It appears to be getting worse, not better. The public's perception of automotive sales professionals is as bad as ever when it comes to honesty, according to a recent Gallup poll reported on CNN. That's really tragic because I know for a fact that manufacturers sink millions of dollars each year into training that focuses on improving these perceptions. I also know a number of dealers and dealer groups that want to treat customer's right.

But the heavy turnover in our industry, the continued focus by management (not all managers) on maximizing gross profits on every deal, and the lack of clear, customer focused processes continue to plague us. Some of the factors that contribute to a perception of dishonesty include:

• Lack of an interview process - Not taking the time to listen to what the customer wants sets the tone that you don?t care.
• The TO Process - JD Power and Associates have provided extensive research that proves customers don?t like this approach. They figure if someone else gets involved, it?s likely because they are a "skilled" negotiator and probably not very honest.
• Finance games - Need I say more? The customer assumes that the salesperson is part of the game.
• Spiffs on specific cars ? Sure they work, but why? The answer is that it motivates the salespeople to sell that particular car to whomever they can jam into it. Once the customer gets home, they ask themselves "Why did we buy this car? This isn't what we set out to look for!"
• The media - We have done it so bad for so long that small improvement will not make a difference. We need wholesale culture change in our industry.

I'm sure you can come up with dozen's more, but no need. The facts of the case are clear and they are undisputable.

Maybe someday the owners will get together and decide to change things. But if you don?t want to wait, give us a call and we'll help your salespeople become more customer focuses.

POLL RESULTS Americans ranked public service professions highest in honesty and ethics. 1. Nurses 2. Grade school teachers 3. Druggists, pharmacists 4. Military officers 5. Medical doctors 6. Policemen 7. Clergy 8. Judges 9. Day care providers 10. Bankers 11. Auto mechanics 12. Local officeholders 13. Nursing home operators 14. State officeholders 15. TV Reporters 16. Newspaper reporters 17. Business executives 18. Congressmen 19. Lawyers 20. Advertising practitioners 21. Car salesmen Source: Gallup Poll