Salesman goes into the back for ages to talk to his manager
Discussion
I had this recently when shopping for a MINI with the missus. Saw a car in the showroom we liked - haggled, they did the sales manager routine, we eventually spoke with sales manager, basically at the end of the day they weren't willing to do any kind of deal on a car they had sat, in stock (and a bunch of pre-reg in the forecourt too) - so I said thanks, but no thanks - if we are going to sign up for years on finance I want the sales guys to work for it!
I said to herself let's go over the road to Honda, they had a great Civic Type R (which was an outside option), she liked it, I liked it, we dealt with a bloke who it turns out WAS the sales manager (but didn't introduce himself as such) - he was straight talking, knocked a load of money off the car, chucked in a load of extras (longer warranty, supagard paint snake oil, nice floor mats), all happy and easy - no "let me work it out" - so we signed on the dotted line and are very happy.
I said to herself let's go over the road to Honda, they had a great Civic Type R (which was an outside option), she liked it, I liked it, we dealt with a bloke who it turns out WAS the sales manager (but didn't introduce himself as such) - he was straight talking, knocked a load of money off the car, chucked in a load of extras (longer warranty, supagard paint snake oil, nice floor mats), all happy and easy - no "let me work it out" - so we signed on the dotted line and are very happy.
Shakermaker said:
Certainly from my recent-ish experience of buying a used car from my local franchised Skoda dealership, they appeared to have a number of sales people who can actually do the deal with you, and then there are a number of other staff who are not quite the sales people and are mostly there to conduct the test drives and demonstrate the cars.
Seemed to work well for me, perhaps I was lucky in that the 2 chaps I dealt with were both proper sales people and there was no need for them to go into the manager's office to authorise the deal, he could see all the numbers on his screen, the only person he had to contact was the finance people to check they were happy to loan me the money.
But when I was in for my MOT recently, there was a couple who were interested in a new Fabia and they were dealing with a more junior member of staff who could show them how the boot opened and where the oil cap was etc, but she hadn't got the authority to make the final deal on the sale when it came to talking numbers.
Perhaps they are keeping costs down by only having a few higher-paid persons making sales as they must know how many "enquiries" convert to final sales?
Whether that ratio would increase if they had more sales people, I couldn't know.
I wonder if a brand like Skoda tends to attract a larger number of sensible buyers so can run more sensible sales systems?Seemed to work well for me, perhaps I was lucky in that the 2 chaps I dealt with were both proper sales people and there was no need for them to go into the manager's office to authorise the deal, he could see all the numbers on his screen, the only person he had to contact was the finance people to check they were happy to loan me the money.
But when I was in for my MOT recently, there was a couple who were interested in a new Fabia and they were dealing with a more junior member of staff who could show them how the boot opened and where the oil cap was etc, but she hadn't got the authority to make the final deal on the sale when it came to talking numbers.
Perhaps they are keeping costs down by only having a few higher-paid persons making sales as they must know how many "enquiries" convert to final sales?
Whether that ratio would increase if they had more sales people, I couldn't know.
I can easily imagine that some of the more aspirational brands require the comedy theatre of a 'haggle' to make the average schmuck think they are the man?
Edited by DonkeyApple on Friday 12th February 11:37
DonkeyApple said:
Shakermaker said:
Certainly from my recent-ish experience of buying a used car from my local franchised Skoda dealership, they appeared to have a number of sales people who can actually do the deal with you, and then there are a number of other staff who are not quite the sales people and are mostly there to conduct the test drives and demonstrate the cars.
Seemed to work well for me, perhaps I was lucky in that the 2 chaps I dealt with were both proper sales people and there was no need for them to go into the manager's office to authorise the deal, he could see all the numbers on his screen, the only person he had to contact was the finance people to check they were happy to loan me the money.
But when I was in for my MOT recently, there was a couple who were interested in a new Fabia and they were dealing with a more junior member of staff who could show them how the boot opened and where the oil cap was etc, but she hadn't got the authority to make the final deal on the sale when it came to talking numbers.
Perhaps they are keeping costs down by only having a few higher-paid persons making sales as they must know how many "enquiries" convert to final sales?
Whether that ratio would increase if they had more sales people, I couldn't know.
I wonder if a brand like Skoda tends to attract a larger number of sensible buyers so can run more sensible sales systems?Seemed to work well for me, perhaps I was lucky in that the 2 chaps I dealt with were both proper sales people and there was no need for them to go into the manager's office to authorise the deal, he could see all the numbers on his screen, the only person he had to contact was the finance people to check they were happy to loan me the money.
But when I was in for my MOT recently, there was a couple who were interested in a new Fabia and they were dealing with a more junior member of staff who could show them how the boot opened and where the oil cap was etc, but she hadn't got the authority to make the final deal on the sale when it came to talking numbers.
Perhaps they are keeping costs down by only having a few higher-paid persons making sales as they must know how many "enquiries" convert to final sales?
Whether that ratio would increase if they had more sales people, I couldn't know.
I can easily imagine that some of the more aspirational brands require the comedy theatre of a 'haggle' to make the average schmuck think they are the man?
Edited by DonkeyApple on Friday 12th February 11:37
Efbe said:
Problem with all of this is offering discounts from the face price at all.
shouldn't happen. should damn well have laws against it.
what you see is what you pay. much easier. negotiation when buying items like this is something that belongs in third world markets, not in a showroom.
It makes even less sense when BIK taxation is based on list price, regardless of what you (or your fleet manager) has paid. shouldn't happen. should damn well have laws against it.
what you see is what you pay. much easier. negotiation when buying items like this is something that belongs in third world markets, not in a showroom.
What about salesmen that judge you based on what you're wearing and don't let you test drive something or don't call you back to discuss anything so you don't get to negotiations.
A local Audi dealer told me to my face very bluntly that I couldn't afford an Audi A4 as they are 'very expensive cars'.
A local Audi dealer told me to my face very bluntly that I couldn't afford an Audi A4 as they are 'very expensive cars'.
I used to know someone who ran a fleet of Ford "A" series trucks. He would go to Ford, walk straight past the sales offices and into the accountants office. He'd point out the window to a line of trucks and announce that he would pay £XXXXXXXXX for the whole row of them. The accountants would check their figures and usually OK the deal. No messing about and running to and fro with salesman/ sales managers. Quick and easy deal.
crowfield said:
I used to know someone who ran a fleet of Ford "A" series trucks. He would go to Ford, walk straight past the sales offices and into the accountants office. He'd point out the window to a line of trucks and announce that he would pay £XXXXXXXXX for the whole row of them. The accountants would check their figures and usually OK the deal. No messing about and running to and fro with salesman/ sales managers. Quick and easy deal.
Wow, what a great story.I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
Butter Face said:
Wow, what a great story.
I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
I have heard stories of those who take their new car to revisit a sales showroom that previously rejected their advances. I expect they made their point.I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
I work in sales, albeit not automotive. I have full responsibility to make the deal and negotiate. I know how low I can go, and there's nothing further my manager would authorise.
I still do the "let me talk to my manager" talk because often, without it, people will still insist I make the call. By going x% of the way myself and then letting them think they're squeezing a little more out of the deal by having me "make the call" I can get a sale which may well have otherwise been lost as they didn't feel I was doing everything I could.
I'd say I use the "ask my boss" routine on a third of deals and it's often the closer as they think they know they can't get any more off.
I still do the "let me talk to my manager" talk because often, without it, people will still insist I make the call. By going x% of the way myself and then letting them think they're squeezing a little more out of the deal by having me "make the call" I can get a sale which may well have otherwise been lost as they didn't feel I was doing everything I could.
I'd say I use the "ask my boss" routine on a third of deals and it's often the closer as they think they know they can't get any more off.
Impasse said:
Butter Face said:
Wow, what a great story.
I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
I have heard stories of those who take their new car to revisit a sales showroom that previously rejected their advances. I expect they made their point.I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
Impasse said:
I have heard stories of those who take their new car to revisit a sales showroom that previously rejected their advances. I expect they made their point.
Did they say "Big mistake, big, HUGE!" at the same time, all whilst covering up the fact they were on the game? 
(I'd really like an Esprit)
Butter Face said:
crowfield said:
I used to know someone who ran a fleet of Ford "A" series trucks. He would go to Ford, walk straight past the sales offices and into the accountants office. He'd point out the window to a line of trucks and announce that he would pay £XXXXXXXXX for the whole row of them. The accountants would check their figures and usually OK the deal. No messing about and running to and fro with salesman/ sales managers. Quick and easy deal.
Wow, what a great story.I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
unrepentant said:
Butter Face said:
crowfield said:
I used to know someone who ran a fleet of Ford "A" series trucks. He would go to Ford, walk straight past the sales offices and into the accountants office. He'd point out the window to a line of trucks and announce that he would pay £XXXXXXXXX for the whole row of them. The accountants would check their figures and usually OK the deal. No messing about and running to and fro with salesman/ sales managers. Quick and easy deal.
Wow, what a great story.I wonder if anyone knows any rich people who go in wearing a bin bag with a bag of cash and buys cars after being fobbed off?
Edited by andymc on Friday 12th February 16:16
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