Job Lot: The car salesman

By AIDAN RASSMUSSEN

John Cookson has been selling cars in Auckland at new-car dealer John Andrew Ford for 13 years. The 42-year-old, who has been in the industry for more than 20 years and started as a car-groomer, has an annual salary that regularly climbs into six figures.

Why did you decide to be a car salesman?

I enjoy meeting people. I like dealing one-on-one with people, trying to work out their car problems. I enjoy cars. A lot of the time you're not inside, you're out in the fresh air and working with people on the lot. You can test drive, you're going out to the houses, and you might even deliver them [cars].

How would you describe what you do?

I'm like a doctor . People come to me with a problem and I give them a prescription. You become like a member of their family because you might end up selling five or six vehicles to them over a 10-year period. I get letters from clients who are impressed with my service. I see it as an important aspect of their lives [trying to supply a vehicle] because it is the second most important asset you buy. I don't take it lightly either that they do come back to see me. I get a lot of fulfilment out of it.

How do you go about selling a car?

I treat people like I like to be treated. If I go anywhere I expect good service. I don't expect people to be pushy, but I do expect them to fulfil my needs. I ask people what they expect out of the new car they want to buy. Whether there are things in the older vehicle that they want to retain in the new one, or whether there are things missing that they need. Budget is a part of it, how much they want to spend. You have to be diplomatic. And you have to be a jack-of-all-trades. I've been out on the forecourt because someone's had a faulty headlight and I've fixed it for them. I always try to go that extra mile.

What qualities does a good car salesman need?

People want to know that they're dealing with someone who has integrity, that they can trust, and who is going to be there when they come back. You see too many dealers who up sticks and two months later they're not there, and there's a name change on the door.

Do you get a kick out of selling cars?

Very much so. But that's not everything. You're really dealing with people's lives in this business. I have people here, trading in their car, who are in tears because they're letting the old car go. I know it sounds crazy. It's a car, a piece of metal ... but it's been part of their lives for God knows how many years. It's done everything they've wanted 24 hours a day, got the kids to the doctor and taken them on holidays. A car is a personal possession. You realise that when you unload bits and pieces out of the old car into the new one. That's why I don't take it for granted when I'm trying to sell a vehicle.

What sort of people does the job attract?

All manners and walks of life. We've had psychologists, scientists and people with university degrees, people who have been in real estate, and mechanics.

What sort of reaction do you get when you tell people you're a car salesman?

People's initial reaction is, 'Oh.' I'm not a showy person, I'm pretty laidback about my job and in my life, and I think that comes across.

What sort of advice would you give to prospective car buyers?

I guess I would say don't rush and be careful where you buy.

What do they need to look for in a good car salesman?

Someone who is not pushy, who allows them [customers] their space to look. The salesman needs to be there and at their disposal, but not ghosting them. I'd like to think of myself as being professional and I'm not going to do something the shark up the road is going to do, which is try to railroad them into something whether they want it or not.