What’s with salespeople these days?

[Appyfan]

I’ve been toying with the idea of trading my 2016 Bighorn for a 2020 Limited. I built one on the Ram site, and asked for a quote. Local dealer contacts me thanking me for inquiring about a Bighorn. Went back and forth with salesperson via email, all she basically said was “Come on in”. They don’t stock what I want, I’m not going to waste my time coming in unless the salesperson gives me something concrete. Contacted a dealer a couple hours away who had close to what I want, but a Longhorn. Went back and forth a bit over the 2019 Longhorn, but they didn’t discount it enough to get me out of my Bighorn (with Lifetime MaxCare, btw). When the 3000 rebate came out, I emailed re a 2020 Limited they had. Crickets.
I used to sell cars in my twenties (LONG time ago, LOL). I would have taken that build from the Ram site & searched inventory until I found something close to dealer trade for, then used that truck to try to get the customer in. At least 5 different people from my local dealer have called in the last 6 months reading from the same script-”We really could use your trade, I can get you into a new truck for the same payment, blah blah blah. If I respond with anything other than a straight yes, it’s like they don’t know what to do. No script for that, apparently.
Rant over.

 

[HotHareSpey]

What’s with today, today?

 

[Kornfrk2727]

I’ve been toying with the idea of trading my 2016 Bighorn for a 2020 Limited. I built one on the Ram site, and asked for a quote. Local dealer contacts me thanking me for inquiring about a Bighorn. Went back and forth with salesperson via email, all she basically said was “Come on in”. They don’t stock what I want, I’m not going to waste my time coming in unless the salesperson gives me something concrete. Contacted a dealer a couple hours away who had close to what I want, but a Longhorn. Went back and forth a bit over the 2019 Longhorn, but they didn’t discount it enough to get me out of my Bighorn (with Lifetime MaxCare, btw). When the 3000 rebate came out, I emailed re a 2020 Limited they had. Crickets.
I used to sell cars in my twenties (LONG time ago, LOL). I would have taken that build from the Ram site & searched inventory until I found something close to dealer trade for, then used that truck to try to get the customer in. At least 5 different people from my local dealer have called in the last 6 months reading from the same script-”We really could use your trade, I can get you into a new truck for the same payment, blah blah blah. If I respond with anything other than a straight yes, it’s like they don’t know what to do. No script for that, apparently.
Rant over.

I feel you man. I contacted 5 dealers on Monday. Each one is the same When can you come in? When I put in the email please give me price quote due to not being able to come in right away. One came back with msrp lol.

 

[PaRamRod]

Dealers/Sales People have lost the sense of customer service. Nobody wants to give solid numbers over email/phone. They all want you to come in (even if they are 4hours away). I also encountered A LOT of “No Haggle” dealers. My favorite was the dealers who added all rebates/incentives in to attract customers then added everything in down the road. I also found that dealers in VA are very deceptive with prices and fees. One dealer wanted to charge $695 in fees to put that in perspective the Longhorn I just bought I ended up paying $300 for the same fees. I also ran into a lot of lazy sales people who seemed like I was bothering them. I am very happy this purchase is behind me.

 

[BTK20]

I’ve been toying with the idea of trading my 2016 Bighorn for a 2020 Limited. I built one on the Ram site, and asked for a quote. Local dealer contacts me thanking me for inquiring about a Bighorn. Went back and forth with salesperson via email, all she basically said was “Come on in”. They don’t stock what I want, I’m not going to waste my time coming in unless the salesperson gives me something concrete. Contacted a dealer a couple hours away who had close to what I want, but a Longhorn. Went back and forth a bit over the 2019 Longhorn, but they didn’t discount it enough to get me out of my Bighorn (with Lifetime MaxCare, btw). When the 3000 rebate came out, I emailed re a 2020 Limited they had. Crickets.
I used to sell cars in my twenties (LONG time ago, LOL). I would have taken that build from the Ram site & searched inventory until I found something close to dealer trade for, then used that truck to try to get the customer in. At least 5 different people from my local dealer have called in the last 6 months reading from the same script-”We really could use your trade, I can get you into a new truck for the same payment, blah blah blah. If I respond with anything other than a straight yes, it’s like they don’t know what to do. No script for that, apparently.
Rant over.

I had the EXACT same issue. Dealer responded to my limited build with a bighorn. When I clarified, I never got a response. I emailed 8 different dealers in my area for an OTD quote to order exactly what I wanted. I also clearly stated to NOT CALL ME as I wanted to deal with it via email. 3 tried to call, 3 said to come in, and only 2 did precisely what I asked for. Of course the 6 that could not follow instructions hounded me for days. It was fun to tell them all that I went with a dealer that did what I asked

 

[Willwork4truck]

I had the EXACT same issue. Dealer responded to my limited build with a bighorn. When I clarified, I never got a response. I emailed 8 different dealers in my area for an OTD quote to order exactly what I wanted. I also clearly stated to NOT CALL ME as I wanted to deal with it via email. 3 tried to call, 3 said to come in, and only 2 did precisely what I asked for. Of course the 6 that could not follow instructions hounded me for days. It was fun to tell them all that I went with a dealer that did what I asked

Seems pretty normal sales behavior for these days. Their attitude/belief/training could be that they have to have you come in to sell you. That's partially true yet I know of a person who test drove until they decided what they wanted, then emailed and negotiated over text/email until they got their price. Then and only then did they go in.

There's as many different dealer sales methods as dealers (internet sales manager vs the order taker screener that always pops up when you are looking at the inventory vs. straight "cold call" salespeople who prospect their leads from FCA website or service records).

I know for me I had dealt over email/text/phone with two dealers and bought from a totally different one using pricing info I had developed from car buying services (which you still overpay with).

Glad you got what you wanted.

Did you file for your Bonus Drive rebate?

 

[Danny_TheHouseCook]

Dealers/Sales People have lost the sense of customer service. Nobody wants to give solid numbers over email/phone. They all want you to come in (even if they are 4hours away). I also encountered A LOT of “No Haggle” dealers. My favorite was the dealers who added all rebates/incentives in to attract customers then added everything in down the road. I also found that dealers in VA are very deceptive with prices and fees. One dealer wanted to charge $695 in fees to put that in perspective the Longhorn I just bought I ended up paying $300 for the same fees. I also ran into a lot of lazy sales people who seemed like I was bothering them. I am very happy this purchase is behind me.

Going through that right now with my dealership.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Going through that right now with my dealership.

Hang in there. the truck is worth it...

 

[Jako]

Went through the buying process a year and a half ago. Living in NYC and having 3 bridges to NJ I have access to a lot of Ram dealers. I believe I touched base with 9 of them. Pretty much it is what every body has posted. Buying my wife's 2017 Honda Civic (6 speed manual) was to a certain extent worst. For the Civic I ended up with an Edmund's on line car about an hour away and it was the best price.

 

[yellowboy]

It's something to do for people who can't get a real job. They bounce from dealer to dealer, never learn anything about the product they are selling because they sit around all day playing games on their computer. Then some poor soul who didn't do any research on a vehicle comes in and usually gets taken on a vehicle because they fell in love with the looks. That makes the salesman's week - back to his/her computer games.

 

[kilcher]

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when I bought my used 2019 from a Dodge/Ram dealer. Thought we had a deal but they misunderstood what I wanted to be OTD for and we were actually a few thousand dollars apart. Told him I'd try to sell my trade myself and if I could I'd be back. He let me walk out the door. I was surprised he didn't try to get me to look at something else (like a Classic) or try to get me to finance (which I wouldn't have done but he could have tried). After I sold our trade I was signing papers with the sales manager and he asked me how the salesman had done. I told them he did fine but in reality he sucked as a salesman. Figured training their employees on how to sell cars wasn't really my job.

 

[SpikeMike]

What's really funny about this is that a really good online service could put all these salespeople out of work at any moment. You would think that they could understand this and be a lot easier to work with.

 

[LimitedDRP23]

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when I bought my used 2019 from a Dodge/Ram dealer. Thought we had a deal but they misunderstood what I wanted to be OTD for and we were actually a few thousand dollars apart. Told him I'd try to sell my trade myself and if I could I'd be back. He let me walk out the door. I was surprised he didn't try to get me to look at something else (like a Classic) or try to get me to finance (which I wouldn't have done but he could have tried). After I sold our trade I was signing papers with the sales manager and he asked me how the salesman had done. I told them he did fine but in reality he sucked as a salesman. Figured training their employees on how to sell cars wasn't really my job.

Giving honest feedback is important. As someone who runs a business I try to make sure whenever I am asked for feedback I honestly answer the question. I never apologize for being honest.... ask my wife haha

I am in a different boat with my experience, all in all my salesman was knowledgeable, professional, prompt, and patient. As was the sales manager.

 

[Scram1500]

What's really funny about this is that a really good online service could put all these salespeople out of work at any moment. You would think that they could understand this and be a lot easier to work with.

That day is coming soon with customer service like this, maybe they already know that. Carvana is definitely on my radar for the next purchase

 

[PaRamRod]

I forgot to mention that the dealer tried having me sign a pre-filled survey giving they all high reviews. I told them I will pass and if they want a review I would like a blank form. I never received that blank form.

 

[rlc2020]

No one cares anymore, It's sad but true. My guy that I have used for my last few vehicles is great and doesn't waste my time, but I pay a premium for that. (my dealer is not the cheapest around, but they are the best IMO). I wasted several days emailing and calling several dealers within 2hrs of me last time and not a single one of them would give me a concrete number without heading up there first. They are simply too lazy to do the work if you aren't standing in front of them.

 

[Danny_TheHouseCook]

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when I bought my used 2019 from a Dodge/Ram dealer. Thought we had a deal but they misunderstood what I wanted to be OTD for and we were actually a few thousand dollars apart. Told him I'd try to sell my trade myself and if I could I'd be back. He let me walk out the door. I was surprised he didn't try to get me to look at something else (like a Classic) or try to get me to finance (which I wouldn't have done but he could have tried). After I sold our trade I was signing papers with the sales manager and he asked me how the salesman had done. I told them he did fine but in reality he sucked as a salesman. Figured training their employees on how to sell cars wasn't really my job.

I'm not the quiet type. I'd let him know exactly how I felt and my experience, but that's just me. People never know until you tell them.

 

[jmmurderedram]

That day is coming soon with customer service like this, maybe they already know that. Carvana is definitely on my radar for the next purchase

I just sold two vehicles to Carvana, ended up being the easiest process I've ever done. Plus they gave me 2-3k over my best trade in offer on each vehicle, pushing them close to what I could get selling it my self, but without the time invested.

 

[NYNJ8]

Car salesmen are people just like any other profession. Some are good some are bad. They're all taught how to aggressively pick fruit but the good ones learn how to plant seeds that they can harvest later. All we can do is find the good ones and share them on a community like this one.

 

[Le_Slacker]

Before I settled on this amazing RAM, I was exchanging emails with a GM dealer on a specific new Chev, looking for specific features, etc....
he called me and said he had a few vehicles for me to look at.... showed up.... One was a GMC (not a chev) but compared to the other 2, it was new! The other 2 were 2-3 year old chevs... the 3 combined would not have had all the options I was asking for!

I thought about going back now, wasting more of his time, and then showing him I'm all set in the truck dept