qtla9111
Monterrey, Mexico
Senior Member
Joined: 09/17/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
I can't believe that someone who wants to take my money can't give me basic information on an rv. They spend a lot of time sitting around and are not self-motivated. A good salesperson knows the product they are selling doesn't need the dealer to train them when all the information is available on the internet and via brochures, and they can and have the right to choose who they work for.
Why would I work for a company that has a bad reputation? Oh, you didn't check that before you went to work for them?
The beginning of the end.
We have a hilarious video taken of our first PDI, we purchased a Trailmanor in 2000. In the video I am showing the salesman, the largest TM dealership at the time in Texas, how to do the PDI. A training video of what not to do when you are an rv salesman.
2005 Dodge Durango Hemi
2008 Funfinder 230DS
Living and Boondocking Mexico Blog
|
Pokey2
Bel Marin Keys, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 11/13/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I am still wayne_tw wrote:Most RV customers are only interested in the floor plan and colors. A salesperson who would go into depth about anything else would probably scare off a potential buyer!
I disagree. I would hope for a salesperson who could go into reasonable depth as to any questions I have.
|
daveshan
Durango Colrado
Senior Member
Joined: 04/02/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Pokey2 wrote:
I disagree. I would hope for a salesperson who could go into reasonable depth as to any questions I have.
I would too, but when I was looking all I got was drones emphasizing the obvious features and limited (if any) knowledge on the systems.
My worst experience was trying to buy a used motor home via phone/email from a well respected consignment dealer in Houston.
We ended up going with a private party 2100 miles away who took pictures of things I was interested in and answered all my questions willingly. Sadly folks looking for new units just have to deal with sales drones who only know the hard sell and leave it up to buyers to do the research.
'99 Alpine 36SDS/8.3 ISC 330 Cummins
Or
'05 Lance 845
'06 Super duty SC/SB 6.0
Upgrades include: StabilLoads, Air Bags & Timbrens,Swaybars
Usually towing an '01 Wrangler, lifted/locked on 35"s or a mildly built '98 Cherokee on 33"s (only one locker)
|
mark1228
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
While reading through this thread you have to admit there is no way a salesperson can make all of us happy. Customers expectations and personality's are drastically different. This is what a good salesperson has to read and adapt to each customer. Many of the large dealerships have their folks trained to go about the sale the same way everytime and many of the smaller dealerships don't provide enough product training. I have been in retail dealerhips for 25 years and there is no shame in making a living selling.
The internet has changed sales a ton. Customers have so much more information than they did 10 years ago. Much of it is correct, but frankly much of it is not. When dealing with a type A person, product information is very important, for others it is not. Many customers know what they want when they call or walk in and don't want to hear a sales pitch, yet others want to know it all.
MANY salespeople at dealerships and many factory reps do not know their product and those ones should be ashamed of themselves. Knowing your competition is just as important.
I have read on this forum how some people like to go to shows or dealerships just to mess with salespeople and waste their time. Folks, these people don't make a living unless they sell something. Sometimes in sales, you don't want to launch into an hour long presentation unless you are pretty sure they are really shopping. We spend tons of time showing products to people that WANT to buy, but have never paid a bill in their life and can't get financed. In sales, you HAVE to qualify your customer to determine if they are legitimate. Sales is really about relationships and until you develop that relationship it is hard to sell something.
There are many dirt bag salespeople out there, but there are more honest hard working ones than bad. You only hear about the bad ones on forums like this. Remember the old rule- Make a customer mad and they will tell 10 people, make them happy and they will tell 1-2 people. There was over 200,000 new RV's and who knows how many used RV's sold this year. Thats alot of presentations, negotiations etc, yet there where not that many complaints logged on this site in the past 12 months.....must be some happy customers out there somewhere.
|
mister_d
Southeast, MI - hardly qualified to be a
Senior Member
Joined: 09/17/2006
View Profile
|
I needed my salesman to carry the keys and drive us out to the unit. I was able to find EVERY single piece of information I needed online BEFORE visiting the dealer. Between the company website, the company Facebook page, user groups, the company phone/email, and this site, I had everything I needed.
Welcome to 2012 ... we have a YouTube video for that.
2011 F150 4x4 Ecoboost 6.5 SCREW 3.73 Max Tow
2011 Lacrosse 296BHS video tour
Hensley Arrow
Me '77 DW '78
DD '04 DS '07
Maximus (slobbering camping buddy)
|
|
|
martipr
Haltom City, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 12/11/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Things the newbie should know: If the salesman's mouth is opening he is about to yawn or lie. If sound is coming from his mouth it is a burp or a lie. If he doesn't know the answer, he will lie. If he does know the answer he will still lie. One other thing to remember, the salesman is much more honest that the service manager.
Old Navy Chief (AOC) Retired Aircraft Mechanic/Inspector
2007 29' 27FBV Trail Bay V Series
2007 Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab 5.7 V8 3.92 Rear End
Reese Strait-Line Dual Cam Hitch
|
mark1228
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
martipr wrote:Things the newbie should know: If the salesman's mouth is opening he is about to yawn or lie. If sound is coming from his mouth it is a burp or a lie. If he doesn't know the answer, he will lie. If he does know the answer he will still lie. One other thing to remember, the salesman is much more honest that the service manager.
If they all lie so much, how do they get all the repeat business? Your statement is simply inflamatory and comes without fact.
By the way, after being in retail sales for the last 25 years I can tell you that I have been lied to many, many times by the buyer, so does that mean all customers are liar's? Of course it doesn't. If a guy like me lies every time my mouth is open, why do so many people return and buy from me again, without shopping any competitor?
|
FoCoNoCo
Fort Collins, Colorado
Senior Member
Joined: 04/24/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
martipr wrote:Things the newbie should know: If the salesman's mouth is opening he is about to yawn or lie. If sound is coming from his mouth it is a burp or a lie. If he doesn't know the answer, he will lie. If he does know the answer he will still lie. One other thing to remember, the salesman is much more honest that the service manager.
Sad to say, I think this is partly true, though some sale people are actually surprisingly honest....
|
linnemj
Northern Mississippi
Full Member
Joined: 05/07/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
I just retired from a sales management position after 33 years. My primary job was to train, coach, and evaluate my sales team.
My expectation when I am making a purchase is for the salesperson to be able to supply basic information about what they are selling.
Last year we went to a large, local RV dealer looking at Toy Haulers. All the saleswomen would say in each unit was "this is great space" and "can you see yourself in this space". She knew nothing at all about RVs. I asked her if she was a real estate agent before working at the dealer. Her response was "yes, how did you ever know?"
The lack of training and the lack of imitative for many RV sales personnel to learn anything about their products amazes and disappoints me.
Jim & Nicky
2012 Forest River XLR MBV 29
2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
Motorcycles!
|
wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
You hit it on the head linneml. I recall many many years ago I worked a Christmas season at a Radio Shack... I knew the products, (I am a certified electronics tech after all and a licensed radio operator, this was back when it really was Radio Shack, not cell phone shack as it is now) so could discuss the features with knowledge.. Did fairly well.
However, going back into the stores today.. "The answer Place" as they once advertised, Is full of folks who don't know a diode from a fuse.
Same with many other sales forces... As you pointed out. They do not train them nearly well enough. The service technicians at most dealerships could do a better job of helping you pick a rig.
That might be an idea. Next time you go RV shopping, visit the shop, find a technician that looks presentable and invite him to lunch at a nearby diner, Then get HIM to show you through the lot.
Side note: When I went in to contract to have a hitch adapter installed on my tow vehicle back in my trailer days.. The service consultant I sat down with was my.. Next Door Neighbor (And I might add he knew and worked on cars).
He had a Ford Truck and a dog named Chevy.. cause that Ford was NOT man's best friend. 
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
|
|
|
