In a world filled with car dealerships, from large corporation to the small family owned lots, communication is more than a skill for everyone there; It is their job security. During my attempt to find the perspectives of professionals in this field, I found anonymous interviews where there was one common denominator, “If you don’t know what you’re selling, it could cost you your job.” From somewhat vague answers to the unsure recommendations, these small little gaps in your knowledge can ultimately lead to lost sales, even worse, the dealership could loose trust in you. One individual that I spoke to admitted that “Communication can be so easy to fall short on,” especially when the customer comes in skeptical, unsure, and untrusting of the process. Today, this blog is diving into communication gaps that even seasoned professionals quietly admit to, but refuse to discuss publicly. When the pressure is high and the stakes include both the sale and job security, it’s a hard thing to put your name out there and still survive.
You Can’t Sell What You Don’t Understand
When talking to these professionals, I asked what their biggest struggles on the sales floor was, and many of these answers were alike, while off the record but still admitted, product knowledge gaps can stop you dead in your tracks during a sale. “I haven’t had all the answers before,” one of the professionals said. “And when a customer knows more than you, it can shake your confidence fast.” In a world where we should be armed with knowledge of their products from research, reviews, price comparison and the overall advantages of the vehicle, sometimes they fall short. When they fall short in these aspects, the sale fails as well. While these interviews were taken and asked to be made anonymous, the quietness paints a bigger issue. These dealerships aren’t training staff to speak confidently about what they sell, and this, this is costing them not only profit and credibility, but they loose sight of their full potential.
The Cost of Uncertainty
These talks of lack of confidence in communication has come not only to affect the salesperson, but it goes beyond and to the customer. “Sometimes i really don’t know if they are truly interested in buying a car or not,” one professional admitted. having those types of doubts can cost not only you a sale, but you loose money for the company. vague responses and overcompensating from pressure can cause a major disconnect from you and your customer. When these moments of uncertainty often come from the lack of right questions for the right answers, all of these are gaps in communication that are fillable. Especially in high-stake sales, having that uncertainty is not only awkward, it can cost you everything.
With Confidence Comes Clarity
The biggest takeaway from talking to these professionals that will remain anonymous, is that communication plays a bigger role than just yes or no, it is needed to be intentional, informed, and consistent. Knowing the product you are selling will help you excel in your profession, and if you don’t sometimes, you just might want to go unnamed from having failed once or twice. It’s a high-pressure environment, dealerships expect the best and don’t invest in their team for the best.
So let’s give this some thought, do you think your dealership is setting the team up to succeed and be known, or to fail and go nameless?
Lindsey Woodring 