Wish I could get "passed" this but I think this is just wrong..
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I'm not sure why you think this is wrong.
The salespeople you are shopping know that, once or twice a year, they are going to be mystery shopped. You are working for their bosses, who have contracted so they can improve their sales staff's technique and therefore improve their sales (and the staff commissions and bonuses) overall.
You are supposed to act interested so that the managers see how their sales staff handles a "hot" buyer, one who is very close to purchasing. So many salespeople really can't close a deal - it can cost them and the company tens of thousands of dollars in lost sales and bonuses. I've done shops where the poor salesman spends 45 minutes with me explaining how nifty the car is, takes me for a test drive, and then forgets to get my contact information. A major mistake - and something that is easily seen and corrected.
If you get stressed about wiggling out if a hard sell or close at the end, a simple, "I need to think this over tonight" should get you off the hook. If I'm with a really hard closing salesperson, I say something like, "The last time I made a fast decision, I ended up getting married in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator."
The salespeople you are shopping know that, once or twice a year, they are going to be mystery shopped. You are working for their bosses, who have contracted so they can improve their sales staff's technique and therefore improve their sales (and the staff commissions and bonuses) overall.
You are supposed to act interested so that the managers see how their sales staff handles a "hot" buyer, one who is very close to purchasing. So many salespeople really can't close a deal - it can cost them and the company tens of thousands of dollars in lost sales and bonuses. I've done shops where the poor salesman spends 45 minutes with me explaining how nifty the car is, takes me for a test drive, and then forgets to get my contact information. A major mistake - and something that is easily seen and corrected.
If you get stressed about wiggling out if a hard sell or close at the end, a simple, "I need to think this over tonight" should get you off the hook. If I'm with a really hard closing salesperson, I say something like, "The last time I made a fast decision, I ended up getting married in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator."
To "me" it's not right to have them sell their tails off when you have abs NO intention of buying....building up their hopes for a rug pull....might just be a me thing.....I also hate recorded phone calls.....
There's nothing wrong with putting a sales rep through their paces to evaluate their selling skills for potential areas of improvement. There are only a few on the planet that have an awesome talent for sales, and chances are, because of this, their names are well-known to a lot of consumers. Many companies have ongoing training for their sales teams. Mystery shopping is simply part of that program. It's no different than making the sales rep sit through a seminar on selling techniques. They are aware of the possiblity of being mystery shopped at some point, and they know it's just part of their job.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
Love the analogy shopgal!
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
As a former salesman. I will not do these shops. That salesman could mis the next person who comes in behind you. Than buys a car. Causing the salesmen who spent time with you to lose money.
Or the sales associate could be there for the customer and because of a lack of training he or she would not get the sale anyway.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
A sales rep could just as easily miss a potential sale while attending a sales presentation. Or even while visiting the loo.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
I had a car shop earlier this week. I've got them where I can generally be in and out in 1-1.5 hours. Also, I'll always try to do mine Monday-Wednesday as those are the days when most people are just looking.
Anyhow, the shop from earlier this week is chugging along on schedule.I'm ready to close it so I can get on to my next shop. The salesman won't take "no" for an answer. Every time I said no, he would say let me check with the sales manager and come back with another offer. I ended up just about having to walk out on him. The rest of is sales presentation was great but, when it came to closing the sale, I called him "fractous". I was going to say truculant, but that seemed a bit on the strong side.
Anyhow, the shop from earlier this week is chugging along on schedule.I'm ready to close it so I can get on to my next shop. The salesman won't take "no" for an answer. Every time I said no, he would say let me check with the sales manager and come back with another offer. I ended up just about having to walk out on him. The rest of is sales presentation was great but, when it came to closing the sale, I called him "fractous". I was going to say truculant, but that seemed a bit on the strong side.
.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
I was just talking about this with DH last night. After being "closed on" over 1,000 times for cars, homes, apartments, electronics, furniture, cell phones, clothing, home maintenance, solar panels, etc. I'm now one of the most resistant people in North America to a hard sell.
Heck, I might even be able to resist buying Girl Scout cookies this year. Maybe.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2013 11:41PM by ColoKate63.
Heck, I might even be able to resist buying Girl Scout cookies this year. Maybe.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2013 11:41PM by ColoKate63.
I can never pass up the Thin Mints ColoKate63. ;0)
It never bothered me that the salesman might miss a 'real' sale while with me. I decided that the majority of them have no clue or desire for followup work. That's where we come in and perhaps get them much needed training. I just don't do the shops anymore because of the editors for Service Intelligence driving me nuts. Come to think of it, I've not really done too much MS since Christmas. (My choice, except when I had shingles last month.)
It never bothered me that the salesman might miss a 'real' sale while with me. I decided that the majority of them have no clue or desire for followup work. That's where we come in and perhaps get them much needed training. I just don't do the shops anymore because of the editors for Service Intelligence driving me nuts. Come to think of it, I've not really done too much MS since Christmas. (My choice, except when I had shingles last month.)
Car shops and calling funeral homes, are not for me. I'll stick to the $20 fast food shops which I am doing well with.
No way can I turn down Girls Scouts cookies!
The really good salespeople are very skillful and it can be difficult to turn them down.
The ones I have the most difficulty with are the ones who tries to beat me down by asking for what I am willing to pay for xxx car. Obviously I cannot give them one, since I cannot buy a car.
The really good salespeople are very skillful and it can be difficult to turn them down.
The ones I have the most difficulty with are the ones who tries to beat me down by asking for what I am willing to pay for xxx car. Obviously I cannot give them one, since I cannot buy a car.
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
As long as they are video I will take car shops all day, every day. I also don't have any problem turning down the Girl Scout cookies, too many trans fats
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I only wish there were more employees out there mystery shopped or at least periodically reviewed by their employer. As a consumer, when I get totally wrong info or no help at all, especially on phone calls to an 800 number where they cannot even come close to understanding my issue or at best ignoring my question, not being able to help me at all, reluctant to transfer me to a supervisor who might have a few more weeks of experience than they do, and then at the end of the fruitless call they say in a sickeningly sweet tone...is there anything else I can help you with today..glad to be of service..when they have not helped me at all, well that is a big waste of my time. At times like that,which unfortunately are a majority of the time I call customer service for myself these days, I wish I was on a mystery shop. I know the above was a run on sentence but these maddening phone calls to get some sort of help at 1-800 numbers feel to me like a run on disaster.
A good employee can only become better or be promoted to mentor status by their boss if they are found to be fantastic.
A good employee can only become better or be promoted to mentor status by their boss if they are found to be fantastic.
If the client is the salesman's employer, it's part of their job, as dictated by the employer. It's part of your job to act the part. A competitor shop is another story. I will not do a competitor shop on a commission only worker.
~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.
I'm curious....to all that have no problem doing these shops...do you shop full time or like me just for some extra cash?
Nanabelle,
What is the difference if we are F/T or P/T shoppers? Why ask this question?
Getting mystery shopped and evaluated is part of their job description. They knew it when they accepted the job, and their management and franchise/dealership owners employ us to make an objective, fair accounting of their sales force's activity.
It's our job to be as effective, unemotional and quick during our evaluation so that the possibility of losing a sale due to involvement with a mystery shopper is minimized.
If you want to work in a field that is not mystery shopped, don't sell cars or new homes.
If you are uncomfortable with shopping sales people and providing an account of their technique, then don't do these types of jobs.
Does it get any simpler than that?
What is the difference if we are F/T or P/T shoppers? Why ask this question?
Getting mystery shopped and evaluated is part of their job description. They knew it when they accepted the job, and their management and franchise/dealership owners employ us to make an objective, fair accounting of their sales force's activity.
It's our job to be as effective, unemotional and quick during our evaluation so that the possibility of losing a sale due to involvement with a mystery shopper is minimized.
If you want to work in a field that is not mystery shopped, don't sell cars or new homes.
If you are uncomfortable with shopping sales people and providing an account of their technique, then don't do these types of jobs.
Does it get any simpler than that?
ColoKate63 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nanabelle,
>
> What is the difference if we are F/T or P/T
> shoppers? Why ask this question?
>
> Getting mystery shopped and evaluated is part of
> their job description. They knew it when they
> accepted the job, and their management and
> franchise/dealership owners employ us to make an
> objective, fair accounting of their sales force's
> activity.
>
> It's our job to be as effective, unemotional and
> quick during our evaluation so that the
> possibility of losing a sale due to involvement
> with a mystery shopper is minimized.
>
> If you want to work in a field that is not mystery
> shopped, don't sell cars or new homes.
>
> If you are uncomfortable with shopping sales
> people and providing an account of their
> technique, then don't do these types of jobs.
>
> Does it get any simpler than that?
I didn't say OTHERS shouldn't do these shops, I said "I" can't get passed it....
AND I don't do these shops, so you can loose the attitude.....
as for the f/t-p/t question I am merely asking, don't ANSWER if you YOU don't like the question....does it get any simpler than that???
If "I" were doing it full time I would probably force myself to do them.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nanabelle,
>
> What is the difference if we are F/T or P/T
> shoppers? Why ask this question?
>
> Getting mystery shopped and evaluated is part of
> their job description. They knew it when they
> accepted the job, and their management and
> franchise/dealership owners employ us to make an
> objective, fair accounting of their sales force's
> activity.
>
> It's our job to be as effective, unemotional and
> quick during our evaluation so that the
> possibility of losing a sale due to involvement
> with a mystery shopper is minimized.
>
> If you want to work in a field that is not mystery
> shopped, don't sell cars or new homes.
>
> If you are uncomfortable with shopping sales
> people and providing an account of their
> technique, then don't do these types of jobs.
>
> Does it get any simpler than that?
I didn't say OTHERS shouldn't do these shops, I said "I" can't get passed it....
AND I don't do these shops, so you can loose the attitude.....
as for the f/t-p/t question I am merely asking, don't ANSWER if you YOU don't like the question....does it get any simpler than that???
If "I" were doing it full time I would probably force myself to do them.
You know I do this F/T, but I still don't have to force myself. I also don't take the traditional shops that only pay between $14 and $25. The company that offers them at the low end of the scale will also bonus rural locations and since they do not require a test drive I have no issues with taking them for $35 and up because the shop takes less than 30 minutes. Video is still the best. Besides the obvious bump in pay for video, if a report is required, they are never going to be as difficult because it is all recorded.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
We've covered this type of topic before on other threads, and I haven't changed my take on it as a former salesperson of an intangible (advertising) which is widely acknowledged as the hardest type of sale to close. Any salesperson who can't take it when they've done a good job promoting the product and still can't close the deal is in the wrong business. He or she has to grow that thick hide to endure, learn from the process, and not lose faith in their ability.
Car salesman have it pretty easy in my book. Test drives and demonstrating bells and whistles give them a definite edge if they have the right skills and know when and how to use them.
Car salesman have it pretty easy in my book. Test drives and demonstrating bells and whistles give them a definite edge if they have the right skills and know when and how to use them.
Lisa....I guess that makes sense....I am not comfy with video shopping either....so my "fears" seem to go hand in hand. Perhaps being a real "old timer" the newer type shops don't sit well with me. In video shopping I think I worry that "I" will mess up, not the person I'm shopping.....
I'd be surprised if you could find a video shopper that doesn't worry they will mess up It is not just the target's mistakes that are memorialized on that recording, LOL!
It is not just the target's mistakes that are memorialized on that recording, LOL!Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I still get nervous every time I strap on the camera. Still, I'd rather be a little nervous than up all night writing narratives. Without having to focus on noticing and remembering names, hair color and heights, I can put all of my attention into performing my scenario correctly.
I'm a part-time shopper and have no difficulties with doing the auto dealerships. I feel like it's actually an important part of the experience for them. Especially when you have an employee is not quite doing their best, what they learn from the feedback or additional training may make them a better salesman in the future and ultimately earn them a lot more money.
Or the salesman could make many more sales in the future because he learned where he may be going wrong with customers.........
charlie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a former salesman. I will not do these shops.
> That salesman could mis the next person who comes
> in behind you. Than buys a car. Causing the
> salesmen who spent time with you to lose money.
charlie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a former salesman. I will not do these shops.
> That salesman could mis the next person who comes
> in behind you. Than buys a car. Causing the
> salesmen who spent time with you to lose money.
When actually buying a car, how many people "look" without buying...the salesmen are used to it, and like all salespeople, every potential customer is not a sale. This is a job, and they know they are shopped, just not when. Taking this business
personally, won't work!!
personally, won't work!!
Live consciously....
nanabelle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm curious....to all that have no problem doing
> these shops...do you shop full time or like me
> just for some extra cash?
Nana,
I'm a part-time shopper. I don't have any problem with these, but don't take very many, mostly because the pay:report ratio rarely makes them tempting. These usually go for $20 or less in my area. I'd rather do FF or gas stations that pay $20 or so and only take ten minutes to report.
You sound like a gentle soul and I can understand your hesitancy to engage in the high-pressure sales environment.
However, if the pay makes sense, just remind yourself that you're helping the salespeople hone their skills.
For me there's a sweet spot between too much pressure and not even asking for the sale. As a regular customer I want someone who is right down the middle. I am close to buying a car in real life and already know what salesperson I will ask for help because he does it right. He really tries to understand my needs and then looks for a way to meet them. If he finds a vehicle that meets my needs perfectly for a great price, asking for the sale is the logical conclusion.
BTW, both my Nana's are gone, so can I come to your house for cookies and cocoa?
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm curious....to all that have no problem doing
> these shops...do you shop full time or like me
> just for some extra cash?
Nana,
I'm a part-time shopper. I don't have any problem with these, but don't take very many, mostly because the pay:report ratio rarely makes them tempting. These usually go for $20 or less in my area. I'd rather do FF or gas stations that pay $20 or so and only take ten minutes to report.
You sound like a gentle soul and I can understand your hesitancy to engage in the high-pressure sales environment.
However, if the pay makes sense, just remind yourself that you're helping the salespeople hone their skills.
For me there's a sweet spot between too much pressure and not even asking for the sale. As a regular customer I want someone who is right down the middle. I am close to buying a car in real life and already know what salesperson I will ask for help because he does it right. He really tries to understand my needs and then looks for a way to meet them. If he finds a vehicle that meets my needs perfectly for a great price, asking for the sale is the logical conclusion.
BTW, both my Nana's are gone, so can I come to your house for cookies and cocoa?
AndrewTX
Certifiable
Certifiable
Hello Nanabelle - I'm a part time shopper and the car shops aren't my favorite but I'll take them when I have no better alternative, which is pretty much my philosophy about all shops. When I do a car shop, I give the salesperson a thorough and fair report. They know they will be shopped by someone, and whether or not I shop them doesn't change that fact. If I don't shop them, someone else will. The moral question doesn't enter into it for me. The job is posted, and if I want the job I pick it up without remorse for whatever may happen to someone who may not be doing his job when I'm doing my job.
If you aren't comfortable with these shops, then it is better for you if you don't do them. Please don't pass up the shops because you think the salesperson should not have to spend time with a shopper. They will spend it with someone else if you don't pick up the shop, and at least you know you will write a fair report. It sounds to me like a salesperson would be very lucky to get you as his secret shopper.
If you aren't comfortable with these shops, then it is better for you if you don't do them. Please don't pass up the shops because you think the salesperson should not have to spend time with a shopper. They will spend it with someone else if you don't pick up the shop, and at least you know you will write a fair report. It sounds to me like a salesperson would be very lucky to get you as his secret shopper.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
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