I know that for many people, negotiating a vehicle deal with a salesperson can be intimidating, scary and down-right stressful – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Believe it or not, your salesperson may even be feeling some of your same feelings of anxiety. Think about it…most salespeople work on 100% commission. How stressed out you might be if after a few weeks into the month you’ve shown up to work at your job every day, and you’ve done your best to represent yourself and your company, but because business is slow, you don’t have anything to show for it in your pocket? Yikes! A little bit frightening, wouldn’t you say? Throw into the mix the fact that most people think your job is unethical or underhanded and then you get shunned by customers you come into contact with during your day. Now the big kicker is that you have to stay completely positive, motivated and ready to talk to the very next person as though things are great. You’ve just had a peek into a car salesperson’s typical day. But, as I said before, the relationship between a salesperson and a customer doesn’t have to be painful, it’s actually supposed to be fun – or at least that is what I believe. Here are a few tips to try the next time you step onto a car lot while searching for your next vehicle:

1 - Engage your salesperson. The sooner you and your salesperson know one another; it will make things much more enjoyable for you both.
2 - Let them know exactly why you’re there. Are you window shopping, or did you just drive onto the lot in a rental car, because yours has been written off in an accident?
3 - Ask questions and listen to the answers. This will allow your salesperson to understand what your needs and wants are, and will be a good test to see if your salesperson is really listening to you as well.
4 -Don’t be afraid to ask for a different salesperson if you feel there isn’t a connection. First and foremost, you must be comfortable with someone in order to let them help you.
5 - If you’re trading a vehicle in, try to have a good understanding of the true value of your vehicle. Try to be subjective and think about what you’re asking for trade-in value. Would you pay what you’re asking for in trade value to purchase your vehicle on a used car lot?
6 - Be ready to go for a test drive. It doesn’t matter how great of a deal a vehicle is on paper, if you can’t see over the dash, don’t fit into it, or it doesn’t drive the way you thought it would, then it’s not a good deal at all.
7 - Be prepared to take some time to negotiate. Keep in mind that very few car deals happen quickly. If you can, leave the younger children or puppy at home. It’s frustrating for you to try to listen, understand and purchase a big-ticket item if your attention is being drawn elsewhere.
8 - Be open-minded and reasonable, just as your salesperson should be with you.
9 - Try to relax and enjoy the process. It is supposed to be an exciting and fun time.

Understand that when you’ve been dealing with a salesperson, they have a vested interest in you too. If you deal with one person that you enjoy working with, try to stay with them throughout the whole process. If you happen to purchase with another salesperson at the same dealership, then most often your original salesperson will have to split the commission on a deal, or worse, lose the whole deal to the second salesperson. All the work the original salesperson has done has been for not. There’s nothing worse to a salesperson than working diligently for hours on behalf of a customer to find out that they purchased on your day off. Basically it boils down to the fact that a salesperson should make you feel confident and comfortable when dealing with them, while answering your questions in a friendly manner. I treat my customers the way I’d want to be treated; with respect, understanding and patience. Is that how your salesperson treats you?
Karen J. Williams is a Sales and Leasing Consultant with Okanagan Chrysler Jeep Dodge. You can reach her at (250) 861-1040 or email at karenw@okanagandodge.com

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