Dinesh Kamath's column 'Information about Careers' (Automobile salesperson) that was published in Newsband

Information about careers

By Dinesh Kamath

Automobile salesperson

Introduction

Automobile salespeople sell new and used cars to individuals (and sometimes to businesses). They work for car dealerships. Some dealerships, usually large ones with several 'outlets', sell new and used cars. Other dealerships may sell only used vehicles. Cars are displayed on forecourts (outside) and in showrooms (inside).

The automobile salesperson is one of many sales professions. The automobile salesman is a retail salesperson, who sells new and/or used cars. Unlike traditional retail sales, car sales are sometimes negotiable. Salesmen are employed by new car dealerships or used car dealerships.

Types of salespeople

A salesman negotiates deals with private buyers and corporate buyers. An internet salesman or manager may handle advertising and leads that come through the internet, or distribute leads to floor salesmen. The fleet manager markets to corporate or institutional customers who buy several vehicles at a time at a discounted, set price, and do not deal with the general public. A closer is often a manager who assists in negotiation. The floor manager sits in an office which usually has a sales board listing appointments and recent sales activity by salesman. The salesman brings offers to the manager who can accept or make counter offers. The manager makes decisions as to what final negotiated prices will make business sense under current market conditions. With the advent of the internet and pricing tools like vauto, the car salesman job has changed. Dealers and consumers can find out what any car is selling for with the click of a mouse. This has caused dealers to have to slim down profit margins to lure in internet buyers who are looking for the best deal.

Car negotiation

The price of a car, unlike many retail sales, is often negotiable. New cars will often have a factory window sticker listing equipment and options, and the suggested retail price. With the prevalence of the internet, and third party information sites, the profit of dealers has dropped dramatically since prices are widely advertised and best discounts are given to remain competitive. The salesman is paid a commission, rarely a fixed salary but usually based on a percentage of profit, so a deeply discounted price results in a very low commission for the salesman.

Popular culture

The automobile salesman, particularly the used car salesman, has often been a source of characters, often negative, in movies and television shows and cartoons. History and fairy tales often characterize peddlers (people selling goods) as negative influences, or outsiders out to take advantage of people. In the Muppet Movie, Milton Berle plays Mad Man Mooney.

In Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Leonard Stone plays Mr. Beauregarde, Violet Beauregarde's father.

In Fargo, William H. Macy plays Jerry Lundegaard, a salesman at an Oldsmobile dealership in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In Used Cars, Kurt Russell plays a slick used car salesman and wannabe politician named Rudy Russo.

In Suckers, a movie humorising automotive dealerships and salesmen is depicted.

In True Lies, Bill Paxton portrays a used car salesman who pretends to be a spy to seduce bored housewives.

In Matilda, Danny DeVito portrays an unscrupulous used car salesman named Harry Wormwood.

In Cadillac Man, Robin Williams portrays a used car salesman.

In Three's Company (TV series), Larry Dallas is a used car salesman.

In EastEnders, Roy and Barry Evans, Kevin and David Wicks, Bradley and Max Branning, Frank Butcher, Darren Miller and Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb, Have all at some stage portrayed car salespeople.

In the Seinfeld episode, "The Dealership," Jerry attempts to buy a new car from David Puddy due to the "insider" deal Jerry would get from being friends with Puddy's girlfriend, Elaine. Puddy and Elaine have a fight at the dealership, leading Puddy to backtrack on his discounts and start charging Jerry for miscellaneous "extras." Jerry, frustrated, tries to reconcile Elaine and Puddy so he can get the insider discount again.