There’s a reason why car salespeople are ranked lower, as far as the public’s trust is concerned, than congressmen and congresswomen—people simply view car salespeople as shady and dishonest, not to mention manipulating and controlling. This view places car salespeople at the bottom of the list, even below politicians.
Of course, not every car salesperson is dishonest, but the stigma sticks because the folks in this line of work have worked hard at getting it. But one former car salesman seems to think that his job ranks only slightly lower than a saint. We’ll go over this thinking and see if his view syncs with the real world.
“I’m Your Guide and Time Saver”The car salesman states that he saves people time by being informed of all the models, what your car is worth in trade, and how he can guide customers through the whole process in purchasing a car.
Evidently, he must be living in an alternate world as what he describes doesn’t happen, but on the contrary, the exact opposite; a lot of time is wasted because car staff don’t know anything about the cars they are selling, and will oftentimes give you bad information.
“I’m Your Consultant”Mr. Car Salesman says that he helps his customers to understand what sort of car they would like to purchase by making suggestions on what they need and what they’ll be able to afford.
If you’ve ever been to a car dealership, you also know that this is far from reality as potential customers are directed to the highest profit margin cars on the lot, or are steered towards models that aren’t selling well. If you do know what you want, you’ll be a prime candidate known as a “laydown” or someone who is willing to pay full price for a car.
“I’m an Information Collector”He states that he has all the skills and abilities to help gauge what a customer can or cannot afford; help customers to figure out what their monthly income is; help customers find the necessary paperwork to fill out a credit applications, and generally serve as a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.
Question: When is the last time you received this kind of help from a car salesperson? We’d be willing to guess, rarely if never.
“I’m also a Teacher”The former car salesman revels in the fact that he is acquainted with all the nuances of all the different car model types; what sorts of payment plans are available; what the best way to finance a car is, and how he can virtually walk on water. Actually he didn’t say that, but his incessant hyperbole seems to be aiming in this direction.
Again, car salespeople don’t rate as the least trustworthy profession by accident. It seems that many people in this job category has only one thing in mind—make a sale at all costs, and the costs will be picked up by the customer.
In the rare instance that you do find a “teacher” salesperson, you have found yourself a gem.
“I’m your Entertainer”Mr. Former Car Salesman says that during the 4 1/2 hours you’ll be sitting in the dealership office waiting for finance to approve the deal, he’ll shower customers with stories to pass the time away.
Interestingly enough, it seems that as soon as the papers are signed, the car salesperson in charge of your deal disappears, only to be replaced by the “closer” or sales manager to hammer out the details.
Oftentimes, you won’t see the salesperson again as they have left the building to go after another sale.
Me, Me, MeThe best car sales people will encompass some of the positive qualities listed here, but even more importantly, they should be humble about this as well. While Mr. Car Salesman pats himself on the back for being a super salesman, a lack of modesty can be as bad of a turn off as the stereotypical car salesman.
When shopping for a car, if you feel comfortable with the car salesperson, you’re already ahead of the game. Trust your instincts and your assessment of people and their motives, and bring along a friend to back you up.
If salespeople are too pushy, it’s time to go to another dealership.
Source:
MotorTrend,
Huffington Post