Want to hear something funny? (Maybe Scary?)

[johnparjr]

Not on my gladiator because I knew what I wanted and didn’t ask any questions but years ago when the Chevy bolt came out we bought one and was asking the salesman questions while we were test driving it and he was in the back on his phone looking up the answers

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[j.o.y.ride]

95% of buyers (and probably more) don't need to be informed by their salesperson. They either don't care, or already know what they need to know.

Their job is purely to move units, not be educators. It's only on forums that you find this expectation of salespeople being experts, and usually from people who bought a niche submodel.

 

[Dryfly24]

When I first started seriously looking to buy my Gladiator, I pretty quickly came to learn that I knew more about the truck than every single salesperson I talked to. Not most, or even almost every one. Every single one!

I don’t know why that is. You’d think a dealership would have some sort of program in place to educate their sales people on the product they are selling but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least with this particular vehicle. I never had the same experience with Toyota’s sales people who generally seem pretty well familiarized with their particular products.

 

[Phishs]

This guy was your stereotypical sales guy. He didn’t have a clue. I’ve shared the story on other threads as a warning to people that they shouldn’t always trust everything the salesperson tells them. Recently a guy on here said he got a manual max tow. I feel bad for him if that’s what he thought he was buying.

I saw that post too, I felt too bad to correct it. He even said it was listed like that on the window sticker.

 

[NC_Overland]

Not on my gladiator because I knew what I wanted and didn’t ask any questions but years ago when the Chevy bolt came out we bought one and was asking the salesman questions while we were test driving it and he was in the back on his phone looking up the answers

I’d vastly prefer that than just making up shit. I’ve never had a problem with someone saying, I don’t know but I’ll find out. As long as they do find out….

Also, don’t assume that he was googling things. Sales people have apps with sales/technical info.

 

[NC_Overland]

When I first started seriously looking to buy my Gladiator, I pretty quickly came to learn that I knew more about the truck than every single salesperson I talked to. Not most, or even almost every one. Every single one!

I don’t know why that is. You’d think a dealership would have some sort of program in place to educate their sales people on the product they are selling but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least with this particular vehicle. I never had the same experience with Toyota’s sales people who generally seem pretty well familiarized with their particular products.

It’s not that hard to be familiar with an entire product line, but keep in mind that they’re remembering an entire product line and not singularly focused on one model so there are going to be questions that you’re average decent sales person won’t know off the top of their head, or they’d want to verify vs spouting misinformation. That’s where the “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” should come into play as long as they do actually get back to you in a timely manner with the answer to your question(s). I trained a lot of sales people and I always hammered in their head to knew their product, but if they don’t then don’t make it up but find out asap.

electric car buyers are the absolute worst. They know all kinds of obscure facts and ask leading questions to try to trick you. You only gain their respect when you let them tell you all about it or actually know the answer to their obscure questions.

 

[Jefe1018]

Car sales is a temporary job for most sales people, not a career and they typically don’t have a passion for the product they sell. It may have been that way at one time, but not any longer.

FWIW, my dealer in Nampa Idaho seemed to be right on their stuff.

 

[Dryfly24]

It’s not that hard to be familiar with an entire product line, but keep in mind that they’re remembering an entire product line and not singularly focused on one model so there are going to be questions that you’re average decent sales person won’t know off the top of their head, or they’d want to verify vs spouting misinformation. That’s where the “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” should come into play as long as they do actually get back to you in a timely manner with the answer to your question(s). I trained a lot of sales people and I always hammered in their head to knew their product, but if they don’t then don’t make it up but find out asap.

electric car buyers are the absolute worst. They know all kinds of obscure facts and ask leading questions to try to trick you. You only gain their respect when you let them tell you all about it or actually know the answer to their obscure questions.

I get that but they should at least be able to have a passing familiarity with the product. These guys were absolutely clueless. One woman in particular really stands out. She knew how to open the door and get in but that’s about where it ends. She literally knew NOTHING about the truck.

Seriously, I wish I was exaggerating this but I’m not.

 

[Trickster]

I remember when I was a young lad looking for a used vehicle, the salesman and I went for a drive in a car (I was driving), I said it’s pulling to the right.
He said and I shit you not, “It’s supposed too, in case you fall asleep you won’t cross the center line into oncoming traffic” I may have been young but I wasn’t a sucker, straight back to the dealership and I left.

 

[jac04]

The confidence he had when telling me that...

If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it is not what you say, but how you say it. Try it some time, state a little fib with 100% confidence & commitment, it can be fun.

 

[MrZappo]

Sales person at another dealership who called himself the "Jeep Expert" told me that they have lots of those new "Moe Javes" in stock ... And that they are really nice ...

I bought elsewhere ....

 

[Fcmalie]

I was told by a dealerships "Jeep Guy" that the Max Tow option was only available on the 2.0T. I did not buy my Gladiator from there?

 

[NC_Overland]

I get that but they should at least be able to have a passing familiarity with the product. These guys were absolutely clueless. One woman in particular really stands out. She knew how to open the door and get in but that’s about where it ends. She literally knew NOTHING about the truck.

Seriously, I wish I was exaggerating this but I’m not.

We’re on the same page.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I’d vastly prefer that than just making up shit. I’ve never had a problem with someone saying, I don’t know but I’ll find out. As long as they do find out….

Also, don’t assume that he was googling things. Sales people have apps with sales/technical info.

I don't care at all if they make an effort to factually answer. The guy can even use MY phone if he wants. Luckily the sales guy I used was a career sales person and knew......... but I hate it when you ask something fairly simple and they shrug or move on to something else, or make something up.
I had a college teacher who would actually give you partial credit for a question if you at least put down how or WHERE to find the correct answer. If you left it blank, you got no point, if you were wrong, you got no point but if you didn't know and told him how to find out, you got partial credit. He said he didn't expect everyone to always remember every little detail but he did expect them to be able to figure things out.

 

[NotSo Bright White]

I wanted to test drive a diesel Gladiator. The sales man said they didn’t have one but I could test drive a diesel Wrangler and drive a gas Gladiator to get the feel. So I took the Wrangler out for a short drive and was very impressed. Got in the Gladiator and ran out of fuel 1 mile from the dealership. I didn’t buy my Jeep from them!

The worse part was I couldn’t figure out how to get the windows to go down!

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