Guest Post; 5 ways to become a Creative yet Ethical Car Salesperson
Ethics in business?
Since I am in the middle of teaching a health ethics course, the concept of ethics in business practices was on my mind this month. This week I am sharing a guest post from Mark Schlatter, of Kansas City Ford, one of the MentorSF Engage! readers, on the often made fun of and occasionally controversial professional roles; the car salesperson.
Let’s face it – buying a car can either be a great experience or a terrible one. I have had both – but I am also clear that it isn’t an industry thing so much of a way we ask people who live on commissions to hit high goals every month. For anyone who lives on a commission based role, to reach them often can put a person in an ethical dilemma.
Mark was willing to share some thoughts on his views of the creative yet ethical salesperson. –Frank
How to be a Creative yet Ethical Car Salesperson
Due to negative media portrayals, car salespeople have built up a reputation over the years of not being in the most honest profession. People have walked away from car dealerships feeling lied to, conned, and even scammed out of their money. It has gotten so bad that people hate the experience and try to avoid car salespeople altogether.
This doesn’t have to be the case, however. There are some simple rules that every car salesperson can follow, to not only be ethical as a salesperson but to also be far more successful than they would have been otherwise.
#1 Be Honest
Rule number one is the simplest, yet the most commonly broken. Do not lie to the customer. Under no circumstance should the salesperson ever lie to their customer. Lying to the customer destroys the bond of trust that must be implied in order for the relationship between customer and seller to exist. Lying to the customer may seem like a quick and easy way to make a buck, but it only hurts the salesperson and ultimately the entire dealership in the end.
#2 Be Helpful
Rule number two is a little more nuanced. Be transparent. Sometimes it doesn’t take an outright lie to get a customer to believe something that is not totally true. When a salesperson sees that a customer has an idea about a vehicle that is false, it is incumbent upon the salesperson to correct this mistake. It may be tempting to allow the customer to go right along thinking something positive about the vehicle that isn’t really accurate, but by letting the customer know the truth, not only will the salesperson be making the ethical decision, but they will be strengthening the bond between seller and buyer, and putting themselves one step closer to finding the right car that the customer will love and be totally happy with.
#3 Be Disciplined
Rule number three is a matter of discipline. Do not shortchange the employer. This is an important rule at Kansas City Ford dealership Zeck Ford. As a car salesperson, it can sometimes be easy to slack off and not give their employer the hours of work that they agreed to. This is wrong, and they know it. Allowing themselves this lack of discipline is not only ethically incorrect, but it will seep into all aspects of their life. Taking pride in their work as well as their integrity will turn them into the kind of salesperson that every customer wants to deal with.
#4 Be in it for the Long Haul
Rule number four is a strategy that not only applies to the car lot but also in all tasks in life. Play the long game. This means that is far more important to be looking to the future than to throw everything away for a short-term, one-time success. That one-time success, due to the sloppy nature of it, can easily backfire and lead to a person’s downfall.
In the situation where a car salesperson sees the opportunity to trick or pressure a customer into a sale, they should take a step back and not do it. Make sure the customer understands everything about the vehicle as accurately as possible and also make sure that the customer is completely ready to purchase the car. This will build long-term trust with the salesperson and the dealership. This long-term trust will soon turn into long-term cash.
#5 Be Reliable
Rule number five is to simply not make promises that cannot be kept. The salesperson must follow through with all agreements and guarantees made to the customer that led to the customer purchasing the vehicle. It is vitally important that the salesperson not start making promises to the customer based on something another salesperson told them at another dealership.
If a condition cannot be met, simply say so. Not doing so will create a situation where the dealership and the salesperson will lose their integrity, and inevitably, the trust of their customer base. However, showing the customer that they are only willing to tell them the truth will go a long way in making that customer feel comfortable with the salesperson and the dealership, and will eventually lead to repeat business.
#6 Believe in One’s Self
The final rule is not an ethical obligation to the customer, but an obligation to oneself. The salesperson owes it to themselves to obtain the best opportunity for long-term success that they possibly can. The final rule is for the salesperson to believe in themselves. There is no reason that they cannot continually improve and strive to be the best version of themselves that they possibly can.
There are a whole lot of customers out there just waiting to buy a car. All they need is a great car salesperson to guide them in the right direction. Customers don’t need to be told what to do; they just need to be helped. A car salesperson that understands that they owe it to themselves to keep improving and being the best that they can be. Word of their integrity and helpfulness will spread like wildfire. They and their dealership will soon reap the rewards of an ethical yet creative car salesperson.
This week’s guest post by Mark shares his work as a versatile writer with extensive experience creating interesting, engaging, and unique articles in the automotive industry. You can follow Mark on twitter as @ZeckFord
About Frank Strona
As a nationally known writer, educator, advisor, technology, coach, strategic engagement and content specialist, I have been active in the pursuit to improve, educate and promote opportunities that support the engaged learner and business while also preparing the workforce with the tools and skills necessary to stay competitive in a rapidly expanding technology-based world.