster. Are you ready for this? It was two tone pink and white with pink leather seats! He had ordered it for my mother whose favorite color was pink. Though it sounds gosh awful, it was actually a pretty car. The pink was a light shade. My parent's friends thought that it was beautiful. Their next car was red and white. My father loved red. In the late '60's, they remodeled their kitchen with red appliances and strawberry wallpaper. My parents were unique---never a dull moment.  Richard
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Replying to: mackabee (Apr 30, 2008 4:39 pm) Gosh, he gets a free car just for coming by? I need to trade with YOU. I couldn't resist. Jmonroe would have done it to you first, if I hadn't seen it in time. Richard
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Replying to: richard64 (Apr 30, 2008 4:49 pm)
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