SAINT OR SINNER

King of Salesmanship

The automotive sales consultant is the "King of Salesmanship". He is proud of his job, talented friendly, tactful, knowledgeable and a scoundrel.

He works long hours, works on commission, is insulted and cursed. Yet he earns a living envied by many professions. Although he may seem "dumb", he is always in control. He knows who you are and what you are before you talk to him.

He has the difficult job of meeting, greeting, selling and closing customers on a percentage basis unequalled in our society. The competition and bargaining his industry fosters make him a psychologist, sociologist, mechanic, clerk banker and nurse maid all in one.

An industry manual best summarizes him with this: "Yes brother you said it, with all their faults they keep the wheels of commerce turning and the currents of human emotions running. More cannot be said of any man or woman. Be careful whom you call automotive sales consultant least you flatter the him or her."

Although their personal pride is high, their public image couldn't be lower. There is the story of the discontented high school teacher who when hearing the income potential of a automotive sales consultant took a job at a local dealership with stars in his eyes and emotions running high, he visited his parents to tell them the " good " news. " I'm so happy, "he told his parents, I've just got a new job! " I got a job as a automotive sales consultant. "He beamed " Oh, no!," his mother sobbed. " He's gone off and joined the whores, where did I go wrong O! "

People still entertain visions of the high - rolling , semi drunk, skirt chasing car salesman who can charm the most challenging customer but fails to keep his marriage together. Although this image persist, the tide is changing . Today's automotive sales consultants are frequently college graduates bucking for a job in management. They use the lurid , flamboyant sales techniques of their predecessors, but they use them psychologically. They can have you sighing a sales order without knowing you have a pen in your hand.

Professional sales management firms conduct thorough and expensive seminars for automotive sales consultants, sales management and dealers.

The name of the game is professionalism with pressure. Automotive sales consultants have drawn methods from psychology, business, marketing, advertising, philosophy, and science. They study body language, graphology, transactional analysis. By the time they have endured a year in the business they have an arsenal of information at their finger tips.

So the war may be the same , but the soldiers are not. When you begin that process of buying a new car, remember: you are dealing with a "pro."

"Understand him and you won't lose. Try to fool him and you'll end-up screwed"

I.C. Collins

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