My story begins early in the morning when my car salesman hubby pulls his tired, old body from the bed at the latest possible minute. Dragging his back bumper to the bathroom is not an easy task since he put on a few pounds during the long winter hiatus of sales. In spite of moving hundreds of cars around the lot in blizzard conditions and cleaning them off with every snow fall his mid section has more capacity than he needs. Now begins the work to make a classic look good enough to compete with younger counterparts.
After a wash he hesitates to wipe the steam from the mirror knowing the old model is far from the best on the lot. Applying a trim package, some body work and new top coat, he gasses up on caffeine and heads toward the door repeating to himself, "I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful". His number one cellular device is revved up and strapped to his hip as he lunges out followed by my send off, "Go get 'em tiger!"
First mark on the agenda is the customary daily sales meeting. His positive attitude is now in the toilet after being told he couldn't sell a camel to a legless nomad. But, there are always those worthless sales incentives to raise his moral and make him want to sell his mother-in-law. After all who wouldn't want a $10 Starbucks gift card or a one night stay in Aruba...plane ticket and meals NOT included.
Barely escaping the meeting with bits of his self image still in tact, he heads for the lot. A breath of fresh air and a two mile walk is just what he needs to polish those abrasions and renew his scrapped attitude.
A few phone calls later and more walks around the lot he returns to the showroom. He heads for the coffee pot and pours himself a cup of the steamy brew. Just as he's ready to take a sip he spies a customer. It's his cousin. After spending hours locating exactly what cousin wants, cousin says he can get a better deal down the street. The coffee is now old and cold, and my old classic is short on lunch and sales.
Sitting down at his desk he takes a few minutes to lasso his sanity and writes a note to self to remove cousin from family tree. All at once a text appears on his cell, his desk phone rings, and he's paged at the same time. Excitedly, he reaches for the desk phone first and his chair rolls out from under him. His keister is now planted firmly on the floor and the entire sales staff is hovered around thinking grandpa had a heart attack.
For the remainder of his twelve hour stint he bears the brunt of being the joke of the day.
Finally, he catches an up looking to test drive a brand spanking new SUV. He patiently explains all the extras, and listens to the customer rave about all the things he likes in the vehicle. Getting a little excited about the mini he will make on this sale that will buy groceries for a week, he returns from the test drive and offers to buy customer a soda or water. Customer accepts the water, thanks him for the test drive and says I don't want to buy I just wanted to see how it handled.
Now, after hours of down time and fruitless phone calls, at the lowest point of his day the manager approaches and tells him to get a hair cut, glasses, a crown on that front tooth, and fix the bum knee. He tells manager to lower the quota so he can get the commission he deserves. Manager tells him if they did that they would have to pay him higher commission....:/
Catching another up he discovers customer is interested in a used vehicle. He can't help but be a little hopeful since this would be the only sale in his day. They find good camaraderie and a vehicle customer likes. They test drive, agree on a trade in, decide on a number, write up a contract and customer enters finance. Mean while my lot walker is doing the math in his head figuring how many more of these he needs to make monthly mortgage payment. An hour later customer emerges from finance looking disappointed and defeated.
A delivery for a sales consultant friend takes up the rest of his evening and for three hours work his commission is a free lunch.
Eight forty five arrives and he relishes the fact that in fifteen minutes he can go home. Surprise! A customer that's come in twice before at the same time of day says he's decided on a vehicle. My old rolls royce is on a roll figuring he can end the day on the upside. After more test driving, dealing, and numbers customer says I'll be back next week.
Leaving the dealership my lot walker reminds himself he has a delivery the next day...his day off.
After a wash he hesitates to wipe the steam from the mirror knowing the old model is far from the best on the lot. Applying a trim package, some body work and new top coat, he gasses up on caffeine and heads toward the door repeating to himself, "I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful". His number one cellular device is revved up and strapped to his hip as he lunges out followed by my send off, "Go get 'em tiger!"
First mark on the agenda is the customary daily sales meeting. His positive attitude is now in the toilet after being told he couldn't sell a camel to a legless nomad. But, there are always those worthless sales incentives to raise his moral and make him want to sell his mother-in-law. After all who wouldn't want a $10 Starbucks gift card or a one night stay in Aruba...plane ticket and meals NOT included.
Barely escaping the meeting with bits of his self image still in tact, he heads for the lot. A breath of fresh air and a two mile walk is just what he needs to polish those abrasions and renew his scrapped attitude.
A few phone calls later and more walks around the lot he returns to the showroom. He heads for the coffee pot and pours himself a cup of the steamy brew. Just as he's ready to take a sip he spies a customer. It's his cousin. After spending hours locating exactly what cousin wants, cousin says he can get a better deal down the street. The coffee is now old and cold, and my old classic is short on lunch and sales.
Sitting down at his desk he takes a few minutes to lasso his sanity and writes a note to self to remove cousin from family tree. All at once a text appears on his cell, his desk phone rings, and he's paged at the same time. Excitedly, he reaches for the desk phone first and his chair rolls out from under him. His keister is now planted firmly on the floor and the entire sales staff is hovered around thinking grandpa had a heart attack.
For the remainder of his twelve hour stint he bears the brunt of being the joke of the day.
Finally, he catches an up looking to test drive a brand spanking new SUV. He patiently explains all the extras, and listens to the customer rave about all the things he likes in the vehicle. Getting a little excited about the mini he will make on this sale that will buy groceries for a week, he returns from the test drive and offers to buy customer a soda or water. Customer accepts the water, thanks him for the test drive and says I don't want to buy I just wanted to see how it handled.
Now, after hours of down time and fruitless phone calls, at the lowest point of his day the manager approaches and tells him to get a hair cut, glasses, a crown on that front tooth, and fix the bum knee. He tells manager to lower the quota so he can get the commission he deserves. Manager tells him if they did that they would have to pay him higher commission....:/
Catching another up he discovers customer is interested in a used vehicle. He can't help but be a little hopeful since this would be the only sale in his day. They find good camaraderie and a vehicle customer likes. They test drive, agree on a trade in, decide on a number, write up a contract and customer enters finance. Mean while my lot walker is doing the math in his head figuring how many more of these he needs to make monthly mortgage payment. An hour later customer emerges from finance looking disappointed and defeated.
A delivery for a sales consultant friend takes up the rest of his evening and for three hours work his commission is a free lunch.
Eight forty five arrives and he relishes the fact that in fifteen minutes he can go home. Surprise! A customer that's come in twice before at the same time of day says he's decided on a vehicle. My old rolls royce is on a roll figuring he can end the day on the upside. After more test driving, dealing, and numbers customer says I'll be back next week.
Leaving the dealership my lot walker reminds himself he has a delivery the next day...his day off.
