Salesperson low-to-no knowledge

[portlandg]

During my test drive the salesman actually said he knew nothing about the car yet because he hadn't had time to spend with it.

I supposed they didn't know it was coming for the past year?!?!

Those of us that have ordered this car and are now just waiting for it to be delivered have had over a year to investigate deeply the ins and outs of the car. I don't think there are any dealers, US, UK or EUR who are as excited as we are. Research and investigation takes a lot of time. Time is money and so if a dealer is finding out about a car that they aren't interested in or going to sell many off it is not cost effective for them. Most dealers are on commission so they will concentrate of what is going to earn them money.

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[BlueMach]

This is an extremely common and frustrating thread across all franchised dealer buying experiences I've had. I have known more about every franchised dealer brand vehicle I have bought than the salesman did, and I've literally gone to a different dealer for every vehicle expecting a better experience. If they're not knowledgeable, they don't deserve loyalty.

Why Ford tolerates this system, I do not understand.

If you are not willing to devote your time to your job, to become an expert in what you do, you shouldn't do that job.

 

[jhalkias]

The amount of info here. Yes, you're going to know more about your mache than just about anyone. Salesman come and go, just like any job.

How many people have you all talked to about each part of the mache to the point they know more about it than they would ever imagine also. lol

Pretty confident my wife knows more now than most salesmen. ?

This is an extremely common and frustrating thread across all franchised dealer buying experiences I've had. I have known more about every franchised dealer brand vehicle I have bought than the salesman did, and I've literally gone to a different dealer for every vehicle expecting a better experience. If they're not knowledgeable, they don't deserve loyalty.

Why Ford tolerates this system, I do not understand.

If you are not willing to devote your time to your job, to become an expert in what you do, you shouldn't do that job.

Ford tolerates it because they have no choice because of how the law is right now. That is bound to change. Auto dealers have protected themselves like I bet a lot of other brick and mortar businesses wish they had from Amazon and direct sales. They didn't see this coming, it was an accident and serendipitous. Things will change in some form in the future if consumers demand it.

 

[BlueMach]

Pretty confident my wife knows more now than most salesmen. ?



Ford tolerates it because they have no choice because of how the law is right now. That is bound to change. Auto dealers have protected themselves like I bet a lot of other brick and mortar businesses wish they had from Amazon and direct sales. They didn't see this coming, it was an accident and serendipitous. Things will change in some form in the future if consumers demand it.

With how Carvana, etc. are eating the dealers' lunch in the used car market, and how all the EV startups are going direct sale, cannibalizing higher end new car sales, I suspect the dealer model is heading for catastrophe soon anyway.

 

[jhalkias]

With how Carvana, etc. are eating the dealers' lunch in the used car market, and how all the EV startups are going direct sale, cannibalizing higher end new car sales, I suspect the dealer model is heading for catastrophe soon anyway.

Ford is working on that too . . .
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/b...ne-marketplace-used-vehicle-sales/6706281002/

 

[ChasingCoral]

I suppose my real issue with the salesperson and the reason that I started the thread is not so much that the salesperson didn't know about the car, but that he insisted he did know about it when it was clear he had no clue. (Plus, he was introduced as the MME expert!) He wasn't so much ignorant, as he was *aggressively* ignorant.

One other (somewhat minor) thing...it wasn't clear that one of the specific vehicles was a demo since there were three lined up in a row. So I asked if we could specifically drive a Premium SR RWD (it was sitting right there) and he said "no, they all drive the same." I nearly asked, so why does Ford have an AWD and a RWD model if they all drive the same, but decided I should just be quiet.

The appropriate question might be: Do RWD and AWD drive the same in the F-150?

 

[benk016]

The thing that bugs me about a salesman not knowing the product, isn't that they don't know, its the mis-information they end up giving out trying to make it sound like they do know what they are talking about. I'd much rather someone tell me they don't know, than to just make something up that's completely wrong.

 

[Maquis]

The thing that bugs me about a salesman not knowing the product, isn't that they don't know, its the mis-information they end up giving out trying to make it sound like they do know what they are talking about. I'd much rather someone tell me they don't know, than to just make something up that's completely wrong.

My thoughts, exactly. The guy I deal with is pretty straight - he'll tell me what he knows, and will readily admit when he doesn't. I don't like being BS'd.

 

[Mickey the T]

The thing that bugs me about a salesman not knowing the product, isn't that they don't know, its the mis-information they end up giving out trying to make it sound like they do know what they are talking about. I'd much rather someone tell me they don't know, than to just make something up that's completely wrong.

Fully agree there and that exactly what I meant by my "aggressively" ignorant question. Ditto with when he promised I could order online and get a car in 4-6 weeks. That part actually got a little uncomfortable when he insisted I was wrong, so I just told him that I didn't "share his confidence" with that timeframe.

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