If you are a car sales person or planning to be, please read this
01-05-2010, 08:30 AM
#41
AudiWorld Super User
skot667,
Thanks for very good replay.
Based on your post, I think, you work at my local Audi dealership.
Have 2 test drive last year - salesman was very knowledgeable. All my question was answered. As soon as I told him, that I would like to get this car in 9 month for European Delivery - he begin most interesting to work with some one else on the lot. No problem here with me. Like you said - you have to pay your bills.
I was twice there in the last 2 month and ask for 2010 Q5 brochure - none exist. And I undesrtend that is not dealership who print them - any way, there no broshure for car that in a market from Sept. or Oct 2009.
Back to your post - one more time - Thank You for posting view from another side.
Thanks for very good replay.
Based on your post, I think, you work at my local Audi dealership.
Have 2 test drive last year - salesman was very knowledgeable. All my question was answered. As soon as I told him, that I would like to get this car in 9 month for European Delivery - he begin most interesting to work with some one else on the lot. No problem here with me. Like you said - you have to pay your bills.
I was twice there in the last 2 month and ask for 2010 Q5 brochure - none exist. And I undesrtend that is not dealership who print them - any way, there no broshure for car that in a market from Sept. or Oct 2009.
Back to your post - one more time - Thank You for posting view from another side.
01-05-2010, 10:29 AM
#42
AudiWorld Member
Probably the best salesman I ever had was when I bought my Subaru Forester XT in May '08. He knew every available option and feature on the car even though it had been released only a month before (and steered me away from a couple of the options because they were either ugly or didn't work as well as advertised); got it without charge or question from another dealer 100 miles away; removed two options that were on the car (and sticker) that I didn't want (it is possible, Audi), and raced WRX's on weeekends, working on the race cars in the dealer shop on Sundays with some of the dealer mechanics.
That's a brand expert.
That's a brand expert.
01-05-2010, 10:53 AM
#43
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Do I even want you as a client?
... if I requested a quote via the internet….then SEND ME THE FREAKING QUOTE IN THE INTERENET VIA EMAIL. If I want to do business via email, that means that I don’t want to see your face until we agree on the price and I go to the dealer. That’s what your “internet dept” is for. Email me a detailed quote indicating MSRP, Cap cost, detailed fees. Not just a “for the car that you want the monthly pmt will be $xxxx.xx”. Again, email me how you arrived at this quote. Remember that you are the “internet specialist” ...
Why?
So you can shop me to five other dealers, and never give me the opportunity to match a deal? So you can say "I can get it for $200 less down the street" and never provide me with any documented proof? So you can have five guys out on a string sucking your dong for a 20% possibility of making $100 on a "deal"? You are exactly the prospective client I don't want. Sixty percent of the time our e-mail leads can't even afford the car.
What is wrong with creating a relationship with a local dealer willing to slip your car to the front of the service line because you are a returning new car customer? What is wrong with developing a long term friendship with your salesperson? If you had one, you wouldn't have to worry about cap cost, detailed fees, or loan factors. Why? Because it would be a relationship built on respect. You respect me, I'll respect you. It's very simple. I would respect you enough to give you a fair deal, you respect me enough to not waste my time, your time or anybody else's. I know why you dorks just blast out e-mails, you think it puts you in a power position. It's because you were picked on in school, but now you have a good job, but you still don't have the self esteem to interact on a social level, or negotiate in person. You don't think it would be possible to create a civilized relationship with a salesperson - or any person for that matter, because your nerd *** would have to swallow a bit of pride and let your guard down. You feel taken advantage of and unable to move on from that one time in grade school when you were the recipient of the Super Wedgie and you were wearing tighty whities.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
Why?
So you can shop me to five other dealers, and never give me the opportunity to match a deal? So you can say "I can get it for $200 less down the street" and never provide me with any documented proof? So you can have five guys out on a string sucking your dong for a 20% possibility of making $100 on a "deal"? You are exactly the prospective client I don't want. Sixty percent of the time our e-mail leads can't even afford the car.
What is wrong with creating a relationship with a local dealer willing to slip your car to the front of the service line because you are a returning new car customer? What is wrong with developing a long term friendship with your salesperson? If you had one, you wouldn't have to worry about cap cost, detailed fees, or loan factors. Why? Because it would be a relationship built on respect. You respect me, I'll respect you. It's very simple. I would respect you enough to give you a fair deal, you respect me enough to not waste my time, your time or anybody else's. I know why you dorks just blast out e-mails, you think it puts you in a power position. It's because you were picked on in school, but now you have a good job, but you still don't have the self esteem to interact on a social level, or negotiate in person. You don't think it would be possible to create a civilized relationship with a salesperson - or any person for that matter, because your nerd *** would have to swallow a bit of pride and let your guard down. You feel taken advantage of and unable to move on from that one time in grade school when you were the recipient of the Super Wedgie and you were wearing tighty whities.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
01-05-2010, 11:38 AM
#44
... if I requested a quote via the internet….then SEND ME THE FREAKING QUOTE IN THE INTERENET VIA EMAIL. If I want to do business via email, that means that I don’t want to see your face until we agree on the price and I go to the dealer. That’s what your “internet dept” is for. Email me a detailed quote indicating MSRP, Cap cost, detailed fees. Not just a “for the car that you want the monthly pmt will be $xxxx.xx”. Again, email me how you arrived at this quote. Remember that you are the “internet specialist” ...
Why?
So you can shop me to five other dealers, and never give me the opportunity to match a deal? So you can say "I can get it for $200 less down the street" and never provide me with any documented proof? So you can have five guys out on a string sucking your dong for a 20% possibility of making $100 on a "deal"? You are exactly the prospective client I don't want. Sixty percent of the time our e-mail leads can't even afford the car.
What is wrong with creating a relationship with a local dealer willing to slip your car to the front of the service line because you are a returning new car customer? What is wrong with developing a long term friendship with your salesperson? If you had one, you wouldn't have to worry about cap cost, detailed fees, or loan factors. Why? Because it would be a relationship built on respect. You respect me, I'll respect you. It's very simple. I would respect you enough to give you a fair deal, you respect me enough to not waste my time, your time or anybody else's. I know why you dorks just blast out e-mails, you think it puts you in a power position. It's because you were picked on in school, but now you have a good job, but you still don't have the self esteem to interact on a social level, or negotiate in person. You don't think it would be possible to create a civilized relationship with a salesperson - or any person for that matter, because your nerd *** would have to swallow a bit of pride and let your guard down. You feel taken advantage of and unable to move on from that one time in grade school when you were the recipient of the Super Wedgie and you were wearing tighty whities.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
Why?
So you can shop me to five other dealers, and never give me the opportunity to match a deal? So you can say "I can get it for $200 less down the street" and never provide me with any documented proof? So you can have five guys out on a string sucking your dong for a 20% possibility of making $100 on a "deal"? You are exactly the prospective client I don't want. Sixty percent of the time our e-mail leads can't even afford the car.
What is wrong with creating a relationship with a local dealer willing to slip your car to the front of the service line because you are a returning new car customer? What is wrong with developing a long term friendship with your salesperson? If you had one, you wouldn't have to worry about cap cost, detailed fees, or loan factors. Why? Because it would be a relationship built on respect. You respect me, I'll respect you. It's very simple. I would respect you enough to give you a fair deal, you respect me enough to not waste my time, your time or anybody else's. I know why you dorks just blast out e-mails, you think it puts you in a power position. It's because you were picked on in school, but now you have a good job, but you still don't have the self esteem to interact on a social level, or negotiate in person. You don't think it would be possible to create a civilized relationship with a salesperson - or any person for that matter, because your nerd *** would have to swallow a bit of pride and let your guard down. You feel taken advantage of and unable to move on from that one time in grade school when you were the recipient of the Super Wedgie and you were wearing tighty whities.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
01-05-2010, 01:12 PM
#45
I still maintain any disappointment that we customers feel is, ultimately, self-inflicted. The market gets what the market accepts. The first time I stopped buying Chryslers (way back in 1976) and drove into a Porsche+Audi dealership, I was completely bowled over by what I have come to call "the horizontal salesman."
Me: I am looking at at Audi.
Them:Well, you've come to the right place, would you like a refreshement or something to eat?
Me: Thanks, how about a cup of coffee.
Them:Caf or de-caf?
Me: Caf.
Them:Flavored or unflavored?
Me: What flavors do you have?
Them:Come on over to the waiting lounge, we have a wide choice of flavors, tea and hot choc; we have a small Starbucks concession here, but it is all no charge.
Me: Thanks, I'll have a latte.
Them:Here you go.
Me: I am looking at an Audi sedan.
Them:This sure is the weather for a quattro.
Me: Yes it is, that's for certain.
Them:This is global warming?
Me: Er, ha ha.
Them:Speaking of that, did you see the Bengals get creamed last night?
Me: Yes, they didn't bring their "A" game, hell, they didn't bring their "C" game.
Them:I'll say.
Me: (Looking at an RS8) Wow, nice car.
Them: That one belongs to Chris Collinsworth, you know he used to be a Bengal before he went to law school and before he became a sportscaster.
Me: I knew that, I remember when the Bengals went to the SuperBowl even.
Them: Ancient history.
At this point, my "horizontal" salesperson clearly thinks he and I have been friends or at least more than aquaintences for the conversation goes into one tangent after another, none of them having a damn thing to do with Audis or selling cars for crissakes.
He gives me his card which proclaims he was an Audi Ambassador and sold $5,000,000 dollars worth of cars for the past three years in a row. He has been with dealership since the discovery of tires and has a bunch of commendations pertaining to his accomplishments.
When I ask if I can test drive a car, he literally gives me the keys to a new fill in the blank and says, "take your time, do you have any questions now, or do you want to talk after the test drive?"
Now, I am NOT complaining, but I call this the "horizontal sales person" as if I have to wake him up to focus him on helping me buy the freaking car. I thought it was just ONE guy at one particular Audi dealership.
But, in our town, at least, the Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, Mecedes, Volvo, Saab (a moment of silence please), Acura, VW and even ONE Cadillac dealer are all horizontal. Talk about ultra low key, you have to wake them up to sell the car to you. WAKE UP!! I am ready to buy the freakin' car! Yet, when pressed into focus, these guys do seem MOSTLY to know a lot about their products -- it is just as if they went to the sales school that was based on rapport, relationship buidling and grace.
To this DAY I still get a very nice, apparently hand signed, Christmas card from the Mercedes rep and my Audi dealer even called to with me a happy new year and never once talked about cars, until I brought it up.
My experience with Chrysler dealers and most GM dealers (except for one Cadillac dealer) made me adopt the term "lot lizard." So, I elect to visit the horizontal sales reps and over time my wife and I have been invited to have dinner with their (husband or wife) spouse, and not somehow turn it into a sales thing.
This behavior has come to be, I now believe, what the CUSTOMERS want -- for, how in the wide wide world of sports could these folks sell $5,000,000 dollars worth of ANYTHING unless they built relationships.
Another persepctive. . . .duly reported.
Me: I am looking at at Audi.
Them:Well, you've come to the right place, would you like a refreshement or something to eat?
Me: Thanks, how about a cup of coffee.
Them:Caf or de-caf?
Me: Caf.
Them:Flavored or unflavored?
Me: What flavors do you have?
Them:Come on over to the waiting lounge, we have a wide choice of flavors, tea and hot choc; we have a small Starbucks concession here, but it is all no charge.
Me: Thanks, I'll have a latte.
Them:Here you go.
Me: I am looking at an Audi sedan.
Them:This sure is the weather for a quattro.
Me: Yes it is, that's for certain.
Them:This is global warming?
Me: Er, ha ha.
Them:Speaking of that, did you see the Bengals get creamed last night?
Me: Yes, they didn't bring their "A" game, hell, they didn't bring their "C" game.
Them:I'll say.
Me: (Looking at an RS8) Wow, nice car.
Them: That one belongs to Chris Collinsworth, you know he used to be a Bengal before he went to law school and before he became a sportscaster.
Me: I knew that, I remember when the Bengals went to the SuperBowl even.
Them: Ancient history.
At this point, my "horizontal" salesperson clearly thinks he and I have been friends or at least more than aquaintences for the conversation goes into one tangent after another, none of them having a damn thing to do with Audis or selling cars for crissakes.
He gives me his card which proclaims he was an Audi Ambassador and sold $5,000,000 dollars worth of cars for the past three years in a row. He has been with dealership since the discovery of tires and has a bunch of commendations pertaining to his accomplishments.
When I ask if I can test drive a car, he literally gives me the keys to a new fill in the blank and says, "take your time, do you have any questions now, or do you want to talk after the test drive?"
Now, I am NOT complaining, but I call this the "horizontal sales person" as if I have to wake him up to focus him on helping me buy the freaking car. I thought it was just ONE guy at one particular Audi dealership.
But, in our town, at least, the Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, Mecedes, Volvo, Saab (a moment of silence please), Acura, VW and even ONE Cadillac dealer are all horizontal. Talk about ultra low key, you have to wake them up to sell the car to you. WAKE UP!! I am ready to buy the freakin' car! Yet, when pressed into focus, these guys do seem MOSTLY to know a lot about their products -- it is just as if they went to the sales school that was based on rapport, relationship buidling and grace.
To this DAY I still get a very nice, apparently hand signed, Christmas card from the Mercedes rep and my Audi dealer even called to with me a happy new year and never once talked about cars, until I brought it up.
My experience with Chrysler dealers and most GM dealers (except for one Cadillac dealer) made me adopt the term "lot lizard." So, I elect to visit the horizontal sales reps and over time my wife and I have been invited to have dinner with their (husband or wife) spouse, and not somehow turn it into a sales thing.
This behavior has come to be, I now believe, what the CUSTOMERS want -- for, how in the wide wide world of sports could these folks sell $5,000,000 dollars worth of ANYTHING unless they built relationships.
Another persepctive. . . .duly reported.
01-05-2010, 02:18 PM
#46
AudiWorld Member
... Such a majority of car salespeople are tools. I woulda ripped a fart right then and there and asked whether the microfiber seats come with methane repellent.
01-05-2010, 03:28 PM
#47
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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If you want to make that $100 from me all I ask is that you know something about the cars, respond to my email and phone call and treat me with respect. You aren't just competing against other brands, you are also competing with other dealers who sell the same car. Why should I purchase my new car from you?
If you can answer that honestly, back up your reasons with facts and take care of me after the sale, you have a customer for life. I'm sure you guys get so focused on the next sale that you forget the people who just bought from you. Stop, don't do that.
I'm sure there are a few wonderful car salesmen out there. I actually had one at Stoddard Porsche Audi. However most are the type who will tell someone with a 750 credit score their interest rate is 9% because their score came back at 625. The next salesmen who tries that with me is getting the whipping of a lifetime with an Audi car jack.
Oh and by the way, I shouldn't have to let you make an extra $100 off the sale to be taken care of later on. Great, you make an extra $100 on the sale and I get a $50 off coupon for my next service costing $1,500 or more. Thanks Mr. Salesmen.
01-05-2010, 03:50 PM
#48
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I know why you dorks just blast out e-mails, you think it puts you in a power position. It's because you were picked on in school, but now you have a good job, but you still don't have the self esteem to interact on a social level, or negotiate in person. You don't think it would be possible to create a civilized relationship with a salesperson - or any person for that matter, because your nerd *** would have to swallow a bit of pride and let your guard down. You feel taken advantage of and unable to move on from that one time in grade school when you were the recipient of the Super Wedgie and you were wearing tighty whities.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
I don't care anyway. Your new money *** doesn't know the meaning of good service and you never will.
I just can't resist responding to this. It's because I make $150 per hour, work 50 to 60 hour per week and don't have the time to waste to visit 4 different dealerships, interact with 4 people who lost their job managing the local tilt-a-whirl at the carnival and now want to sell cars. I'm busy, I have a life and little patience for people (salesmen in general) who are more interested in their faux gold watches and leisure suits than selling me a car.
I send the emails out on cars I'm interested in not just for the best price but also to see which salesmen is hungry for the sale. The cat who responds the quickest is to me, a motivated seller. Which to me means a good, fair deal lacking in pretense and BULL**** GAMES.
The idiot who doesn't respond within a reasonable period of time loses the sale. Sure you guys might get a number of email requests and I understand that. When I send an email I always say the same thing:
"I'm interested in your blank year blank model advertised on cars.com. I see the price is listed at blank which I feel is pretty close to fair. If there is negotiating room I would like to test drive the car and purchase it within 3-5 days. Please respond at once."
330-XXX-XXXX
myemailaddress.com
If a car salesmen can't see the intent in that they should go try another profession like bowling or bingo. Dumb@$$ it has nothing to do with not wanting to or not being capable of interacting with people. It has everything to do with not wanting or being able to waste time stepping into your dealership and playing your stupid games. We avoid coming into the dealership to avoid you. Yes, you. Your mother may love you but we don't. Therefore we don't have this innate need to socialize with you or anyone else that is going to attempt to highjack our hard earned money.
Want me to come into the dealership? Fine, leave the keys on the conference table. I'll pick the car I want and leave you a check for what I feel is fair. This way you can make your money, I can simplify the process and spend the time I saved learning how to socialize at the JuCo that you flunked out of.
01-05-2010, 07:21 PM
#50
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I know salesmen aren't getting rich doing this. And I can understand they put up with a lot of BS customers wasting their time. I won't even fault you for not knowing if the premium plus package has auto dimming mirrors. I just ask, that if you are selling Audi's you've at least HEARD of the model I'm interested in.
BTW, I am a computer programmer and I have to memorize a hell of a lot more than the equivalent of 60 car models. This is your profession, it shouldn't be treated like a hobby.
BTW, I am a computer programmer and I have to memorize a hell of a lot more than the equivalent of 60 car models. This is your profession, it shouldn't be treated like a hobby.