Job Responsibilities
I sell cars over the internet!
Company provides leads that were submitted to various other
websites like Autobytel, cars.com, and our own website
(autonation.com).
I contact them via email and phone. I send them a window sticker
(typically in my second or third email) with the Manufacturer's
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) and my internet price.
I continue to contact the potential customer for up to 3 months.
If I get any response at all, I will continue to contact them
even beyond the 3 months recommended.
I typically have about 3-500 customers to work with at any given
time.
80 - 90% never respond but I can make a great living by selling
to the remaining 10-20%...
|
Job Requirements
You need to be internet and windows Savvy. You need to not be
afraid to try different marketing ideas. Some College and life
experience would be helpful as you still have to sell the car
(and yorself) (not just the price) once a customer arrives in the
showroom. When you do it right, it looks easy, people show up
and buy cars. What other people DON'T see, is the amount of work
required to get a customer to show up in the showroom in the
first place and potentially purchase a vehicle
|
Uppers
Selling the car. Lots of people interaction (although a lot of it is via email
rather than in person).
|
Downers
80-90% of the people who submit their information never respond
to any of your phone calls or emails to them.
|
Lifestyle
I'm not "on the clock". I frequently work from home in the evening to stay on
top of my emails / phone messages. I always have my cel phone on and encourage
potential and pas customers to call me at any time with any questions. Even on
my off day, I typically get 3-5 calls.
The best time to sell cars is when other people aren't at work. This means a
lot of weekend and evening hours. A side benefit of this is that I can be off
during the week. Plan on working EVERY SATURDAY and Most Sundays.
Since the hours are flexible, I get to eat breakfast with my daughter mostdays.
Also, I don't have to be at work until 10am and there really isn't a problem if I
want to come in at 11 or even 12 if I have something else to do in my personal
life. I can take 2 hour (or longer) breaks in the middle of the day if necessary
since I still have my cel phone and people can reach me. If I take too much time
off, my sales (and income) will suffer. This requires a delicate balance.
Dress code is semi-casual. In the summer, we wear golf shirts and in the winter
turtlenecks. Since I sell over the internet, I don't have to stand outside in
the freezing cold trying to be the first salesman to reach a potential customer.
The End of the month is always busier than the beginning of the month. Selling
one more car, even if you don't make much on it, can affect your total income as
income is based on volume to set your pay percentage.
There is little or no travel involved but you do have to take tests and
continuously educate yourself about new products.
There is almost ALWAYS some kind of sales contest going on so there are
opportunities to earn extra cash through out the year.
|
Compensation
There is no base salary. You get a weekly "draw" against future
commissions. Typically this is $250 per week although once you
are successful you can have this increased. Once per month, you
settle up which means that they pay your your commission based on
volume and gross profit on the cars you sold minus your draws.
You have to pay for your own benefits, business cars, uniforms,
coat(s) etc. Basically, you are in business for yourself but
with millions of dollars of inventory and showroom space.
Once you have experience, you can work your own deals and set
your own prices. It takes some experience to feel out a customer
to see how much they are willing to spend on a car to maximize
your profit (and the dealership's profit) without losing sales by
being too expensive.
|
Advice to Jobseekers
If you can sell, you'll always have a job. There are occassional
slow downs but everybody needs at least one car. You have to
keep track of your inventory so that you can tell a potential
customer about what you have an how it benefits him. Never give
a feature without a benefit. Don't panic when a month starts off
slow. Customers can sense desperation. Act like you don't NEED
their sale but would be willing to sell them a car and treat them
great IF they decide to buy. Try not to make people feel ANY
pressure as they will press back by not buying.
|
