Author Topic: salesmen product knowledge  (Read 1053 times)

Offline gmc251960

  • Learner's Permit
  • *
  • Location: edmonton
  • Posts: 3
  • Carma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
salesmen product knowledge
« on: November 06, 2011, 08:58:11 pm »
went to a ford dealer today met the sales guy, about 60 years old and told him i wanted to see a ford focus 5 dr hatch se. so we went for a walk and he took me the fusion first. i said a focus 5 dr hatch so went walking again and he leads me and my wife to the fiesta sedan. this time my wife tells him, no we want to look at the focus 5 dr hatchback and he tells us that the fiesta is pretty much the same car but much better deal. i told him, no thanks have a good day. my god don't these guys know anything about the product they are selling?

Offline SapphireSeo

  • Learner's Permit
  • *
  • Location: Ottawa, ON
  • Posts: 81
  • Carma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Standard Transmission
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2011, 10:06:24 pm »
It could be that he was just over zealous about particular cars and was trying to push them on as many people as he could. Or maybe he was told to push them because they were on the lot too long or over stocked...?

Still, I've had my share of less than productive conversations with salesmen. During high school, I had to interview one for an assignment. The guy had been employed by Toyota for a grand total of 24 years, and happened to know only half of what my teacher expected him to. He couldn't even tell me the company's policies or procedures for sick days or family crisis. He simply explained to me, "I've never taken a sick day"... in 24 years. Well, I guess that explains why everyone in his family is still alive too. Thanks for wasting my afternoon. The lease you could do is donate some blood samples for medical research.

Offline 2latecrew

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Dartmouth NS
  • Posts: 1133
  • Carma: +6/-2
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2006 Infinity G35X, 2007 Nissan Sentra (AKA The Toaster)
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2011, 11:41:22 pm »
There are 2 possibilities:
1.He doesn't know his products.
2. He doesn't have a 5 door hatch on the lot so he's taking you to see something he can sell.

Its really doubtful that they don't have any 5 door hatches from what I've seen around so my guess is that he's just a typical sales person where they hire them throw them on the floor and say sell...if he doesn't work out they just hire another one no big loss since they have 0 investment.

Just another example of why sales people bring no value to the customer.

Offline 5 Wheel Drive

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Ottawa
  • Posts: 1443
  • Carma: +48/-5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: '09 Subaru Forester Touring 5 speed, '07 Mazda 3 Sport GS, '07 Kawasaki Versys
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2011, 09:09:34 am »
I can still remember being about 14, and being in a local Chev/Olds/Cadillac dealer with my Dad while he was car shopping.  While he was looking at Celebities (his taste has improved since then!), I looked at a new Cadillac Allante.  A sales woman came over and tried to tell me that it was a Corvette underneath.  I don't think she appreciated being told that she was wrong by a 14 year old.
"This is no Playstation, this.  There is no reset button if you get it wrong.  You just go through the pearly gates...on fire!"   -Jeremy Clarkson

Offline blur911

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Kingston, On
  • Posts: 2509
  • Carma: +37/-70
  • Shake the Baby
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2011, 11:36:58 am »
I can still remember being about 14, and being in a local Chev/Olds/Cadillac dealer with my Dad while he was car shopping.  While he was looking at Celebities (his taste has improved since then!), I looked at a new Cadillac Allante.  A sales woman came over and tried to tell me that it was a Corvette underneath.  I don't think she appreciated being told that she was wrong by a 14 year old.

I can't see an Allante or hear the word without thinking of Christina Applegate and her Bundy Bounce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ42g0kR28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WudtxbnqR4


Offline richink

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Location: Grand Valley, ON
  • Posts: 377
  • Carma: +0/-1
  • Gender: Male
  • Prepare yourself... this is gonna hurt!!!!
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2011, 12:00:34 pm »
Totally a guy trying to sell you what he has not what you want and it's a typical domestic car selling technique. I once spent 8 weeks trying to sell Chrysler products back in the mid-90's. Overly complex ordering system compounded by long delivery times if something had to be ordered. Solution - sell them what you have. Result - intelligent buyers did exactly what you did, they walk.

Guys like that are no better than cheap used car salesmen although there are usually 2-3 guys like that in every domestic showroom across the country. He's been there for 40 years and everyone within a 40 mile radius buys from him.
Richard - that's my opinion and I stand by it.

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Bethlehem
  • Posts: 40872
  • Carma: +141/-51
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2011, 12:40:33 pm »
I'm first in line fer the "ALLANTE BOUNCE".......... 8) :rofl: :rofl2:....it's way better than ya "THINK"......... ;)
THERE IS NO CURE FOR "LOTUS"......ONLY TREATMENT.....

Offline articsteve

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: ON
  • Posts: 15055
  • Carma: +31/-163
    • View Profile
  • Cars: Hobbie Car: 1990 944S2
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2011, 01:35:35 pm »
He couldn't even tell me the company's policies or procedures for sick days or family crisis

 :rofl2:
“Frankly, we are not going to ever defeat the insurgency,”     Billions for jets and pennies for vets; Harponi is MAGNIFICENT.

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Bethlehem
  • Posts: 40872
  • Carma: +141/-51
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2011, 05:33:37 pm »
He couldn't even tell me the company's policies or procedures for sick days or family crisis

 :rofl2:
...



 2Days OFF  for every NON Al Gore purchase.......... ::) :P ;D

Offline rrocket

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: My house
  • Posts: 18665
  • Carma: +81/-89
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2011, 05:41:31 pm »
It could be that he was just over zealous about particular cars and was trying to push them on as many people as he could. Or maybe he was told to push them because they were on the lot too long or over stocked...?



Or maybe he was just a facking idiot....
How fast is my Supra?  I sh*t on Cessnas from a roll....

Offline ktm525

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: against the eastern side of the rocks
  • Posts: 4964
  • Carma: +5/-0
  • Just walk away!
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2011, 05:55:26 pm »
or drunk.

Offline Juke1

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Ottawa
  • Posts: 2226
  • Carma: +2/-27
  • Gender: Male
  • member
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2011, 06:09:16 pm »
In 08 before we bought the Sentra I looked at the Elantra, I asked the salesman how much?  He comes back 5 minutes later and says $188, in hindsight I should have asked him how that is over 48 months. ;D
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do. - Dale Carnegie

Diversity is not about how we differ.  Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness.  -Ola Joseph

Offline GapBoyPCS

  • Learner's Permit
  • *
  • Location: Waterloo, ON
  • Posts: 34
  • Carma: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2011, 09:47:28 pm »
Depending on where you are in Canada, finding a Focus can still be hard -- even after production issues that snagged things early on (from dashboards to paint, planned two-week shutdown in July, etc.). It sounds like the salesperson (or even dealer) wanted to entertain trying to find the right vehicle for the OP, which usually means a dealer trade and whatever politics are behind those situations.

***
I still remember one time when I took my car in for servicing, my salesperson was there. He apparently left the dealer, went somewhere else, but came back. All I remember that day was him just chatting me up, but then decides to lean up against a Mystichrome Cobra. At that point, I wasn't even tuning in to what he said. All I could think of was the guy possibly scratching that $4K unique paint job (well, $4K for the paint and seats).

Another time, I had a salesperson who was brand new on the job and was doing the best in answering questions and such. I saw the salesperson going into guides and brochures, which really didn't bug me. When we got talking more about features, configurations and pricing, the salesperson dropped the bomb saying we had to stop, and that their dealership policy is to only go into all that if they knew I was serious i.e. laid down a cash deposit right then and there. Odd since I was other dealers of the same make and they were helping me out all the way without wallet in hand. It was the first time I actually walked out of a showroom. I felt bad since it was the salesperson's first day, but I was totally caught off-guard with needing money just to price out something. ??? I still have yet to step back into that dealership, even when I was shopping for my latest vehicle.

Offline richink

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Location: Grand Valley, ON
  • Posts: 377
  • Carma: +0/-1
  • Gender: Male
  • Prepare yourself... this is gonna hurt!!!!
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2011, 08:27:02 am »
the salesperson dropped the bomb saying we had to stop, and that their dealership policy is to only go into all that if they knew I was serious i.e. laid down a cash deposit right then and there.

Excuse me? Putting down a deposit just to get a quote? RUN, don't walk away from there. The only time I put down a deposit is when you've got a deal ready for me to sign Mr. Dealership, anything before that I won't be forced into doing anything with you.

Offline sailor723

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: NB
  • Posts: 3819
  • Carma: +84/-60
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: '11 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec '11 BMW 328iXdrive
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2011, 07:45:11 pm »
You think that's bad. Our local VW dealership wanted a deposit before thay'd even make the phone call to see if a Touareg in the colour/trim I wanted was available from a NS dealership!
My first ever GM ownership experience  can best be described as   "Fool me once...."

Offline mrthompson

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: County of Northumberland
  • Posts: 7309
  • Carma: +9/-3
  • Gender: Male
  • Resident Dingus
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2011, 12:32:22 pm »
the salesperson dropped the bomb saying we had to stop, and that their dealership policy is to only go into all that if they knew I was serious i.e. laid down a cash deposit right then and there.

Excuse me? Putting down a deposit just to get a quote? RUN, don't walk away from there. The only time I put down a deposit is when you've got a deal ready for me to sign Mr. Dealership, anything before that I won't be forced into doing anything with you.
That happened to my brother in law as well as my friend at Kawartha Dodge.

Offline No H2O

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Canada & the Alps
  • Posts: 2284
  • Carma: +0/-2
  • Gender: Male
  • Alps Adventurer
    • View Profile
    • Alex's BMW Motorcycle & Global Touring Page
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #16 on: November 11, 2011, 09:13:15 am »
my god don't these guys know anything about the product they are selling?

Come on now; he was only 60. It takes a while to figure all of the models out.
What you won't find in my car is a coffee, cigarette and a cell phone. What you will find is a driver; imagine that, a driver in a vehicle. What an effing concept!

A car has to do more than just perform; it has to stir your soul!

A true driver's car does not have cup holders.

Offline No H2O

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Location: Canada & the Alps
  • Posts: 2284
  • Carma: +0/-2
  • Gender: Male
  • Alps Adventurer
    • View Profile
    • Alex's BMW Motorcycle & Global Touring Page
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #17 on: November 12, 2011, 06:24:44 pm »
So I happen to be driving by a dealership of interest and stop by.

The salesman admitted he just started there and didn't know the line all that well. No big deal as I've been browsing over the manufacturer's web site anyways.

Whats with the full name, address, phone number and e-mail routine? Same old...same old...nothing has changed. I just want you to get the damn keys so that you can open the damn car and so that I can sit in the damn model and damn trim level I'm considering...ie, I want to see what I am getting. As for the phone number...."oh, but we won't call you"; then what do you need my number for? Huh! :think:

I'm glad I don't have to do that with a toaster. There is the car. There is the cash register (just like for that toaster), I pay and off I go. I'll register it myself and send in the forms for warranty...just like I do for that toaster.

And whats with the need for a salesman? Have one on hand that just goes for test drives with the customer.

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Bethlehem
  • Posts: 40872
  • Carma: +141/-51
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #18 on: November 13, 2011, 03:38:29 pm »
 ??? ::)  Didya BUY  THE TOASTER ROASTER....................

Offline Cord

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 3532
  • Carma: +11/-13
  • member
    • View Profile
Re: salesmen product knowledge
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2011, 01:32:09 pm »
Some of these guys are complete morons.

Some pretend to be complete morons and sell tons. Some of these older guys get away with things that would get a 30 year old a punch in the nose. Years ago I worked with an old guy that would just mumble his way through the whole process and had almost zero product knowledge. None of us could understand anything he said so the customers certainly couldn't either We would laugh our asses off wondering what these customers were thinking buying from this guy. He has been at this same dealership for 18 years now and must be close to 80 years old. He has been the top salesman there for the last 10 years, selling about 200 rides a year. Some things are a mystery.  :)

Guys like this would drive everyone here absolutely nuts. And I'm sure his boss couldn't care less.