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      11-21-2020, 11:12 AM   #6
Mosaud1998
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Drives: 2019 BMW 540
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Suburb of Chicago

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2019 BMW 540  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWCCA1 View Post
I started at a BMW dealer (Porsche+Audi, too) within 6-months after graduating with an architecture degree. I now know, from selling BMWs to a few practicing architects, that I've made more money in my job than what they claim on their credit applications. But that's after over 40-years doing it.

My dealership general managers (and believe me I've had many) will often send a new-hire to me for advice. I always ask them if there isn't something else they could be doing for a job. Seriously, the hours suck, the pay sucks, the benefits suck, and your dealership doesn't give a rat's ass about your welfare.

The Peter Principle is at work at dealerships where you are elevated to positions where you've exceeded your competency and that's where you sit. No one gives a crap about what car brand they sell, or if they know anything about it. It's all numbers.

Now there are exceptions, but as a percentage it may be nearly unmeasurable. Look at any dealership and take the average time-on-the-job of the sales force. It often won't exceed three-years. It will burn you out, and they don't care. Don't hit your goals, and they'll hire three more starry-eyed youths to make sure you can't earn a living. Take time off around the holidays? Just better off not coming back. Work 60-hours, or more, and earn hourly what a fast-food employee would.

There are exceptions, again, who've been around a while. I'm one. Still most will try to talk you out of it, especially if you have yet to finish school. I know times are tough right now but they won't be getting better in the car biz, either, during the pandemic. We've already had one round of furloughs and layoffs and we're planning for another.

I started back when the guy who owned his store lived up the street. That was a great 15-year run. That's not the case anymore. They guy who owns our store is the shareholder in a corporation 600 miles away. They survey you for your satisfaction and suggestions and then ignore your input. And I've been a salesperson, service writer, service manager, sales manager, as well as general manager over my career.

If you truly love BMW, or just cars in general, why ruin a good hobby by making a dealership your career? Look at the history of those in charge of most mega dealers today. They were all bean-counters in other industries. They don't value their run-of-the-mill dealership employees other than to pay lip-service and send paper awards for longevity. They steal your money, pay only minimums on most cars because the managers give them away to make their numbers, and manipulate what you earn through excessive packs and lot charges taken out of your "profit".

Got to a college offering degrees in automotive technology and work for a manufacturer. It doesn't pay much, either, but it should be more fun and less stressful being paid a salary rather than relying on a manipulated commission plan.
Got to a college offering degrees in automotive technology and work for a manufacturer. It doesn't pay much, either, but it should be more fun and less stressful being paid a salary rather than relying on a manipulated commission plan


That's exactly why I quit the sales job at Kia. I did make a good amount of money (for a 21-year-old) the first year I worked there. Made around $50k. Kia wasn't my first sales job. But, it's the job where I was actually properly trained and learned most of my sales techniques. I used to work at a Honda dealership. I was thrown out of there within 2 months because I wasn't selling enough cars. Keep in mind, this was my first sales job. I got hired on site. I went to get my Honda serviced there and saw they were hiring so I was like "why don't I just apply. Yolo". I applied and the sales manager walked up to me asked me a few questions and told me to come in tomorrow and he'll set me up to work. I was 19 or 20 at the time. I knew a lot about the product (I know a lot about cars in general) but I didn't know how to sell the product. So, I obviously couldn't sell them.

I am in college right now. I am getting a Bachelors's Degree in Operation Management and Information systems (Similar to Analytics). I've got two more years left and I'll be done . But, when I was working at Kia, my plan was to stay there, keep the sales job as my main income and do real estate on the side. But, that went down the drain since I decided to go back to college. Funny thing is, the day after I quit, everyone got a promotion The finance guy that was working there when I was there made around $80-$90k (depending on how many extra items he sold). He was about 24 or 25 at the time. He got promoted to General Sales Manager. So, he's going to make a decent amount of money. He started working at the dealership when he was about 21 as a Sales Consultant. Now he's going to be making at least $100k/year. That's more than what an average college graduate makes a year.
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