If my GM received an inquiry directly he will either miss it, ignore it, or forward it to me. I think the term ‘Internet Sales Manager’ came about because so many people just call in asking for a Manager that we turned everyone into a Manager.
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The unstated assumption is that the brand you started with will continue to offer the same value proposition going forward.
The last 12 months have blown that out of the water.
BMW, for example, has turned 180 degrees
And TBH someone who lurks a lot online could probably find their next great lease on the transfer market vs at a dealership
Its difficult. The best sales men/women I have worked with flip brands and even positions in the same brand really quick. A previous sales manager who was a pleasure to work with this past summer switched into a GM position of a sister dealership located in a different state a week after I worked with them on a Toyota deal.
This is exactly my thinking as well. It pays in life to establish personal relations, I’m sure some others might disagree. Thanks for sharing your experience.
True, most deals have taken a turn for the worse, from almost every manufacturer. Although this post isn’t specific to BMW as a brand, but from what I see even though they’ve gone 180, their deals are still better than their german counterparts. Example comparisons I’m thinking of would be M340i vs C43, X5 40i vs GLE350. Maybe Audis lease similar to BMW but their transfer policies are very restrictive.
Open the bottle on the test drive, Then negotiate the deal while you and the manager are drinking away. Maybe you’ll get a good deal, maybe not. But at least you will have that rapport.
Drinkin’ buddies and maybe deal buddies.
What could possibly go wrong ?
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Dealers set their pricing based on a multitude of factors (volume goals, bonuses, available allocations, age of inventory, etc.), and those can change over time. You may get an exceptional deal from a particular salesperson because they really needed to sell a unit that day, but don’t expect the same discount on a different vehicle several months later.
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Agree, I rarely get any 2nd deals done at the same dealership
So here is my 2 cents from someone who has only worked for luxury brands, which are much more long-term relationship focused than normal sales.
In terms of establishing a lasting relationship, you need to find someone who has been there a long time and/or is committed to the brand and/or dealership. That sales person who has been there 10 years will probably be there another 10 compared to the 6 month green pea. Same applies with managers, but they suffer a higher turn over rate.
As for being remembered, make it personable as @mattevan suggested. The bottle of liquor is a classic, but it typically blends in with the other 10 bottle the GSM gets at xmas (personally I would probably try selling a bottle to another sales person). I remember my first gift was a baseball cap of my favorite team from a client who worked for the hat company and my most recent was a t shirt from the client’s law-enforcement agency. But gifts aren’t necessary. Just like sales, keep selling yourself and staying in front. Like when you are in for service say hi. A good sales person is selling 120+ cars a year at the luxury level, so it can be hard to remember everyone. And make sure anyone you know who is shopping sees your sales person and that you sent them. Everyone says they will send referrals, but very few actually do. When it comes times to buy a new car, it is a great time to remind them of any business you sent them (FYI, just be cheerleader. If you start interfering in other deals too much, you will start being remembered for being a pain in the ass).
With all that said, I would not expect LH worthy deals on every car. Maybe after 2-3 cars, it will cut through a lot of the BS, but you might have to work for that extra 1-2%.
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And when you establish said relationship, make sure those referrals don’t sour the relationship.
I had a Ford dealership rep I knew very well, and in the past had provided some solid deals. Gave a friend of a friend looking for an F150 their contact info. Referral never signed, but dang did I hear about how terrible they were till this day.
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I guess it depends. The GM I’m buying from never complains, just mentions as a matter of fact if I ask. Another SM is also understanding. But some idiot may kill the relationship for sure.
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Stupidity knows no boundaries lol.
I actually have maintained friendships with some dealer folks for a while. Myself and a few friends all used the same BMW people and we would usually bring them something different around the holiday time, a chocolate platter, and we did quickly reach a point where I wouldn’t need to worry about negotiating. I just got the best deal off the bat, but this is someone I’ve now known for close to 7 years from the time I got my first car and someone who I’m fairly friendly with now. I’ve referred a lot of retail business over the years which they appreciate the most, hah.
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Pretty silly to keep complaining to someone who has no control over a third party’s behavior.
Might as well shut down their entire referral system.
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So help me out here - Isn’t the manager responsible for saying yes/no to a deal? From what I’ve read here and on r/askcarsales, the salesperson is usually acting as an intermediary between the manager and the customer. I’m just trying to understand how having a long standing relationship with a salesman as opposed to a manager will help if they don’t get a say in whether a deal gets approved or not.
In the past I’ve usually dealt directly with the managers after the initial conversation with the salesperson. I’ve also read that sales guys don’t really care/know about how the numbers work, their job is to sell and the manager is the one who has all the know how of the numbers.
Some sales people have the authority to approve deals.
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Yep, some do. My friend was a salesperson and then an Internet SM. He was desking his deals and was #2 Volvo salesperson in the country twice.
This is really dealer dependent. For example, I have some power to make deals as a sales person, but that is extremely rare in the industry. Then there are dealers where the internet manager is a true manager and others where they just redirect leads. Veteran sales people are a bit more permanent than sales managers, which is why I suggested that. However, it would be best to make friends with everyone. But stick to whatever works for you.
Also look at is this way. The sales person at least has some skin in the game by getting your deal approved since they earn a commission. A sales manager could lose money by taking too short of a deal and if they say no, then you have no one fighting for you.
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Wine and the offer of a meal, right? Derek, you’re still working on a piece of real estate for me in TX so I can keep buying? Is that going to be my Xmas gift? I know what I’m getting you, however, your bosses might be reading so I won’t say it out loud.
In all seriousness, I’ve had two sales people I’ve kept in contact with AND continued to do deals with. One in San Diego at a Lincoln dealer and Derek here. I think the family/friends are up to 3 Tacoma’s so far. If TFS didn’t take so long to do a transfer we’d be up to 6!
HAHA, I’ve never had a contact turn down alcohol, chocolate, or food. (Alcohol not purchased by me).
