Death of a Salesman, has the day arrived?

Let me share with you my experience, as a customer, intent to purchase a new 2012 vehicle. My name is Ernie Kasprowicz, General Manager and Partner of AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC. We are a company focused on staffing auto dealers with quality people within all departments and provide enhanced job skills training programs. We have conducted over 11,000 salesperson recruiting programs over the course of 13 years. My background is from retail auto, starting as a green pea salesperson through F&I, sales, general sales and general management responsibility. I have now worked for AutoMax for the better part of 13 years. I have seen a lot. What I have experienced recently in my pursuit to purchase a new vehicle for my personal use is both shocking and disturbing to me.

I am a person who purchases a new vehicle, maintains it and holds on to it for as long as reasonably possible. I shop thoroughly before making a final decision. I am not locked into one particular brand or model and take the time to investigate my options. For my most recent purchase I visited more than 7 dealerships test driving 10 vehicles. The good to great news is that anyone involved with representing a new vehicle has a great product to sell. They are ALL really good, offering features and benefits that are very close in comparison.

What is the bad news? I didn’t meet a salesperson in the bunch. Not one. Oh, to be sure, a “salesperson” approached me, “showed” me the car, took test drives and even “worked” numbers. But, not one had a real clue of how a professional salesperson should interact with a customer. What I experienced was the laziest attitude towards customer service and desire to separate their product or dealership from the pack. My 14 year old daughter knew more about the vehicles we went to see from reviewing the factory websites than from anything we gained while at a dealership. Sure, we got to see how the seats folded, how doors opened or closed and all the in-cabin technical gadgetry. What I didn’t get was a why I would benefit from owning any one particular vehicle. I understand things have changed since I last sold a car. But, really? Can anyone explain why there were not comprehensive feature benefit presentations, no understanding of what other makes and models I may be considering and how the vehicle I am looking at compares. No walk and introduction to the service department as a means to build value for long term satisfaction. No real enthusiasm or effort during or after my visit to earn my business and become a customer of that dealership.

And then there is the price. All started at basically invoice and in some instances went down from there. What the heck is going on here? It’s not as if they knew what I do for a living…they never asked! So, I guess from a customer point of view I did get a great price. And that is my question. Is it all about price anymore? Has it really become lowest price wins and nothing else really matters? Well, nothing else matters because nothing else is sold. I was given no other reason to do business with any one particular dealership or to purchase their product rather than another. Whatever I knew about the vehicle going into the process was the same going out. So yeah, you better offer the lowest price. I got the impression each salesperson figured they would make a mini at best, and gave me mini in return.

Why is everyone so reluctant to spend a dime on professional sales training? What can possibly be the harm in having a thoroughly prepared sales team? A team of people who, on an individual level, know more about every vehicle they sell and know more about every competitive model than any customer could possibly know? How can it be a bad thing for salespeople to follow a sales process that includes a warm, sincere, professional greeting to the dealership? Since when is it wrong for a salesperson to express real joy and enthusiasm for the products they sell and the dealership they work for? As a consumer, I want to know why xyz stomps the competition! And I want it to be factual. The amount of inaccurate information I was given was appalling. It’s ok to say I don’t know. I already know you don’t care enough about your profession to actually prepare yourself.

So it comes to management. Who is running the store today? Why do you deny yourself the opportunity for real success? From what I’ve seen your stores are selling cars. But those are to people who made the decision to buy your product and from you, despite yourselves. I am quite certain few were swayed by anything presented to them other than low price. Are these harsh words? I don’t think so. They are straight observations. And, before it’s said the sample size was very small and in a small geographic location, let me share this: AutoMax conducts shopping reports throughout the country on more than 20 dealerships weekly, and the level of sales skills is dismal.

Do we really need salespeople anymore? It would appear as if not. Has the day arrived where the online pricing models such as TruCar have won the day? If I am to be told otherwise, then management and ownership better invest in their human assets. Otherwise, being a salesperson will be reduced to menial labor wages. Why pay more?

9 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Glenn Wilkins on March 9, 2012 at 2:08pm

Great Article Ernie !! I see this ALL the time. Fortunately i have some strong Dealers that demand the processes not being short cut and they seem to be doing Very well. On the other hand ive seen the Dealers that let the animals run the zoo and those seem to be the one using "Price" as the selling tools.

Permalink Reply by mike holmwood on April 19, 2012 at 8:53am

once again craig to the rescue

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on April 20, 2012 at 9:09am

We are trying,Mike
mike holmwood said:

once again craig to the rescue

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on April 20, 2012 at 9:09am

Both are true Glenn

Glenn Wilkins said:

Great Article Ernie !! I see this ALL the time. Fortunately i have some strong Dealers that demand the processes not being short cut and they seem to be doing Very well. On the other hand ive seen the Dealers that let the animals run the zoo and those seem to be the one using "Price" as the selling tools.

Permalink Reply by Brittany Walker-Cooper on April 20, 2012 at 9:33am

I love this! It may even be in my GSM's inbox soon...

But Craig- that is exactly what our dealership is working towards! I'll post a blog about it once we've been "live" for a month & let everyone know how it works for us.

Craig Lockerd said:

Excellent,observation and comment Abe......The F&I part is outside the box for sure...be interesting to revisit that and see how it's working

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on April 20, 2012 at 10:00am

Outstanding Brittany!
Brittany Walker said:

I love this! It may even be in my GSM's inbox soon...

But Craig- that is exactly what our dealership is working towards! I'll post a blog about it once we've been "live" for a month & let everyone know how it works for us.

Craig Lockerd said:

Excellent,observation and comment Abe......The F&I part is outside the box for sure...be interesting to revisit that and see how it's working

Permalink Reply by Richard Emmons on April 20, 2012 at 1:38pm

What a experience, Ernie,

I believe salespeople that treat a potential customer as if they were a member of there own family and actually tell them that up front will make the buying experience not only easier to close but can hold more gross. We all know that selling your self 1st, then the dealership will make the sale. Now if the entire dealership incorporates this concept through out the sales process, all departments will benefit and the customer will send future business. Like.... "Treat everyone like they will be dead at midnight (Og Mandino - 1990) It will be difficult to say" no" to a dealership salesperson that actually does this. http://books.google.com/books?id=iR3XIgmL-4wC&printsec=frontcov...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylU9_DJdny4

This type of structured training will certainly help.

Attachments:

Brochure+changes1.doc, 2.5 MB

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on April 20, 2012 at 3:19pm

I just got back from helping one of the Pastor's of my church buy a car from a friend of mine who owns a small used car lot.Two man operation and loose as a goose...but I got to tell you people coming in and out of there like crazy buying cars,service,customer brought in a "Breakfast Pizza" When the deal was done and paid for,it was so much fun there,we didn't want to leave.

Buying cars/Selling cars CAN be fun...it's all about the culture and that culture starts at the top!

Permalink Reply by Richard Emmons on April 20, 2012 at 3:51pm

Great sales deal for all. Love it!

Permalink Reply by Scott Klein on June 5, 2012 at 6:07pm

Has the Death of a Salesman arrived? I'd say it arrived years and years ago...say back in the 80's. What's the biggest difference in the car business today compared to the early 70's and earlier? Choices as in manufactures, makes, models, dealerships and jobs. When there was only the "Big 3" there was less choices as in manufactures which in turn there were fewer dealerships (which equated to less makes and models), which in turn there were fewer sales positions, which in turn there were better more competent salespeople that made an above average income.

You had to have a little more than a heartbeat to get a car selling job back in the day. Just ask Joe Girard. As Ralph stated in his post, car salespeople were making "bank" selling cars back then; probably more than most doctors and lawyers. Today the business is so watered down with so many different manufactures and dealerships that finding good quality people is a challenge. I agree with Craig, "Training is the key." What's the old saying, "Tell a man how to fish and you feed him for a day. Show a man how to fish, and you'll feed him for a lifetime." Is it possible to create an industry (the car business) whereby we have more qualified applicants pounding down our doors, pleading for a job than positions available?

Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on June 28, 2012 at 12:24pm

Thanks for commenting Scott. I say yes, it is possible to create an industry where there are more qualified sales applicants than positions available. Why? For one, demand. While there is some conversation that fewer young people are as interested in owning their own vehicle as compared to in the past, current and foreseeable demand in respect to auto sales is increasing. The profession is and will continue to be an opportunity for a long career.

The question becomes what value does the sales position bring to the actual sale of the vehicle? If it is considered to be of nominal value, then that is what salespeople will be paid. If so, we will continue to see very little effort in respect to attracting and training the best and brightest. If, however, the sales professional is valued as an essential component to the sale of an automobile, and paid accordingly, that would then become the starting point of attracting the best and brightest. And that is the crux of the challenge. Is the industry willing to invest in training and developing the Best and Brightest available talent?

Scott Klein said:

Has the Death of a Salesman arrived? I'd say it arrived years and years ago...say back in the 80's. What's the biggest difference in the car business today compared to the early 70's and earlier? Choices as in manufactures, makes, models, dealerships and jobs. When there was only the "Big 3" there was less choices as in manufactures which in turn there were fewer dealerships (which equated to less makes and models), which in turn there were fewer sales positions, which in turn there were better more competent salespeople that made an above average income.

You had to have a little more than a heartbeat to get a car selling job back in the day. Just ask Joe Girard. As Ralph stated in his post, car salespeople were making "bank" selling cars back then; probably more than most doctors and lawyers. Today the business is so watered down with so many different manufactures and dealerships that finding good quality people is a challenge. I agree with Craig, "Training is the key." What's the old saying, "Tell a man how to fish and you feed him for a day. Show a man how to fish, and you'll feed him for a lifetime." Is it possible to create an industry (the car business) whereby we have more qualified applicants pounding down our doors, pleading for a job than positions available?

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on June 28, 2012 at 1:37pm

Take any store,any product line,any location,any pay plan...the below ave,poorly recruited and trained salesperson will make lousy money,ave salesperson that was recruited "ok" and with some training will make ave money,top salesperson that was recruited in a professional manner and received professional initial and ongoing training will make huge money.

There are more actual dollars in the world today than ever before,who is getting it and why? Provide excellence and the consumer will pay for it,always has,always will.

Longggggggggg time ago when I sold in the 70's we got $20 flats....but I did get to drive a Plymouth Satellite