Internet and work

Me

[saleman]

I'm in the Automobile business and have been for about 25 years. Believe it or not the Auto business has gotten into the internet age. Big time!

Heck, our dealership has only had a website for....maybe 8 years? Something like that.

We don't have an internet dept. Salespeople receive internet leads based on a round robin type of thing. When an internet lead is sent then the first thing sent is an auto response. Then the salesperson responds with a template and if a phone number is included, a call.

Here's the thing. As of today, sales people are required to respond personally to an internet inquiry. After hours, off days, holidays, Sundays...anytime a request is sent.

A year or so ago I made it very clear I wasn't going to respond "on my own time". Which meant when I was not at work. Did I tell you we don't get paid for this?

We had a meeting today and the sales vs. internet inquiry's dealership wide is approx. 2%. That is for a 90 day window. Did I mention I don't get paid for this? Unless they buy.

So, I'm sure what I'm going to do. But I wanted some input so I don't think I'm being unreasonable. In other words, should I be required to do work after hours for something I don't get paid for?

Hell, really, should I be required to respond, period to internet traffic that I don't get paid for? Well 2% paid for.

I have been working at this dealership for the past 7 years. Make a good living. Don't want to quit. Or get fired. But I don't think I should have to work for no money, on my own time.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Remember the great breakthrough of “Carbonless Carbon Paper” which used microcapsules of ink on the paper? Man, was that ever cutting-edge technology! I wondered at the time “what will they think of next.”

All of my early field engineering correspondence when I was overseas was via Telex. That was hot stuff. In the US it was via phone (with my very own AT&T Calling Card, pre Bell-breakup) and hand-written field reports delivered via snail mail. It was indeed nice being totally disconnected and unreachable outside business hours.

[dfwgator]

"It's a miracle!"

[catnipman]

I’ve bought my last few cars via the Internet, both for me and family members across the country. Arranged things just fine remotely. This has been for both new and used cars.

Used cars I don’t bother contacting until I’ve found exactly what I want and I call to make an offer. I know what a fair price is, can figure out how long the car has been on the lot from the carfax and know how desperate the dealer might be. Usually, my first offer is accepted because both myself and the sales manager know we’re making a fair deal.

For new cars, I send price queries via whatever the mechanism is for such on the dealer website. I never hear back at all from some such requests, so don’t know why they bother. Some send pro-forma email responses with pro-forma prices; these I ignore. A few send email responses worth consideration. But the best responses result in a phone call where I can speak with an actual person, either right from the start or at my request after an interesting email response. Responses that come in days later have lost out on the sale.

Ultimately, I buy based on price, reputation of the dealer, and whether I’m treated fairly, professionally, and by knowledgeable and helpful people. Generally, this starts with a few back and forth phone calls, but eventually after a certain point, the final details are hammered out with a few back and forth emails.

[saleman]

Yep. We are not 1099 employees though. We do work in a state where you can be fired at anytime for no reason. I’ve been fired twice “just because” and it doesn’t scare me one bit. Kids are grown, bills are paid.

I’ve had pretty much the range of answers I expected. Except I thought most would not understand what it is to work with a company that does not pay hourly. They can pretty much treat you like they want.

Imagine! If you will putting in 55 to 60 hrs a week at the office. And then be expected, during your “off” time to still be responsible for the business operations of the company. All without being paid one little dime.

I’m just not gonna do it. I’ll decline all after hrs. internet leads. If it costs me my job then so be it.

[smokingfrog]

Setup a private social network for all the salesmen and make it dirt come first served when a customer inquiry comes in. Team up with another salesperson that normally works different hours than you do.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-ways-to-create-your-own-private-social-network/

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Also check out Hammer Auto. We bought a no-hassle car from him 20 years ago when he was just starting out (obviously pre-Internet) and loved the experience. We specified the car via phone, he shopped for it in the western states, we finalized the selection and price over the phone, and it was delivered to our house where we signed the papers. His cut was nominal for all the fantastic service delivered. Most pain-free car shopping experience ever.

[TomGuy]

Salaried or hourly?

Salaried are generally expected to ‘be on the job’ as needed.

Hourly are generally expected to be on the clock during certain hours.

There are certain benefits and detriments to each.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

LOL...don’t you have the memory!! I haven’t thought of that 1975 commercial in decades. The 9200 sold for $90,000 — $300,000 today. How many TV ads pitch a $300k machine today?

[Mariner]

"I’m just not gonna do it"

I would not either, but I would not tell them so.

[SamAdams76]

Good pointers on how the used car business is rapidly changing. Most people aren't aware of this but Circuit City was actually a pioneer in making used car sales a respectable business. They spun off a company called CarMax that had a 125-point inspection process as well as warranties that were previously unheard of in used car sales.

CarMax actually outlasted Circuit City and still thrives today, along with the competitors you listed.

Getting back to the original post by Saleman, it always annoyed me when employees would complain about doing work-related things on "their time" when on company time, they never have a problem taking time off for doctor appointments, illness, family illness, problems at home, death in family, plumbing issues, transportation issues, activities involving their kids, the list goes on and on. As a manager, I've heard pretty much every possible reason for an employee to miss work.

With today's technology, it is possible to blend work and home and we should embrace that instead of fighting it - or making it a one-sided affair. A few months ago, we had a major presentation for a potential client and the night before, we learned that the lead sales rep had a death in the family and had to fly out of the area. At 9pm that night, we got the rest of the team together on a conference call and we were able to retool our presentation so that we didn't miss a beat the next day. We won that deal. If people on the team had the attitude that they should not work on "their time" and decided to watch Netflix instead, it likely wouldn't have gone very well the next day. It works the other way too. The day before Christmas Eve (Wednesday), we had an office party at noon and everybody was out the door by 3PM and we had a nice long Christmas break.

[leaning conservative]

Car ping........

[saleman]

Saleman, there are a lot of new startups looking to transform your business. If you don’t get with the times, the sharks are going to have you for lunch. The days of letting people show up and you take orders is rapidly disappearing.

---

Thanks. Really. But that’s where you are wrong. Internet sales are more impersonal than ever. Especially with new cars.

Why in the world would you buy a new $25,000 Toyota, Honda, Nissan, whatever 100 miles from home to save 100 bucks. Or nothing?

The typical inquiry we get on new cars is something like, no exactly like: I’m looking for a new Camry XSE with navigation, floor mats and leather. What is your best price? Hell, all of us pay the same. And everyone can, and will, sell a car for the same price. So buy the damn car 4 miles from your house! It’s not that difficult.

And that’s called “taking an order”. The day’s of actually selling something, someone(me), someplace(dealership) and customer service(me and dealership) are what is actually over. That’s fine.

[frankenMonkey]

I worked Internet car sales, and have also bought cars from dealers 1000 miles away. The Internet is where the action is going. If you need to stay gainfully employed for another 10 years, “seize the day!” Become your dealership’s Internet go-to guy. Set a few ground rules about working after hours, and go for it.

[slumber1]

I developed and managed internet sales in dealerships for 10 years. You must have a dedicated internet sales department. The fact that your only converting 2% of inquiries into sales means you are doing it wrong.

[Cedar]

“If the people about you are carrying on their business or their benevolence at a pace which drains the life out of you, resolutely take a slower pace; be called a laggard, make less money, accomplish less work than they, but be what you were meant to be and can be.”

—George S. Merriam

[saleman]

I do appreciate all the suggestions. I’ll check back on this thread tomorrow(at work) and try to implement some of them.

But right now I have to get in bed so I can be at work at 7:30. I know, we don’t officially open till 8 but....And leave at 7 tomorrow night. It is hard “just being a drone” but someone has to open the doors, make the coffee, answer the phones, direct customers to the bathrooms, cut the heat on(jeez!), help people find their family members looking to pick up service customers, direct the car haulers to the proper spots, etc. etc.....All for no Money!

[saleman]

Really? Since I’m not managing internet sales then that is encouraging. Were “internet sales” also sales calls? That’s what they include as “internet sales” at the largest dealership in our region.

[Grams A]

I specifically am making the internet inquiry to AVOID talking to someone.
Tell them they’re misunderstanding customer dynamics.”

I recently had to replace my car. Bought the last one in 2004 so went on the Internet just to see what was out there. Was just bombarded with messages and offers. Even started getting messages from insurance agents wanting to provide coverage for whatever I decided to purchase. Drove me crazy. Deleted all of them. Sometimes people look just to look. In my case, if I am really interested in something, I will physically go and look or call. Unsolicited calls or emails are a definite turn off as are having someone immediately available for an unsolicited chat.

[IronJack]

When you figure the company owns you 24x7x365, divide your pay by the number of hours in a year. You’ll find that you’re making less than you would at Burger King.

Tell them that they don’t own you, they only rent you for 8 hours a day.

Granted, sales are different. You don’t sell, you don’t make commissions. So it’s in your best interest to take as many leads as you can. As long as it leaves you room to have a life.

[slumber1]

An internet sale is any sale generated from an internet lead. At high volume dealerships we sold hundreds of cars (new & used) every month from internet leads.

Internet customers cannot be handled like walk in’s They expect more. Your initial response time is vital. You must be willing to give them all the info they want including your best price right up front. If your dealer is just passing out internet leads to floor guys and telling them to “get them in” it aint gonna work