Your opinion, am I getting screwed?

[gniknave]

Long story short...

In my job interview with Dreyer & Reinbold Infiniti - Volkswagen - BMW in Greenwood, In. they explained my job to me as if I'd be able to sell out of any brands showroom at any time I want. That's how it was explained...

Later I find out that we'd (there were 5 new hires at once) be assigned to showrooms (though we can still sell other brands if necessary). Ok, caught me off guard, but fine. They know I have a fairly decent amount of Infiniti experience, so I know where I'll likely end up.

We go through sales training and all that (I'm the only one of the 5 with auto sales experience), and finally started selling on May 13th. We had the morning sales meeting that morning and find out that 2 of the guys end up in the Pre-Owned building, and 3 of us end up in the Volkswagen building. I was one of the 3 to the Volkswagen building.

Ok... I wasn't trippin yet. I sold a car my first day. cool its going fine. Well now things aint lookin so good. See, there's 6 Volkswagen sales people, and 5 desks. Guess who aint got assigned to a desk and has to float to a desk when somebody is off? ME!

Out of ALL the sales people in every building, I'm the ONLY one with no desk. This means all the **** that I write down and all the brochures and crap I need to hold on to have to go in my briefcase so I can carry it around to a different desk everyday. I can't put up family picutres at my desk like everybody else, I can't put up my previous Infiniti certification certificates, my awards, my car pictures from meets, etc...

I know it sounds like I'm whining, but here's where it gets real stupid. The Volkswagen showroom is right next to the Infiniti showroom. The Infiniti showroom has an empty desk. So therefore it goes like this... I don't have a desk, the Infiniti showroom has an open desk, and I have Infiniti experience like hell, but I'm in the Volkswagen showroom. Something wrong here?

Yes I've gone to management and dropped the hint that I need some friggin desk space like everybody else (not in those words). They said "Yeah we need to get you some space" but that aint happened yet. Now to top it off, it's dead as hell here and I aint sellin nuthin. If all desks are occupied, then I don't have a professional workspace to sit my client at in order to work with them. This sucks right now. Maybe I should just go work for the North Infiniti store. Hell, Infiniti is the whole reason why I applied here in the first place.

[nchopp]

I think you have a right to be irritaited, and in this case, try to do something about it. Take it a step further up the management chain, perhaps? You're definitely getting the raw end of the stick, and I think you should advance your case properly. Here's the deal. You KNOW Infiniti products, and you will be doing the dealership a much better service by working at the Infiniti dealership, where you already have the knowledge AND enthusiaism to sell said product. That's how you have to sell it to management - what are THEY going to get out of by moving you there? Perhaps even sell it as a trial basis - give you three months in the Infiniti dealership, if it's working out well, you stay there. Otherwise, backs to VW.

[elwesso]

man that sucks... However itd be nice if you went up to the north store, maybe you could work some magic there and it wouldnt be completely useless..

They still wont let you work over at infiniti? hell you could sell teh wagens from over there too.....

No matter how good the south store may be, dreyer and reinbold infiniti is a pretty useless infiniti dealer.. If I were to buy an infiniti, id personally drive to infiniti of fort wayne...

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'd be irritated, too. I don't know how easy it is to find another sales job in your area, but I wouldn't want to work a job that would just put me in a bad mood everyday. It'll kill your ability to do your job, aside from the fact that no one should have to work a job they don't like. I'd start interviewing elsewhere, and give them time to straighten crap out in the meantime.

Also:

That is the oddest sales combination I've ever heard of. What the hell are Volkswagens being sold alongside real cars like Infiniti and BMW for? Bizarre. It's like Cadillac, Lincoln, Kia. WTF?

[Repo Man]

It's simple bro. Greenwood is like the Klan headquarters, so of course you're the one getting teh shaft. I've found in this business sometimes you just have to take what you need when you need it and deal with the fallout if it comes. So my recommendation is to just take the damned open desk. When/if they say something to you, simply ask them where you should set up shop. If they tell you to float, just tell them that you're not doing it when there is an open desk right there.

Bold, I know. But sometimes it takes the ol' cockandballs to get what you want.

[gniknave]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll be in a sales meeting with the head trainer (a damned good one at that) which comes from the North Store. I'll be talking to him afterwards about my situation and see if he can help me get relocated. Not working on the Infiniti side kinda sucks, but what pisses me off the most is the fact that I don't have a desk when everybody else does.

I'd really like to take your approach Andy, but Dreyer & Reinbold own the only Infiniti dealers within reasonable driving distance. If I blow it in the South, I aint gettin a chance at the North. And I really want to sell Infiniti's. However, if I do end up getting the shaft from them for something related to this situation, they'll be really sorry to fire a person with a mother who practices employment law...

[Repo Man]

You get fired, sue them and then come clean house selling Cadillacs.

[Mr1der]

is it wrong of me to say serves you right for being brown here?

nah...

serves you right.

but in all seriousness...not having a desk sucks...but you're also new. do those that have desks have any seniority?

[Repo Man]

It doesn't help that he is in Klanland there...

[gniknave]

You get fired, sue them and then come clean house selling Cadillacs.

Hmm, that sounds like a plan

ibut in all seriousness...not having a desk sucks...but you're also new. do those that have desks have any seniority?

Remember I started with 4 other new people at the same time. Out of the 4 buildings we have on one lot, 15 of the 16 salespeople have desks. Guess who's #16? Also remember there's an available desk in Infiniti - where I have much experience. The more I think about this, the more I want to pull the card, but then the more it sounds like something else because why would they have hired me in the first place?

[JESTER]

Go to the man and tell him, you are an Infinity man. You got plenty of VW dealers, more than you have desk. Tell him what you think you can accomplish for him in his Infinity show room. Tell him what your about, and what you will do for him.

[gniknave]

I talked to someone in the Infiniti showroom this morning. They said I'm not there probably due to the fact that it's been quite dead on that side. 1 salesperson a day is enough to cover that showroom according to him because they hardly even need the 1. The lady which also works in the Infiniti showroom spends most of her time selling all but Infiniti.

What does this tell me? I should probably go sell them up North. There aint no profit in Volkswagens... sorry.

[M3Racer]

I find Volkswagen dealerships to be ***holes in general, at least around here. Not having a desk though is ridiculous. Call me stupid, but if they have a desk in the Infiniti showroom...and you need a desk.... Why can't you have the desk... I don't see the issue.

Are you overweight? Maybe they're trying to help you exercise by keeping you moving from desk to desk. Or maybe they aren't, and they're being ridiculous. Gee, I wonder which one it could be...

[gniknave]

I took Andy's advice and took the open desk. They didn't have sh*t to say, they just looked. I wish I had a picture of the expression on their faces. Jon, if anything I'm underweight lol. The folks in the Volkswagen showroom are some of the coolest people I've ever worked with, which is why I'm not opposed to being there, it's just not having the desk there that sucks. It's the general manager that oversees all the showrooms that's screwed me out of desk space. Well, guess that problem is solved! (I'm still applying up North)

[Repo Man]

I told you bro! Well played my friend.

If you get the position on the north side, I may actually have to step foot in that place.

[Fadebucket510]

Bust out the folding table and set up shop right in the middle of the showroom. You will have the best seat in the house! Hollla....

[nchopp]

Bust out the folding table and set up shop right in the middle of the showroom. You will have the best seat in the house! Hollla....

I'm with new guy. Great idea!

But seriously, good job on taking the desk.

[DriftingJesus]

I took Andy's advice and took the open desk. They didn't have sh*t to say, they just looked. I wish I had a picture of the expression on their faces. Jon, if anything I'm underweight lol. The folks in the Volkswagen showroom are some of the coolest people I've ever worked with, which is why I'm not opposed to being there, it's just not having the desk there that sucks. It's the general manager that oversees all the showrooms that's screwed me out of desk space. Well, guess that problem is solved! (I'm still applying up North)

they didn't say anything because you're black and they're afraid you'll stab em with a screwdriver during break

[Red coupe]

yeah but in their defence...he would stab them with a screwdrive durring break soooo