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Ignorant Sales people amaze me

flyct

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I dropped off my F-450 at the dealer for an AC issue and my wife followed me in her Tesla. As we were leaving a sales "person" approached us and started a conversation. He asked how my wife likes her Tesla and her reply was she loves it. He then said he can't get into EVs. The green thing is a myth. i mentioned that we also have a 2023 Lightning. then his toon changed asking if I wanted to trade it in on a new 2024.

Now it gets interesting. He asked if my Lightning is single or dual motor? He then said the 2024's on his lot are all discounted $12,500. I questioned this saying the $12.5k rebate is only on 2023 platinums? He said no. all trim levels on the 2024s. I questioned if he was talking 2023 or 2024 because as far as I know the 2024s aren't discounted and they are just now arriving. He said he has multiple 2024 Lignings for over 4-1/2 months now all discounted $12,500.

I told him we love the Lightning being able to power the cabin in power outages. He said then you must have a PowerBoost, not an EV because the EV's don't have the 7.6 kw outputs, not the Lightnings.

When I got home I checked the dealership inventory and all they had on the lot wa a few 2023 XLTs all Standard Range. One inbound 2024 XLT.

No wonder Ford can't sell the Lightnings!
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carys98

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No, what would be amazing is an intelligent and informed sales person. Ignorant sales people are a dime a dozen.
 

Howard_Scott_Warshaw

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I've yet to have any experience with a car dealership that did not re-enforce the car dealership stereotype.

No I don't need window VIN etching. No I don't want the Simonize treatment. Yes I know more about this truck than you do.
 

hturnerfamily

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I've been in the sales business for over 30 years... I've found that the one secret sauce is:


shut up, and let the customer talk...



it's amazing how you can endear people by just 'listening'


what you know, and how much you know, is not important
 

PA Lightning

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I expect the sales person to be less knowledgeable than me, at most dealers.

The Ford salesperson that I deal with has been at the same dealership for 37years. Very pleasant and knowledgeable. Not such a good experience with other brands salespeople. Seems like sales people are in and out every two years.
 

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FLSpartan04

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I get that most of us here are enthusiasts and know more than the sales people, but for EV’s to really catch on the with the general populace, it is going to require the dealers get much more educated, and not let sales people on the lot until they know at least the basics of charging and the trim level of their vehicles (that’s not even EV specific 😆).
 

VAF84

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I've gotten to where I ask for the dedicated EV sales person when I call to inquire on an EV. It's usually one person on the team who can decently answer a question. The rest have zero clue.
 

invertedspear

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I get that most of us here are enthusiasts and know more than the sales people, but for EV’s to really catch on the with the general populace, it is going to require the dealers get much more educated, and not let sales people on the lot until they know at least the basics of charging and the trim level of their vehicles (that’s not even EV specific 😆).
Dealers don't care about EVs catching on. Sales reps really don't give a fuck. They generally only care about what gets them the fattest commission check with the least amount of effort, and unfortunately that's not EVs.
 

BabyDoc1012

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Just bought a 23 XLT ER on Saturday and the salesman I worked with knew the truck and knew all the features. Having been researching the truck since Ford announced it and having been on this site pretty much since it started I am pretty informed. There were a couple things I didn’t know they he showed me. I don’t know if he was an EV specialist or not, but he talked about the training that Ford has given them on the EVs. It was the first time I’ve ever bought a vehicle, and I have bought quite a lot, without feeling like I knew more than the salesman and only needed them for the paperwork. If anyone is in North Carolina and near Raleigh or willing to travel there, I cannot recommend Crossroads Ford Wake Forest enough.
 

rraustad

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So for the car salesmen here, what is the commission on a truck sold at the sticker price that only shows a destination charge? Is a dealer percentage baked into the sticker price? I have heard dealers don't make much money off of new car sales and that makes sense. I also can't see regular maintenance of EVs generating much revenue. So no wonder dealers don't like EVs.
 

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davehu

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there are tens of thousands of salesmen of all types of stuff. that you found one who was flunked sales 101 is not surprising.
 

ctuan13

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Reminds me of when I tried to get a V belt for my 79 Continental at AutoZone and the guy behind the counter insisted my car had a "snake belt".
 

Kev12345

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You should’ve taken him up on his offer on the discounted ‘24 single motor!
 

hturnerfamily

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'Sales'people are exactly that... don't expect more.

They are not 'education' people. They don't get paid for that.

As you already probably know, you've bought things from many, many more uneducated 'salespeople' in the past, and had no reservations about it. We somehow expect a vehicle 'sales'person to know more than the cashier at the bigbox store.

With more than potentially 50 different models, trims, and technology levels, as well as power train types, on any dealer's lot at any given moment, you are almost asking for aggravation and annoyance when you expect ANY 'sales'person to know 'everything' about 'everything'.
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