Stepping into a car dealership can often sound like entering a different language zone! To decode the jargon, here’s a quick guide to some common lingo and terms you might encounter in the world of car sales. Get ready to demystify the car dealership slang and navigate your car-buying journey with confidence.
Green Pea:
A new and inexperienced salesperson.
Up:
A potential customer who enters the dealership, considered an opportunity for sales.
Be Back Bus:
A hypothetical bus that customers claim they will catch to avoid making a decision; often used when a customer is indecisive or stalling.
Four-Square:
A worksheet used by salespeople to present and negotiate the key elements of a deal, including the trade-in value, purchase price, down payment, and monthly payments.
Desk Manager:
The person at the dealership responsible for finalizing the deal and approving pricing, often working in the sales manager’s office.
Pencil:
The process of adjusting deal figures, usually done by the sales manager, to negotiate terms and reach an agreement with the customer.
Up System:
A method for distributing leads or potential customers among salespeople, ensuring everyone gets an opportunity to work with customers.
Turn:
When a salesperson hands off a customer to another team member, often a manager, to try and close the deal.
Spiff:
A bonus or commission paid to salespeople for selling a specific vehicle model, add-on product, or meeting certain targets.
Fleet:
Vehicles sold to businesses or organizations rather than individual consumers.
Bird Dog:
Someone who refers potential customers to a dealership, often receiving a small commission for successful referrals.
Meet and Greet:
The initial interaction between a salesperson and a customer when they first enter the dealership.
Inflate the Trade:
Inflating the value of a customer’s trade-in to make the deal more appealing.
RDR (Retail Delivery Report):
The documentation send to the manufacture to record the delivery of a new vehicle to a customer.
Front End:
The profit generated from the vehicle’s sale before factoring in expenses like commissions and overhead costs. It represents the gross profit directly associated with the sale of a vehicle.
Back End:
Additional profit generated by the finance and insurance (F&I) department through the sale of extended warranties, insurance, and other finance products.
Tire Kicker:
A potential buyer who is not serious about making a purchase and is just browsing or wasting time.