Pros and Cons Working in Automotive Sales
Discussion
I'm sure there are some folks here who have worked in car sales recently, or still do.
My current role is largely sales based and I've seen a role advertised with Nissan. Considering an application but not sure if it would be right for me.
- Are the OTE of £40k-70k realistic, or is that just to get people to apply? What would I really bring home assuming 'average' performance?
- What's the culture like?
- Is it high-pressured? I work in fairly low-pressure sales, I have targets but they're not a huge challenge to hit sometimes, and even when we miss them the management are very understanding and are more likely to consider 'the market' than your performance so it's quite a fair environment.
- Anything else to consider?
My current role is largely sales based and I've seen a role advertised with Nissan. Considering an application but not sure if it would be right for me.
- Are the OTE of £40k-70k realistic, or is that just to get people to apply? What would I really bring home assuming 'average' performance?
- What's the culture like?
- Is it high-pressured? I work in fairly low-pressure sales, I have targets but they're not a huge challenge to hit sometimes, and even when we miss them the management are very understanding and are more likely to consider 'the market' than your performance so it's quite a fair environment.
- Anything else to consider?
I did it for about 3 years. Very high preasure, certainly if you're not hitting targets you'll be looking for a new job after 3 months or so. Long hours generally with lots of weekend work. Basic salary is generally low, £10 - £14k, so if you're not selling times can be hard.
An old friend of mine is now working in a big main dealers in a city, so very high volume. He has been the top salesman there for the last couple of years, he is very very good, and he just about tops £60k. The turn over of sales staff is huge, he's been there about 4 years now and is the longest serving by a long way, sales managers and General managers rarely last 12 months.
At the small town dealership we used to work at together, he was struggling to make £30k and I was doing mid 20's. It's mostly about selling add on's these days, GAP, finance, paint protection etc.
An old friend of mine is now working in a big main dealers in a city, so very high volume. He has been the top salesman there for the last couple of years, he is very very good, and he just about tops £60k. The turn over of sales staff is huge, he's been there about 4 years now and is the longest serving by a long way, sales managers and General managers rarely last 12 months.
At the small town dealership we used to work at together, he was struggling to make £30k and I was doing mid 20's. It's mostly about selling add on's these days, GAP, finance, paint protection etc.
if you are a professional with degree level qualifications, then spending 12-18 months selling cars could give you an opportunity to work for a manufacturer on the sales side. This would give you a blue chip to work for and all of those benefits.
I would say that you'd have no chance in year one of earning any more than £35k selling Nissans. The pressure on this brand at all levels is immense at the moment and cars are being sold for less peanuts than ever.
But you will get a grounding in car sales and could work for av premium manufacturer whereby you might get a bit closer to the top end. However once you have car sales on your CV you won't ever be working in B2B sales for IT and the like again. You might however fancy fleet sales which is a bit more like B2B that you maybe used to. There are always job ads for those type of roles around - try Copeland select as a starter.
I would say that you'd have no chance in year one of earning any more than £35k selling Nissans. The pressure on this brand at all levels is immense at the moment and cars are being sold for less peanuts than ever.
But you will get a grounding in car sales and could work for av premium manufacturer whereby you might get a bit closer to the top end. However once you have car sales on your CV you won't ever be working in B2B sales for IT and the like again. You might however fancy fleet sales which is a bit more like B2B that you maybe used to. There are always job ads for those type of roles around - try Copeland select as a starter.
I did it for 2 years, and thankfully left on my own terms. As people say the staff turnover was horrendous, in the 2 years that I worked for the Vauxhall dealership, there were 10 or 11 of us and I was the second most senior by the end. We use to sit there on a Friday and people would get called upstairs and then be asked for their keys and let out the back door near enough!
Regularly coming in on days off near the end of the month to hit targets and for handovers etc. As mentioned the basic varies from around 12-15 in my experience and people rarely hit the higher end of the OTE's. I think i was around the £40k mark and that was selling masses of Vauxhalls. Also the grass isn't greener for other brands, you'll get paid more for selling high end cars but then the volume is less so it all evens out.
Regularly coming in on days off near the end of the month to hit targets and for handovers etc. As mentioned the basic varies from around 12-15 in my experience and people rarely hit the higher end of the OTE's. I think i was around the £40k mark and that was selling masses of Vauxhalls. Also the grass isn't greener for other brands, you'll get paid more for selling high end cars but then the volume is less so it all evens out.
I did a stint many years ago, and personally never again.
The pro's:
You can get to drive some nice cars, and have some nice cars on your driveway out of work time.
The cons:
Low basic.
Long hours, six days a week and 7pm finishes are regular.
IMO most car dealers are chaotic in the way they're run. The left hand rarely knew what the right was doing. Rarely sold a car with two keys, even though many came in with them. Hundreds of unidentified keys (the second ones) everywhere, prusumably built up over many years.
A bad sales manager or DP who doesn't support you will break you.
At the dealer I worked at sales people were responsible for far more than sales. Moving cars around the lot, delivering cars to other dealers to name but a few. I would say I spent only 50% of my time being in a position to sell at the dealer I worked at.
At the dealer I worked at there was one old boy who had been there since Jesus was a nipper, and probably 70% of customers who walked through the door were 'his customers' as they were repeat business that he'd dealt before, that became very boring.
At the dealer I worked for they had no scruples, on more than one occasion there were dodgy cars (mechanically) that we were expected to misrepresent.
The amount of times I had to deal with the trail of crap colleagues had left behind was ridiculous.
When I left after 6 months I breathed a massive sigh of release. Personally I would suggest you don't consider it for a minute, but maybe I'm biased!
The pro's:
You can get to drive some nice cars, and have some nice cars on your driveway out of work time.
The cons:
Low basic.
Long hours, six days a week and 7pm finishes are regular.
IMO most car dealers are chaotic in the way they're run. The left hand rarely knew what the right was doing. Rarely sold a car with two keys, even though many came in with them. Hundreds of unidentified keys (the second ones) everywhere, prusumably built up over many years.
A bad sales manager or DP who doesn't support you will break you.
At the dealer I worked at sales people were responsible for far more than sales. Moving cars around the lot, delivering cars to other dealers to name but a few. I would say I spent only 50% of my time being in a position to sell at the dealer I worked at.
At the dealer I worked at there was one old boy who had been there since Jesus was a nipper, and probably 70% of customers who walked through the door were 'his customers' as they were repeat business that he'd dealt before, that became very boring.
At the dealer I worked for they had no scruples, on more than one occasion there were dodgy cars (mechanically) that we were expected to misrepresent.
The amount of times I had to deal with the trail of crap colleagues had left behind was ridiculous.
When I left after 6 months I breathed a massive sigh of release. Personally I would suggest you don't consider it for a minute, but maybe I'm biased!
Personally i've worked in Car Sales since 2007 with a 3 year brake in 2009 and then here (Porsche Specialist) for the last 4+ years. I couldn't do sales in a main dealer environment now, there is too much pressure on the add-ons (GAP Paint protection, Tyre Insurance etc) and the attraction taken away from the main reason we do the job, the cars and the people.
If you can, use it as a stop gap and not a career to get into something you prefer. What I am doing now is buying, sourcing preparing and selling stock. Getting involved with the customers, meeting after hours and building lasting relationships.
This, for me is what car sales is about. Not aiming to sell the next 'billy' some add-on so I can take a decent wage home. I don't knock the people tha do make a living out of main dealer sales - the turnover is high (Staff) and everyone I speak to rarely has anything nice to say about the company they are employed by. Which is a shame.
If you can, use it as a stop gap and not a career to get into something you prefer. What I am doing now is buying, sourcing preparing and selling stock. Getting involved with the customers, meeting after hours and building lasting relationships.
This, for me is what car sales is about. Not aiming to sell the next 'billy' some add-on so I can take a decent wage home. I don't knock the people tha do make a living out of main dealer sales - the turnover is high (Staff) and everyone I speak to rarely has anything nice to say about the company they are employed by. Which is a shame.
romeogolf said:
I'm sure there are some folks here who have worked in car sales recently, or still do.
My current role is largely sales based and I've seen a role advertised with Nissan. Considering an application but not sure if it would be right for me.
- Are the OTE of £40k-70k realistic, or is that just to get people to apply? What would I really bring home assuming 'average' performance?
- What's the culture like?
- Is it high-pressured? I work in fairly low-pressure sales, I have targets but they're not a huge challenge to hit sometimes, and even when we miss them the management are very understanding and are more likely to consider 'the market' than your performance so it's quite a fair environment.
- Anything else to consider?
I did car sales for a bit and it can be very good or absolutely awful.My current role is largely sales based and I've seen a role advertised with Nissan. Considering an application but not sure if it would be right for me.
- Are the OTE of £40k-70k realistic, or is that just to get people to apply? What would I really bring home assuming 'average' performance?
- What's the culture like?
- Is it high-pressured? I work in fairly low-pressure sales, I have targets but they're not a huge challenge to hit sometimes, and even when we miss them the management are very understanding and are more likely to consider 'the market' than your performance so it's quite a fair environment.
- Anything else to consider?
You will get it in the neck if you miss targets (which are constantly changing as is your commission structure)
Your colleagues will be looking out for themselves for the majority of the time so don't expect a lot of help.
OTE brags are b
ks imho. You'll probably be looking at 20 - 30 k over a 12 month period. Even if customers aren't able to get to your dealership (road closed for a big cycle race for example), you'll still be expected in on Sunday and get questioned as to why you hadn't sold anything or done any test drives.You'll be expected to give up your day off to come in and work if you're behind target etc. You are treated as the lowest of the low in the dealership unfortunately and very much disposable.
If you have integrity, it'll be questioned. It's very difficult being the only one in the sales team not willing to lie to customers on a daily basis.
Seriously, don't do it.
To add to Fermit's post above:
Pros:
Raising money from selling your own car - you may need it!
Selling a car to a customer who was ignored by salesmen sitting closer to the door.
Cons:
In addition to the old-timer mentioned above, there's also the top salesman who will want you to fuel his sold cars before handover because he's too busy with appointments to go to the petrol station.
Answering questions on an online FCA test DOES NOT prepare you for a mystery shop.
Having a SM (who is already spoken for) intent on having his way with the admin girl takes priority over you asking for another £300 off a car to get a deal done.
Embarrassment at handing over a new car outside the premises on a bus route.
Preparing for a test drive by getting a car to the front of the forecourt only for it to be blocked in when you need it by two cars dumped by colleagues after earlier test drives.
Having to decipher whether a stressed dad with three kids in tow is really intent on buying a car or if his missus has just kicked them out on a Sat morning for some peace and quiet.
You can sell lots of cars but if you sell them with few/no add-ons then you may well have sold no cars at all.
Colleagues nicking floor mats out of your sold cars.
Morning sales meetings lasting any longer than ten minutes.
Did I mention any pros? Oh yes, a couple.
Pros:
Raising money from selling your own car - you may need it!
Selling a car to a customer who was ignored by salesmen sitting closer to the door.
Cons:
In addition to the old-timer mentioned above, there's also the top salesman who will want you to fuel his sold cars before handover because he's too busy with appointments to go to the petrol station.
Answering questions on an online FCA test DOES NOT prepare you for a mystery shop.
Having a SM (who is already spoken for) intent on having his way with the admin girl takes priority over you asking for another £300 off a car to get a deal done.
Embarrassment at handing over a new car outside the premises on a bus route.
Preparing for a test drive by getting a car to the front of the forecourt only for it to be blocked in when you need it by two cars dumped by colleagues after earlier test drives.
Having to decipher whether a stressed dad with three kids in tow is really intent on buying a car or if his missus has just kicked them out on a Sat morning for some peace and quiet.
You can sell lots of cars but if you sell them with few/no add-ons then you may well have sold no cars at all.
Colleagues nicking floor mats out of your sold cars.
Morning sales meetings lasting any longer than ten minutes.
Did I mention any pros? Oh yes, a couple.
No way would I be swapping a low-pressure sales job for the motor trade.
I did it for 18 months, never ever would I go back to it.
As someone mentioned above actually selling the car takes little of your working day, most of it will be moving stuff around on the pitch jump starting cars, chasing up the workshop for PDIs, chasing up the valeters, chasing up parts, chasing up admin for registrations etc and just generally being a dogsbody whilst being moaned at by literally everyone else that works there.
Staff turnover is generally ridiculously high which should tell you all you need to know.
Before I worked in the trade I loved cars, after 6 months I was completely bored of them.
If you want to use it as a spring board to get into sales in a different industry it might be worth it as it's generally easy to get into (see high staff turnover above) but if you're already in sales there really is no point.
I did it for 18 months, never ever would I go back to it.
As someone mentioned above actually selling the car takes little of your working day, most of it will be moving stuff around on the pitch jump starting cars, chasing up the workshop for PDIs, chasing up the valeters, chasing up parts, chasing up admin for registrations etc and just generally being a dogsbody whilst being moaned at by literally everyone else that works there.
Staff turnover is generally ridiculously high which should tell you all you need to know.
Before I worked in the trade I loved cars, after 6 months I was completely bored of them.
If you want to use it as a spring board to get into sales in a different industry it might be worth it as it's generally easy to get into (see high staff turnover above) but if you're already in sales there really is no point.
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