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.

[Tallguy]

What percentage of Internet inquiries actually result in a sale? Your boss should have that figure at his/her fingertips. If it’s single digits, then I’m thinking your energies are better spent on the lot with real customers. Every Sunday you see people kicking tires on lots with no immediate intent to purchase. The Internet is like Sunday tire kickers.

[ctdonath2]

Are you paid
Hourly? charge it on the clock. Document time spent.
Salary? you’re expected to do what it takes, that included. Do it, and pursue policy change.
Commission? chase that dollar. It’s a lead.

I’m salaried. Deadlines & emergencies happen. Plan around 40 hour weeks, but 80 hour week if necessary (without being told even) - get it done. Co-worker is on call: server has a problem, he fixes it regardless of hour.

BTW: I dislike the “instant callback” handling of internet inquiries. If I want to talk to someone I’ll call. If I inquire by internet, I expect a response emailed during next regular business hours; I specifically am making the internet inquiry to AVOID talking to someone.
Tell them they’re misunderstanding customer dynamics.

[RegulatorCountry]

Do you get paid by the people wandering onto the dealership lot just looking? It’s just a quick email or phone call, that may lead to a sale. There aren’t than many internet inquiries, so it’s not that much of a burden. Set your cell phone up to alert you, have a standard response to send, return the call at your earliest convenience. Not the end of the world. Your comfortable living of 25 years could be at stake.

[Fai Mao]

I didn’t mean my first reply to sound lazy. It is just the when I send a request for information via internet I do not expect an immediate answer. If I send an email out after business hours I do not really expect an answer until the following day. Plus I doubt you have an encyclopedic memory of all the stock. Therefore, it is better practice to answer the query when you have the resources available to provide a more complete answer

[SamAdams76]

I don't think in terms of "my time" and "company time." Pretty much every waking minute of my day, I am accessible by phone, email or text message for my job for whatever might come up. It's how I make my living and provide for my family so I don't think of it as a burden. When I'm in the office and things are slow, I might read a book, go for a walk or surf the internet. When I'm home, I will get most of my reports done and I'm available for any crisis that might come up. Sometimes I work 12-14 hours a day. Sometimes it's only a few hours. Depends on the time of year and the business volume.

Technology is a blessing as it allows me to break the chains of the office and get my work done from anywhere. A couple of summers ago, I spent two weeks working mostly on the beach. Nobody even knew where I was because I responded to all my messages within an hour.

[saleman]

In your situation I would split the difference, if possible, and make a set time outside of work when you attend to work matters, and neither think about nor respond to work matters outside of that block(s) of time.

---

Good idea. The avg. response time “benchmark” is 10 minutes after inquiry. I’ll try to be available, roughly, 6 times an hour.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Salaried workers work on their own time. I know. I was a salaried worker and it becomes a necessity.

[eyedigress]

I get a quote over the internet before I show up.

Works for me.

[No.6]

Um, yes. In fact, you should jump into it and be “that Internet guy.” Do the extra thing and Tweet or Instagram. The customers you get this way will be with you for several purchases. Of course nobody buys when they get form responses; getting human interaction back from an Internet inquiry will wow people and draw them in.

[Paladin2]

Check out the way http://www.davesmiths.com/ works.

Even call them for details.

[saleman]

What percentage of Internet inquiries actually result in a sale? Your boss should have that figure at his/her fingertips. If it’s single digits, then I’m thinking your energies are better spent on the lot with real customers. Every Sunday you see people kicking tires on lots with no immediate intent to purchase. The Internet is like Sunday tire kickers.

---

It’s pretty small. As of today approx. 2%. Based on all leads. It’s not a problem answering during business hours. But I like to hunt, play golf, fish....heck I have a lot of hobbies and not near enough time. I work from 8a.m till 7p.m and that’s not enough? Now I have to carry my(pd by me) phone with me and answer inquiry’s on the golf course, lake, deer stand, Christmas, New Years.......And not get paid one dime for it?

[Abby4116]

If you make the initial contact and the inquirer buys at some later date, is he/she considered your contact for commission purposes?

That used to be the rule at dealerships years ago, but may have changed.

If they are considered your sale whenever they buy, I would definitely want to make that first contact, whatever the time (between 8 am and 9 pm let's say - outside of that, answer between those hours). No one expects contact at 3 am.

[smokingfrog]

If the dealership doesn’t have an “official” Internet department, it should be up to you whether you want to participate or not. Does the dealership pay for your cellphone and home internet? How are you supposed to know what vehicles are in stock if you’re not at work anyway. But if you choose not to participate in the Internet thing, and you end up selling a car to someone who initially made contact with another salesman thru the Internet, you should have to share part of your commission with them.

[familyop]

The prettiest part of TX, in my opinion, is around Concan or Leakey near the rivers. Lake Mathis...er, Lake C.C. is nice, too, though. Citrus fruit from the Valley (Rio Grande) is the sweetest and best in the USA. Most of the rest of TX is flat, hot and bleak, IMO, but then I, being a young, long-time resident during the Stone Age, was biased. ;-)

[familyop]

Oops...wrong thread. Sorry. Maybe I am losing it, sometimes. ;-)

[Mariner]

"In other words, should I be required to do work after hours for something I don't get paid for? "

No, you should not.

However, you're employer can require it of you 7x24x365. And fire you for not doing it.

You're a 100% commission, exempt employee.

[familyop]

Assuming that you get a commission for each sale, answering e-mail inquiries after hours would seem to be profitable. Other Internet advertising with inquiries directed to you personally would seem to be even better.

[saleman]

Human interaction, from all the data that we get, is a phone call. If you provide only enough information for an internet response then you’ll only get an internet response.

Our sales % of inquires with a phone number is 5 times as high. Our response after talking with the customer is 15 times as high. Assuming they can actually buy a car. In other words they are credit worthy. We don’t do “buy here pay here”.

Buy a home over the internet without talking to the seller/realtor. An automotive purchase is the second largest purchase after a home for most people.

I appreciate your suggestion and I’ll look into Tweets and Instagram.

[sarasmom]

Commissioned sales?
You only work part time. Pick any 12 hours a day you want... (Old joke)

Sounds like your company does not understand the internet.
If they did, they would have a “live chat” function for those so not-important “hot leads”! Contact during your next shift.

But gone are the days when merely documenting contacting 10-10-2 (call, mail, scheduled demo) number of potential clients a day is counted as a full days draw.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Very well put. Sounds like "Saleman" is a worker drone that wants a 9-5 gig and is content to not get ahead.

I support global sales teams and, while my main work is 8-6, I'm doing global emails starting when I wake at 5 (Europe) and eventually hit the hay at 10 (Asia). These are often quick responses, but occasionally there's a huge deal that requires extra effort to win and the entire team pulls out the stops.

The reality is the internet age is transforming all businesses. If you want to just stay employed, you need to adapt to the new reality of internet commerce. Those that don't are going to get left behind.

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.

I suggest you read an article published in today's San Jose Mercury News about how the used car business is rapidly transforming via technology: "Virtual dealers make buying used cars painless." Read it and you'll learn that the classical used car business is in the sights of some agile and aggressive startup companies:

The used car business -- estimated at $640 to $700 billion in 2015 -- "has changed little over the past 50 years," according to IBISWorld's 2015 industry report.

But change is coming. By using mobile technology and algorithms that accurately predict how much a car will fetch and business models that keep overhead much lower than that of dealers, the new ventures say they can get a better deal for both sellers and buyers. They also emphasize transparency and value with seven- to 10-day returns with no questions asked.

* Beepi: 14 U.S. metro markets; car delivered to your door; 240-point inspection; 10-day return; financing assistance.Shift: Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles; brings car to you for a test drive; 200-point inspection; seven-day return; financing assistance.
* Caravana: Nine major metro markets; car delivered to your door; in some locations, is ready for you at a Carvana "vending machine;" sells in 42 states; 150-point inspection; 7-day return; financing assistance.
*Vroom: ships the car you buy online to you anywhere in the U.S., picks up your old car; 126-point inspection; 7-day return policy; financing assistance.
* Instamotor: California; an Apple app (IS 8 or later) that connects buyers with sellers; financing assistance.

Why not propose to your dealership that they join forces with these upstarts and get ahead of the curve? Make yourself a forward-thinking hero.

Maybe you are close to retirement and can just glide there without getting eaten. If you are just starting out, it's time to adapt and get with the 21st century.