Thanks to lower car loan rates, buying a car has now become an increasingly attractive option. So your next step will be a visit to the dealerships, where you’ll be liaising with car salespeople. A good car salesperson can help you save time and money while a bad one will leave you frustrated. Here's how you can spot the difference.
Purchasing a car can be an exciting and easy experience when you are dealing with the right salespeople. A good car salesperson will collaborate with you every step of the way – from the moment you walk into the dealership until the delivery of your vehicle. Meanwhile, you could end up wasting your time and spending more money while dealing with bad salespeople.
Warning signs you’re dealing with a bad car salesperson
1. Being ignored
Some car salespeople will ignore you when you visit the dealership.You will feel as if you have invisibility superpowers. Even after you have walked around the showroom and looked interested in certain models, they carry on chatting.
If a car salesperson can’t even be bothered to enquire if you need help, you are likely to experience the same quality of service for the rest of your buying process. Time to step on your accelerator and zoom out of there.
2. Unreliable
So you have made an appointment to test drive a car, and the car salespeople assure you that the vehicle is available at this particular date and time. You even contact them when you are on the way to the dealership.
However, when you arrive, the car is suddenly unavailable and the salesperson comes up with excuses. With such unreliable service, now you have your own “excuse” to opt for a different dealership and salesperson.
By providing unreliable service, a car salesperson can lose potential buyers.
3. Lack of initiative
You will surely have questions about the car that you wish to buy. After all, you are about to make one of the biggest financial decisions in your life.
Sometimes, the car salespeople may not be able to answer all your questions. However hard they try, some car salespeople just couldn’t remember every little detail about the vehicles at their dealership. They should still take the initiative to find out and satisfy your query promptly.
If you are enquiring about basic information like the number of official service centres for the car in Kuala Lumpur, and the salesperson responds with a “sorry, I can’t help you” type of answer, then you might be better off taking your business elsewhere.
4. Pushy
A car purchase can take forever when the salesperson repetitively tries to convince you to pay a little more for the bells and whistles that you don’t need. They could also make you think that you are losing out on a great deal if you don’t buy the car now.
Whoa, slam on the brakes and walk away from this deal! You should not be pressured into making up your mind, especially when it concerns an important purchase like buying a car.
Feeling uncomfortable? Let’s look for a trustworthy, good car salesperson instead.
Related: #BreakingItDown – How To Buy A Car With Cash: Here’s Everything You Need To Know
A good car salesperson cares about his or her customers and will strive to get them the best deals.
Qualities of a good car salesperson
1. They understand you have a budget
Before visiting a dealership, it’s recommended that you calculate how much you can afford to spend on your car loan monthly instalment. Good car salespeople will always do their best to work with you to get the vehicle you want within budget.
They are also prepared to recommend a more suitable car if your chosen vehicle is too pricey. This proves that they genuinely care about their customers besides meeting the sales quota.
Related: #BreakingItDown – The True Total Cost Of Car Ownership In Malaysia
2. Informative
Good car salespeople will educate themselves regularly about the vehicles they are selling. Their knowledge should extend beyond the make, model, year and specs of a car.
They understand that buying a car is a major purchase and you wish to make a well-informed decision. So a good salesperson will be able to provide the information you need promptly. They want to help you complete the sales process smoothly as well.
You can expect clear, quick information from car salespeople who know and understand their products.
3. Responsive
A truly professional car salesperson will respond to your calls, emails and texts within a reasonably prompt timeframe. If you contact the dealership to arrange a test drive, they will get back to you quickly. They will also efficiently arrange a pick-up or delivery time for your new car.
4. No-pressure approach
These sales professionals understand that piling on the pressure is only going to drive buyers away. So they establish a no-pressure environment where you will feel empowered to make a decision that best meets your needs.
Here are the kind of salespeople who deserve your trust. They will lay out all the purchasing options that are available to you, including vehicle and finance-related information. These professionals will also gladly answer any questions you might have.
You will have time to weigh your options and ultimately purchase your ideal car.
5. Excellent online reviews
Find out what users have been saying about a particular car dealership on Google. You can even check out their star ratings. When a good dealership provides great customer service, word travels fast.
Ready to visit a car dealership now?
Now that you can spot the difference between a good car salesperson and a bad one, a stress-free buying experience at the dealerships awaits. Remember to do your own research before making a purchase. Good luck!
Related: #NewNormal: Should You Get A New Car In A COVID-19 World? Here’s What An Expert Says
Whether you are a first-time or seasoned buyer, the process of buying a car can be complicated if you don’t know the industry that well. The #BreakingItDown series is all about addressing this problem. Stay tuned for more content.
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