Various Questions

The thing to remember here is that a lot of managers are "old school" and they were probably taught the "earn or burn" theory and when soneone shows an interest like that, don't let them go. It is always better to deal with your customers and clients with respect, honesty and integrety. In saying that maybe next time that sought of situation occurs and you have a customer saying he wants buy but needs to grab his cheque book - offer to take him home in "his new vehicle" that way you must go back to the dealership in order to do the deal. This is the only way of making sure that he will come back.

Alright, a small update ... the guy never came back. We've been told to not let a person leave the lot until they've talked to a manager because the general manager spends on average $450 per person who buys a vehicle.

I tried to turn a customer to the general manager - who was busy smoking a cigarette. The guy got in his truck, left, and I was bombarded with questions why I let him leave. He spent all of about 10 minutes on our lot. He came back about 4 hours later, I was paged, and the manager said "Nick the guy you got in trouble for letting leave is back to buy the explorer". Needless to say, I know what happened. He went to another dealership, got an offer, and came to us to beat it. He got a better vehicle than the other lot was offering him at about 7 dollars a month less. I got an X (full deal) on the board, and the dealership lost altogether about $1,000 (lost 800 on the deal and then the 125 that I get as a flat commission regardless of the profit).

I've also managed to get myself about $1000 in the hole as opposed to the $2500 I was originally at. I've taken up the "buyers are liars" motto, and if anyone shows any interest at all, they're not leaving the lot until they buy. It seems to work a lot better than the "be a nice person, and be helpful, and they'll buy" mindset I did have. It's also a lot more exhausting since I have to spend on average 2 hours with them on the lot before I can get them in to buy something :/ But that's all that matters, they buy SOMETHING and my utilities don't get shut off hehe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardicer

Alright, a small update ... the guy never came back. We've been told to not let a person leave the lot until they've talked to a manager because the general manager spends on average $450 per person who buys a vehicle.

I tried to turn a customer to the general manager - who was busy smoking a cigarette. The guy got in his truck, left, and I was bombarded with questions why I let him leave. He spent all of about 10 minutes on our lot. He came back about 4 hours later, I was paged, and the manager said "Nick the guy you got in trouble for letting leave is back to buy the explorer". Needless to say, I know what happened. He went to another dealership, got an offer, and came to us to beat it. He got a better vehicle than the other lot was offering him at about 7 dollars a month less. I got an X (full deal) on the board, and the dealership lost altogether about $1,000 (lost 800 on the deal and then the 125 that I get as a flat commission regardless of the profit).

I've also managed to get myself about $1000 in the hole as opposed to the $2500 I was originally at. I've taken up the "buyers are liars" motto, and if anyone shows any interest at all, they're not leaving the lot until they buy. It seems to work a lot better than the "be a nice person, and be helpful, and they'll buy" mindset I did have. It's also a lot more exhausting since I have to spend on average 2 hours with them on the lot before I can get them in to buy something :/ But that's all that matters, they buy SOMETHING and my utilities don't get shut off hehe.

Well Done, Just remember that if the buyers mouth is moving they are more then likely lying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardicer

Ok...pardon the various questions that I know will probably sound stupid to many of you - but mind you this is an entirely new experience for me.

I am a car salesman, and have been doing this for about 3 months. I'm averaging about 4 cars per month.

Today, which I'm on lunch right now, I had a guy come in and want a truck, so I showed him a truck. Little did I know, there was a lot of money riding on this truck sale. Somewhere around 2400 dollars to me. Anyways, he said he'd left his checkbook at the house and he'd be back in fifteen minutes. I agreed - and my manager stepped out and gave me a...well, it was a little more passionate than a lecture, dabbled with colorful language and such. Anyways, the guy took the truck, and brought it back as it had something wrong with it. We put it in the shop, and I did up a buyer's order so he'd have first shot at it. He said he needed to take lunch with his mom, then he'd be back with his checkbook. So I gave him the keys to his vehicle, and told him I'd see him shortly. Soon as he drove off, here comes the manager again, and this time the 'lecture' was about four times worse...this is just an example of a typical day for me...

I keep getting told I'm "taking orders" and not "controlling the customer". This is apparently a bad thing - I'm supposed to control the customer according to them. The customer asks a question and I either answer it or tell them I don't know the answer. I've gone back into the shop to help swap stuff out from a customer's trade in to their new vehicle (toolboxes, brush guards, lights, etc.).

I do enjoy my job, as I'm a people person - I just don't like the feeling of being manipulative and a liar (your typical car salesman stereotype), and I told them in the resume I sent that I wouldn't work in such a fashion.

Does ANYONE have any tips on how to sell without coming across as pushy and manipulative? I would MUCH rather take an approach where I am helping the customer solve a problem - work with them instead of view as me vs. them.

This is more so your managers problem

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowboy

Well Done, Just remember that if the buyers mouth is moving they are more then likely lying.

Don't you feel that the salesperson plays a part in whether this is the case? When the prospects trust the salesperson they are less likely put up a front. Your thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

Don't you feel that the salesperson plays a part in whether this is the case? When the prospects trust the salesperson they are less likely put up a front. Your thoughts?

I disagree, a study done by Alen Pease - Sales Guru showed that even those that believe trauth is always the better find themselves when they are approached by a sales person to lie more then tell the truth with small simple things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

Don't you feel that the salesperson plays a part in whether this is the case? When the prospects trust the salesperson they are less likely put up a front. Your thoughts?

Thanks for the input Mikey, No doubt at all the Salesperson has a big part in it however it seems EmmaC beat me to it. Alan Pease done a study on this only a couple of years ago, the findings were that for no particular reason the customers lie in order to (what they think) trick the sales team into giving them somethig more.

However in saying that obviously the ultimate goal is to maintain your own integrity as a Sales professional and not your guard down but trying to establish a relationship strong enough with your client/customers that you can one day hopefully trust them.

Someone I once was trained by used to say to me - If the pope had a $5 dollar watch and wanted to sell it and get %100 for it - when presented with a question - How much do you want for it? - What would his reply be? - I think it would $10.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmaC

I disagree, a study done by Alen Pease - Sales Guru showed that even those that believe trauth is always the better find themselves when they are approached by a sales person to lie more then tell the truth with small simple things.

I agree EmmaC

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmaC

I disagree, a study done by Alen Pease - Sales Guru showed that even those that believe trauth is always the better find themselves when they are approached by a sales person to lie more then tell the truth with small simple things.

I see both points. David Sandler's "Buyers are Liars" came with a description of why that is so and I think he was on the mark. However getting the customer to drop their defenses is something the salesperson needs to work on in my opinion.

Absolutely, Definately the salesperson's responsibilty

Various Questions

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