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My $0.02.......... Posted by Mike Lynch [Email]  (#81) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Mike Lynch) on Fri, 25 Jun 2004 18:25:41
In Reply to: Confessions of a car salesman...(no, it's not me.....), Thom, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 04:36:24 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I gobbled up all 9 installments this afternoon. The author, who as a journalist you would expect to have somewhat of a clue, the guy seemed like he gained a measure of respect for the degree of difficulty in selling automobiles. Empathy too for the human issues, as well as respect for an individual who can succeed at it.
I was weened on the "4 square" write up, orignally at a Saab/Fiat/Lancia dealer, in the mid to late 70's, totally ignoring wisdom and reason, going to the manager and coming back to the customer with outrageous figures, justified by simplistic, outrageous analogies, trying to soften the customer up for the real deal, at least asking once for the "home run" with every customer.
From the mid 80's to 1993, I was with VW. Less outrageous tactics, but lots of the same techniques, toned down, more subtlely presented. At VW I was exposed to the cultural differences in negotiations. My fellow foreign salesfolk and managers were much more adept and comfortable at keeping a sale alive during spirited negotiations.
It's been my experience that an abnormally large percentage, perhaps the majority, of the truly successful auto salespeople have an accent. English as a second language makes it more entertaining and memorable for people to listen to and for the speaker makes the selection of words more meaningful and insightful.
In 1993 I went with Saturn and it's "no hassle no haggle" consultative sales style. Saturn backed up it's approach with a 30 day moneyback guarantee, totally unfathomable to the hard core care guys. The second store the author worked at was definitely a Saturn store. The clues are subtle, american made, sales consultants, logo polo shirts, new V6 model, nice managers, no hassle no haggle, all hallmarks of the revolutionary Saturn consultative selling style. And remember Saturn was GM!
Lots of crossover from Saturn to Saab in SoCal, including me. Saab's cosultative corporate sales practices mirror Saturn. Lately Saturn has done a lot of adapting to a changing market. Used to be they scoffed at 0% financing, rebates and/or incentives. "Whatsamatta' wasn't the car priced right the first time?" they would cry. Kinda' a hollier than thou attitude, very idealistic. Then they caved in to the pressure and the rewards. It became "Saturn like" to have 0% and/or incentives as long as it was presented equally and fairly to everyone in the consultative style. Last time I checked Saturn is still firm on the sticker price at least. The money back guarantee is gone, replaced by the 30 day exchange.
Orignally Saturn didn't and wouldn't hire car people. I had a tough time sneaking in, but I said to the local Saturn GM "I sell VW's, that's not
the same as selling cars!" and he bit. I quickly realized that there were too many "green peas" to climb over to sell new Saturns and that not being car people, Saturn folks had no idea what to do with the gold mine of trade ins. I quickly established myself in unknown territory as a used car guy and made quite a name for myself intergrating Saturn selling stratagies into the used car business. At Saturn we were some of the first to embrace Certified Used Cars.
Eventually Saturn reverted to at least one traditional car biz practice. Out with the old guys who got you there and in with the new whiz kids. At age 48 after 8 1/2 years of loyal, record breaking, service, I was let go by the new 24 year old general sales manager.
Oh well, things happen for a reason. I'm less into the money and more into the experience now and having a hell of a good time with Saab. GM's experiment with Saturn has revolutionized the car sales business. Many non-Saturn dealers practice a "one price" no hassle no haggle, consultative, style of selling. Locally, Pontiac/Dodge/Mazda, the huge Nissan franchise that has 6 of the 7 Nissan stores in the county, Chevy and a couple others too, and suprisingly the highline Penske outfits that handle BMW and Mercedes locally.
By going with a modified consultative Saturn style you increase your customer satisfaction, cut your payroll as all the cars are pre-discounted so you pay less commission, retain more salespeople longer by generally eliminating the "brain death" that comes from what Saturn folks call, "the old world".
posted by 63.197.222...
, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 18:25:41 <-- Viewing This Message, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:00:10
, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 07:29:24, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 12:27:16
, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 08:00:55, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 12:40:17, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 18:44:24, Fri, 25 Jun 2004 08:43:50
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