Incompetent salesman
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
I will expand a little on salesmen.
Go to a Toyota dealer and ask a salesman their about features in any model that Toyota carries. They will know.
I have had the good fortune to be able to have had over 130 vehicles in my life.
The only sales staff that ever knew anything was at a Toyota dealer. All features and options and how to operate. All matters relating to the engine, trans and whatever.
That is why today I bought my eight new car from the same dealer and sales person today since I found them in 06. Prior to that I had to find different dealers just to try and buy a car. Chevy dealers were the worst. Dumbest sales staff on earth.
Go to a Toyota dealer and ask a salesman their about features in any model that Toyota carries. They will know.
I have had the good fortune to be able to have had over 130 vehicles in my life.
The only sales staff that ever knew anything was at a Toyota dealer. All features and options and how to operate. All matters relating to the engine, trans and whatever.
That is why today I bought my eight new car from the same dealer and sales person today since I found them in 06. Prior to that I had to find different dealers just to try and buy a car. Chevy dealers were the worst. Dumbest sales staff on earth.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Toyota does a good job. They have something called Toyota University. Or maybe it is University of Toyota...can't remember. Anyway, yes, they have to pass a crap load of tests to get certified and stay certified or they aren't allowed to sell cars, parts,service, loans, whatever you do at the dealership. So they know the answers to whatever Toyota thinks is important enough to make them learn in the tests. They still aren't going to know everything. Plus, I've taken those tests and I can assure you that they are not all correct. I've proven to many of the Q&A's wrong.
Part of my point earlier that I probably didn't expand enough on when mentioning TV's, washers and dryers, etc. is that salespeople don't pick one thing and sell it. A typical Toyota salesmen will tell you they have likely sold every brand out there, seldom for much more than a year, and have also sold computers, TV's, appliances, encyclopedias, jewelry, etc. They sell. They work commission jobs, and have the ability to talk people into things. The chances that this Harley salesman had been selling and living Harleys for any amount of time are not good. Unless maybe he is related to the owner. Some of you can guess it and I can confirm it. Always family at a dealership no matter what kind or what size. Friends and family.
Part of my point earlier that I probably didn't expand enough on when mentioning TV's, washers and dryers, etc. is that salespeople don't pick one thing and sell it. A typical Toyota salesmen will tell you they have likely sold every brand out there, seldom for much more than a year, and have also sold computers, TV's, appliances, encyclopedias, jewelry, etc. They sell. They work commission jobs, and have the ability to talk people into things. The chances that this Harley salesman had been selling and living Harleys for any amount of time are not good. Unless maybe he is related to the owner. Some of you can guess it and I can confirm it. Always family at a dealership no matter what kind or what size. Friends and family.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 696
Likes: 12
OP--->I spent over 15 years working at dealerships and I've got a question for you: What rock did you crawl out from under and who was president when ya got knocked the F*ck out? (Please don't be a smartass and tell me that was two questions...hear me out...) The Customer ALWAYS knows more than the salesmen!!! ALWAYS!!! Most of the training they get is from the customers. For example, he now knows about the tubeless wire wheels b/c of you. We are all gear-heads, we live and breathe this stuff, analyze and study this stuff, and that's even b4 we get serious and think about buying something. Salesmen rarely are gear-heads. They are salesmen and they don't much care if they are selling a bike, a car, a TV, or washer and dryers. If you ever meet a salesman that knows more than you THAT is when you post on a forum b/c he is the exception to the rule. 'Course you'd run the risk of a forum member calling you a dumba$$ for knowing less than a brain-dead salesman.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
Nothing worse than a salesman/parts man/mechanic that doesn't know his business and needs it explained to him. Very frustrating. On the other hand, it sure is sweet when they do know what they're supposed to. They get repeat business.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
So what your saying is its ok to not have product knowledge????? Hahahahahahaha. That is one group of pathetic *** salesman! My dealer, no customer will know more than my salesman. Period. My salesman are trained and certified on every vehicle they sell, or they don't sell, period. Anything less is a fly by night operation, and if you actually think knowing less than a customer is acceptable, then that's why you have been a salesman for 15 years and not an operator. A salesman knowing more the a customer is an exception to the rule????????????? OMG, bro you must be one suck *** salesman. Sorry to say it with that kind of ideology your dealer you work for and trained you is ABSOLUTELY GARBAGE.
1. I never said it was OK to have no product knowledge. It is disgraceful and completely inexcusable. It does happen though. It happens a lot. Less at Toyota and Lexus dealers than most others. You are somewhat spoiled operating a Toyota dealer. In case that can be taken negatively, I meant it in a good way.
2. I'm not a car salesman and have never been a car salesman. A majority of my dealership years were spent as a parts manager. Every car salesperson knew that if they wanted any answers about anything (including product knowledge of course) that I was the guy to talk to. The GM and the owner himself would consult me on things. I've worked for some big, respected dealers, and I was well compensated for it.
3. I was speaking with relation to people like us in this forum. Gear-heads, bikers, car guys, whatever you want to call us. Between the magazines, the internet articles, the forums, the water cooler talk, etc, we do know more than well trained sales people. We know it months b4 it hits the dealer.
wow, you guys need to chill out a bit.....
Sure, most salesmen aren't going to know every small detail of every bike they release. As others have pointed out, it isn't just HD dealers. I laughed at the post about the Ford dealer and Lightnings because I had the same problem. I had a 2004. The only F-150 in that "heritage body" in 04 was the Lightning. Parts guy and service guy always tried to tell me I didn't have a 2004....anyway, I digress. While the wheel thing may be small potatoes, it is the trend. I would expect the average enthusiast to know more than joe the employee, but at one point does that get to be too much? I was looking for something a while back for my Crossbones. I told the guy I was looking for xyz for a 2009 Crossbones. He asked me what brand of motorcycle that was....come on HD, at least screen your employees. Its ashame when the girls who work in motorclothes, who only got hired because they are cute or have huge ****, know more about their craft than the parts guy does......
Sure, most salesmen aren't going to know every small detail of every bike they release. As others have pointed out, it isn't just HD dealers. I laughed at the post about the Ford dealer and Lightnings because I had the same problem. I had a 2004. The only F-150 in that "heritage body" in 04 was the Lightning. Parts guy and service guy always tried to tell me I didn't have a 2004....anyway, I digress. While the wheel thing may be small potatoes, it is the trend. I would expect the average enthusiast to know more than joe the employee, but at one point does that get to be too much? I was looking for something a while back for my Crossbones. I told the guy I was looking for xyz for a 2009 Crossbones. He asked me what brand of motorcycle that was....come on HD, at least screen your employees. Its ashame when the girls who work in motorclothes, who only got hired because they are cute or have huge ****, know more about their craft than the parts guy does......
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The dealership I bought my bike from requires the salesperson (they have ladies also) to know all of the bikes by name, and class ex: FLTRX Road Glide Custom, Touring. Which I admit, I don't even know all of them. They usually are pretty familiar with the options also, and from my experience practice the common since approach vhmike73 discussed, if they don't know, they will find out. That's probably one of the reasons I bought my last 2 bikes there, I haven't had to put up with a lot of BS, and they generally know what they're talking about. BTW they have two parts guys there that must study the books, they can tell you the page and part number to just about anything your looking for.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 762
Likes: 14
From: Bellevue, NE
