Car salesmen: Still sexist, still stupid

[Gormy Cuss]

Car salesmen: Still sexist, still stupid
February 28, 2012: 5:00 AM ET
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/28/sexist-car-salesmen/?iid=SF_F_LN

By Becky Quick, contributor

When I waited tables as a teenager, I learned one lesson very quickly: Treat every person in a dinner party equally, because you never know who's picking up the bill -- and therefore determining your tip. It's the most basic of business survival tips, but one that few car salesmen in this country seem to have learned. And if you doubt me on this point, try walking into a car dealership seven months pregnant with your husband and two kids, and see who the salesman approaches first.
(snip)

The scenarios all went something like what happened at a nearby Toyota dealership, where I walked to the front desk and asked to have someone show me the Sienna. A salesman came right out and introduced himself to the man who happened to be standing behind me. After the bystander made clear that he wasn't my husband, the salesman asked me where my husband was -- still without introducing himself or asking my name. The sales rep then went on to respond to questions I asked about the Sienna by looking at my husband and talking to him, until my husband told him to talk to me. When the guy took me to his desk to take down my information, he asked me for my home phone number and followed up with: "Obviously you don't have a work phone."

That "don't have a work phone" assumption? Becky Quick is an anchor on CNBC. Oops.

[unblock]

1. that's not half the stupid: women make by far the majority of car purchase decisions.

most car salesmen know this and are sexist in the other direction -- giving more time and attention to the women who they expect will have the bigger voice in the decision. this is especially true for the minivans/suvs that are marketed to "suburban moms".

[Gormy Cuss]

5. Yep.

Smart car sales staff know that.

[niyad]

2. I see nothing has really changed. years ago, my former and I were looking at cars--the idiot

sales rep came up, and practically patted me on the head, saying "and naturally the little lady wants an automatic" --he was very lucky he did not draw back a bloody stump, as my former was afraid he would do.

I immediately went to the manager, and suggested that the little idiot be given some proper training in not pissing customers off, and also pointed out that the dealership had lost a sale.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. I had the same experience relayed in this story, where the salesman ignored me until my spouse

told him that he should direct the answer to me. What my husband knew based on the look on my face was that there was no way in hell that we would be buying a car there. : )

[niyad]

7. it always cracked me up watching sales reps in action--directing all their attention to my former,

ignoring me, until decision time came, and my former pointed out that I was the one making the decision.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. My favorite shopping-while-female story involves trying to buy a refrigerator in a big box retailer.

My old fridge had died and I was ready to buy one that day. I found the department, walked around comparing features, and had picked my first and second choice. All I needed was for a sales person to talk about delivery schedules and take my money. There were five men jawing with each other about a sports event a few yards away and not one made an effort to see if I needed help even though I made eye contact with at least two of them. I was about to break in and ask if any of them could point me to someone working in that department when a saleswoman appeared out of nowhere and asked if I needed help. All five guys whipped their heads around and looked pissed when the saleswoman and I walked straight to the register. Yeah, buddies -- easy commission opportunity and you blew it.

[niyad]

9. great story, and something all sales reps need to remember.

[prole_for_peace]

3. I was disappointed to read that she actually bought a car from this idiot.

She said she was tired of shopping around and the baby was coming soon. Maybe I would have purchased from this dealership but I would not have used the sexist salesman. I would have discussed the problem with the manager and let someone else earn the commission.

[MineralMan]

6. I think that scenario happens less often these days.

Any car salesperson who uses that strategy is going to have a crappy sales history. Women make at least half of the auto purchasing decisions. Yes, men decide on things like pickups and large SUV's, most of the time, but most cars are purchased for family uses and the woman decides which gets bought and which gets left behind.

If this happens when you or any other woman is car shopping, just tell the offending salesguy that you will not purchase any car from him, and go find another salesperson. You can be as blunt as you like in telling the moron that he just lost a sale. Maybe he'll learn at some point. Maybe not. But, there's another salesperson on the lot. Dump one and grab another. They're a dime a dozen.

[saras]

10. Like most right-wingers, pushing their values is more important than making money

CONSERVATIVE salespeople learn what works, carefully stick to what works, and are CAREFUL not to offend anyone.
RIGHT-WING salespeople have other priorities than maximizing sales and profit.

[REP]

11. I am happy/disappointed to have NOT had that experience

...when I bought the car I'm driving, a powerful sports car. Once the salesperson realized that I was the buyer and driver - and knew things about the car, like the gear ratio - I was the who got the pitch. We bought there, and I get the car serviced there, where the head of the service department treats me like a reasonably informed car owner.

At other places, the story is more like the one in the article. Surely the li'l lady didn't want to test drive a GTO! (yeah I did - fun car, despite not really being a Pontiac).

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. I like her analogy to waiting tables

That is oh, so true, and easy enough for anyone to understand.

I have never had this problem, but then again, I don't tolerate fools easily and at the mere suggestion I would have shot a look that would have caught attention in the next county. I am surprised that the Xerox Chair let the sales person treat her that way for as long as she did. I'd like to think they get one shot and on the second attempt, I'm walking out the door without explanation.

Curious if this has anything to do with wedding rings - as in the sales person assuming if someone is wearing them, they aren't prepared (or "permissioned" ) to make the decision on their own. I have had sales training in my career that insisted it was critical to talk with both parties in order to make the sale. Drawing on old history here, but IIRC, the logic was that no married couple will make independent decisions and if they won't meet with you together, it is a ploy to not have to make a decision. *sigh*

[kdmorris]

13. It used to really piss me off when they did that

Every time we went looking at cars, they acted like I was just my husband's appendage. My husband would always introduce me by name and they still ignored me. Eventually we just starting using it to our advantage. My husband would run interference with the first salesperson to show up and allow me to go look at the cars without them trying to influence my decisions. Then I would go get a DIFFERENT car salesperson to help me test drive, etc.

And then, when it came time to test drive, I'd go get my husband and we would go off with the car salesman that I had been dealing with. Lots of dropped jaws. Obviously, if the salesperson actually talked to both of us, we'd stick with that one, but it was just my own way of saying... you can ignore me if you want, but it's just going to hurt YOU.

[One_Life_To_Give]

14. So the salesman still wins?

And we don't know if she paid closer to the average woman's price for the minivan or the average mans price for the same vehicle.

IMO the phenomena is too pervasive not to be getting routine reinforcement, as a practice that works to the salesman's advantage.