Have Them See You As Human

If you were to ask one of The Others about Car Men, they invariably say the same thing: “They stand out there like vultures!” Vultures. That’s what they think about us. We are nothibng but beasts of carrion prey. We feed on road kill then have the gall to shit on their newly-washed cars.

I guess that’s about right.

Face it my friends. Americans have a negative opinion of us. From birth they are bombarded by negative images portraying us as greedy, shifty, boarder-line criminals. Hell, even Carfax airs commercials depict car salesmen as evil bastards who are not to be trusted—unless, of course, we offer them a free Carfax.

So your first job when encountering one of The Others is to prove to them you are not son of Satan that they have been trained to think you are. (How about that for a sentence!)

The journey to gain their confidence starts from the moment you meet them. Here are some simple rules.

1. Do not get into their faces the moment they open the doors to their car. Lay back, be polite and wait for them to get out, retrieve the stroller from their trunk and get their bearings before approaching them. Are they heading toward the used car lot, or are they looking at new?

2. Discreetly check out their car. Does it give you clues about them? Is it a newer car that they might be buried in, or is it a clunker? Is there a bar graph on a window telling you it’s a rental? Are the license plate frames from a new car dealer, used car dealer, or, God forbid, a body shop? Is there a military base decal on the windshield? Does he have one of those fire helmet decals in the back to warn you of an impending stroker? All these things are vital clues about your up and their ability to buy a car.

3. Some dealers want you to aggressively approach the customer, hold out your hand, and immediately introduce yourself. (If you work for a dealer that wants you to say something like, “Hi! I’m Bill Smith. Did you come here for our red-hot sale?” quit.) I believe in hanging back a little. Remember, he’s expecting you to be an asshole, so even if you are don’t let him catch on until he’s at home with his new car. Hang back a little. Fold your hands, tilt your head slightly, smile and say, “How are you today?” Delay the task of landing them on a car for a minute and talk them about the weather or how cute their kids are.

At the beginning stages of a car deal your goal is to get them to like you and gain their confidence. So don’t do the following:

1. Stare at a woman’s breasts (unless you are really good at it.)

2. Comment on their tattoos or piercings unless you have something nice to say.

3. Tell them to get their kids to behave--unless they are in real danger. Nothing screws up a car deal more than having to call an ambulance.

4. Ask within the first ten seconds, “What’s your credit score?”

5. Ask, “Are you going to buy something to day?” As in if they are not you are going to drop them and get another up.

Hopefully by the time you go for a test drive you’ve established with the customer that you are not a member of the Mafia or are going to threaten them with a gun. If they see you as a caring, thoughtful human being, you will be well on your way to establishing a rapport that will end with a deal.

David

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