NetForum - Message Replies

Forum: Idea Exchange

Topic: New Recruit Sales Consultant Questions

Posted by: Jeremy (jworthen2002@yahoo.com )
Date posted: Wed Jan 15 0:33:21 2003
Subject: New Car Salesman w/ a GED
Message:
First off, I would like to say without this web site, my knowledge for sales would be ZERO.

Here is my question and problem. Q1. It seems like the manager always puts down his employees. Instead of saying what we could do to improve our sales, he complaines about what we do wrong. I have only been in car sales (any type of sales at all) for 5 days now but it seems to me that motivation would be more then complaining. Are all car dealerships like this?

Q.2 The majority of my partners want energy, excitment, something to livein up the place but there is nothing. I know that I have only been working there for 5 days, but today (Jan. 14, 03) I had a 12 hr. shift and 99% of the cars that drove in went straight to the service dept. I stood outside for 9 hrs. of my shift and only four cars that drove up were interested in cars. And two of those were friends of the person waiting for their car to come out of the service dept. Is this normal?

Q3. The managers son works at the dealership. And it seems like he (our manager) gives most of the deals to his son. His son has 7 1/2 sales for the week so far. Everyone else only has 4 to 4 1/2. His son has a total of 11 for the month and everyone else has 6 to 7. I guess that I'm a newborn to this type of business. But 97% of the people are saying stuff about favortism. I just want to learn my new found skill, and learn it well. I ask everyone there if they ever read of material on how to improve their sales or skills. But everyone looks at me like I'm stupid, or they don't get my question. My goal is to learn what I can + more. I know I will always be a student. Maybe just a little more qualified then the next person or a little less then the next. Is this normal for a car dealership?

I pretty much asked my Q and P in my Qustions. But, for a greenpee, what would be some good advice for me? I alredy have goals and standerds set. But with the negative attitude of this dealership. And this being my only hope for about a year or so until I get some more experiance. How can I block out all the negative from the sales manager + other employees?

Well, I have rambeled on enough for now. But I will have a lot more Qs in the future. If you respond, or just take the time to read this I am grateful for your time. THANK YOU.

Subject: New Car Salesman w/ GED
Reply Posted by: Chris Parra
Date Posted: Wed Jan 15 0:54:11 2003
Message:
Jeremy:
I think you should refer to these same issues recently referred to in the Sales Manager's Roundtable.

In brief:
Q1: Unfortunately, this is more common than it should be but is NOT "normal", at least not in today's market.

Q2: There are slow times and busy times in every market. The sooner you can get yourself from being dependent on floor traffic the better. Again, refer to the aforementioned Sales Manager's Roundtable, here in this IDEA EXCHANGE section of this site.

Q3: No, this is also not normal. Most managers conduct themselves in a professional manner and actively avoid situations that could be considered "a conflict of interest". Most dealers wouldn't allow this in the first place. And I hope the manager you are describing isn't the dealer principle!

Give it some time to be sure, however, it sounds like you've landed smack dab in the middle of a dealership stuck in the 70's! Take heart, most stores don't employ manager's as unethical or incompetent as you describe in your particular dealership. If things don't improve, move on to a better store in your city.

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