About 23 percent of employees will look for a new job in 2022, according to a recent poll of American workers by ResumeBuilder.com. At Grainger Nissan of Anderson, General Manager Mike Sadlock is hoping that some of those job seekers will consider a job in sales at the dealership.
The pandemic created a new way of doing business for many companies, especially car dealers. But Sadlock believes that now is a good time to get into the car business.
“The auto industry is changing a lot. I think you can see that from the amount of cars that are on the lot,” Sadlock said. “But there’s a demand right now for new cars. One of things we struggle with, but it’s a good thing, is we get them in, and we sell them. It makes for a good environment.”
Sadlock is aware of the reasons why many don’t consider a career in car sales, such as the car salesman stereotype and commission-only pay. That’s why Grainger Nissan of Anderson has worked to create a company culture of ‘doing the right thing,’ along with offering varying compensation plans.
“We like to hire for culture first,” Sadlock said. “I can teach you how to sell. I can teach you the basics of salesmanship and what it takes to do the paperwork part. That part’s easy. We try to do things different.
“We want to make it easy. We want to be transparent,” Sadlock continued. “We want it to be truly a relationship between us and the customer. We don’t want it to be a one-time purchase, we want it to be a lifetime purchase. If you fit that culture, you’re probably going to fit in here and do well in car sales.”
Those with a background in the retail or hospitality industries generally are a good fit for car sales, Sadlock said. But the company also has hired candidates from manufacturing and other industries.
For example, Travis Sanders was a welder for 12 years then worked at Michelin for five before joining Grainger Nissan of Anderson 19 months ago. The dealership’s top salesperson, Sanders said he never envisioned a job in sales.
“To be honest with you, I never thought I’d be in the sales business,” he said. “I enjoy meeting people, I enjoy talking to people, and I enjoy making a little bit of money on top of that, so that kind of got me into it.”
And while dealers have gone from lots overflowing with inventory to largely pre-order sales, Sanders believes that being yourself always will be the key to success.
“If you can walk in here and look a customer in the eye and you can tell them the truth and be yourself, everything else falls into place,” he said.
DeVaughn Walsh joined Grainger Nissan of Anderson two years ago after working in the restaurant business. A little nervous about making a career change, he finally took the leap after encouragement from customers who worked at car dealerships.
“Here, the harder you work, the more cars you sell, the more money you make. So, you kind of create what you make,” Walsh said. “But more than just the money part, there’s a lot that you can learn from not only your peers, but also from your clients. You’ll be dealing with people from many different industries.”
And for those cautious about commission-only sales, Grainger Nissan of Anderson now offers varying compensation plans.
“This doesn’t have to be just a commission pay plan. I think that scares a lot of people,” Sadlock said. “We actually have a salary plan for folks who are concerned about ‘can I do this commission thing.’ When I grew up in the business that was the only way to do it. Nowadays, we have a salary plan, as well, that works better for some people, and it gives them that comfort of knowing that ‘I can take my time learning this business and still get paid’ and not have to stress over that part of it.”
Those interested in a sales position at Grainger Nissan of Anderson are encouraged to stop by the dealership to complete an application.
For more information, call (864) 324-0650 or visit graingernissanofanderson.com.
