Michael....so sorry to hear. Just curious, I've had two resumes hit my email just this week...both IBM-ers...same severence date...May 31. Coincidence?
Mike, glad to hear your health is going in the right direction
No coincidence. Big layoffs earlier this week. All with the same last day of 5/31.
Need a remote Operations person?
Make sure you take advantage of the outplacement firm they give you. I got laid off last year and worked with a great resume writer and a counselor. I thought I had a very good resume, but they made it 10x better.
I guess my wife is liking her MKC. The next 2 days after she brought it home(a week ago Monday) it rained, so she left it home. This morning there was snow on the ground, so I asked her if she drove the Escape. Answer was No I wanted to see how it handled bad weather.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Wow, all this talk about less-than-stellar companies makes me appreciate the one I worked at for 31 years and then 5 years part-time as a contractor. They had a lot of layoffs, especially in the defense business part of it. But, they were generous with the severance and outplacement help. I was lucky I never got caught in a layoff, but if I had, I think I would still think the world of the company. Totally ethical and honest, and with me being in Finance, I think I would have seen any shady behavior.
Michael, good luck finding your next career.
My company got raided by the FBI for the practices that I wouldn't go along with that lead to me being fired. They went from a $200 million company to bankruptcy almost overnight. Very satisfying.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Michael....so sorry to hear. Just curious, I've had two resumes hit my email just this week...both IBM-ers...same severence date...May 31. Coincidence?
Mike, glad to hear your health is going in the right direction
No coincidence. Big layoffs earlier this week. All with the same last day of 5/31.
Need a remote Operations person?
Make sure you take advantage of the outplacement firm they give you. I got laid off last year and worked with a great resume writer and a counselor. I thought I had a very good resume, but they made it 10x better.
Best of luck!
Wow, all this talk about less-than-stellar companies makes me appreciate the one I worked at for 31 years and then 5 years part-time as a contractor. They had a lot of layoffs, especially in the defense business part of it. But, they were generous with the severance and outplacement help. I was lucky I never got caught in a layoff, but if I had, I think I would still think the world of the company. Totally ethical and honest, and with me being in Finance, I think I would have seen any shady behavior.
Michael, good luck finding your next career.
My company got raided by the FBI for the practices that I wouldn't go along with that lead to me being fired. They went from a $200 million company to bankruptcy almost overnight. Very satisfying.
Not long after I moved to Colorado, the company I was working for at the time also had a visit from the FBI. Apparently, one of our software developers was accused of stealing some source code and sending it back to his home country in China.
My company got raided by the FBI for the practices that I wouldn't go along with that lead to me being fired. They went from a $200 million company to bankruptcy almost overnight. Very satisfying.
He who laughs last. . .
Certainly makes me feel better about the huge conglomerate I work for these days, a piece of which I started with in 1968. I am a dinosaur in many ways, one of which has to do with going back 48 years in the same company. I did work for three other places and was self-employed (truck driving - best two years ever) between '71 & '80, but mostly I've sold my life to the same place for a very long time. Many others are far worse, as I keep being reminded.
It's all relative.
All that said, good luck Michael as you go forward. As others have pointed out, these disruptions often yield excellent long-term results.
I'm an Operations Manager .. finance and process oriented, for the most part.
I don't know if it's a perfect fit, but the company I work for employs operations managers in a lean manufacturing environment. There are also finance positions. I'll keep an out for opportunities. We're a little geeky, but the company has a strong history of growth with long career opprotunities. Lots of folks are in the 20+ year range. And we're all about protecting Earth's most precious resource, water.
I'm an Operations Manager .. finance and process oriented, for the most part.
I don't know if it's a perfect fit, but the company I work for employs operations managers in a lean manufacturing environment. There are also finance positions. I'll keep an out for opportunities. We're a little geeky, but the company has a strong history of growth with long career opprotunities. Lots of folks are in the 20+ year range. And we're all about protecting Earth's most precious resource, water.
I'm pretty open minded about my opportunities – if you got a job description you can send along to me, that would be great
I was in sales with a major book publisher for 16 years.
One year we were at a sales meeting, we were told one of the new releases we would be selling was a book called "Don't Worry When You Lose Your Job - Things Are Going to Get Better Than Ever"
The President of the company told us they would be putting a copy under each one of our pillows that night.
Michaell, That sucks. Hang in there. I was kind of lucky that I never worked for a big corporate company. My wife had been through layoffs several times and hated it. So she was a late bloomer and got her masters education in her 40's and took a teaching job in a private school. She thought that would be there job for life. NOT. No tenure in a private school. They got a new headmaster who came in and cleaned house. It turned out to be a great thing for us, as we made a life change, sold our house in Westchester, scaled down and moved to our lake house in Vermont to run a small business. Now we work for each other. Believe it or not, we are still married:) Good luck.
Nice story sb....I love it when lemons get made into lemonade. When a job ends it is difficult, a job becomes part of our being...we identify with what we do and the company we work for. But, it does allow us to reevaluate and make some decisions that may actually bring us more hapiness in the long run.
Michael, consider Florida and in particular Tampa Bay area....seems the job situation is pretty good and things seem to be taking off. Lots of high tech companies consider Florida a place to be.
Nice story sb....I love it when lemons get made into lemonade. When a job ends it is difficult, a job becomes part of our being...we identify with what we do and the company we work for. But, it does allow us to reevaluate and make some decisions that may actually bring us more hapiness in the long run.
Michael, consider Florida and in particular Tampa Bay area....seems the job situation is pretty good and things seem to be taking off. Lots of high tech companies consider Florida a place to be.
The wife and I have plans to move somewhere warmer, eventually. However, she's tied to Colorado for the time being as she's got a job that pays her very well for her field.
Michael....so sorry to hear. Just curious, I've had two resumes hit my email just this week...both IBM-ers...same severence date...May 31. Coincidence?
Mike, glad to hear your health is going in the right direction
No coincidence. Big layoffs earlier this week. All with the same last day of 5/31.
Need a remote Operations person?
Hi Micheal....yeah, all the people I talked to regarding IBM weren't real happy about the way that went down. Again, sorry to hear.
You tied to CO? I don't have anything in my division, but we may have something in Sunnyvale, CA.
Nice story sb....I love it when lemons get made into lemonade. When a job ends it is difficult, a job becomes part of our being...we identify with what we do and the company we work for. But, it does allow us to reevaluate and make some decisions that may actually bring us more hapiness in the long run.
Michael, consider Florida and in particular Tampa Bay area....seems the job situation is pretty good and things seem to be taking off. Lots of high tech companies consider Florida a place to be.
The wife and I have plans to move somewhere warmer, eventually. However, she's tied to Colorado for the time being as she's got a job that pays her very well for her field.
Sounds like it is a good plan to stay in CO for now then.
changing the topic back to washers (but I promise, i will bring the story back to cars). Wife noticed that the washer (a Samsung that we love, probably 2-3 YO at this point) was getting a little grungy, and smelling moldy. So, dug out the owners manual for cleaning instructions. turns out it has a self clean cycle. So, we scrubbed down the door gasket, and ran the self clean mode. Huge difference. Looks new, and smells fine.
but we discovered while looking that up, that apparently there is a debris filter on the machine. So today I figured out how to get access to it (thankfully on the front, but having to lay on my belly to look in the opening was not fun) and yanked it out. really nasty. all covered in slime, muck and strings. As bad as putting the hair plugs out of the shower drain in my daughter's bathroom! But, got that all cleaned out, so machine is as good as new I guess.
Car analogy: Read the owners manual and clean out filters. If you want to see something really icky, pull out the cabin filter on an older car that never had it changed!
Motorized equipment related, too my mower in today for a tune. It decided late last year that it did not want to start without 20-25 yanks on the cord (and a ton of resistence). I thought about trying to start taking it apart, but decided it probably would not end well. So dropped it off at the small engine place. Hopefully it is just a clean and adjust deal, and not something more invasive. I was planning to subcontract that out this year finally (the mowing) but probably still need to do a few times myself before that starts.
Been absent a long time but I've been absent from most places. I suppose some is that I am so close to being "back to normal" and it's driving me crazy. Pardon me if I don't catch up all the way back.
Stick - Yeah, we have a Samsung washer. Refrigerator, too. The washer is excellent. The refrigerator gets a little noisy at times but not all the time. Does its job though if I'd been more attentive I'd have picked one with better shelving options.
Michaelll - Really sorry to hear your news. Is this another one like what happened to my wife last May. They started laying off largely by picking the ones that made the most and kept the rookies. We had a rough go of living as much as possible on my pension, Social Security and unemployment. While I put six months worth of her salary aside I had to dip less than halfway through. It was more than 7 months but she's landed exactly where she wanted to be so that works and I'm slowly rebuilding the emergency fund.
I'm more than confident that you'll land on your feet.
Hi, everybody.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
sorry to hear it, Michael. What is your FT profession, anyway?
I'm an Operations Manager .. finance and process oriented, for the most part.
I managed to survive three restructurings before my job went away after 20 years. I thought my job performance made me bulletproof but all it took was a new Company President who had nothing but contempt for anyone who had a lot of years under their belt. the fact my region was Number One out of eight regions meant nothing.
So I spent several scared months finding nothing. One day the local Honda Store ran an ad looking for a salesperson. I gathered up all of my rave Performance Reviews and other stats and walked in thinking they would snap me up in an instant. I was told that I was too smart and that I wouldn't take direction well after managing 200 people and a 30 million dollar P&L. A couple of days later, they called me in and told me they would the chance on me. Talk about feeling humbled!
It was to be a six month job. I had been told that another job in my former business would be available in six months. Six months later I was offered the job and I turned it down and I ended up spending 13.5 years at the Honda store. I lived fifteen minutes from the store. I was treated with respect and I worked with great people. My first year I made 20,000 more than in my so called high powered corporate job. I was home every night and I didn't have to spend three hours every night holding hands and listening to crybabies. I didn't have to sit through depositions and answer questions from nasty greedy lawyers!
My old company has gone downhill big time so I'm happy I made the move I did.
I will say, most Car Dealerships aren't like the down to earth family owned place where I was. I probably wouldn't have lasted long in a "typical" car dealership.
I always thought that at some point, I would go into car sales as my "transition" job (out of the rat race, not ready to fully retire). so roughly that 55-65 range. Now, not so much. If I did, it would have to be a rare place like my Volvo dealer (stand alone, family owned since the 60s). I could see that. maybe the BMW place. But no way I could go into the rat race of the Honda superstore, or a chevy dealer. I would need to be more "boutique". And probably make no money, but would get to drive nice cars!
a nice higher end used car place, if I could find the right gig, could work too. Probably make more money with less stress, but hard to find that one.
I always thought that at some point, I would go into car sales as my "transition" job (out of the rat race, not ready to fully retire). so roughly that 55-65 range. Now, not so much. If I did, it would have to be a rare place like my Volvo dealer (stand alone, family owned since the 60s). I could see that. maybe the BMW place. But no way I could go into the rat race of the Honda superstore, or a chevy dealer. I would need to be more "boutique". And probably make no money, but would get to drive nice cars!
a nice higher end used car place, if I could find the right gig, could work too. Probably make more money with less stress, but hard to find that one.
hey, that's my plan, too!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Honestly, you guys want to sell cars? There was a time in the car business when a salesman could make big money. Today, there are very few salesmen who make big money because of the small margins dealerships work with.
Salesman who sell quantity have better opportunities because pay plans are based upon sales numbers per month.
Dealerships have pay plans similar to eachother in that salesman are paid a percentage of the gross profit or a "mini deal" of $150-$250 per car.
Percentages are similar to these:
1-8 cars per month = 15% 9-15 cars per month = 18% 16-21 cars per month = 22% 22+ cars per month = 28%
Salesmen are paid the percentage they achieve in car sales + bonuses and spiffs (mini-incentives for a weekend). Salesmen are paid retroactively at the end of the month for commission percentages achieved on the last day of the month.
If a salesman does not earn enough in a given week, they are given a draw which is deducted from future sales commissions.
When I sold Lexus, I made about $70,000 a year back in 2001-2004. But I worked an average of 6 days a week, 9-12 hours a day. I frequently worked my days off in order to earn enough. Many of my deals were mini-deals, but those mini-deals helped me to get to the top commission percentages which paid off at the end of the month with retroactive percentage commissions.
It was difficult physical and mental stress. There are bonuses for Customer Satisfaction surveys as well. That was the gravy which could earn me up to $600 a month more.
You have to be in the same dealership for at least 3 years before you develop a customer base where you get repeat business. That's when you start making more money. Referral business is another important factor in earning more money.
When I was a sales manager, the work was stressful but I earned a lot more money. Just make sure you understand "all" the negatives to car sales before you go into it. You don't make money in the beginning which is why you must be prepared for the financial sacrifices you will have to make at first.
My problem is that I don't have the "sales" gene in me. Never been comfortable with a variable pay plan, either.
Michael, the salesman's job is very physically demanding. You walk the lots with a customer - run to get the key - bring the car around - do the test drive - negotiate - put the demo back in stock and bring up the car you are selling...etc. Transfer the tags, gather insurance, driver's license, title (if a trade), registration from the trade, fill out 10-15 forms, etc. this is a young man's job.
You don't know what your monthly income will be which is stressful in and of itself.
At least you get a few wet slurps on your face when you are greeted every morning and when you return home from a hard day of work. You won't get that at the car dealership!
My problem is that I don't have the "sales" gene in me. Never been comfortable with a variable pay plan, either.
Always had trouble selling someone else's product especially if I didn't "believe" in it. Different story for my own products. I have quite a following at the farmer's market because I can paint an image of how my customer will benefit from buying my stuff. I actually have fun dispite being a natural introvert.
Maybe go into business for yourself in a similar line like driver100.
If I was going to sell cars I think I'd sell these:
The commission on one a year would set me up fine. 261mph on the test drive would be fun too.
My problem is that I don't have the "sales" gene in me. Never been comfortable with a variable pay plan, either.
Always had trouble selling someone else's product especially if I didn't "believe" in it. Different story for my own products. I have quite a following at the farmer's market because I can paint an image of how my customer will benefit from buying my stuff. I actually have fun dispite being a natural introvert.
Maybe go into business for yourself in a similar line like driver100.
If I was going to sell cars I think I'd sell these:
The commission on one a year would set me up fine. 261mph on the test drive would be fun too.
Never thought of you as an introvert - just to be a bus driver you need nerves of steel and a baseball bat to maintain control. Also never met an introvert who wanted to sell Buggatti's - especially at 261 mph!
Was picked up today by a livery service using a 2007 M-B S550 4Matic. Lovely car of course. But as a passenger in the rear seat, it really didn't seem all that different from any number of other such cars in that role.
I was speaking with the driver, who was the owner of the business and has an 18-car fleet. He was lamenting the loss of the Lincoln Town Car, of which he owned about a dozen at one point. He said he is gradually phasing them out as they get miled-up. I asked him what he was replacing them with. Tried Lincoln Navigators, Chevy Suburbans, GMC Tahoes. Not a fan of the Genesis/Equus. His favorite so far is the Chrysler 300, though he said the trunks on those are a bit too small.
Was picked up today by a livery service using a 2007 M-B S550 4Matic. Lovely car of course. But as a passenger in the rear seat, it really didn't seem all that different from any number of other such cars in that role.
I was speaking with the driver, who was the owner of the business and has an 18-car fleet. He was lamenting the loss of the Lincoln Town Car, of which he owned about a dozen at one point. He said he is gradually phasing them out as they get miled-up. I asked him what he was replacing them with. Tried Lincoln Navigators, Chevy Suburbans, GMC Tahoes. Not a fan of the Genesis/Equus. His favorite so far is the Chrysler 300, though he said the trunks on those are a bit too small.
I agree with your assessment. The Mercedes-Benz is a bit too sporty in terms of suspension. SUV's are certainly not smooth/soft riding. The Lincoln Town Car served the limo-riding public for many years most comfortably.
You rode in a MB S550 that is no longer the model or suspension that is currently in production. I drove a 2016 and sat in the rear of one while on the highway and found the ride a bit smoother - it did not have the sport package. But I still prefer the ride in a Lincoln Town Car, as a passenger, not a driver. I prefer the stiffer European ride and handling (specifically German engineered) as a driver.
I would love to see a new version of the Towncar go into production.
Washed Dads Ghia today. Clay bar and a good waxing are next up. Figured out how to release the rear window so I can lower the top. Dad had an air ride kit installed, it sits looow. Looks cool, but would never try to drive it that low.
Guys, I was surprised at how many thought about selling cars as a semi-retirement job. That was my plan too, about 15 years ago. My Dad did that, he was a very good sales person, traveling through Ontario. He retired but got a bit bored, so sold high end used cars for a little dealer. He loved cars and he enjoyed selling them, with very little pressure.
From Mikes description it just doesn't sound like it would be much fun these days. I hate quotas and I really hate "spiffs", makes me feel like a rabbit trying to get the carrot. I thought I would never want to fully retire...long boring days and not accomplish anything concrete....hey, I found my niche in life, now I can fill long boring days and find stuff to do and the day flies by...and I would be absolutely hopeless in any job I would be in. No one would want to hire me at this point....I just want to observe from a distance the old rat race and not be part of it.
Another thought about selling cars, and maybe Mike has some thoughts on this.
My Mercedes sales assistant (not sure what the main sales guy does but I mostly deal with his helper" has to be so knowledgeable, I just can't learn all that stuff any more. For one thing, he has to demonstrate that self parking feature. He has to answer questions all day, and he has to know how to hook up every new device that comes out. He takes courses in all this stuff, and it is constantly changing.
At one time cars might have one or two simple new devices, like speed control or pop open trunks, but think about what they have to learn today. I suppose a high end salesman could do quite well, but I am sure he would work really hard to do that.
....hey, I found my niche in life, now I can fill long boring days and find stuff to do and the day flies by...and I would be absolutely hopeless in any job I would be in. No one would want to hire me at this point....I just want to observe from a distance the old rat race and not be part of it.
+1 I'm very happy being retired and doing whatever I want. It's nice to have zero pressure to accomplish something every day. If I get the lawn cut, cool. If not, there's always tomorrow. I'm getting a lot of delayed reading done. After 35 years of work stress, life in retirement is good.
Another thought about selling cars, and maybe Mike has some thoughts on this.
My Mercedes sales assistant (not sure what the main sales guy does but I mostly deal with his helper" has to be so knowledgeable, I just can't learn all that stuff any more. For one thing, he has to demonstrate that self parking feature. He has to answer questions all day, and he has to know how to hook up every new device that comes out. He takes courses in all this stuff, and it is constantly changing.
At one time cars might have one or two simple new devices, like speed control or pop open trunks, but think about what they have to learn today. I suppose a high end salesman could do quite well, but I am sure he would work really hard to do that.
Yes, driver, when I sold cars, I had to demonstrate to the customer how every feature operated. Today, you have GPS and know how to activate voice recognition, sophisticated audio systems, Bluetooth, Lane-Tracking, Blind-Spot monitors, adaptive lighting, satellite radio, satellite tracking monitors such as ON-STAR, keyless access and starting, and scores of other systems to demonstrate. The salesmen today do not have the training necessary to educate their clients, so many dealerships have gone the route of delivery specialists who actually deliver the car when paperwork is completed.
But the salesmen have to know what the features are and the benefits of those features in order to "sell" those features. Many customers are invited back to take additional training because of the multitude of features and the need to show how the features operate and how to access them.
I know I could never go back to selling cars or even demonstrating the features. It's a young person's job today. It also takes tremendous patience.
Honestly, you guys want to sell cars? There was a time in the car business when a salesman could make big money. Today, there are very few salesmen who make big money because of the small margins dealerships work with.
Salesman who sell quantity have better opportunities because pay plans are based upon sales numbers per month.
Dealerships have pay plans similar to eachother in that salesman are paid a percentage of the gross profit or a "mini deal" of $150-$250 per car.
Percentages are similar to these:
1-8 cars per month = 15% 9-15 cars per month = 18% 16-21 cars per month = 22% 22+ cars per month = 28%
Salesmen are paid the percentage they achieve in car sales + bonuses and spiffs (mini-incentives for a weekend). Salesmen are paid retroactively at the end of the month for commission percentages achieved on the last day of the month.
If a salesman does not earn enough in a given week, they are given a draw which is deducted from future sales commissions.
When I sold Lexus, I made about $70,000 a year back in 2001-2004. But I worked an average of 6 days a week, 9-12 hours a day. I frequently worked my days off in order to earn enough. Many of my deals were mini-deals, but those mini-deals helped me to get to the top commission percentages which paid off at the end of the month with retroactive percentage commissions.
It was difficult physical and mental stress. There are bonuses for Customer Satisfaction surveys as well. That was the gravy which could earn me up to $600 a month more.
You have to be in the same dealership for at least 3 years before you develop a customer base where you get repeat business. That's when you start making more money. Referral business is another important factor in earning more money.
When I was a sales manager, the work was stressful but I earned a lot more money. Just make sure you understand "all" the negatives to car sales before you go into it. You don't make money in the beginning which is why you must be prepared for the financial sacrifices you will have to make at first.
But keep in mind, we were talking about doing it post-retirement...when we aren't trying to make a living out of it. Granted, not many dealerships are going to want to have someone taking up space who isn't motivated by money, which is why a small used boutique would be a more appropriate place. Hell, I very well might start my own, but I have ALOT of saving to do to make that happen.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Husband: My wife is missing. She went shopping yesterday and has not come home...
Sergeant at Police Station: What is her height?
Husband: Gee, I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.
Sergeant: Weight?
Husband: Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.
Sergeant: Colour of eyes?
Husband: Sort of brown I think. Never really noticed.
Sergeant: Colour of hair?
Husband: Changes a couple times a year. Maybe dark brown now. I can’t remember.
Sergeant: What was she wearing?
Husband: Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know exactly.
Sergeant: What kind of car did she go in?
Husband: She went in my truck.
Sergeant: What kind of truck was it?
Husband: A 2015 Ford F150 King Ranch 4X4 with eco-boost 5.0L V8 engine special ordered with manual transmission and climate controlled air conditioning. It has a custom matching white cover for the bed, which has a matching aftermarket bed liner. Custom leather 6-way seats and "Bubba" floor mats. Trail-ring package with gold hitch and special wiring hook-ups. DVD with full GPS navigation, satellite radio receiver, 23-channel CB radio, six cup holders, a USB port, and four power outlets. I added special alloy wheels and off-road Michelins. It has custom running boards and indirect wheel well lighting.
At this point the husband started choking up... Sergeant:
Do stores send out satisfaction surveys for used car purchases? Or is that just done for their new car sales portion? I never got anything from the Cruz purchase in January.
Mike, it sounds like if any of us wanted to sell cars at this point in our lives...it would be best to find a used car lot that features cars at least 10 years old or more. I can barely work all those devices myself let alone demonstrate them for someone else.
And, then the learning! Things change so fast today that you would be learning new things every year. It makes my head spin just thinking about it. And, if you learn all this stuff there is no guaranty you will earn enough to make a living.
Do stores send out satisfaction surveys for used car purchases? Or
is that just done for their new car sales portion? I never got anything
from the Cruz purchase in January.
New cars only, however some manufacturers survey CPO sales because that is the way they maintain high resale values on their products - remember CPO's come with special manufacturer financing incentives and extended warranties.
New cars only, however some manufacturers survey CPO sales because that is the way they maintain high resale values on their products - remember CPO's come with special manufacturer financing incentives and extended warranties.
This is a CPO '15 Cruz, or I wouldn't have bought it for my son. Would have bought a new vehicle. Actually he's buying it from me. He's not a car person. The only car he'd noticed that he wanted was the '16 Malibu, the new model.
The 2-year CPO warranty that I can extend with an authentic GMEP warranty makes the '15 Cruz worthwhile.
LOL. But those folks sometimes end up on Judge Judy. Even that job is not stress free.
Double LOL....so many cases on Judge Judy and on Hot Bench are about dogs and dog watchers!
Driver, you mention Judge Judy and Hot Bench occasionally. My go to Judge is Marilyn Millian of People's Court. You can zip through a "case" in ten minutes and watch an hour long show in under 1/2 hour when cutting through the fluff, boring set ups and post case interviews. There are a lot of used car horror stories (plus rent and dog issues...). Car case take aways are: get a PRE purchase inspection and, an as is sale usually is, as is. ps, I'll be in Pigeon Forge same time as you. My wife and I are driving down in later March to miss some of Vermont's mud season....
My problem is that I don't have the "sales" gene in me. Never been comfortable with a variable pay plan, either.
Always had trouble selling someone else's product especially if I didn't "believe" in it. Different story for my own products. I have quite a following at the farmer's market because I can paint an image of how my customer will benefit from buying my stuff. I actually have fun dispite being a natural introvert.
Maybe go into business for yourself in a similar line like driver100.
If I was going to sell cars I think I'd sell these:
The commission on one a year would set me up fine. 261mph on the test drive would be fun too.
Comments
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Best of luck!
The next 2 days after she brought it home(a week ago Monday) it rained, so she left it home.
This morning there was snow on the ground, so I asked her if she drove the Escape.
Answer was No I wanted to see how it handled bad weather.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Certainly makes me feel better about the huge conglomerate I work for these days, a piece of which I started with in 1968. I am a dinosaur in many ways, one of which has to do with going back 48 years in the same company. I did work for three other places and was self-employed (truck driving - best two years ever) between '71 & '80, but mostly I've sold my life to the same place for a very long time. Many others are far worse, as I keep being reminded.
It's all relative.
All that said, good luck Michael as you go forward. As others have pointed out, these disruptions often yield excellent long-term results.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
One year we were at a sales meeting, we were told one of the new releases we would be selling was a book
called "Don't Worry When You Lose Your Job - Things Are Going to Get Better Than Ever"
The President of the company told us they would be putting a copy under each one of our pillows that night.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That sucks. Hang in there.
I was kind of lucky that I never worked for a big corporate company. My wife had been through layoffs several times and hated it. So she was a late bloomer and got her masters education in her 40's and took a teaching job in a private school. She thought that would be there job for life. NOT. No tenure in a private school. They got a new headmaster who came in and cleaned house.
It turned out to be a great thing for us, as we made a life change, sold our house in Westchester, scaled down and moved to our lake house in Vermont to run a small business. Now we work for each other. Believe it or not, we are still married:)
Good luck.
2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT
Michael, consider Florida and in particular Tampa Bay area....seems the job situation is pretty good and things seem to be taking off. Lots of high tech companies consider Florida a place to be.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
You tied to CO? I don't have anything in my division, but we may have something in Sunnyvale, CA.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
but we discovered while looking that up, that apparently there is a debris filter on the machine. So today I figured out how to get access to it (thankfully on the front, but having to lay on my belly to look in the opening was not fun) and yanked it out. really nasty. all covered in slime, muck and strings. As bad as putting the hair plugs out of the shower drain in my daughter's bathroom! But, got that all cleaned out, so machine is as good as new I guess.
Car analogy: Read the owners manual and clean out filters. If you want to see something really icky, pull out the cabin filter on an older car that never had it changed!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I envy Steve and his rock "lawn".
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Stick - Yeah, we have a Samsung washer. Refrigerator, too. The washer is excellent. The refrigerator gets a little noisy at times but not all the time. Does its job though if I'd been more attentive I'd have picked one with better shelving options.
Michaelll - Really sorry to hear your news. Is this another one like what happened to my wife last May. They started laying off largely by picking the ones that made the most and kept the rookies. We had a rough go of living as much as possible on my pension, Social Security and unemployment. While I put six months worth of her salary aside I had to dip less than halfway through. It was more than 7 months but she's landed exactly where she wanted to be so that works and I'm slowly rebuilding the emergency fund.
I'm more than confident that you'll land on your feet.
Hi, everybody.
So I spent several scared months finding nothing. One day the local Honda Store ran an ad looking for a salesperson. I gathered up all of my rave Performance Reviews and other stats and walked in thinking they would snap me up in an instant. I was told that I was too smart and that I wouldn't take direction well after managing 200 people and a 30 million dollar P&L. A couple of days later, they called me in and told me they would the chance on me. Talk about feeling humbled!
It was to be a six month job. I had been told that another job in my former business would be available in six months. Six months later I was offered the job and I turned it down and I ended up spending 13.5 years at the Honda store. I lived fifteen minutes from the store. I was treated with respect and I worked with great people. My first year I made 20,000 more than in my so called high powered corporate job. I was home every night and I didn't have to spend three hours every night holding hands and listening to crybabies. I didn't have to sit through depositions and answer questions from nasty greedy lawyers!
My old company has gone downhill big time so I'm happy I made the move I did.
I will say, most Car Dealerships aren't like the down to earth family owned place where I was. I probably wouldn't have lasted long in a "typical" car dealership.
Hang in there! The right door WILL open!
a nice higher end used car place, if I could find the right gig, could work too. Probably make more money with less stress, but hard to find that one.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Salesman who sell quantity have better opportunities because pay plans are based upon sales numbers per month.
Dealerships have pay plans similar to eachother in that salesman are paid a percentage of the gross profit or a "mini deal" of $150-$250 per car.
Percentages are similar to these:
1-8 cars per month = 15%
9-15 cars per month = 18%
16-21 cars per month = 22%
22+ cars per month = 28%
Salesmen are paid the percentage they achieve in car sales + bonuses and spiffs (mini-incentives for a weekend). Salesmen are paid retroactively at the end of the month for commission percentages achieved on the last day of the month.
If a salesman does not earn enough in a given week, they are given a draw which is deducted from future sales commissions.
When I sold Lexus, I made about $70,000 a year back in 2001-2004. But I worked an average of 6 days a week, 9-12 hours a day. I frequently worked my days off in order to earn enough. Many of my deals were mini-deals, but those mini-deals helped me to get to the top commission percentages which paid off at the end of the month with retroactive percentage commissions.
It was difficult physical and mental stress. There are bonuses for Customer Satisfaction surveys as well. That was the gravy which could earn me up to $600 a month more.
You have to be in the same dealership for at least 3 years before you develop a customer base where you get repeat business. That's when you start making more money. Referral business is another important factor in earning more money.
When I was a sales manager, the work was stressful but I earned a lot more money. Just make sure you understand "all" the negatives to car sales before you go into it. You don't make money in the beginning which is why you must be prepared for the financial sacrifices you will have to make at first.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
You don't know what your monthly income will be which is stressful in and of itself.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Always had trouble selling someone else's product especially if I didn't "believe" in it. Different story for my own products. I have quite a following at the farmer's market because I can paint an image of how my customer will benefit from buying my stuff. I actually have fun dispite being a natural introvert.
Maybe go into business for yourself in a similar line like driver100.
If I was going to sell cars I think I'd sell these:
The commission on one a year would set me up fine. 261mph on the test drive would be fun too.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I was speaking with the driver, who was the owner of the business and has an 18-car fleet. He was lamenting the loss of the Lincoln Town Car, of which he owned about a dozen at one point. He said he is gradually phasing them out as they get miled-up. I asked him what he was replacing them with. Tried Lincoln Navigators, Chevy Suburbans, GMC Tahoes. Not a fan of the Genesis/Equus. His favorite so far is the Chrysler 300, though he said the trunks on those are a bit too small.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
You rode in a MB S550 that is no longer the model or suspension that is currently in production. I drove a 2016 and sat in the rear of one while on the highway and found the ride a bit smoother - it did not have the sport package. But I still prefer the ride in a Lincoln Town Car, as a passenger, not a driver. I prefer the stiffer European ride and handling (specifically German engineered) as a driver.
I would love to see a new version of the Towncar go into production.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
From Mikes description it just doesn't sound like it would be much fun these days. I hate quotas and I really hate "spiffs", makes me feel like a rabbit trying to get the carrot. I thought I would never want to fully retire...long boring days and not accomplish anything concrete....hey, I found my niche in life, now I can fill long boring days and find stuff to do and the day flies by...and I would be absolutely hopeless in any job I would be in. No one would want to hire me at this point....I just want to observe from a distance the old rat race and not be part of it.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
My Mercedes sales assistant (not sure what the main sales guy does but I mostly deal with his helper" has to be so knowledgeable, I just can't learn all that stuff any more. For one thing, he has to demonstrate that self parking feature. He has to answer questions all day, and he has to know how to hook up every new device that comes out. He takes courses in all this stuff, and it is constantly changing.
At one time cars might have one or two simple new devices, like speed control or pop open trunks, but think about what they have to learn today. I suppose a high end salesman could do quite well, but I am sure he would work really hard to do that.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I'm very happy being retired and doing whatever I want. It's nice to have zero pressure to accomplish something every day. If I get the lawn cut, cool. If not, there's always tomorrow. I'm getting a lot of delayed reading done. After 35 years of work stress, life in retirement is good.
But the salesmen have to know what the features are and the benefits of those features in order to "sell" those features. Many customers are invited back to take additional training because of the multitude of features and the need to show how the features operate and how to access them.
I know I could never go back to selling cars or even demonstrating the features. It's a young person's job today. It also takes tremendous patience.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Sergeant at Police Station:
What is her height?
Husband:
Gee, I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.
Sergeant:
Weight?
Husband:
Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.
Sergeant:
Colour of eyes?
Husband:
Sort of brown I think. Never really noticed.
Sergeant:
Colour of hair?
Husband:
Changes a couple times a year. Maybe dark brown now. I can’t
remember.
Sergeant:
What was she wearing?
Husband:
Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know
exactly.
Sergeant:
What kind of car did she go in?
Husband:
She went in my truck.
Sergeant:
What kind of truck was it?
Husband:
A 2015 Ford F150 King Ranch 4X4 with eco-boost 5.0L V8 engine special
ordered with manual transmission and climate controlled air
conditioning. It has a custom matching white cover for the bed, which
has a matching aftermarket bed liner. Custom leather 6-way seats and
"Bubba" floor mats. Trail-ring package with gold hitch and special
wiring hook-ups. DVD with full GPS navigation, satellite radio receiver,
23-channel CB radio, six cup holders, a USB port, and four power
outlets. I added special alloy wheels and off-road Michelins. It has
custom running boards and indirect wheel well lighting.
At this point the husband started choking up...
Sergeant:
Don't worry buddy. We'll find your truck
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
is that just done for their new car sales portion? I never got anything
from the Cruz purchase in January.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And, then the learning! Things change so fast today that you would be learning new things every year. It makes my head spin just thinking about it. And, if you learn all this stuff there is no guaranty you will earn enough to make a living.
Maybe I'll just consider being a curbsider.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
The 2-year CPO warranty that I can extend with an authentic GMEP warranty makes the '15 Cruz worthwhile.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My go to Judge is Marilyn Millian of People's Court. You can zip through a "case" in ten minutes and watch an hour long show in under 1/2 hour when cutting through the fluff, boring set ups and post case interviews. There are a lot of used car horror stories (plus rent and dog issues...). Car case take aways are: get a PRE purchase inspection and, an as is sale usually is, as is.
ps, I'll be in Pigeon Forge same time as you. My wife and I are driving down in later March to miss some of Vermont's mud season....
2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460