Son looking to go into car sales
Discussion
Would be very grateful for some guidance here please, my son would like to have a career in car sales, he would like a sales apprenticeship , do they exist ? I see Jaguar and Land Rover do something, I am encouraging him because it's nice to see a youngster who would rather do an apprenticeship than go to university, other than searching on the web not found much, spoken to few car dealers such as BMW and Ford feedback was pretty uninterested, guess they need to sell cars via the minute the car salesman walks in the door. Just trying a few of the used car boys, seem a little more positive but I am not sure he won't just be a car cleaner (which is fine if it does not end there).
Thank you for any feedback
Thank you for any feedback
I got into car sales 6 years ago at the age of 19. Applied to a local Citroen dealer when I saw a 'trainee Salesperson' job advertised in the paper. Was there 3 years but the dealer group were cowboys so applied and got a job at a Honda dealer. Persistence is key - get him dressed up in a smart suit and tie and go round asking for Sales Managers to give CVs to. Dealers are always keen for fresh young sales people as they dont have any bad habits etc. The only downside I'd say is the hours - you don't get much time off at the weekends which sucks as a young person. For example, I get a weekday off and one weekend a month. If he's into cars and wouldn't mind the hours then go for it!
Wacky Racer said:
The turnover of staff in "volume" dealers seems very high to me..Ford/Vauxhall etc, certainly in my area....(North West)....not many seem to stick it more than two/three years.....
Not really a good sign...(unless they have left for better paid positions elsewhere)
On the contrary...two to three years for a sales role I'd say is exceptional. I'd expect six months to be a good tenure for this kind of job frankly.Not really a good sign...(unless they have left for better paid positions elsewhere)
I would try to steer him away from it, or temper his expectations. It's often a rubbish industry, run by prats and cowboys with crap money and poor rewards for those at the bottom. There are plenty of other things for a bright lad to sell in which he could do far better, especially if he is from the apparent background you appear to have been able to furnish him with. I'm guessing he has a bit more about him than your average shiny suited greasy haired car salesman?
Wacky Racer said:
The turnover of staff in "volume" dealers seems very high to me..Ford/Vauxhall etc, certainly in my area....(North West)....not many seem to stick it more than two/three years.....
Not really a good sign...(unless they have left for better paid positions elsewhere)
One of my customers is business manager for an Arnold shark renault place,he says he doesnt bother learning new starters names as most dont last 3 months.Not really a good sign...(unless they have left for better paid positions elsewhere)
I think if they can sell a lot will move onto better things quite quickly.
Its a hard job at first but chuck him in and see if he can swim,if it suits the rewards are good.
Thank you all for the replies , I will show him when he comes home this week end, having spent 75% of my life in sales I know it's not easy but salespeople are often the forgotten heroes IMO after all they get. Kicked the hardest but actually few businesses would survive in any industry without them.
If I describe him it may help, passion for cars, quite laid back, takes pressure very well, a personable character , not what I would call in anyway aggressive , more that's a nice bloke I would like to buy a car from him type !
I was thinking maybe a Saturday sales helper first and see how it goes.
Again thank you all
If I describe him it may help, passion for cars, quite laid back, takes pressure very well, a personable character , not what I would call in anyway aggressive , more that's a nice bloke I would like to buy a car from him type !
I was thinking maybe a Saturday sales helper first and see how it goes.
Again thank you all
I was like your son when I started out in the trade,doing driving,number plates,pricing etc. Helped me starting from the ground up, after 4 yrs I knew behind the scenes inside out. I saw trainees cone and go constantly! Now I'm 25 and have been working for a blue oval main dealer selling since 2012. It's ok but the hours and money are terrible unless your a ruthless ignorant pig.
I liked cars, and all the rest of it. I sent my CV round to all the local dealers, got a lot of thanks but no thanks, and a couple of interviews, eventually I got a job with MINI which is a great brand, or was when I was there.
However the hours, the lack of any sort of passion you need to have for cars to be any good (I've said this before, but we all regularly got sold under the table by a girl with big knockers who couldn't tell you where the coolant went), and the fact that actually its not all that well paid even if you do sell a few cars made me jack it in and move to advertising
However the hours, the lack of any sort of passion you need to have for cars to be any good (I've said this before, but we all regularly got sold under the table by a girl with big knockers who couldn't tell you where the coolant went), and the fact that actually its not all that well paid even if you do sell a few cars made me jack it in and move to advertising
I'm 29, run my own used car dealership now stocking 50+ cars.
Started off at 18 as a trainee sales person for a Fiat franchise as part of a local (biggish at time) motor group.
The sales manager at the time was very young and had started in the industry from a young age, I showed I was very keen, quite bright and very hungry!
I lasted there for 6 months and followed the SM to a new venture setup as a Fiat main dealer, spent 5 years there working as a trainee upto salesman and then my final role there was commercial sales manager.
I left to go to a MB dealership part of an international motor group, because the pay was better!
Left there after 3 years to setup my own.
Hunger for sales and achievement, eagerness to learn, being helpful, friendly willing to teach and most importantly patience! Qualities required to make a good salesman.
Selling Fiats was what I enjoyed the most, the money wasn't the best, the cars weren't the best but the sense of achievement drove me to consistently achieve high numbers.
It's just a game, and you get better the more you play especially when you're part of a good team.
Started off at 18 as a trainee sales person for a Fiat franchise as part of a local (biggish at time) motor group.
The sales manager at the time was very young and had started in the industry from a young age, I showed I was very keen, quite bright and very hungry!
I lasted there for 6 months and followed the SM to a new venture setup as a Fiat main dealer, spent 5 years there working as a trainee upto salesman and then my final role there was commercial sales manager.
I left to go to a MB dealership part of an international motor group, because the pay was better!
Left there after 3 years to setup my own.
Hunger for sales and achievement, eagerness to learn, being helpful, friendly willing to teach and most importantly patience! Qualities required to make a good salesman.
Selling Fiats was what I enjoyed the most, the money wasn't the best, the cars weren't the best but the sense of achievement drove me to consistently achieve high numbers.
It's just a game, and you get better the more you play especially when you're part of a good team.
deckster said:
On the contrary...two to three years for a sales role I'd say is exceptional. I'd expect six months to be a good tenure for this kind of job frankly.
I'd disagree. I know plent of sales people that have been with the same dealership for between 5-20 years.Andy Zarse said:
I would try to steer him away from it, or temper his expectations. It's often a rubbish industry, run by prats and cowboys with crap money and poor rewards for those at the bottom. There are plenty of other things for a bright lad to sell in which he could do far better, especially if he is from the apparent background you appear to have been able to furnish him with. I'm guessing he has a bit more about him than your average shiny suited greasy haired car salesman?
Being bright and having your head screwed on makes a great salesman. The 'shiny suited great haired car salesman' image is dying out and is being replace with people who have great product knowledge and work hard to earn a very good wage.AshCos said:
I was like your son when I started out in the trade,doing driving,number plates,pricing etc. Helped me starting from the ground up, after 4 yrs I knew behind the scenes inside out. I saw trainees cone and go constantly! Now I'm 25 and have been working for a blue oval main dealer selling since 2012. It's ok but the hours and money are terrible unless your a ruthless ignorant pig.
Ash, I'd say you're at the wrong dealer for you the mate. I work with a great team of professional people who not only want to make a good living but also want people to have a great experience and actually be happy.You're probably working at the exception rather than the rule I would guess. So how would this young lad set about finding the right dealership to work at?
Most of the ones in my long experience as a customer are run by buffoons.
My view remains that there are far more interesting industries and products to sell with greater remuneration possibilities.
Most of the ones in my long experience as a customer are run by buffoons.
My view remains that there are far more interesting industries and products to sell with greater remuneration possibilities.
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