is car sales one of the most overrated jobs around ?
Discussion
I have worked in car dealerships over the years in various positions , but not sales . It never seized to amaze me how sales people were put on such pedestals! I worked in an alfa and fiat dealer many years ago were cars were flying out the door due to fiats low pricing and the fact that the alfa 156 had just been launched .
So why are sales people given such perks when the technicians / engineers and even parts people are treated as the bottom of the food chain ?
Selling cars as opposed to say trucks , machinery or some under product which isn't bought primarily because of a badge or its styling isn't exactly rocket science !
So why are sales people given such perks when the technicians / engineers and even parts people are treated as the bottom of the food chain ?
Selling cars as opposed to say trucks , machinery or some under product which isn't bought primarily because of a badge or its styling isn't exactly rocket science !
Really?
You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as f
ked.
You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as f
ked.If it is so easy and they are earning more than you, why don't you do it?
Every job seems to find its value in the real world.
Salesmen seem to be very poorly paid but the scope to earn far more through commission.
Personally I know a few salesmen and none of them are rich.
They can't all be doing well.
Every job seems to find its value in the real world.
Salesmen seem to be very poorly paid but the scope to earn far more through commission.
Personally I know a few salesmen and none of them are rich.
They can't all be doing well.
I think overrated may be the wrong description because the perception of car sales (especially secondhand) among the wider public is equal to bankers or estate agents.
Sales jobs in all industries are generally overrated. Recruitment consultants are another example.
Having said that a good salesman is worth paying, even if in the grander scheme their wages are too high in comparison to other more 'worthy' roles.
Sales jobs in all industries are generally overrated. Recruitment consultants are another example.
Having said that a good salesman is worth paying, even if in the grander scheme their wages are too high in comparison to other more 'worthy' roles.
DoubleSix said:
Really?
You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as fked.
no they aren't at all.You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as f
ked.A sales person is not going to sell me a renault, no matter how damn good they are, because I wouldn't even walk in the door.
For me the salesperson is the least important of the whole food chain.
Marketting is probably the most important for most people.
Efbe said:
DoubleSix said:
Really?
You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as fked.
no they aren't at all.You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as f
ked.A sales person is not going to sell me a renault, no matter how damn good they are, because I wouldn't even walk in the door.
For me the salesperson is the least important of the whole food chain.
Marketting is probably the most important for most people.
Seriously though, that's not common way to shop. Most car buyers will have narrowed down the search to a select few brands, let's say BMW, AUDI & MERC, Mr & Mrs Jones will then cross shop by spending the afternoon perusing the showrooms. Often the experience here dictates their next course of action.
Marketing is of course hugely important (I should know it's what I hold my bachelors in) but it's often one of the first things a business will reduce in times of downturn or financial constraint.
I usually find comments like that come from bitter old admins upset that sales make good money, get company cars, company mobiles, fuel etc.
The same people who have their coats on and are in the blocks at 5.29 on Friday night and won't be thinking anything about work till 9.01 Monday morning when they slope in reluctantly to sit there in their miserable jobs trying to salvage some satisfaction by being reluctant to pay expenses claims whilst seemingly unaware that sales have been in all weekend making plenty of money for the company.
It is the same no matter what industry, it isn't just restricted to the motor trade.
When you point out that there are no barriers to entry and they could come and have a go they always come out with stuff like "ooh no, I could never deal with customers, or spend my evenings and weekends in the office". Fine, then shut the fk up about what salesmen get paid and the perks they get.
The same people who have their coats on and are in the blocks at 5.29 on Friday night and won't be thinking anything about work till 9.01 Monday morning when they slope in reluctantly to sit there in their miserable jobs trying to salvage some satisfaction by being reluctant to pay expenses claims whilst seemingly unaware that sales have been in all weekend making plenty of money for the company.
It is the same no matter what industry, it isn't just restricted to the motor trade.
When you point out that there are no barriers to entry and they could come and have a go they always come out with stuff like "ooh no, I could never deal with customers, or spend my evenings and weekends in the office". Fine, then shut the f
k up about what salesmen get paid and the perks they get.DoubleSix said:
Ok well next time you go to buy a car insist on only dealing with the receptionist and let me know how that goes!
Probably a lot smoother than involving the salesman, finance guy, their boss to sell you the alloy/tyre/paint insurance, and at least she may remember your name next time you call in the showroom.
markmullen said:
I usually find comments like that come from bitter old admins upset that sales make good money, get company cars, company mobiles, fuel etc.
The same people who have their coats on and are in the blocks at 5.29 on Friday night and won't be thinking anything about work till 9.01 Monday morning when they slope in reluctantly to sit there in their miserable jobs trying to salvage some satisfaction by being reluctant to pay expenses claims whilst seemingly unaware that sales have been in all weekend making plenty of money for the company.
Interesting.The same people who have their coats on and are in the blocks at 5.29 on Friday night and won't be thinking anything about work till 9.01 Monday morning when they slope in reluctantly to sit there in their miserable jobs trying to salvage some satisfaction by being reluctant to pay expenses claims whilst seemingly unaware that sales have been in all weekend making plenty of money for the company.
Sweeping generalisation, but on my car buying travels I have gained the impression that the different teams of people in dealerships absolutely hate each other. Is that normal?
Sheepshanks said:
Interesting.
Sweeping generalisation, but on my car buying travels I have gained the impression that the different teams of people in dealerships absolutely hate each other. Is that normal?
Hate is too strong a word perhaps, but in my experience you're not a million miles off.Sweeping generalisation, but on my car buying travels I have gained the impression that the different teams of people in dealerships absolutely hate each other. Is that normal?
Except Honda, the place I worked at was genuinely different.
You run a business selling things.
A good salesperson will make sure you sell lots of things. A poor salesperson will bankrupt you.
Therefore you pay these people enough to encourage them to sell lots.
All the backroom activities have a set value, the mechanics are paid a set rate to do a set job.
A good salesperson will make sure you sell lots of things. A poor salesperson will bankrupt you.
Therefore you pay these people enough to encourage them to sell lots.
All the backroom activities have a set value, the mechanics are paid a set rate to do a set job.
well that's not me mr mullen! and I don't believe sales people work any harder than those who work in a busy w/ shop or parts dept.
If I am going to buy a new bmw and return to that dealer to buy another it will depend on a no. of things which have little to do with sales people.
1 . I am buying into the bmw brand
2. I will be expecting the car to drive well and look well
3. the car will have had to have been reasonably fault free
4. the dealer will have to look after me well and sort out faults when car in for servicing / warranty work or repairs
If I am going to buy a new bmw and return to that dealer to buy another it will depend on a no. of things which have little to do with sales people.
1 . I am buying into the bmw brand
2. I will be expecting the car to drive well and look well
3. the car will have had to have been reasonably fault free
4. the dealer will have to look after me well and sort out faults when car in for servicing / warranty work or repairs
Sheepshanks said:
Interesting.
Sweeping generalisation, but on my car buying travels I have gained the impression that the different teams of people in dealerships absolutely hate each other. Is that normal?
Not really, the best way is when everyone gets on, the issues come from the way some dealerships are structured. At a lot of main dealers the service department for example charge as much as they can internally on sales cars, to help their figures, this means that their inflating prep costs comes out of the profit of each sold car, meaning the salesman makes less commission. At one dealership (MG Rover) where I was being charged full retail rates for internal prep invoices I pointed out it would be better for the sales department to get the Ford dealer next door (different group) to prep the cars for us. As long as silliness like that exists there will be friction.Sweeping generalisation, but on my car buying travels I have gained the impression that the different teams of people in dealerships absolutely hate each other. Is that normal?
Where I am now we all get on really well, as my MD understands that effectively there is one big pot of money, nothing to be achieved by playing one department off against another.
DoubleSix said:
Efbe said:
DoubleSix said:
Really?
You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as fked.
no they aren't at all.You don't need a business degree to appreciate that front line staff are the ones driving the the lifeblood of the company: income/sales.
A good company will always look after it's sales force, often at the expense of departments, as without sales you are what is technically known as f
ked.A sales person is not going to sell me a renault, no matter how damn good they are, because I wouldn't even walk in the door.
For me the salesperson is the least important of the whole food chain.
Marketting is probably the most important for most people.
Seriously though, that's not common way to shop. Most car buyers will have narrowed down the search to a select few brands, let's say BMW, AUDI & MERC, Mr & Mrs Jones will then cross shop by spending the afternoon perusing the showrooms. Often the experience here dictates their next course of action.
Marketing is of course hugely important (I should know it's what I hold my bachelors in) but it's often one of the first things a business will reduce in times of downturn or financial constraint.
I assume you are in sales.
markmullen said:
Go into your local dealer at 2pm Sunday and ask for someone in parts or the workshops, then tell me that is true.
The number of hours you work does not necessarily directly correlate with how hard you work.I worked many less hours than the service managers in my group (they'd stay until 10pm odd, I'd go at 6pm), but in the time I was there, I worked my backside off. I just believed in a work/life balance. I could never understand why they all did 80 hours a week.
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