I am at some car dealership getting an oil change right now. I sat down ini their waiting room, and couldn't help but overhear some car salesman talking to another salesman and a customer. I never heard the customer say anything, and based on the way the salesmen talked about him in as if he werent there, I would not be surprised if he didn't speak english. Anyway, the guy came in on a survey (whatever that means) and he did a test drive on a truck. The salesman was askingt he other salesman what they could do about getting the guy the truck, but deferring his first payment unitl the 4th month. Why would he need to defer his payment? because he does not have a job, but will "soon". They have now moved to an office ot discuss it further and see what they can work out, but I did pick up that the payment would be about $500/month. $500 a month for a car payment when the guy doesn't have a job, and the salesman is trying to figure out a way to get the guy signed up. Seriously!?!?!?!?!?!?! I am pretty sure the sales guy has no soul. I understand that it is ultimately the buyer's responsibility to determine what he can afford and make the decision, but I would not be able to try and convince someone to sign up for a ridiculous car payment like that knowing full well they don't have a job.

No soul.

As much as I'd like to have faith in every other human being in every aspect of their lives, those who work in sales are a lost cause. Dangle enough moolah in front of your employees, and they'll sell pudding pops to diabetics faster than you can say, "No, no, this is a perfectly reasonable price for a wonderful automobile! You'll regret it if you don't take it!"

Ugh. I know exactly what you mean.

I think that being in sales would be AMAZING if I believed in what I was selling. That is, upselling people on stuff... no good. But hooking people up with what they wanted/needed in the first place: SCOOORREEEEE!

Lets face it: we live in a consumer-based society. Was this guy being up-sold, or was he the one who walked in there saying, "I want THAT car!" In the first case, I agree: no soul on the salesman's behalf. If it were the second, though, it's the salesman's job to see what he can do to make the guy happy. The last thing you want to hear when you're buying a car is, "No sir, you don't want that car. You want THIS car."

FYI, I'm planning on sticking it to the man by going on a test drive this weekend with NO INTENT WHAT-SO-EVER TO BUY!

The second half of this scheme involves me roping in my extra-large buddy as both a driver (he's sort of interested in the car) and a metric to see how well said car fits normal-sized people, and as a salesperson diverter. That is, we're testing a small Jappie car with torque-zero. If the salesguy knows this, he's be better keeping his extra 200lbs out of the vehicle.

Oh man, I hope it works out!!!