Car salesman career? Yay or nay?

[swfk]

It is my third month selling cars at Jaguar Land Rover Langley. I started as a delivery specialist and I liked working at my dealer even though it's a 45 minute commute each way. My mentor had left to another dealer and some new staff joined so I got to hear a lot of stories at other dealers. Now I realize I fucking love my dealer.

Simply put, I am so fortunate that my dealer is a dream team without drama. Outside of my dealer, this business is cut throat as fuck. A crap load of work place politics at other dealers between salespersons or salesperson with manager. It really is a hit or miss based on the dealer, not even the brand.

Perhaps consider joining larger automotive groups where you can switch between the brands and positions in the future just less mom and pop shop. Before I started my delivery specialist position I was choosing between working with exotics at a used dealer or delivery specialist at an Open Road dealer. I really wanted to get to be around exotics everyday but I ended up choosing to work with a large automotive group. There's just more room to grow within and there's a system in place.

You can grind and grind and some people just aren't ready to buy. Don't let a bad month deter you either. So many instances where if it's a bad month it's a bad month. Keep at it and take an average over a longer period of time.

I have bought cars from dealers before and some salesmen just lie out of their ass. Just be an honest person, the customer came to you because they're interested in the car. Don't feed BS and they'll buy it lol

[quasi]

Originally Posted by swfk

I have bought cars from dealers before and some salesmen just lie out of their ass. Just be an honest person, the customer came to you because they're interested in the car. Don't feed BS and they'll buy it lol

This guy gets it, I can't stand over the top sales BS. All I want when I go to the dealership is the facts. Don't try and dazzle me with bullshit about a vehicle I already know about. If I have a question I'll ask. My biggest pet peeve is not taking no for an answer.

I had an experience two weeks ago where I was seriously looking at a new truck. I just wanted to check it out, i didn't want to test drive it I didn't want to go inside and sit down (go over the numbers with that bullshit good cop bad cop Saleman/Sales Manager act) I just wanted to see it. The salesman wouldn't take no for an answer to the point of being overly aggressive and annoying.

I'm going to buy that truck or another one just like it but I'm not going to buy it from him. I'm an easy sale, all cash no BS and all he had to do was open the truck up let me look at it and give me his card so I could come back with an offer but he managed to fuck it up.

[GabAlmighty]

Exactly^^^

When I first moved here I tried trading in my Focus for a used truck but couldn't get the numbers to match. They weren't pushy or anything, and a little while later I went back there because I could get in to a new truck with the numbers making sense. Told them what I wanted, how much I was willing to pay a month. Easy peasy, they read their customer (me) and could tell that I was an easy sale. I knew what I wanted and they respected/understood that.

[brrrz]

I have been doing this for 4 years and have been at my current dealer for 3 years. Each dealer has its perks and downsides like any job in the world. Where I currently am I'm sure more sales reps wouldn't believe the culture here. I am at a family run dealer and there truly is a trickle down in the culture here.

-No cold calling. Most dealers hand out books and say call all these people and see if they want to buy a car. There is a upside and downside to this. Culture here is to not piss people off by calling them at random.

-Vacation. A word that can be laughed at in the industry. Since 2016 I have been to Miami, Mexico twice, Seattle, multiple weekends in Kelowna and Whistler, Minnesota, Vegas, and going to Thailand for 3 weeks next month.

-Demo vehicles. Get a new car, truck, SUV every 6 months, till is sells, or 10,000kms

-Hours rotate 9-3/3-8 and rotate weekends which are optional if you want to come in on your off weekend. Yes I work a 30 hour week then a 40 hour week. People will question you why you are still around if you are still there 30min past your shift. This is unheard of.

The whole industry is changing. Most people know what they want when they come in. The day of driving lot to lot and listening to someone try and sell you a product you don't have much knowledge about is dying. Honestly there are multiple times where people know more about the product then I do (and I keep up to date with everything) because they have watched hours and hours and youtube videos and have memorized every detail on a specific model. "Make a friend, sell a car" was probably the best quote I have ever heard in the business.

What can you make in the industry? Minimum wage - $400k here

Originally Posted by forcedot

What exactly is dumb about it? Do you understand the type of sales role this is where even giving someone a higher interest rate for a car loan can net you a larger commission?

Some people you cannot help. Just the other week I had a man and woman come in with their baby trading in a car that was worth the amount of gas in the tank. A dealer had sold them a car 6 years ago and 29.99% for 30k they pay $500 month and still owed $13,000 on the car. I begged them for the child to take a new car so they could finance their negative equity at 0%. Long story short they went back to the same dealer they bought at before because I couldn't get them the payments they wanted in a higher trim. So they rolled $13,000 into a $50,000 loan at a high interest rate on the never never plan. Im sure you will see them soon.

[donjalapeno]

Originally Posted by swfk

You can grind and grind and some people just aren't ready to buy. Don't let a bad month deter you either. So many instances where if it's a bad month it's a bad month. Keep at it and take an average over a longer period of time.

I can't agree more. Some months you will talk to several people, make 100s of calls and emails and will get no where as other months everyone that sits down at your desk signs and drives. Its so easy to get unmotivated during tough periods. Always know that the next month will start from scratch and once the quarter passes that "bad month" will be deleted from your life.

Originally Posted by swfk

I have bought cars from dealers before and some salesmen just lie out of their ass. Just be an honest person, the customer came to you because they're interested in the car. Don't feed BS and they'll buy it lol

This is true as well and it will save you from headaches in the future and less risk of any cancelled deals. Be 100% honest about the car and the deal itself and you will be golden. Ive gotten more referrals/repeats because of this than any other "newish" sales person at my store.


You sir hit the nail on the head with that post.

[tofu1413]

To survive in sales nowadays is just being up front and no bs as possible.


Consumers are much more better educated nowadays.... (thanks to internet) and good online rep seems to matter to drive traffic in to see you (thanks you guys for your support! )

[Adorkami]

Tofu was easy to deal with when i bought my Volvo. When i wanted to test drive one somewhere else they tried to have me put money down. Fuck that.

[hwangr]

Tofu was freakin awesome. Unfortunate the deal couldn't get worked out because of too much negative on my car but it felt like I just walked in to see a friend. He just handed me the keys to the car I wanted to test drive and said to see me when I'm done.