A job in sales... car sales... good idea?

[AstralFire]

So I applied for a job at a Chrysler dealership on a whim during my job hunt. Just got back from the interview, got a call and hey, I got the job!

Problem is, I'm not sure if I -want- the job. I'd be making money purely off of commission, and while I'm a decent advertiser, I'm not so sure how good I am at selling in person.

Also, I know about as much about cars as my parents do computers: they do what I need them to do for a tiny amount of time each day, and screaming and hitting seem to fix a problem. I'll need to bone up on car stuff for sure, even though they'd also be sending me for a week in training.

So... yeah. What now?

[Krrth]

So I applied for a job at a Chrysler dealership on a whim during my job hunt. Just got back from the interview, got a call and hey, I got the job!

Problem is, I'm not sure if I -want- the job. I'd be making money purely off of commission, and while I'm a decent advertiser, I'm not so sure how good I am at selling in person.

Also, I know about as much about cars as my parents do computers: they do what I need them to do for a tiny amount of time each day, and screaming and hitting seem to fix a problem. I'll need to bone up on car stuff for sure, even though they'd also be sending me for a week in training.

So... yeah. What now?
Um....how much do you like sales? I've know a few people who sold cars for a living, and most couldn't do it. There is a fiarly high turnover rate, as there are also sales quotas. Be prepared.

[mangosta71]

I worked as a car salesman for a month. I hated it. But maybe you like working with people, so it won't be so bad for you. On the knowledge thing, they'll train you in the products. They have to, because if you make a mistake and tell a customer something, the dealership is responsible for it (such as telling someone that the 100000 mile warranty is standard instead of an option - then you HAVE to give them the warranty at no charge).

[snoopy13a]

If you are good at it, it will be a great job. However, it is a difficult job to be good at. I believe that if you are good at it for a couple of years then it starts to get much easier as you'll start to get repeat business (former customers getting new cars).

I don't think prior knowledge of cars is that big of an issue. If you take the job, you're going to cram as much as you can and most people know little about cars. So you should be fine knowledge-wise as long as a true-motorhead doesn't come along (and he/she probably knows all about the car before coming in anyway). It is all going to come down to how well you can convince people to buy, Car sales is about pressuring the customer to make a decision without forcing them out the door.

[AstralFire]

I've never really cared for pushing someone into a purchase, which is really what I'm fearing most. Esp. in this economy.

[celestialkin]

How much do you care about your soul?

I always found car deals to be low on ethics, conscious, etc. I figure you need to have a certain personality for it. I couldn't force myself to convince/sweet talk a low to mid income family to buy a super expensive car.


However, Pete would be proud.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/250pxtv_goof_troop_pete.jpg

[Krrth]

I've never really cared for pushing someone into a purchase, which is really what I'm fearing most. Esp. in this economy.

This may not be the right job for you then. If you don't like pressuring someone into buying, you are most likely be miserable(and unsuccessful) with this job.

[snoopy13a]

How much do you care about your soul?

I always found car deals to be low on ethics, conscious, etc. I figure you need to have a certain personality for it. I couldn't force myself to convince/sweet talk a low to mid income family to buy a super expensive car.


However, Pete would be proud.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/250pxtv_goof_troop_pete.jpg

I wouldn't call car salesmen to be low on ethics. They are trying to make a living in a tough field. People know what their downpayment will be and what the monthly payments will be. If they overspend it is their own fault and not the salemen.

Of course, there are unethical car salemen such as the stereotypical crooked used car one (however, this doesn't mean that all or the majority of used car salemen are crooked).

[snoopy13a]

I've never really cared for pushing someone into a purchase, which is really what I'm fearing most. Esp. in this economy.

Unfortunately, that's how that business works. People who walk into a dealership either want or need a car. However, they don't need to buy from you. If you don't go with a high pressure strategy then they might leave and "think about it". Instead of returning the next day though, they might go down the street to the Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, etc dealership and buy from them.

[Totally Guy]

I don't think it is about pressuring people. That's a way to induce stress. Stressed people don't tend to buy things. What you'd need to do is assert... assertiveness which is completely different. It's about figuring out what the person wants and presenting it to them in a way that is attractive. Or maybe it's a cultural thing.

[Krrth]

How much do you care about your soul?

I always found car deals to be low on ethics, conscious, etc. I figure you need to have a certain personality for it. I couldn't force myself to convince/sweet talk a low to mid income family to buy a super expensive car.


However, Pete would be proud.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/250pxtv_goof_troop_pete.jpg

It depends on who you go to. I know (well knew....they've since passed on) several people who sold cars, and always made a point of getting the customer the best deal.

[Don Julio Anejo]

I don't think it is about pressuring people. That's a way to induce stress. Stressed people don't tend to buy things. What you'd need to do is assert... assertiveness which is completely different. It's about figuring out what the person wants and presenting it to them in a way that is attractive. Or maybe it's a cultural thing.
Actually no, assertiveness IS pressuring someone. However in general getting people to buy something is much more complicated than it looks when you get down to specific psychological techniques, although I'm not exactly an expert on this.

Honestly... If you like people, try the job. You don't lose anything if you don't like it or you get fired. At most it's a few months of your time and you get paid for it since you still get salary even if you don't sell a single car.

And if you do happen to like it, well, then even better for you.

[AstralFire]

I actually don't get paid at all if I don't sell anything.

[Winter_Wolf]

One word: DON'T.

Seriously. I managed to hold on for about two and a half months as a car salesman. You have to be high pressure to sell cars, and if you're not even getting a draw, you're getting suckered. And, while I'm not particularly happy to have to tell you this, car dealerships will hire just about anyone. It's true. Because of the high turnover of people who just don't know what they're getting into then leave in disgust, they have to constantly replace people. And I consider myself "lucky" because my training was slightly more than "there's the car lot, there's the keys, there you go." Which is, essentially, what you'll get for training.

I don't know you from Adam, but I know that you've got better options than selling cars, especially on a 100% commission scheme.

[Totally Guy]

Actually no, assertiveness IS pressuring someone. However in general getting people to buy something is much more complicated than it looks when you get down to specific psychological techniques, although I'm not exactly an expert on this.

It is? Damn. No flame intended here, no scarcasm either. But I was really psyching myself up to buy a car this weekend and now I'm panicking... I won't allow this to happen to me! And I will not buy into this sick joke that is commision sales. Maybe I can find a private seller or something... but then I can't part exchange my old one... what's the trick to this? I hate it when I can't find a business the is good enough for me to use.

Get out. Now. Winter wolf is right.

[mangosta71]

I learned a few things while I was working at a car lot, however. First, when you want to buy a car, go online and research it. Know exactly what options you require, what options you're indifferent about, and what options you don't want. A lot of the official company sites will have the cost the dealership paid (for the life of me I can't remember the technical term) for the vehicle you want, along with the MSRP. The thing with cars is that the price isn't set, so negotiate hard, especially around the end of the month/year when the pressure is on the salesman to meet his quota. They'll often sell a vehicle lower than the list price just so they make something right now.

[Winter_Wolf]

I shall now divulge the secret of getting the most car for your money!

Buy a new car. Oh, sure, the car loses value when you've paid for it and driven it off the lot, but do you REALLY think you're getting a good deal when you buy a used car? More often than not, you're not. That's where dealerships and salespeople make most of their profit. They have a MUCH higher profit margin, and just think about how many MORE used cars are bought and sold each day than new cars.

Don't be afraid to walk out. Some sales people will let you go, some will try to keep you talking and just grind away at you. If you think a sales person is pushy or you don't like him or her, let the management know what exactly the problem is. I know an individual whose presence has guaranteed that I will NEVER purchase a vehicle from that dealership as long as he is employed there. I've also made a point of telling the dealership this, and I intend to stay true to that. But for some of you, you might be surprised how much more you can work things to your favor by clearly stating your grievance and refusal to work any deal in which person X is involved in any way shape or form. Understand that you can't bluff, you really have to be prepared to walk away if you try this ploy.

Realize that as soon as management gets involved, things are going to go pear-shaped. Also, some salespeople like to touch/grab. How you deal with that is up to you, but I make a point of not dealing with salespeople who can't keep their damn hands to themselves.