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More info
- Sell cars & other vehicles to customers as part of a dealership or other car sales business
- Requires good sales, negotiation, & customer service skills
- With experience, become a senior sales adviser or sales and marketing manager
As a car salesperson, you could work for a dealership, with new cars from one manufacturer, or a dealer with a mix of used cars.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Discussing customers' needs and the features of different vehicles
- Arranging test-drives
- Negotiating the sale price including any 'trade-in' value for a customer's old car
- Working out finance including cash and car loans
- Selling accessories or after-sales service
- Completing paperwork
- Updating stock lists
- Ordering new cars or buying used cars
- Keeping the forecourt and vehicles clean
- Meeting sales targets
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Sales staff get paid for each sale (commission) so you could double your salary with commission.
Your work may be split between a showroom and an office and you may get a company car. You'll spend time showing customers cars and you may take people for test-drives.
You may work into the evenings or on weekends.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with good sales, negotiation, and customer service skills, and the ability to explain technical information in everyday language.
There are no set entry requirements but GCSEs in Maths and English could help you get a job.
Experience in sales and knowledge of cars could also help. Employers want salespeople who are effective communicators and have a talent for customer service; so, any face-to-face customer interaction is considered a plus.
You could do a degree in sales management, business management, sales and marketing or economics. You could also get into this job through an apprenticeship.
You will probably need a driving licence for this role.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could go on to manage a car showroom, or alternatively, move into sales in a different industry.