Anyone here had experience in New Car Sales?

[MCS_80]

Gday everyone,

Its that time in life again. A career move forward to my major purpose of retiring in 15 years.

This move will help bring together a few enjoyable jobs ive had in the past and also tie in my hobby.

Car Salesperson.
Ive had a love of cars all my life and have also thoroughly enjoyed sales while working with Doors Plus a few years back. I have been in customer service for the last 2 years now working an a niche call center where we deal with people on the phone all the time and always helping customers with their problems.

Car Salesperson seems like the natural choice for me, so im on the look out for an ideal Show room to submit my resumes into.

Do you have New car sales experience? If yes, what was your experience?

What is the potential income for a new car salesperson in Victoria?

Is there a licence of any kind I need to get to be able to sell cars in a dealership?

How different is car sales compared to retail sales? In previous sales jobs I have had to visit clients at home etc, so im expecting the same with new car sales to get the sale when needed.

Any help, advice and encouragement appreciated.

P.S. I turn 30 in May, so I consider myself still young enough to get a good hold of another sales job and make a go of it.

Cheers

Mick

 

[goonandtell]

a good mate and flat mate in the last house i was in did new and premium used.

It is possible to walk into a prestige brand but rare, most people start at a volume supplier e.g. Toyota, Mitsi, Ford, Holden, etc...
Base wage seems rather average which may affect your serviciblity on loans
Between 5% and 15% commission on the PROFIT of the vehicle
Very long hours 8:30 to 6 6 days a week
If you do hit a very big dry spell they may boot you out.
Managers often seem to be senior sales people who where there the longest rather than actual managers so sometimes have the motivational and managerial ability of a drink bottle.
You generally get a few car to drive around in.
You will rarely get a saturday off (again very anti property)

 

[happy]

Hey there, I used to sell new Holdens in Sydney. I loved the job, but the industry is very cut throat. If you dont perform in the first few months, you're out the door. I saw three people let go while I was there. But seeing as though you have sales experience you will probably do well. Definately don't wait for positions to be advertised. If you find a dealership you are interested in, go for it and give them your resume - they will appreciate your tenacity and enthusiasm.
Hours were long, usually 8-6pm and later if you were negotiating with a client. And the norm for the industry is a 11 day fortnight. 11 days straight, then 3 days off. A usual day would include setting up yard presentation first thing in the morning, opening cars, balloons etc. Then the rest of the day is doing your own prospecting (cold calling etc.) and talking care of walk-ins as they arrive. You pretty much run your own routine. You can do as little or as much work as you like - but the more work you do, the more sales you get, and the more money you can make. This is what I liked most about the industry - if you work hard, you will make the money. All the other lazy buggers get fired!
After a trial period you will probably get a company car - which is great. You will attend car launches and sales confrences. I cant remember my base wage but I recall it was just enough to pay the bills. I could get by if I didn't sell in the fortnight, but only just. The commission structure is different with every dealership but it is usually tiered - so the more cars you sell, the higher the percentage of the profit you will get. There will usually be a sales meeting at the beginning of the month where a sales target will be set for you based on industry average and your experience. This is were the pressure lies. Some dealerships will let go of people that dont meet their target in the first month. My dealership gave people a second chance the following month.
My advice would be to learn everything you can about your product and your competitors products. This is where I had an advantage. I knew my stuff inside and out and it was this knowledge that would get me the sales. You would be surprised how useless most car sales people are - I found it easy to shine!
What I loved most about the job was the psychology. Trying to work out a buyers motivation, and then play on that motivation to get them to say yes was thrilling for me. I found it such a rush to sell something worth so much money.
Anyway, if you have more questions I would be happy to help -PM me if you want.
Cheers,
Happy

 

[MCS_80]

Thanks for the advice

This has helped with my desicion process a lot.

There are a few pro's and con's running through my head still, however, I have not much to loose and a whole lot to gain by moving forward so making a choice wont be too hard.

If anyone else out there has had success in New Car Sales please speak up now, or for ever hold your peace.

Cheers

Mick

 

[catcha]

Just to Add to previous comments its a very cut throat industry, I use to do it back in my younger days, 10 years ago I'm now 32, I worked new cars. Like you I love cars and fast cars. It soon becomes pretty boring cold calling previous customers that have brought 3 years ago, And trying to see if they are interested in trading up.

Half the day your doing nothing just waiting for people to walk in. Either at lunch time on there break or after work when they finish at about 4.30. normal 8.30-6.30 10hrs days and 8-3 on Sat. Get paid about if your lucky now $500 after tax rest s commission, work on percentage basis start off with 5% for the month, margin on a Holden around 3g back then take 5% and your get $150 per car before tax. If you sell 10 cars in this month, your next month percentage for profit margin is 10% you sell 15 cars this month and you be on 15% next month. your target is sell at least 10 cars a month to make it worth while not to get fired.

I use to work with a guy, been in the industry for years all his life, couldn't even spell, but had the gift of the Gab and could sell anything to anyone. I on the other hand got sick of the hours, everyone screws you on price so you have to drop it for a sale, that equal less commission for you. Later in life I decided I still love cars and became a service adviser, another big mistake long hours like selling cars and your in the firing line when there are issues with peoples brand new cars.

One thing I did notice are the Finance and insurance people in the car yard. Sales person does all the hard work to get them to buy, they take them to see the Finance person. They put in a few figures in the computer and say hey this is the rate at blah blah, it will cost you this much to own. Then customer says oh think it too much, and finance person says just buy 1 less slab of beer and you be fine, done deal. no sweat like the poor salesman that has worked on this customer for 2hrs

So that's my take on car industry. Really if your going to do that why not real estate may do slightly more hours and getting clients is up to you as well but if your good you be laughing. commission is better than what they pay selling cars.

I seen 3 people that I know go from retail sales to real estate 2 have done very well 1 went back to retail sales, as it really didn't suit him brilliant retail sales person always on top, but in real estate if you don't sell you don't eat just like cars.

Hope this helps

 

[MCS_80]

Thanks for the info catcha

I have considered real estate, and it would sure help with my future IP plans.

Have not ruled anything out as yet.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Mick

 

[happy]

Just to Add to previous comments its a very cut throat industry, I use to do it back in my younger days, 10 years ago I'm now 32, I worked new cars. Like you I love cars and fast cars. It soon becomes pretty boring cold calling previous customers that have brought 3 years ago, And trying to see if they are interested in trading up.

Half the day your doing nothing just waiting for people to walk in. Either at lunch time on there break or after work when they finish at about 4.30. normal 8.30-6.30 10hrs days and 8-3 on Sat. Get paid about if your lucky now $500 after tax rest s commission, work on percentage basis start off with 5% for the month, margin on a Holden around 3g back then take 5% and your get $150 per car before tax. If you sell 10 cars in this month, your next month percentage for profit margin is 10% you sell 15 cars this month and you be on 15% next month. your target is sell at least 10 cars a month to make it worth while not to get fired.

I use to work with a guy, been in the industry for years all his life, couldn't even spell, but had the gift of the Gab and could sell anything to anyone. I on the other hand got sick of the hours, everyone screws you on price so you have to drop it for a sale, that equal less commission for you. Later in life I decided I still love cars and became a service adviser, another big mistake long hours like selling cars and your in the firing line when there are issues with peoples brand new cars.

One thing I did notice are the Finance and insurance people in the car yard. Sales person does all the hard work to get them to buy, they take them to see the Finance person. They put in a few figures in the computer and say hey this is the rate at blah blah, it will cost you this much to own. Then customer says oh think it too much, and finance person says just buy 1 less slab of beer and you be fine, done deal. no sweat like the poor salesman that has worked on this customer for 2hrs

So that's my take on car industry. Really if your going to do that why not real estate may do slightly more hours and getting clients is up to you as well but if your good you be laughing. commission is better than what they pay selling cars.

I seen 3 people that I know go from retail sales to real estate 2 have done very well 1 went back to retail sales, as it really didn't suit him brilliant retail sales person always on top, but in real estate if you don't sell you don't eat just like cars.

Hope this helps

Well that's quite a negative take on the industry! Dont let it discourage you. If your good at selling and thick skinned, you will do well I'm sure. As I said in my personal message - it is not hard to do well. There are so many useless and lazy sales people in the industry. If you put the effort in, you will sell cars and make good money. But you largely work by yourself...your day is your own and you need to be motivated. There is absolutely no need to sit in the show room all day waiting for the walk-ins - that's a waste of your time and unproductive. What I like most about the industry is that you can run your own routine, you run your own business within the dealership. I approached it from that angle and divised marketing strategies to get me more business. And you need to do the prospecting work so that your whole day is full of appointments with people coming to see you to buy their car. There's a number of ways to prospect and cold calling is only one.

Everyone screws you on price.... not neccessarily. If the client is buying from you purely on price I would agree, but they dont. You have to be competitive for sure, but a number of my clients said they purchased from me because of my professionalism, service and knowledge. Buyers are motivated by more than price alone and finding out their buying motivation is the most important aspect of qualifying the client. It is often said that people will buy because they like you, the car comes second. I know that sound ridiculous but I believe it to be true.

Anyway, good luck!