Anyone with experience of main dealer sales roles?
Discussion
As I rapidly approach 50, I find myself with 25 years of experience in marketing and product management in financial services. It's a good job/career in many ways but the thing is I don't enjoy it and haven't done for a long time. I also find it very stressful to the point that it's impacting on my mental health. I've felt like I need a career change for a few years now but haven't quite been able to find the right thing.
Now a trainee Sales Executive role has come up at a main dealer near me. I have zero sales experience and zero motor industry experience but the motor industry is where my passion lays. As a student I applyed, unsuccessfully, for a place on the graduate schemes of all the motor manufacturers who offered them, before falling into a career in financial services. I don't consider myself a natural sales person, at least not in the old skool sense of a shiny suited wide boy foisting dodgy motors on unsuspecting punters by any means necessary to bump up the sales numbers. But I think those days are long gone, particularly in the more corporate world of main dealers.
We bought a new Hyundai Tucson earlier this year and the sales guy we dealt with was everything I think I could be in a similar role - professional, courteous, knowledgable, a good listener, proactive but not at all pushy.
Am I mad to be considering this? They tell me the salary is £22k for the traineeship period, which will be a minimum of 6 months. That would be a massive drop from my current salary but it would be doable for a limited period. After that they tell me earnings are likely to be £35k-£65k depending on sales, so likely to be a drop in pay from where I am now but, again, perfectly do-able.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has experience in this type of role. What are the best and worst things about the job? Would you recommend it to others? What are the key things you need to be successful?
Now a trainee Sales Executive role has come up at a main dealer near me. I have zero sales experience and zero motor industry experience but the motor industry is where my passion lays. As a student I applyed, unsuccessfully, for a place on the graduate schemes of all the motor manufacturers who offered them, before falling into a career in financial services. I don't consider myself a natural sales person, at least not in the old skool sense of a shiny suited wide boy foisting dodgy motors on unsuspecting punters by any means necessary to bump up the sales numbers. But I think those days are long gone, particularly in the more corporate world of main dealers.
We bought a new Hyundai Tucson earlier this year and the sales guy we dealt with was everything I think I could be in a similar role - professional, courteous, knowledgable, a good listener, proactive but not at all pushy.
Am I mad to be considering this? They tell me the salary is £22k for the traineeship period, which will be a minimum of 6 months. That would be a massive drop from my current salary but it would be doable for a limited period. After that they tell me earnings are likely to be £35k-£65k depending on sales, so likely to be a drop in pay from where I am now but, again, perfectly do-able.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has experience in this type of role. What are the best and worst things about the job? Would you recommend it to others? What are the key things you need to be successful?
TheGreatSoprendo said:
professional, courteous, knowledgable, a good listener, proactive but not at all pushy
I can't help you with specific experience but your comments here are exactly what makes you good in almost any walk of life and therefore a great persona to exploit when you move to a sales role as most of your customers will appreciate that approach and ultimately buy from you.I would have thought the stress from the role comes from targets and perhaps competitve nature of sales colleagues.
Good luck and definitely the right thing to do if your heart is not lying in the current career path & you can afford to switch.
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
I can't help you with specific experience but your comments here are exactly what makes you good in almost any walk of life and therefore a great persona to exploit when you move to a sales role as most of your customers will appreciate that approach and ultimately buy from you.
I would have thought the stress from the role comes from targets and perhaps competitve nature of sales colleagues.
Good luck and definitely the right thing to do if your heart is not lying in the current career path & you can afford to switch.
Thanks, appreciate it! I would have thought the stress from the role comes from targets and perhaps competitve nature of sales colleagues.
Good luck and definitely the right thing to do if your heart is not lying in the current career path & you can afford to switch.
TheGreatSoprendo said:
As I rapidly approach 50, I find myself with 25 years of experience in marketing and product management in financial services. It's a good job/career in many ways but the thing is I don't enjoy it and haven't done for a long time. I also find it very stressful to the point that it's impacting on my mental health. I've felt like I need a career change for a few years now but haven't quite been able to find the right thing.
Now a trainee Sales Executive role has come up at a main dealer near me. I have zero sales experience and zero motor industry experience but the motor industry is where my passion lays. As a student I applyed, unsuccessfully, for a place on the graduate schemes of all the motor manufacturers who offered them, before falling into a career in financial services. I don't consider myself a natural sales person, at least not in the old skool sense of a shiny suited wide boy foisting dodgy motors on unsuspecting punters by any means necessary to bump up the sales numbers. But I think those days are long gone, particularly in the more corporate world of main dealers.
We bought a new Hyundai Tucson earlier this year and the sales guy we dealt with was everything I think I could be in a similar role - professional, courteous, knowledgable, a good listener, proactive but not at all pushy.
Am I mad to be considering this? They tell me the salary is £22k for the traineeship period, which will be a minimum of 6 months. That would be a massive drop from my current salary but it would be doable for a limited period. After that they tell me earnings are likely to be £35k-£65k depending on sales, so likely to be a drop in pay from where I am now but, again, perfectly do-able.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has experience in this type of role. What are the best and worst things about the job? Would you recommend it to others? What are the key things you need to be successful?
I worked in Sales and Sales Management (Volvo) and Mrs R worked in Sales Admin for many years (BMW and Volvo). Sales roles are challenging, not least becasue a) you're only as good as your current month's sales and b) the successful sales execs (who can make big money) have built a sizeable bank of regular custom which gives them a steady commission income, which take many years. Now a trainee Sales Executive role has come up at a main dealer near me. I have zero sales experience and zero motor industry experience but the motor industry is where my passion lays. As a student I applyed, unsuccessfully, for a place on the graduate schemes of all the motor manufacturers who offered them, before falling into a career in financial services. I don't consider myself a natural sales person, at least not in the old skool sense of a shiny suited wide boy foisting dodgy motors on unsuspecting punters by any means necessary to bump up the sales numbers. But I think those days are long gone, particularly in the more corporate world of main dealers.
We bought a new Hyundai Tucson earlier this year and the sales guy we dealt with was everything I think I could be in a similar role - professional, courteous, knowledgable, a good listener, proactive but not at all pushy.
Am I mad to be considering this? They tell me the salary is £22k for the traineeship period, which will be a minimum of 6 months. That would be a massive drop from my current salary but it would be doable for a limited period. After that they tell me earnings are likely to be £35k-£65k depending on sales, so likely to be a drop in pay from where I am now but, again, perfectly do-able.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has experience in this type of role. What are the best and worst things about the job? Would you recommend it to others? What are the key things you need to be successful?
Sheepshanks said:
Aren't manufacturers changing (with varying degrees of speed) to an agency model?
At least for new car sales that must surely be the death of the job.
Not really. Most dealers will just have the 'Sales Executive' role become a 'Product Specialist' or similar.At least for new car sales that must surely be the death of the job.
They will still do 95% of the current SE role, Meet & Greet, explore needs, presentation, test drive, specifications, finance, part exchange appraisails, ordering cars etc etc. If dealerships do all go 'Agency' then the only thing they won't do it negotiate on the price!
OP, it's hard work. Especially (and I don't mean this to sound negative) at 50+ unless you are going to commit yourself fully. I have a team of 5 who have (mostly) been here for 15+ years each and they still have good months and bad months, challenges, issues and stress. Go for it, but it is a challenge to keep motivated every day, as highlighted above, you're only as good as your last month! Being a trainee withough (I assume) much of a database to work with, you are relying on the walk in business, which isn't as fruitful as it once was.
realistically a new 1st year sales exec is going to do £30k in his first year. Getting to £65k is nigh on impossible and requires you to have a long established relationship with one dealer, and selling to new customers and your previous customers, time and again. You also have to be the 'favourite' and get first call on the internet leads.
You'll be working 6 days out of 7 most weeks and whilst the work isn't hard, you do have to have a resilience to keep asking people for the business and getting knock backs.
You'll also be bored quite quickly as it's not intellectually demanding and some of your colleagues will be shysters.
If you have a financial services background, consider moving into car finance roles, these could be with a manufacturer directly - some actively look for people outside of the industry but with transferable skills. Although it's very competitive to get a job with a manufacturer and therefore not remotely easy.
Personally I'd put working in a dealership at the bottom of your list. If you really do want to work in the car industry, determine what transferable skills you have and see if you can work for an OEM or a supplier.
To qualify the above, I started my automotive career as a car salesman in the early 00's as a graduate, I then got very lucky and moved into an OEM environment where I remained for 20 years. I now work in IT but still within the OEM space.
I will correct myself and say, that if you took car sales as a 12month experience it might help you move into other roles in the industry as it will cover off some of the 'do you have any automotive experience questions' at interview.
You'll be working 6 days out of 7 most weeks and whilst the work isn't hard, you do have to have a resilience to keep asking people for the business and getting knock backs.
You'll also be bored quite quickly as it's not intellectually demanding and some of your colleagues will be shysters.
If you have a financial services background, consider moving into car finance roles, these could be with a manufacturer directly - some actively look for people outside of the industry but with transferable skills. Although it's very competitive to get a job with a manufacturer and therefore not remotely easy.
Personally I'd put working in a dealership at the bottom of your list. If you really do want to work in the car industry, determine what transferable skills you have and see if you can work for an OEM or a supplier.
To qualify the above, I started my automotive career as a car salesman in the early 00's as a graduate, I then got very lucky and moved into an OEM environment where I remained for 20 years. I now work in IT but still within the OEM space.
I will correct myself and say, that if you took car sales as a 12month experience it might help you move into other roles in the industry as it will cover off some of the 'do you have any automotive experience questions' at interview.
I have considered this myself over the years but I know a few guys that used to do it and left due to unrealistic sales targets.
One was left about ten years ago long before anything Covid related and started trading on his own.
Another guy I know used to work at a main dealer I used for years.
I saw him recently and he’s now working at a used car dealer.
The main reason he left was he wasn’t getting the bonuses he’d been used to because of the delay in supplying new cars.
He was selling the cars but until they are delivered he was on basic salary so couldn’t afford to stay there.
Don’t know if things are starting to improve or not.
Can’t speak from experience myself though.
Oh and be prepared to work some weekends.
One was left about ten years ago long before anything Covid related and started trading on his own.
Another guy I know used to work at a main dealer I used for years.
I saw him recently and he’s now working at a used car dealer.
The main reason he left was he wasn’t getting the bonuses he’d been used to because of the delay in supplying new cars.
He was selling the cars but until they are delivered he was on basic salary so couldn’t afford to stay there.
Don’t know if things are starting to improve or not.
Can’t speak from experience myself though.
Oh and be prepared to work some weekends.
Natpen79 said:
The main reason he left was he wasn’t getting the bonuses he’d been used to because of the delay in supplying new cars.
He was selling the cars but until they are delivered he was on basic salary so couldn’t afford to stay there.
A misstep that lots of dealers seem to have made!He was selling the cars but until they are delivered he was on basic salary so couldn’t afford to stay there.
We have been paying an order bonus on order (clawed back if cancelled!) then a delivery payment. It's cost us money, no doubt, but it has retained staff and kept them motivated.
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Out of interest and potentially useful for the OP, what are good roles to hold in a dealership? Parts, business manager etc? I also like the idea but no way can afford to switch in todays climate but perhaps in the future.
I spent 15 years in the motortrade but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, in any role. Loved the people I worked with, and having a fully equipped workshop to fix my crappy cars with. However the hours, pay, benefits and general attitude towards employees are crap compared to other industries.Beethree said:
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Out of interest and potentially useful for the OP, what are good roles to hold in a dealership? Parts, business manager etc? I also like the idea but no way can afford to switch in todays climate but perhaps in the future.
I spent 15 years in the motortrade but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, in any role. Loved the people I worked with, and having a fully equipped workshop to fix my crappy cars with. However the hours, pay, benefits and general attitude towards employees are crap compared to other industries.123DWA said:
I would say the hours are probably the biggest issue. It can be very frustrating sitting in an empty showroom at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon knowing you're still there for another 2/3hrs. Or working a Sunday and not seeing any customers all day.
Yep, this is my biggest gripe, same with bank holidays, I absolutely hate wasting a day.VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Fair play, grass often looks greener. I have 35 days leave a year + BH ontop and WFH with flexibility when I work. I don't think I'll ever beat the setup. Plus have a very highly equipped workshop at home. Probs best I keep it as a hobby.
Haha yeah try 8-6 on site, statutory holiday allowance and no sick pay. It’s amazing I lasted so long in hindsight!
Two things I'd say having sold cars for two years at a main dealer at a very popular brand at the time - passion for cars and selling new cars bare very little resemblance, for every M5 you may sell you'll sell 20 boring rep mobiles first.
The hours are awful.
The pay is awful.
You're typecast as a 'car salesman' - one step above estate agent and parking warden to most people.
The public are awful.
I agree with the bloke above, I had a laugh and was 21 or 22, the thought of going back to that now is disgusting. Having a Thursday off but having to work every saturday and a one sunday a month too, no thanks.
The hours are awful.
The pay is awful.
You're typecast as a 'car salesman' - one step above estate agent and parking warden to most people.
The public are awful.
I agree with the bloke above, I had a laugh and was 21 or 22, the thought of going back to that now is disgusting. Having a Thursday off but having to work every saturday and a one sunday a month too, no thanks.
Having done many years at main dealers and getting into that because i have a passion for cars and wanted to help people who were similar, almost no one had a passion for cars that wanted one. I worked with VAG cars, Vauxhall, BMW and then Porsche. The latter was the only car that I dealt with enthusiasts on. But... That wasn't for a main dealer, it was for an independent specialist .
Main dealers, as has been said you need a customer base to earn some money, this takes time. You'll be doing free (for your time) pizza evenings where a man from the Factory comes to talk to the customers (When in reality it's Barry from accounts, or whatever) and have fluid targets when your getting close.
By far, not an environment for a car enthusiast. But if you look at them as white goods and units to shift, you'll do fine.
The specialist on the other hand, best job I had. Worked up to Sales Manager, different Porsche (Or performance car) whenever I needed one, customers were enthusiastic, money was good, environment was high pressure but I was working under the chap that owned everything so s
t rolls downhill...
My advice, go for a specialist.
A lot of them don't really want car sales experience where you are already used to a certain way of working. A passion for cars and the ability to sell is more desirable. Certainly in the people we hired. The main dealer guys that had left actually didn't do very well in interviews with the criteria we wanted.
Main dealers, as has been said you need a customer base to earn some money, this takes time. You'll be doing free (for your time) pizza evenings where a man from the Factory comes to talk to the customers (When in reality it's Barry from accounts, or whatever) and have fluid targets when your getting close.
By far, not an environment for a car enthusiast. But if you look at them as white goods and units to shift, you'll do fine.
The specialist on the other hand, best job I had. Worked up to Sales Manager, different Porsche (Or performance car) whenever I needed one, customers were enthusiastic, money was good, environment was high pressure but I was working under the chap that owned everything so s
t rolls downhill... My advice, go for a specialist.
A lot of them don't really want car sales experience where you are already used to a certain way of working. A passion for cars and the ability to sell is more desirable. Certainly in the people we hired. The main dealer guys that had left actually didn't do very well in interviews with the criteria we wanted.
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