Study Concludes That 60% Of Americans Have No Idea That Electric Vehicles Exist

A lot of people think hybrid, PHEV, and EV are the same thing.

According to my own survey, about half of the sales staff of traditional autos don't know the differences among hybrid, PHEV and BEV - and the other half don't seem to know more than the cars they try to sell.

One of my pet peeves has been sales people who "don't seem to know more than the cars they try to sell."

You damned well better know the talking points of the competition as well as strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally, if I catch a sales person badmouthing a competing brand they face a severe reaction from me.

Moreover, if I catch a sales person making up shit about a car to make is sound amazeballs, that person is fired.

MD - I'm with you there. Two of my favorite bad salesman experices was when a Mercedes rep said an E350 had a V8 and a BMW rep told me a 328i had two turbos. I called both of them out.

Even better was when the same BMW rep bad mouthed Audi when he knew that is what I was currently driving. Called out how insulting that was to me and walked out.

@jeffgall

A dealer we acquired two years ago was notorious for making up "facts" and badmouthing the competition. The salesmen would smoke in plain view while waiting for customers and two in particular kept adjusting themselves.

I despise smokers and do not want people offended by a stinky salesman.

I also do not want men going after their junk in front of customers.

And you had better dress well...even if you're selling a Fiat 500L.

In several instances, I've retrained sales people in manners, how they dress, how they speak, and dammit they had better know the details of the cars they sell and the competition.

As for your experience, a wise salesman would have said "Sir, I notice you're driving an Audi. What has inspired you to take a look at BMW today?"

Let's say you said in reply "Well my lease it up and I'm seeing what's out there."

Salesman asks: "What do you like most about your Audi."

Inevitably the customer will tell you that, but also why they may stray. Both pieces of information can then be used to "help the customer see" how the BMW could give the same satisfaction and address the deficits.

Persuading a customer to buy is what sales people were born to do, but doing it mindful of what the customer values ensures that once the persuasion is successful, the customer will think he was in charge from start to finish.

It's basic psychology and yes, that is my forte.

Sometimes the customer has no interest in your brand and has come just to check it off his list, thus bashing the competition with a customer like that gives a sales person two black eyes.

Finally, saying--when the customer is showing signs of leaving--"Is there any way I can make you a deal today?" is what not to say. We say instead: "If you like this vehicle, I will be happy to assist you when you're ready to buy. I hope you had a pleasant experience today with INSERT DEALER NAME HERE. It was a pleasure meeting and serving you. Here is my card so that you may contact me with additional questions."

A study also revealed that almost 1/3 of Trump supporters thought it was a good idea to build an Atlantic Wall to keep the Muslims out.

I take each study with a HUGE grain of salt.

I agree. Before I give any weight to a study - I want to see the actual method and questions of the survey. Who did they call - if all the people were under age 10 - they might not have a valid opinion of cars. Questions are often canted to make one option more likely than others. I remember when I went to College - and in Biology we did an actual government funded study to see why Ducks gained more weight when they had more food available. WHile there are some animals who will only eat a certain amount of food - regardless of how much is available - I see NO real use for the data we generated.

The Steve is a moonbat? I'm confused.

That's O.K. Over 50% of Americans don't know that obamma is not a U.S. citizen.

Or that he's a son of a prostitute...

@MD: you wrote this about your business practice:

"
You damned well better know the talking points of the competition as well as strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally, if I catch a sales person badmouthing a competing brand they face a severe reaction from me.

Moreover, if I catch a sales person making up shit about a car to make is sound amazeballs, that person is fired.
"

Change the topic from selling a car to politics, then you violated your own principles with comments like the above.

What the hell does EV cars have anything to do with Obama's upbringing ?

These conversations are "threaded" and I know you aren't capable of understanding logic, but I was responding to skytop.

Stop being a pissy little grade school recess bully.

@MD: even if you put on a nice suit, you're still a ghetto boy you always are. As the saying goes, you can take a boy out of the ghetto but ...

Regardless of the conversation, whenever thing turns negative, you immediately flip the switch and show your true self. Your little sentence "that he's a son of a prostitute..." negates your page long glowing self description of a "boss" who demands respect, truth and stuffs like that from your "employees". It's tragic to have the 2 of yous fighting from within.

A new year resolution suggestion for you: go see a shrink.

MD, do you seriously not understand by now that you are in fact the bully you're talking about.

Now I understand why you hate Tesla so much. I'm glad that I will never go to a traditional car dealership ever again, same with anyone in my family.

Said the Tesla bully.

I'm not following your logic. I could car less if you buy or even like Tesla, but I'm going to root for my favorite car company the same as you will root for the old school ICEs on your car lot. Bullying is making childish comments like calling people's mom's prostitutes. It doesn't really add anything to the conversation--all it does is hurt your own personal brand and credibility.