C'mon guys, grow up.
1. The way you're carrying on, you'd think you've stumbled on some deep, dark insider secrets: "...Wait until the end of the month, threaten to walk, bring up their competitor..." Oh boy, those sure are some new ideas...NOT. Whether it's AutoTrader.com, cars.com, your credit card company or every single one of your dealerships,threatening to take your business elsewhere and mentioning the competition's prices, rates, offers, is as old a tactic as there is. You think cars.com won't make a better offer when you turn in your cancellation? Think again. Considering that car dealerships are best known for chasing after the prospect as he/she leaves the showroom, offering one last "best deal if we can do business today," I wouldn't be quite so smug about pricing integrity.
2. The sales manager's email to his/her staff doesn't sound any different than many of the sales meetings I had to endure when on the retail floor and we were behind target. So what. It's a slow month, anyone other than a complete moron knows that the economy isn't exactly booming, there are quotas to hit and middle management is getting heat from upper management. Tell me you don't get the same thing from your sales management when the dealer principal or GM is unhappy that your numbers are way behind projection for the month. I've been in dealership meetings when GMs have yelled and screamed and thrown whatever is handy just to make the point that the sales staff needs to get back on track. This is business, not a fraternity.
3. Looking for new employees? Yup. So what? How many of your dealerships have the never-ending "Salespeople Wanted" ad in your local paper every weekend to replace the newbie salespeople you blow out as soon as they have sold their relatives and neighbors, or the veterans who can't stand being demeaned by your management any longer? I know in my region/district, they are adding positions and no one has left in the last 8 months. Can you say that about your sales staff?
4. When I began posting anonymously, I was called a coward, my integrity was questioned and I was told how I was doing a disservice to the many fine people who work at AutoTrader.com....and all I was doing was correcting misinformation that others had posted. But TTT, who clearly has snapped under the sales pressure, is given a pass even though he/she shows a complete lack of ethics or morals by posting private company communications (I don't care what company you work for or how disgruntled you are, that's a crappy thing to do) in a public forum? Give me a break. Talk about doing a disservice to the fine people at ATC? TTT wins the prize in that category.
