Quote:
Originally Posted by jm1234
Don't forget the innumerable times when salesmen simply don't know the answer to a question and make one up. I don't believe they are *always* actively trying to lie but when I'm considering a $70K purchase I don't appreciate the unannounced guess. How do I figure out what I've learned is true and what was a guess when the salesman just mixes the two together with no indication of which is which? I've dealt with six salesmen at four dealerships in the last month and it's happened at some point in the conversation every single time. Some of these people were more competent than the others but it was clear that none of them knew as much as me about some detail of their product. Keep in mind that knowing their product is their job, I don't have access to a fraction of the resources they do. My experience is no more a scientific sample than yours but its happened to me (and I would guess others) often enough that I think you might remember it because it's likely the number one negative customer experience.
Case in point above, salesman lying to customer.
Let's put this in context. In this paragraph you initially state your belief that there is no law against customers trying to deceive the dealership. Then you state that you told a customer he had committed a felony for deceiving the dealership and that you would call the police if he didn't leave. It's almost as if you lie so often that you don't even realize what you are doing. Have you mentally justified to yourself that if the customer (or maybe "most" customers) is/are lairs then it's OK for you to lie too? How often do you tell a customer something that you aren't positive is true just because "it feels like the right thing to do"? With your belief that "most" customers have a plan to deceive I'm guessing quite often. Is it this sort of logic that explains why I consistently receive untrue answers from car salesmen? I just assumed they were trying to make a living and do "the best they could" but maybe it is intentional?
IMO, "most" people not only don't have a plan to deceive they wouldn't even consider it. I think you're way out of bounds with that belief or your working at a dealership in a really bad part of town.
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You make some very good points and I deplore any salesman who lies. If one doesn't know the answer he should just say, "That's a great question that I don't have an answer to. Let's go inside so I can get it for you."
Again, if you haven't EVER worked for a dealership as a salesman, you should before you think you know what you are talking about.
And as far as knowing a product, the cold hard facts is that fan boys of cars will always know the minute details of the car they get boners over than the salesman. A salesman should know about the product they are selling but they aren't going to know the intimate details of every engineering aspect that some of you might have.
The problem stems from the dealership not properly training their sales force if they are unable to answer legitimate questions about the car.
And so you understand me, I am not stating you are going in and asking bizarre questions about obscure parts of the car.
And btw, you misquoted me. I didn't type MOST people come in to deceive....i typed MANY (not all). There's a big difference. And where I worked--the largest most competitive car market in the world (take a guess), many did come in with a "plan" and lied to ME and I would call them on it. I never tried to deceive them because I knew that's the best way to NOT SELL a car. Maybe salesmen in smaller markets can get away with that cuz the buyer just can't go to another dealership a few miles away.
You really should go work for a dealership so you understand what it's like. Otherwise, you just come off as an emotional knee jerk reactionary.