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Comment by Brian Bennington on October 2, 2015 at 3:47pm

Greetings Mr. "Fire Guy,"  Once again, I started my day watching your blazing rhetoric and, no kidding, if I was a sales trainer, you'd be the man I'd emulate!  This post is right in line with what I discovered when I began in the car business.  Fortunately, I learned how to sell long before then, successfully doing organs and pianos, a non-essential luxury product with pricing that closely paralleled vehicles, but with a mark-up more akin to jewelry   Yes, you were lucky to begin your career at a dealer that understood their responsibility to train.  But, that doesn't seem to be the case at most dealerships.  My initial impression of the business was a "bunch of macho-driven cowboys" who "moved the metal" but didn't know "dick" about the art of selling.

I hate war stories, but my first GM, who told me his only other "management experience" was running a stockade in the Navy, did something worth retelling.  Having been there three months, I knew the "personalities" enough that I often worked the desk as much as the customers.  Anyway, I presented an signed offer that was $1000 less than the customer told me they wanted to pay, but I told them to do it so I'd have room to "negotiate" it up to what they were willing to spend.  So, I take the offer to this GM; he looks it over and then tells me "you've got a deal."  I then politely suggest I'd like to work it a little more.  He slams the 4-square on the desk and says "No, don't try for any more money."  You can imagine my customers' surprise when I told them "I was tough" and got it for $1000 less than they offered.  I was a hero, but it cost the dealership $1000.  Needless to say, I moved on within three months.  This dovetails into the "meat" of your post, which I wholeheartedly agree with.   "Don't work for idiots!"

(Of note, with that fire background, your jacket looked great, but stick with bright colored shirts like the pink one.)

Comment by DealerELITE on October 2, 2015 at 12:11pm

Amen ! Excellent advise Alan