Car Sales as a Career change?

riverrat321 · 15-11-2012, 04:41 PM

Hi everyone, I am working in the Security Industry in a job I hate and am considering leaving very shortly. I have worked my way up into Management, but changes within the Company have wrecked what was once a good place to work. I am considering trying to get a job as a car salesman as I enjoy dealing with people and love cars. I actually worked as a Trainee new vehicle sales consultant about 12 years ago and loved it. What worries me is the possibility of low pay, long hours and not making targets. Is there anyone here currently working in this profession? I would be interested in what hours are worked and what an average salary would be including commisions?

Chopped · 15-11-2012, 04:47 PM

Just make sure you are selling Toyota Hiluxs or Mazda 3s and you should be fine.

Prepare for weekend work but if you worked in security you probably do that anyway.

On a side note : It's amazing how many car salesman wouldn't have a clue about the cars they are selling.

riverrat321 · 15-11-2012, 05:38 PM

Yeah I was told they are selling heaps of new Mazda at the moment. I hear Toyota sales are mainly fleet cars and not private buyers. I don't know how true that is? I'm happy to work weekends, but I would like to work a 40 hour week and not the 60 hours i did before on average. Its suprising that a salesman can make a living if they don't know their product.

Franco Cozzo · 15-11-2012, 05:42 PM

How does one get into car sales? I'd be interested in considering it later down the track after I've done my apprenticeship.

Kable72 · 15-11-2012, 05:42 PM

Wouldn't reccommend it as people put you in the same social group as theives and murderers. IF you know your stuff, you can make a lot of money and if you're good with words that's even better.

duaned · 15-11-2012, 05:51 PM

Once you sign on the payroll you will instantly become one of the most hated people in the eyes of the public. You get less hate for murder!

Smoke Pursuit · 15-11-2012, 05:52 PM

You need to try and get a motor salesperson certificate first. Depends on the state your in but that's what you need in QLD. Once you have the certificate it should not be hard to find a job. Some dealers will help you get a certificate, most will require some background in sales / customer service to, so if you can prove that you have dealt with customers previously they will take that on board.

There are guys out there selling cars earning near on 100 kay a year selling Fords and Holdens, you just have to work your rear end off to do it. Most of the guys on the big coin work 6 days a week... but keep in mind it takes years to build a customer base...

Don't expect to sell 20 - 25 cars a month straight away.. Most dealers will set targets and pay your commission based on those targets, there will even be some cars that pay better commission simply because the boss wants the car off the stock ledger.

Finally try and look after finance brokers and any accountants that come your way as they will refer you clients if you do the right thing.

As for the comments above ignore them. Not everyone in the industry is bad, try and do the right thing by people because we all know happy people will refer their friends and family, one person alone could mean 10+ sales a year to you if you do the right thing by them!

strobe · 15-11-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kable72

Wouldn't reccommend it as people put you in the same social group as theives and murderers. IF you know your stuff, you can make a lot of money and if you're good with words that's even better.

Didn't think people held them in that higher regard, I thought it was more down at the lawyer/real estate agent level.

BENT_8 · 15-11-2012, 06:11 PM

My brother started selling new VW's in Wagga 4 years ago.
He came from a retail background selling beds of all things.

Before he started selling cars he knew absolutely nothing about them, what he had going for him is his ability to make people feel comfortable opening their wallets.

He's always had the gift of the gab, could easily sell ice to eskimo's.

He's in Brisbane now and is making a killing.

If you like dealing with people go for it.

flappist · 15-11-2012, 06:48 PM

Things to be aware of before you start.

1) Most people are nothing like you and will want to buy something you think is silly. Trying to talk them out of it and onto the "right path" will just lose you a sale.
2) It is a job not a hobby. You will have to do many things you do not like.
3) It is very competitive and your worst enemies are the other sales guys.
4) It will be very hit and miss and you will have to think fast and move faster.
5) A reasonable understanding of psychology, especially body language, will be extremely helpful.
6) Selling is a skill like singing or artistic painting not a trade. If you do not have a natural aptitude no amount of training will help.
7) It is you vs the world. If you are comfortable in a union or public service environment you will probably not have a good time.

Try it. You will either fly or you will crash and burn but whatever you do it will be because YOU did it, no one else.....

riverrat321 · 15-11-2012, 06:53 PM

Thanks for that everyone. I will go around to some of the local yards on my next days off and see if I cam pick something up working 5 days a week and see how I go. i often regret leaving the job I had at the car yard when I was younger. I loved the place (but the other half hated the hours).

Simple6 · 15-11-2012, 07:03 PM

I work in sales at the moment for mobile phones and contracts and I've learnt very quickly (I manage a team) is that so long as you tell the whole truth (don't leave anything out) then rarely you'll have a problem. It's so much better to have lost a sale than to have left out a crucial piece of info just to secure the sale - but have months of work and lost $$$ to the business created when you have to fix what you've done.

As hard as it is with the boss on your back - I just say hide nothing that will affect the customer, it just makes life easier in the long run!

Let us know how you go - I've always been interested in following a similar route as I think, like I think you do, that having extensive knowledge of the product you're selling is invaluable to sales & customer experience.

riverrat321 · 15-11-2012, 08:03 PM

My neighbour is a mobile phone salesman (or sales manager) and said he is on a base of $54,000 + commission. He said he looked into working in a car yard but they would only give him a base of $50,000 so he stayed where he was. He said he is now looking at leaving because of the struggle to meet increasing targets. He knows nothing at all about cars so I thought it strange he would want to work in a car yard. he does have the gift of the gab though.

Windsor220 · 15-11-2012, 09:14 PM

If you want money do used cars. All of our salesman are on a good income where I work. Over 100k and they aren't busting a gut. Long hours though. 6 days a week plus a 9pm finish on a Wednesday.

Also I dont think I have ever met a car salesman in my 13 years experience that knows anything about cars. Its not required if you know what to say.

riverrat321 · 15-11-2012, 10:30 PM

Thanks Windsor, I didn't think of used cars (probably because I have never considering purchasing a used car from a dealer and I assume others would be the same. Is used cars any harder to get into than new?

4DBOSS · 15-11-2012, 10:36 PM

yea if u have the gift of the gab u dont need to know alot about cars tbh

when u ask them technical questions, they usually dont know how to answer

zdcol71 · 15-11-2012, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Things to be aware of before you start.

1) Most people are nothing like you and will want to buy something you think is silly. Trying to talk them out of it and onto the "right path" will just lose you a sale.
2) It is a job not a hobby. You will have to do many things you do not like.
3) It is very competitive and your worst enemies are the other sales guys.
4) It will be very hit and miss and you will have to think fast and move faster.
5) A reasonable understanding of psychology, especially body language, will be extremely helpful.
6) Selling is a skill like singing or artistic painting not a trade. If you do not have a natural aptitude no amount of training will help.
7) It is you vs the world. If you are comfortable in a union or public service environment you will probably not have a good time.

Try it. You will either fly or you will crash and burn but whatever you do it will be because YOU did it, no one else.....

It is you vs the world, and if ,as a salesman, you cannot sell them either that which they do not want, or that which they do not need, you will probably not have a good time. (Ps. no disrespect to anyone who may be a used car salesman, but please, if anyone thinks salesmen are NOT trained in the art of subterfuge and mastery of psychology and understanding of body language (people have a natural aptitude for this??), then reflect on all the times when some jerk has walked up to you with his outstreched limp wrist and said "This car is just maaaade for you"!!!
I'd rather be a unionist (or at a pinch ,,,a public servant)!!

Poetic Justice · 16-11-2012, 02:31 PM

I currently manage a sales department at a Toyota dealership and have been in the industry for nearly 7 years now.

Your concerns are pretty normal. Most dealerships will pay the award rate per week, the hours can be long but not normally. I work a 5 day week these days, as do all of my sales guys unless we are performing well below the expected level. We work every Saturday, no Sundays and usually have a set day off during the week. There are a lot of dealerships which trade Sundays which I would avoid, as there are plenty who don't operate Sundays also. Even the automotive industry has started to believe that its important not to work exhuberant amount of hours in order to keep staff fresh and in good spirits.

Making targets, well, if you haven't had much experience then your targets shouldn't be too high, and it should be noted that a good sales manager will make it his priority to ensure you learn to perform well because it benefits him just as much as it would benefit yourself. At least this is how I operate.

@Chopped; it's true. Sales staff are generally clueless and I believe a good, successful sales person whilst he has good sales ability, can be an amazing salesperson by employing good product knowledge. I was the state product champion for Toyota in 2010.

Re Toyota being mainly fleet sales, that may be for some big metro dealerships, I work in a suburban dealership and I would have to say that 80%+ sales here are of a private nature. As Toyota is big on it's volume, the profit levels may not be as high as other brands with smaller dealer networks and therefore can be harder to make bigger earns.

@Big Damo; it's not that difficult. Finding good staff in this industry is a pretty hard task. Employing someone who can manage himself/herself in a professional manner seems too much to expect these days. Not to mention relying on staff not to tell lies, be a general idiot or try to tell people about product knowledge they simply do not have which leave customers thinking we are a useful dealership. It is an annoying part of trying to manage a sales department. A couple of things I would look at in a potential candidate is someone who has stability in their background and hasn't worked at 20+ jobs in less than 10 years, someone who presents well, can speak easily and has a drive to succeed. Obviously experience counts, but sometimes experience may not necessarily be a good thing.

@DASH GT; in Victoria no sales certificate to work in Victoria however you do need to pass a police check for fraud.

@flappist; #6 I disagree with. I was a terrible sales person for a good couple of years. Absolutely hated it. Slowly and surely I chipped away with it and here I am now in charge of a team of 4 sales guys.

If you really want to do it, my advice is:

If you don't mind it, sell used cars to begin with. You have an opportunity to get experience selling cars whilst making good profits to begin with. When you master sales, get into new cars, the profits tend to drop but you should be good enough to sell volume at this stage, then if you can you'll eventually get promoted if you're good.

If I had my time again, I'd be working towards working in a prestige dealership. The perks of driving nice cars, earning good coin to boot.

**cs123** · 16-11-2012, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

6) Selling is a skill like singing or artistic painting not a trade. If you do not have a natural aptitude no amount of training will help.

I agree with everything Flappist wrote, especially this one. I work with a few salesman in my line of business. Amazing the difference in natural ability makes to selling. Some guys come across just so well.

You can train techniques, but you need that natural ability to start with.