Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.
Discussion
Osinjak said:
I do believe it takes 10 years of training to be a consultant surgeon in the medical profession. Three days. I wonder how he coped?
Another aspect of defining a profession is something called 'barrier to entry.' Not everyone can be a fighter pilot, doctor or lawyer given the stringent academic criteria and rigorous selection process. I'll leave that there.
Again, another regular anti car salesman poster who generally has nothing constructive to contribute.Another aspect of defining a profession is something called 'barrier to entry.' Not everyone can be a fighter pilot, doctor or lawyer given the stringent academic criteria and rigorous selection process. I'll leave that there.
Mexman said:
I can think of several, being FCA accredited being one, generally required to sell insurance based products and finance.
I had to do a 3 day course in Leeds followed by several 3 hour exams a few years back, and these have to be refreshed.
Failed car salesman perhaps?
With respect, you're just making yourself look silly now.I had to do a 3 day course in Leeds followed by several 3 hour exams a few years back, and these have to be refreshed.
Failed car salesman perhaps?
A 3 day course and you think that makes you some sort of "professional" ...
Why am I not a professional at my job?
Determine who and what is a professional in your stupid opinion?
Please quote where I even stated I was a professional ???
No, I do not need poncy letters after my name, or 10 years training, show me where I said I did?
Yet another anti car salesman poster.
I get it that you dislike us, you have (boringly) hinted at it before, oh ,and shove your 'respect' I didn't ask for it.
Determine who and what is a professional in your stupid opinion?
Please quote where I even stated I was a professional ???
No, I do not need poncy letters after my name, or 10 years training, show me where I said I did?
Yet another anti car salesman poster.
I get it that you dislike us, you have (boringly) hinted at it before, oh ,and shove your 'respect' I didn't ask for it.
Edited by Mexman on Monday 13th May 01:02
Edited by Mexman on Monday 13th May 01:07
"Professionals" are people like doctors, nurses, solicitors, firefighters, police officers, surveyors, gas engineers, electricians, dentists, pilots, etc etc.
People who have a specialism in a certain field and have the training and/ or qualifications to back that up.
You could not do any of the jobs listed above but anyone can rock up to a used car lot and sell cars.
Ergo, yours is not a "profession" in the recognised sense despite what you may like to think.
People who have a specialism in a certain field and have the training and/ or qualifications to back that up.
You could not do any of the jobs listed above but anyone can rock up to a used car lot and sell cars.
Ergo, yours is not a "profession" in the recognised sense despite what you may like to think.
Edited by Red 4 on Monday 13th May 01:13
Again, state where I said 'i am a professional?'
Tell you what, rock up at a used car pitch tomorrow, beg for a job, give it a go, and see how long you last.
Then come back to me with first hand experience and tell me how easy it is.
I have 25 years experience in the motor trade, from buying for a large car supermarket, logistics, end of lease inspections, parts, workshop control, aftersales, and working as a manager in a refurbishment centre, to sales.
Am I a professional in my field? Or is it 'just' a job?
I sold 27 units last month and 15 so far this month, that's over 40 cars in 6 weeks.
I have probably made more money than half of those 'professions' you have listed above in the same period.
I would bet you wouldn't sell more than 5 in your first month.
A) No car dealer would give you a job without any experience (just like those you have listed above)
B) You would not make it to month 2, by selling 5 cars.
C) Any prospective employer, would want to see evidence of your previous sales figures/achievements.
D) If you didn't regularly hit the sales targets that they set for you, your career would be very short.
Tell you what, rock up at a used car pitch tomorrow, beg for a job, give it a go, and see how long you last.
Then come back to me with first hand experience and tell me how easy it is.
I have 25 years experience in the motor trade, from buying for a large car supermarket, logistics, end of lease inspections, parts, workshop control, aftersales, and working as a manager in a refurbishment centre, to sales.
Am I a professional in my field? Or is it 'just' a job?
I sold 27 units last month and 15 so far this month, that's over 40 cars in 6 weeks.
I have probably made more money than half of those 'professions' you have listed above in the same period.
I would bet you wouldn't sell more than 5 in your first month.
A) No car dealer would give you a job without any experience (just like those you have listed above)
B) You would not make it to month 2, by selling 5 cars.
C) Any prospective employer, would want to see evidence of your previous sales figures/achievements.
D) If you didn't regularly hit the sales targets that they set for you, your career would be very short.
Edited by Mexman on Monday 13th May 01:43
What I find really funny is what I see as the crucial difference here. The majority of people working in true professions (doctor, solicitor, etc...) don’t actually do it for the money.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
We went to our local Suzuki dealer to look at a new Swift Sport.
Didnt bother to call ahead, arrived, new unregistered one in the showroom.
Salesman let us have a test drive in the demo, talked for about an hour, and then tried to do a deal.
Wasn't going to budge initially, so called his bluff and started to walk out saying we would think about it.
Once outside, we wondered over and had a look around the demo again, and with that he came out.
Asked us back in, sat us down and gave us what we wanted.
Picked it up a week later.
Lovely chap.
And brilliant car!
Didnt bother to call ahead, arrived, new unregistered one in the showroom.
Salesman let us have a test drive in the demo, talked for about an hour, and then tried to do a deal.
Wasn't going to budge initially, so called his bluff and started to walk out saying we would think about it.
Once outside, we wondered over and had a look around the demo again, and with that he came out.
Asked us back in, sat us down and gave us what we wanted.
Picked it up a week later.
Lovely chap.
And brilliant car!
I think what Mex is referring to is soft skills, and it is a bit of a black art. You either have it or not
What is sad here is the lack of respect for one anothers’ trades - respect somebody’s job, and don’t impede their ability to do it. For the record I was a sales rep for 16years and that’s was my over riding principle. Worked by and large in my favour...... however not offended at being classed as unskilled and not a professional. Be good if we could walk a mile in each others’ shoes.
What is sad here is the lack of respect for one anothers’ trades - respect somebody’s job, and don’t impede their ability to do it. For the record I was a sales rep for 16years and that’s was my over riding principle. Worked by and large in my favour...... however not offended at being classed as unskilled and not a professional. Be good if we could walk a mile in each others’ shoes.
GeneralSinn said:
What I find really funny is what I see as the crucial difference here. The majority of people working in true professions (doctor, solicitor, etc...) don’t actually do it for the money.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
Sorry mate but that is nonsense.
I am a lawyer. Trust me, the only reason my colleagues and I work 12 hour days is for big wads of cash.
StescoG66 said:
I think what Mex is referring to is soft skills, and it is a bit of a black art. You either have it or not
What is sad here is the lack of respect for one anothers’ trades - respect somebody’s job, and don’t impede their ability to do it. For the record I was a sales rep for 16years and that’s was my over riding principle. Worked by and large in my favour...... however not offended at being classed as unskilled and not a professional. Be good if we could walk a mile in each others’ shoes.
Agree with this. I’m a Chartered Accountant and worked with a Big 4 firm for 13 years. We could attract the strongest candidates from university and put them through the 3 year qualification and they’d be very good at what they did. But a key factor in being able to progress beyond the junior grades is an ability to sell and many of these bright individuals simply can’t do this so either don’t progress or move into a Controller or, eventually, FD role in industry.What is sad here is the lack of respect for one anothers’ trades - respect somebody’s job, and don’t impede their ability to do it. For the record I was a sales rep for 16years and that’s was my over riding principle. Worked by and large in my favour...... however not offended at being classed as unskilled and not a professional. Be good if we could walk a mile in each others’ shoes.
I think defining someone as a ‘professional’ is semantics. Whatever sales is, without good sales people in our ‘professional’ practice, we’d never survive.
Why do you call them units? Can’t you just say car? This demonstrates to me the lack of care to what is actually being sold and shows the motivation of a salesman to shift x ‘units’ of whatever commodity they have, today cars, tomorrow possibly something else.
I don’t doubt that it is a difficult job and the stress of having to sell a certain amount or risk being dropped must be unbearable in the times when people just aren’t buying.
I don’t doubt that it is a difficult job and the stress of having to sell a certain amount or risk being dropped must be unbearable in the times when people just aren’t buying.
Alucidnation said:
We went to our local Suzuki dealer to look at a new Swift Sport.
Didnt bother to call ahead, arrived, new unregistered one in the showroom.
Salesman let us have a test drive in the demo, talked for about an hour, and then tried to do a deal.
Wasn't going to budge initially, so called his bluff and started to walk out saying we would think about it.
Once outside, we wondered over and had a look around the demo again, and with that he came out.
Asked us back in, sat us down and gave us what we wanted.
Picked it up a week later.
Lovely chap.
And brilliant car!
We bought a used Suzuki a couple of years ago. Old school family owned garage, very easy to deal with. I was really impressed both with the service and the car. Shows how easy it can be. Didnt bother to call ahead, arrived, new unregistered one in the showroom.
Salesman let us have a test drive in the demo, talked for about an hour, and then tried to do a deal.
Wasn't going to budge initially, so called his bluff and started to walk out saying we would think about it.
Once outside, we wondered over and had a look around the demo again, and with that he came out.
Asked us back in, sat us down and gave us what we wanted.
Picked it up a week later.
Lovely chap.
And brilliant car!
It's the giant corporate chains which make life difficult. Their latest wheeze is having a call centre handling service enquiries. Takes forever to book in or get a progress update.
GeneralSinn said:
What I find really funny is what I see as the crucial difference here. The majority of people working in true professions (doctor, solicitor, etc...) don’t actually do it for the money.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
I've not met many lawyers who do their job for "the love of the law". I know more than a few and I'm married to one.They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
GeneralSinn said:
What I find really funny is what I see as the crucial difference here. The majority of people working in true professions (doctor, solicitor, etc...) don’t actually do it for the money.
They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
I think you have a rather naive view of the world in which we live.They do it for the betterment of health, the love of the law etc... the money is a fringe benefit, whereas for most other non-professions (sales, service etc...) money is the single motivator.
Edited by oakdale on Monday 13th May 08:42
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