is car sales one of the most overrated jobs around ?
Discussion
POORCARDEALER said:
1 in 10 who come into it will make the grade, then most will leave due to the hours
I didn't mind the hours at the time but I have a family now...It's the brain dead morons behind the scenes and in the sales team that made me move on, after a couple of years mind.
I've never met so many bellends.
It's usually said on PH that car sales have no profit, and that dealerships make all their money from servicing.
And then we have this thread saying that the salsemen make all the money for the dealership.
Which is it?
Or is it that the servicing side wouldn't exist if the cars weren't being sold in the first place, so the salesman is a loss leader for future profits?
And then we have this thread saying that the salsemen make all the money for the dealership.
Which is it?
Or is it that the servicing side wouldn't exist if the cars weren't being sold in the first place, so the salesman is a loss leader for future profits?
Urban Sports said:
Selling cars is a piece of piss, in my experience anybody in the job who says otherwise is telling fibs or really does find an easy job hard.
Unfortunately that's the view held by the ignorant and it's nonsense of course. Anyone can sell cars, very few can do it very well. You apparently failed. There is a lot of churn in the industry because people think it's easy and many of them fail. Good salesmen make a lot of money, bad salesmen starve and in betwen there are some mediocre ones who survive for a while.blank said:
It's usually said on PH that car sales have no profit, and that dealerships make all their money from servicing.
And then we have this thread saying that the salsemen make all the money for the dealership.
Which is it?
Or is it that the servicing side wouldn't exist if the cars weren't being sold in the first place, so the salesman is a loss leader for future profits?
Some models have very little, but although margins are not what they were, there is still profitAnd then we have this thread saying that the salsemen make all the money for the dealership.
Which is it?
Or is it that the servicing side wouldn't exist if the cars weren't being sold in the first place, so the salesman is a loss leader for future profits?
I don't think I have ever been "sold" a car. I have generally made my mind up before visiting a dealer and placing an order. That does not mean the sales person has b*gger all to do to with making sure I leave as a satisfied customer and happy to return and buy again. I bought a BMW AUC unseen from dealer over 200 miles away. Pain free experience. Since then they politely ring me every now and again to ask how things are going and whether I am in the market for a change. If I was I'd probably call them first just out of courtesy as they take the trouble to call me.
I have been sold other highish value items such as watches and clothes. By this I mean I went into the store without the objective of making a purchase. My view is that being sold to well is a pleasure. I went into a jewellers in Geneva half interested in a watch for myself and left with two (one for the OH as well). The sales person was really skilled and I loved every minute of it. She recognised that I was cautious and indecisive at times and filled me confidence that I was making the right choices. Without that sales person's skill I would be kicking myself today because we both love our watches.
I have been sold other highish value items such as watches and clothes. By this I mean I went into the store without the objective of making a purchase. My view is that being sold to well is a pleasure. I went into a jewellers in Geneva half interested in a watch for myself and left with two (one for the OH as well). The sales person was really skilled and I loved every minute of it. She recognised that I was cautious and indecisive at times and filled me confidence that I was making the right choices. Without that sales person's skill I would be kicking myself today because we both love our watches.
unrepentant said:
Urban Sports said:
Selling cars is a piece of piss, in my experience anybody in the job who says otherwise is telling fibs or really does find an easy job hard.
Unfortunately that's the view held by the ignorant and it's nonsense of course. Anyone can sell cars, very few can do it very well. You apparently failed. There is a lot of churn in the industry because people think it's easy and many of them fail. Good salesmen make a lot of money, bad salesmen starve and in betwen there are some mediocre ones who survive for a while.Butter Face said:
But seriously, Overrated? I never realised we were rated in the first place. 
This^^^I've been in sales for 24 years (from telesales rep to divisional sales director for a £11 billion FTSE 250 business) and the sales function is looked down upon by all the others IT/HR/Logistics/Accounts/Legal/Buying etc..
Never mind the fact that without sales we wouldn't need an IT system to process the orders on or a HR dept to handle the revolving door policy or a warehouse to ship goods from or anyone to count the beans or a legal eagle to handle disputes and anyone to place orders on vendors.
Thankfully though most MDs and CEOs do and that's why we continue to be rewarded for success.
Wills2 said:
Butter Face said:
But seriously, Overrated? I never realised we were rated in the first place.
This^^^I've been in sales for 24 years (from telesales rep to divisional sales director for a £11 billion FTSE 250 business) and the sales function is looked down upon by all the others IT/HR/Logistics/Accounts/Legal/Buying etc..
Never mind the fact that without sales we wouldn't need an IT system to process the orders on or a HR dept to handle the revolving door policy or a warehouse to ship goods from or anyone to count the beans or a legal eagle to handle disputes and anyone to place orders on vendors.
Thankfully though most MDs and CEOs do and that's why we continue to be rewarded for success.
scjgreen said:
Without people selling the Cars then
Mechanics have no work
Nah. There's enough older cars out there that unless you work for someone really niche you'll be ok.Mechanics have no work
blank said:
It's usually said on PH that car sales have no profit, and that dealerships make all their money from servicing.
Which is it?
Work it out. Which is it?
Take 1 salesman who sells 1 NEW car every day during the week (5) and 3 on Saturdays. (Probably only the good ones are doing 8 a week. The cack ones will be nearer 3-4 I guess) Average profit for a dealership per car? £300-500ish? Lets say £400 so £3200. And we'll let the individual sales here tell you what the difference for selling a smart car is compared to a SLS
Take 1 Technician working for 40ish, lets say 35 hours a week at average of £130 per hour. £4550.
Sales are all part of a dealership. A lot of them are f
king st and walk around the big I am. Then get all smarmy when they need something from someone. Inevitably they get put off. The good ones talk to other members of staff at times when they DON'T want anything. Just being social and polite. And tend to get helped when things go wrong.My advice to any sales people is to try HARDER to be the latter otherwise you get left trying to explain to the customer here to collect why their cars not ready.
On another note. It's often said that sales sell the first car. And it's the aftersales that dictate whether they'll buy another. If it breaks down and it's sorted quickly, customer happy. Take 4 weeks to sort. They'll go to your competitor.
It's pretty simple really. Sales people get the car sold and start the relationship. Need to be good to do so. Mechanics etc. make sure the customer stays with the company as if they had lots of problems they will move to another garage. You can be a good and bad sales person, and the same with a mechanic.
Not of you can do without the other.
I never get the point of disliking other people you work with. Almost always if they weren't needed they wouldn't be there.
That said, I tend to distrust most stuff said to me by sales people as generally I have found they speak crap just to make the sale. Which actually just makes me go elsewhere. I wouldn't mind if they said they need to check etc., but when they lie it's a no go.
Not of you can do without the other.
I never get the point of disliking other people you work with. Almost always if they weren't needed they wouldn't be there.
That said, I tend to distrust most stuff said to me by sales people as generally I have found they speak crap just to make the sale. Which actually just makes me go elsewhere. I wouldn't mind if they said they need to check etc., but when they lie it's a no go.
Rich_W said:
Work it out.
Take 1 salesman who sells 1 NEW car every day during the week (5) and 3 on Saturdays. (Probably only the good ones are doing 8 a week. The cack ones will be nearer 3-4 I guess) Average profit for a dealership per car? £300-500ish? Lets say £400 so £3200. And we'll let the individual sales here tell you what the difference for selling a smart car is compared to a SLS
Take 1 Technician working for 40ish, lets say 35 hours a week at average of £130 per hour. £4550.
Sales are all part of a dealership. A lot of them are fking st and walk around the big I am. Then get all smarmy when they need something from someone. Inevitably they get put off. The good ones talk to other members of staff at times when they DON'T want anything. Just being social and polite. And tend to get helped when things go wrong.
My advice to any sales people is to try HARDER to be the latter otherwise you get left trying to explain to the customer here to collect why their cars not ready.
My average new car gross this year is about $5k, not counting back end gross which can be more.Take 1 salesman who sells 1 NEW car every day during the week (5) and 3 on Saturdays. (Probably only the good ones are doing 8 a week. The cack ones will be nearer 3-4 I guess) Average profit for a dealership per car? £300-500ish? Lets say £400 so £3200. And we'll let the individual sales here tell you what the difference for selling a smart car is compared to a SLS
Take 1 Technician working for 40ish, lets say 35 hours a week at average of £130 per hour. £4550.
Sales are all part of a dealership. A lot of them are f
king st and walk around the big I am. Then get all smarmy when they need something from someone. Inevitably they get put off. The good ones talk to other members of staff at times when they DON'T want anything. Just being social and polite. And tend to get helped when things go wrong.My advice to any sales people is to try HARDER to be the latter otherwise you get left trying to explain to the customer here to collect why their cars not ready.
I have a great relationship with my service advisors who will recommend me to customers when they need a new car because they know that I will give excellent service. In return I always make sure they get a couple of hundred bucks if I sell the customer a car.
I don't recognise the environment you speak about and I doubt on the basis of your ill informed post that any of the sales professionals that I know on here would be seeking your "advice".
I find it odd that new car sales people exist to "sell" cars as I don't think they do, the product sells. The roll of sales men seems to really be filling in finance forms and just letting people know why their order is delayed. Buying a new car bike etc I'd read reviews make a decision what I want then just find where said car or bikes available from cheapest. A sales man has never sold me a car or bike, I decide what I want then go and buy it, they could just have a cashier like in tescos for all I care.
Herman Toothrot said:
I find it odd that new car sales people exist to "sell" cars as I don't think they do, the product sells. The roll of sales men seems to really be filling in finance forms and just letting people know why their order is delayed. Buying a new car bike etc I'd read reviews make a decision what I want then just find where said car or bikes available from cheapest. A sales man has never sold me a car or bike, I decide what I want then go and buy it, they could just have a cashier like in tescos for all I care.
No.There are plenty of garages all selling the same thing, all under cutting each other, salesmens job is to steer them into buying from them.
POORCARDEALER said:
Herman Toothrot said:
I find it odd that new car sales people exist to "sell" cars as I don't think they do, the product sells. The roll of sales men seems to really be filling in finance forms and just letting people know why their order is delayed. Buying a new car bike etc I'd read reviews make a decision what I want then just find where said car or bikes available from cheapest. A sales man has never sold me a car or bike, I decide what I want then go and buy it, they could just have a cashier like in tescos for all I care.
No.There are plenty of garages all selling the same thing, all under cutting each other, salesmens job is to steer them into buying from them.
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