The Car Salesman's Thread
Discussion
Agree with all of the above. Honesty is the best policy from both parties, how annoying is it when you follow up customers and they don't call back or just fob you off! If they just said 'we've decided not to go ahead' or 'have bought something else', fine hope you're happy with it, won't call you again. Simple!
rehab71 said:
Agree with all of the above. Honesty is the best policy from both parties, how annoying is it when you follow up customers and they don't call back or just fob you off! If they just said 'we've decided not to go ahead' or 'have bought something else', fine hope you're happy with it, won't call you again. Simple!
Yep, if I had a nickel for every time a customer (who called about 3 times a day before hand) dials through on follow up calls. And then you email. Nothing. Another follow up call.. nothing. And then I just email them saying:"I have tried contacting you several times just to see where your thoughts are regarding the car. Would appreciate it greatly if you could just let me know what decision you reached either way"
... a few reply with their tail between their legs "yes, we ended up going elsewhere. thanks bye" or "yes thank you for test drive but a dealer in Scotland has beat your quote by £2.50pm and will deliver free of charge, thanks bye" or "yes thank you we have decided not to buy now, thanks bye"..... despite the weakness of these, they are a million times more satisfying than those which keep totally quiet. At the end of the day, the average burn rate is 75%... not EVERYONE will buy. But for god's sake, just let us know and let us forget about it and get on with our business!
WetPaint said:
ajb85 said:
Just put it to him straight. He will appreciate the feedback and the call back. I used to sell Citroens and Vauxhalls, spent many an afternoon with various people test driving cars and discussing figures, and was happy to let them walk because more often than not they'd think highly enough of me to want to come back and do a deal. What really got my goat was the lack of contact thereafter with some people, a courtesy call was all I wanted, not least so I could put my sales manager in the picture to show the customer had been followed up. Or if I rung them they'd avoid my call, yet 24 hours previously they were happy to share a Sunday afternoon with me and we'd seemingly get on like a house on fire. Yes, I found that very cowardly, I could have punched a wall sometimes.
Perhaps if it was a used car you were looking at, suggest the salesman you took a shine to might be able to source a similar car to the one you like?
Good to know that. Thanks.Perhaps if it was a used car you were looking at, suggest the salesman you took a shine to might be able to source a similar car to the one you like?
I'd never have thought running and hiding would cause such an issue. I'll just be blunt, but polite and as i wrote in my post, let him know i valued his time and would look for him again in the future.
Im not sure its the kind of place that would source another car for me, but then i could be wrong.
Just a different slant. , I have bought three new cars in the last two years , all times the deal has been hard to reach to my satisfaction but with a lot of persistence I got what I wanted , all three times I've decided to have the cars delivered to home rather than be arsed with the collections / handover malarkey .
Every time the salesman has delivered the car I have given them a couple of bottles of wine and a slab of lager as a thank you for looking after me.
The look on their faces and the genuine thanks that comes back would suggest it doesn't happen too often .
It works both ways.
Every time the salesman has delivered the car I have given them a couple of bottles of wine and a slab of lager as a thank you for looking after me.
The look on their faces and the genuine thanks that comes back would suggest it doesn't happen too often .
It works both ways.
Buster73 said:
Just a different slant. , I have bought three new cars in the last two years , all times the deal has been hard to reach to my satisfaction but with a lot of persistence I got what I wanted , all three times I've decided to have the cars delivered to home rather than be arsed with the collections / handover malarkey .
Every time the salesman has delivered the car I have given them a couple of bottles of wine and a slab of lager as a thank you for looking after me.
The look on their faces and the genuine thanks that comes back would suggest it doesn't happen too often .
It works both ways.
You're right. And a nice customer Every time the salesman has delivered the car I have given them a couple of bottles of wine and a slab of lager as a thank you for looking after me.
The look on their faces and the genuine thanks that comes back would suggest it doesn't happen too often .
It works both ways.
Deva Link said:
amirzed said:
When I spoke to the salesman about this he and the dealership refused to do anything, he said 'we are like a mortgage broker, we dont make the product, we just sell it so therefore we are not responsible'. That was their final word.
So it doesnt even work!
Isn't it insurance backed? He should complain to the FSA and I'd have used MoneyClaimOnLine against the dealer to pay for the respray.So it doesnt even work!
robsco said:
Deva Link said:
amirzed said:
When I spoke to the salesman about this he and the dealership refused to do anything, he said 'we are like a mortgage broker, we dont make the product, we just sell it so therefore we are not responsible'. That was their final word.
So it doesnt even work!
Isn't it insurance backed? He should complain to the FSA and I'd have used MoneyClaimOnLine against the dealer to pay for the respray.So it doesnt even work!
However, some of your colleagues in "the trade" use the FSA fact find as a ruse to sell that sort of product.
Laughable.
Butter Face said:
Had a beauty today
'does your PX have FSH?'
'absolutely'
'fantastic, book all stamped up? Where did you have it done?'
'oh, I do it all myself at home'
'er, so not FSH?'
'well, you've got my word I've serviced it'
Car was an 06 plate Clio. Cracking stuff.
Funny that. A few years back I had the misfortune to write off a car, and in the negotiation over value, I stated that it had a full service history, above and beyond the manufacturers requirement. 'does your PX have FSH?'
'absolutely'
'fantastic, book all stamped up? Where did you have it done?'
'oh, I do it all myself at home'
'er, so not FSH?'
'well, you've got my word I've serviced it'
Car was an 06 plate Clio. Cracking stuff.
I sent them a copy of the stamped up service book with the previous 3 services filled in by me, and copies of all the receipts for the parts I'd fitted.
There was then a suggestion that I wasn't a trained mechanic, so I sent them a copy of my CV, and my a copy of my Chartered Engineering Certificate, with a curt reply that, I must be over qualified to change oil, filters, a cam belt and brake pads.
At that point they seemed to reluctantly agree, and the offer suddenly became realistic.
AOK said:
Yep, if I had a nickel for every time a customer (who called about 3 times a day before hand) dials through on follow up calls. And then you email. Nothing. Another follow up call.. nothing. And then I just email them saying:
"I have tried contacting you several times just to see where your thoughts are regarding the car. Would appreciate it greatly if you could just let me know what decision you reached either way"
... a few reply with their tail between their legs "yes, we ended up going elsewhere. thanks bye" or "yes thank you for test drive but a dealer in Scotland has beat your quote by £2.50pm and will deliver free of charge, thanks bye" or "yes thank you we have decided not to buy now, thanks bye"..... despite the weakness of these, they are a million times more satisfying than those which keep totally quiet. At the end of the day, the average burn rate is 75%... not EVERYONE will buy. But for god's sake, just let us know and let us forget about it and get on with our business!
This is something I will have to try. Really drives me nuts, just a bit of common courtesy to say no thanks, considering how much effort we put in to it the day before!"I have tried contacting you several times just to see where your thoughts are regarding the car. Would appreciate it greatly if you could just let me know what decision you reached either way"
... a few reply with their tail between their legs "yes, we ended up going elsewhere. thanks bye" or "yes thank you for test drive but a dealer in Scotland has beat your quote by £2.50pm and will deliver free of charge, thanks bye" or "yes thank you we have decided not to buy now, thanks bye"..... despite the weakness of these, they are a million times more satisfying than those which keep totally quiet. At the end of the day, the average burn rate is 75%... not EVERYONE will buy. But for god's sake, just let us know and let us forget about it and get on with our business!
New POD said:
Butter Face said:
Had a beauty today
'does your PX have FSH?'
'absolutely'
'fantastic, book all stamped up? Where did you have it done?'
'oh, I do it all myself at home'
'er, so not FSH?'
'well, you've got my word I've serviced it'
Car was an 06 plate Clio. Cracking stuff.
Funny that. A few years back I had the misfortune to write off a car, and in the negotiation over value, I stated that it had a full service history, above and beyond the manufacturers requirement. 'does your PX have FSH?'
'absolutely'
'fantastic, book all stamped up? Where did you have it done?'
'oh, I do it all myself at home'
'er, so not FSH?'
'well, you've got my word I've serviced it'
Car was an 06 plate Clio. Cracking stuff.
I sent them a copy of the stamped up service book with the previous 3 services filled in by me, and copies of all the receipts for the parts I'd fitted.
There was then a suggestion that I wasn't a trained mechanic, so I sent them a copy of my CV, and my a copy of my Chartered Engineering Certificate, with a curt reply that, I must be over qualified to change oil, filters, a cam belt and brake pads.
At that point they seemed to reluctantly agree, and the offer suddenly became realistic.
P4T said:
In my opinion honesty is the best policy... Print out the deal available online and take it in with you to your local dealer and lay your cards on the table.. "This is what I want and this is what I can get it for. If you can match it I will buy from you". Explain that you havnt driven one as yet and if the salesman has anything about him he will offer to take you out for a test drive. If the salesman is any good at his job he will use the next half an hour trying to build a good rapport with you so that when it comes figures time if they cant match what you have been offered then you might be prepared to pay abit more because he have enjoyed the experience of dealing with him/them. Most of us would rather deal with a local company that you can go and deal with in person that on online only new car supermarket and some of us would be happy to pay a premium.
I hope the above helps..
When I bought my S60 I did something similar. Stated I was after an S60 and the price I was willing to pay for something within a certain age/mileage spectrum but wasn't 100% sure. Salesman gave me the car for the day which convinced me and within a week had found one in the Volvo Central system at a price I was more than happy with. Probably an easy deal for him in terms of the amount of time I spent with him - telephone call, test drive collect and drop off, collect car and pay at same time (card payment). I hope the above helps..
whoami said:
robsco said:
Deva Link said:
amirzed said:
When I spoke to the salesman about this he and the dealership refused to do anything, he said 'we are like a mortgage broker, we dont make the product, we just sell it so therefore we are not responsible'. That was their final word.
So it doesnt even work!
Isn't it insurance backed? He should complain to the FSA and I'd have used MoneyClaimOnLine against the dealer to pay for the respray.So it doesnt even work!
However, some of your colleagues in "the trade" use the FSA fact find as a ruse to sell that sort of product.
Laughable.
whoami said:
robsco said:
Deva Link said:
amirzed said:
When I spoke to the salesman about this he and the dealership refused to do anything, he said 'we are like a mortgage broker, we dont make the product, we just sell it so therefore we are not responsible'. That was their final word.
So it doesnt even work!
Isn't it insurance backed? He should complain to the FSA and I'd have used MoneyClaimOnLine against the dealer to pay for the respray.So it doesnt even work!
However, some of your colleagues in "the trade" use the FSA fact find as a ruse to sell that sort of product.
Laughable.
As part of the admin of the deal, the customer's details are filed and admin either retain a copy or send it to the provider of the product for administration in the event of a subsequent claim.
As with any form of extended or supplementary warranty product, it therefore falls under the remit of being an FSA regulated insurance product, which is why it features in the "demands and needs" part of the sales/handover process.
Although if you try and claim, the company says the problem is not with its product, but with the people who applied it - who are often a company sub-contracting to the dealer. So it perforce becomes quite a clusterf
k when an issue arises.Zwolf said:
Although if you try and claim, the company says the problem is not with its product, but with the people who applied it - who are often a company sub-contracting to the dealer. So it perforce becomes quite a clusterfk when an issue arises.
Hence my comment that the person who had their clain refused should have just taken action against the dealer. The subcontractor and the product supplier are irrelevant to a retail customer.k when an issue arises.Deva Link said:
Hence my comment that the person who had their clain refused should have just taken action against the dealer. The subcontractor and the product supplier are irrelevant to a retail customer.
That depends on the nature of the guarantee offered, which is between the product supplier and the customer, provided the treatment was applied as per their instructions and training where relevant. Naturally where it hasn't been applied properly, resulting in a claim that is not the fault of their product, they seek redress from their agent. I've only experienced a single claim in over a decade of selling these things at dealerships. In that instance, the product supplier stood by their guarantee to the customer. I appreciate that is only one anecdotal example.
Once it was sorted, the product supplier's account manager for that dealer sent an invoice to the dealer for the cost, which the dealer then sought from the valeting company - who paid up and also stopped that particular valeter from applying treatments again.
Any business managers on here?
I'm obviously a salesman at the moment, but in between working as a salesman, I ran 3 Mobile phone retail stores to great effect. I sometimes feel that I should step back up to the management role, but TBH there will NEVER be such a role in the company I work for (small company)
I have seen that a local dealership (part of a much larger group) has a Business Manager position available, but as we are a smaller team, we don't have a 'business manager' just a 'sales manager'
So is anyone able to give me the differences? Day to day role etc? I am seriously tempted to apply as I feel both my sales skills and management skills could transfer quite easily.
Many thanks.
I'm obviously a salesman at the moment, but in between working as a salesman, I ran 3 Mobile phone retail stores to great effect. I sometimes feel that I should step back up to the management role, but TBH there will NEVER be such a role in the company I work for (small company)
I have seen that a local dealership (part of a much larger group) has a Business Manager position available, but as we are a smaller team, we don't have a 'business manager' just a 'sales manager'
So is anyone able to give me the differences? Day to day role etc? I am seriously tempted to apply as I feel both my sales skills and management skills could transfer quite easily.
Many thanks.
P4T said:
In my opinion honesty is the best policy... Print out the deal available online and take it in with you to your local dealer and lay your cards on the table.. "This is what I want and this is what I can get it for. If you can match it I will buy from you". Explain that you havnt driven one as yet and if the salesman has anything about him he will offer to take you out for a test drive. If the salesman is any good at his job he will use the next half an hour trying to build a good rapport with you so that when it comes figures time if they cant match what you have been offered then you might be prepared to pay abit more because he have enjoyed the experience of dealing with him/them. Most of us would rather deal with a local company that you can go and deal with in person that on online only new car supermarket and some of us would be happy to pay a premium.
I hope the above helps..
Yes. I've done this a couple of times now, printed off the best price from Drive The Deal and asked the dealer for their best price. Neither have been able to beat it but they were close enough that buying from them was a better option than fannying about with dealers via DTD who could potentially be at the other end of the country. As long as they try to get near the figure, I'm happy.I hope the above helps..
Butter Face said:
Any business managers on here?
I'm obviously a salesman at the moment, but in between working as a salesman, I ran 3 Mobile phone retail stores to great effect. I sometimes feel that I should step back up to the management role, but TBH there will NEVER be such a role in the company I work for (small company)
I have seen that a local dealership (part of a much larger group) has a Business Manager position available, but as we are a smaller team, we don't have a 'business manager' just a 'sales manager'
So is anyone able to give me the differences? Day to day role etc? I am seriously tempted to apply as I feel both my sales skills and management skills could transfer quite easily.
Many thanks.
BM's are miss-branded in my opinion. The position should be called 'Finance Advisor' or 'Finance Exec'I'm obviously a salesman at the moment, but in between working as a salesman, I ran 3 Mobile phone retail stores to great effect. I sometimes feel that I should step back up to the management role, but TBH there will NEVER be such a role in the company I work for (small company)
I have seen that a local dealership (part of a much larger group) has a Business Manager position available, but as we are a smaller team, we don't have a 'business manager' just a 'sales manager'
So is anyone able to give me the differences? Day to day role etc? I am seriously tempted to apply as I feel both my sales skills and management skills could transfer quite easily.
Many thanks.
- quotes, quotes and quotes... many of which you know are absolutely pointless and won't lead to anything (computer)
- getting settlement figures (computer/telephone)
- arranging contra settlements, payouts etc (computer/telephone)
- proposing finance agreements and then following up if they get referred (computer)
- signing off deal files and sometimes invoicing (computer/paperwork)
- signing up customers (occasionally get to meet a customer but usually scanning over stuff to customers and being frustrated at their lack of ability to use a scanner back)
It's a damn annoying, almost admin style job and sounds much better than it actually is.
If salesmen get £30k, a BM gets £40k and a SM gets £55k.... just wait out till you get an opportunity into Sales management! Sales is much more fun than finance
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