Really skeezy dealer experience...had to share...

Sometimes it really is an embarassment to share the same title as others in this business. A great piece of advice I got 16 years ago when I first started. "God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen more than you speak"

Here is a salesman that talked himself right out of a sale.

 

Great insights here. SWO3ES, thanks for recounting this.

It has been a while since I have been involved in retail sales, but I have learned that it helps -- when in that capacity -- to first of all seek to meet the needs of the customer (I mean REALLY), to listen to what they are saying, pay attention to customer body language also (especially when you, the salesperson are talking) to see if you are addressing the things that THEY are concerned about, and to readjust your approach as you continue to read them. It helps to actually like people and to actually want to help them to accomplish a purchase that is reasonably satisfying to get what they need from it (which is usually more than just the product involved; it is also what the product MEANS to them; just see all the "emotional energy" on this forum; I pity the fool of a salesperson who doesn't take note of this).

To a salesperson, it may just be another car. For the customer (like me), it may be the first time they have purchased a car in 10 years, and they have been planning this purchase, and looking forward to it, for six months. If, as a salesperson, we can't see what the product (and the purchase experience) means to the customer, we are just not getting it. Not to mention the potential baggage from that previous purchase that they may bring with them to your dealership . . . and to you!!

The other point where I think many salespeople lose the customer is when they approach the point of sale. Some give up and suddenly disconnect, and get dismissive ("Now I've got your cash . . . please go away").

I have found that when people are preparing to part with their hard-earned cash, you need to be aware of a natural defensiveness, vulnerability, and to some degree a need for affirmation that they are doing the right thing . . . for their reasons, not mine. It is an emotional moment, and it is that moment that will be the lingering one they take with them out the door. If you take these emotional reactions personally, or refuse to understand the reasons why they are expressing them, then you really miss a great opportunity to forge a sense of trust, confidence, and future business opportunities with them.

Some, quite frankly, you are more than glad never to see again! There are always exceptions -- people who just want to mess with you, manipulators, or just people who need to feel the power of the "good deal" -- an ego need, but real nevertheless -- that, if you learn how to observe and meet that need without compromising your own dignity or purpose . . . you are after all, attempting to sell them something . . . that you can turn things around with them.

And most of this is accomplished simply by listening to the customer, considering carefully what they have said and what their body language is saying, and realizing that with all sales there is an emotional energy for all concerned. The more you are aware of this, the better things go, and the more likely you are to make a sale . . . and establish a good working relationship that opens the possibility of future business. Anyway, just some thoughts . . . and this from a guy who is trying to convey how important it is to listen!!

 

I actually had a bad experience as well, but not because of the salesman, because of the markup. My salesman was decent, not too pushy and totally honest (as far as I could tell). When I mentioned that I would never buy a car marked up over MSRP, he even commented that it was pure profit for the dealer and made it difficult for him to move the cars.

 

I wish I could say, from my personal experience, that your experience was the exception and not the rule. But, I can't.

I have probably bought over 30 new cars and I can only recall 2 deals where the salesperson acted like a professional and not a used car salesman (no offense).

 

Thanks for your post!

They must be desperate with the 3 other Toyota dealers all within 15 miles of each other!

 

Thanks for the post, Steve. Like you, I haven't absolutely made up my mind to buy a 2010 and I really want to see one with the solar roof -- because if I do buy, I'm getting the roof. I also want to see all the colors -- have seen sandy beach, blue ribbon, and silver so far. I've really been getting the runaround concerning the solar roof -- as I recounted in an earlier thread -- and it's quite annoying when it's obvious that not only is the salesman not listening to anything you've said but keeps just making up stuff.

 

Man, some great posts on this thread. As a Toyota salesperson, I always try to stay cognizant of the points made about. I test drove a competitors product recently, and the salesperson horrified me. He said that he had been selling for over 20 years, and in a way it showed. He talked NON-STOP, using all of these worn out pre-packaged lines like "Feel free to try everything except the airbags" then would laugh immediately. The poor guy was on autopilot the whole time, spouting sound bites from a dusty 8 track player running in his mind.

I thought to myself "If I ever turn into a caricature like this, I hope someone shoots me!"

 

Funny, I went to the Toyota dealer near me to look at a 2010. They had one on the lot. The salesman was yak, yak, yak, how great the 2010's were. After I looked at it, and told him I liked my 2009 better, he grew silent the rest of the time.

 

I hate "breaking in" a new saleperson. I don't want to be talked down to and I want to be open about profits and markups. In return I don't have a problem allowing them to make a profit. Just don't lie to me.

My salesperson recently was promoted to Sales Manager but I am working directly with him anyway. I also have a sales person at the Ford and Nissan dealerships that I like. As for the Prius if I didn't buy it off of my salesperson I would have shopped the Ford Fusion Hybrid with the other saleman I like to deal with.

Cadillac has lost deals with me a couple of times due to the salespeople

 

Just the usual stuff, although I fail to grasp how a 2009 can be favored versus a 2010 that is miles ahead in every area...

 

The differences in dealerships are big.Fremont Toyota is up to its old ways again .... accessorizing Priuses, Prius II marked up $32k with do dads.Toyota Sunnyvale is very professional. No markups, no accessorizing unless you want that. No high-pressure sales tactics.

 

WoW, that's more than $1500 than my Prius V w/ NAV. Why would anyone pay that?

 

I've been reading a book called "Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play" by Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig. It really is great insight on how to move off of the solution and focus on identifying the customer's issues, quantifying, and qualifying them. Who knows, maybe the right solution was another model. The salesguy was so fixated on the solution "Sell them a Prius", he didn't take the time to understand why are they looking as well as recognize the yellow flags SWO3ES raised. Perhaps management is responsible with some type of "Don't let them leave without selling them a car!" edict. Or the experienced salesperson has had little or very poor training. In either case, the cost of sales and opportunity lost is high.

This book has taught me a great deal about the art of selling, listening, and asking the right, sometimes tough, questions.

 

I have the utmost respect for people in sales but car salesman will always get a bad rap because of guys like this. I always give a dealership two chances with a sale. If the first guy is pushy or arrogant. Then I ask what his days off are and come back that day and try another salesman. If the same tactics are used then I know that these guys were trained that way and quickly leave.

My biggest pet peeve is when a salesman acts like your wasting his time if you don't write a check that day. Car dealers are ghost towns right now they should be happy to see any life forms walk in the door.

 

I wanted to take the opportunity to express my sincerest apology for the poor experience that you endured yesterday at Jim Coleman Toyota. There is no excuse for the behavior of the salesperson you dealt with. My name is Patrick Coleman and I am currently working as a salesperson at my family’s Toyota dealership here in Bethesda. There is nothing more discouraging and frankly embarrassing than reading about the unprofessional encounter that you had at our dealership. As a salesman with a personal interest in the long-term success of our dealership, your poor experience weighs heavily on me. In every organization the indiscretions of one salesperson can often overshadow those that are working hard to do the right thing. My father and I both read your honest account of what occurred yesterday and we are to say the least extremely disappointed. In fact we will be reading your posting at our next sales meeting as a prime example of how not to handle a customer.
In a world of first impressions, I am not asking for a 2nd opportunity to earn your business, but I did want to reassure that such encounters do not go unnoticed here at Jim Coleman. I appreciate you having a voice in bringing to light what happened yesterday and I wanted to again apologize on behalf of Jim Coleman Toyota and the Coleman family.
Sincerely,
Patrick Coleman
Jim Coleman Toyota

 

WOW, this forum really gets noticed. Like I said earlier, give these guys another chance to earn your business. Now use this letter as an opportunity to save some cash and get free stuff.