Foy Toy

i don't have a stingray , but when i bought my 2012 grand sport, i brought 4 dozen large cookies from a local landmark bakery for sharing with other sales staff, brand managers, service writers, corvette service techs.

i got there at 7 am when the service department opened and put the cookies on the salesmans desk. the owner of the dealership personally called and thanked me!
Ed Foy
Fond du lac wisconsin

owc6

He was doing his job (I bought off the lot, not special order), so his commission was his due. He did his job competently, but did not go much over that, unless you count the HotWheels he gave me, and the travel mugs I (pretty much) pressured him to give me.

I don't have a problem with someone giving a gift to someone who goes beyond board to make the buying experience pleasurable (such as keeping a special order updated at every turn to keep the fretting at bay), but he's not my friend, nor do I feel the need to ingratiate myself to him for a few days worth of transaction, for which he was paid a reasonable wage.

rcooper

Doesn't it depend on the buyer, some are more generous than others and have a better outlook. My salesman and I are friends, play golf together, I am way better than he is so maybe I should raise the stakes? My gift to him was a couple of dozen golf ***** and several referrals, he is happy and really enjoyed the golf ***** as he hit the freebies into the water, out of bounds,and generally everywhere but the fairway. Saved him about a hundred bucks!

coupeguyz51

Damn straight, Sin!

Guy is just doing his job and being very well compensated for it...
I'm planning on retiring soon and would LOVE a job as a Corvette
"salesman", a/k/a "order writer" and not only get fat commissions,
but gifts from the marks? WOW! Doesn't get better than that!

If you like your salesman that's fine, but they got their premier positions at the dealership as Corvette salesmen because not only are they likeable guys, they were a cut above, i.e., Master B*******ters....nothing wrong with that per se, I am one myself, but if you can't figure that out, nothing much else more to say...

48supertruck

Not on the c7, but with my wife's Tahoe in 2008 I gave the salesman 200.00 cash because he did the whole sale over the phone, sold me the SUV at invoice and treated me like a was somebody special. This principal works at bars too, tip the bartender 20.00 at your first drink and you will get your drinks as soon as you walk up to the bar and you don't have to tip them the rest of the night, most bar keeps with just nod you off or give you the next drink free.

I gave the valet guy at the Palazzo hotel in vegas 20.00 when I gave him my Camry last November and told him to park it where it would not get run in to or get door dings. Well.. They parked my Camry for 2 days right in the front of the valet pick up next to the Ferrari's and Lambo's... And they washed it on the second day. I did not have to wait in that long line to get my car either.

I gave a valet guy at a Santa Monica hotel 10.00 at check in and he walked me and my wife to the front of the check in line, cutting in front of everybody. I didn't ask for any of these extras from any of these people, the point I am making is tipping does not go un-noticed in any profession.

To make point on why you tip and buy a gift for your salesman, that same Tahoe salesman was laid off when my favorite Chevy dealer closed in 2011. I walked into my local Chevy dealer last year and he was standing there. He remembered me and I remembered him from 5 years later. They had just got a yellow C7 two weeks after they were released and it was a sold car. Himself and the other salesman were not let anyone sit in it... well someone got to when the showroom cleared out. I will be buying a new Tahoe later this year and I will get my 200.00 investment back. I will absolutely tip him again if his service warrants it.



Edit: I did not tip the forum dealer that sold me a C7 at MSRP. He made plenty of money on talking my order over the phone and then calling me when it came in.

Sin City

A parking Valet makes most of his money from tips. A bartender makes most of his money from tips. The better they do their job, the more tips they should make theoretically. That's how they get paid.

A car salesmen makes a commission for selling a car. In the case of the C7, it pretty much sells itself. Try being a guy selling a Pontiac Aztek. That guy desires a badge of courage.

He doesn't deserve tickets to a ball game. He got paid for doing his job. The customer who bought the Aztek deserves the ball game tickets for getting that ugly thing of his lot!

You want to know the BEST THING you can do for your salesmen if you like him? Send him another customer. THAT is what they really want -- the word of mouth that he is good, competent, and fair.

What you don't want is the impression that some customers are getting their cars earlier because they are paying the salesmen under the table. THAT is why dealerships should set up systems to prevent or even give up any appearance of corruption.

And, dealerships should not have to worry that a customer got "a better deal" off MSRP because the salesmen took something under the table in either cash or gifts.

Corgidog1

You want to give your salesman a good tip?

Tell him California Chrome in the Derby

vetdude

BINGO!!! A gift for your salesman after he makes money off you? That's like giving your butcher a bottle of wine for selling you a nice porterhouse....at $16.00/lb.

Mr Snappy!

Very well said.

How sad has it become where people feel the need to give gifts to car salesman for doing their jobs? He got you a great price? Really? Unless he gave you one of his employee discount slots, you did not get anything the next guy could have gotten.

He went "above and beyond"...really? Did he hand assemble the car in the parking lot? No, he could get a car and sold it to you...uh, that's his job.

If I owe anyone a bottle of wine or a set of tickets to a ball game, it's some of the members of this forum, especially when I owned my C5 & C6, who helped with technical issues or posted pictures on the best way to change my oil.

billyboy47

my buddy bought a new camaro last year from a dealer in n.y. and the salesman sent his wife flowers. very nice gesture on his part. around the same time i bought my 013 vette and got nothing after spending that kind of money, not even flowers for the wife. oh wait, this is the c7 forum.

2CRUZIN

arcticblast

Unless there was truly exceptional service, it's the salesman's job. And he makes his commission. Get real.

khoeysr

To each his own.

I personally have never done it and won't start now, but maybe those who do have a good reason for doing it.

I would rather try to "bribe" the service writer and the Corvette tech into taking really good care of my car when it is in.

TheVetteski

What does tipping have to do with how much commission is made by the salesperson? A true professional will treat all clients in the same manner whether they are buying their Corvette at $10,000 over sticker ($4000 commission), At sticker (about $1500 commission), or $10,000 below ($150 Commission)...

I do not expect gratuities but gladly accept if offered as a sign of a job well done!

JameyTurner

Well, in my OPINION as BOTH a buyer and former salesman for 2 years it all depends on the transaction. Every single transaction is different.

As a buyer, if I have a salesman that is very energetic and eager to help answer my questions or locate a particular car for me if not ordering one and he goes way above and beyond and the process is great from beginning to end, I see nothing wrong with giving him/her a gift. Are there dirtbag liars out there YEP, are there great people that are honest and making an honest living selling cars YEP. Now if I get a rude salesperson I will leave.

Now as a salesman, all I ever did was treat every single person like I want to be treated when looking to buy a car. I am there to answer any and all questions and if I didn't know the answer I would find it. If they had 1 or 2 questions great if they had a hundred questions great I treated everybody the same. If they rolled up in a Porsche or drove up in a clunker they were all treated identically I didn't care. I would answer questions and try to get them whatever they needed/was looking for. Did I ever EXPECT any type of gift NOPE. Did I ever get gifts, thank you notes, etc YOU BET I DID. I always asked for referrals and never anything else as I looked at it as doing my job to the fullest of my capability and tried to exceed every customers expectation. Did I love my job YEP! But I did receive everything from a simple thank you note/letter to a Corvette Jacket, to business card holders to pens to gift certificates to free lunches to all sorts of things including LOTS of referrels YEP. I averaged about 18-20 cars a month and every single transaction for almost 2 years I can say was 100% honest transactions and I never lied or feel like I cheated anybody. Did every customer get what they thought they deserved for their trade-in NOPE, but none of us do for the most part including myself when I am trading cars it's just part of it and doesn't make any salesman dishonest. Did I give cars away NOPE. But all of my transactions ended with smiles, handshakes, and happy REPEAT customers. Am I an exception to the norm MAYBE, but all I did was treat every customer how I want to be treated. Yes I got lots of gifts and yes I gave lots of THANK YOU gifts in return for them spending lots of money with me!

So, maybe you have had bad interactions (there are LOTS of salespeople and LOTS of dealerships out there don't deal with them if you are mistreated) with salesmen before BUT get the stick out of your *** about OH NO NEVER WOULD I EVER GIVE SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY DID THEIR JOB AND WAS PAID WELL FOR IT BLAH BLAH BLAH-----there are MORE MINI DEALS (dealer made minimal and salesman is paid a flat $25 where I worked) than BIG MONEY MAKERS!!! MSRP is a lot of markup over invoice on a Corvette, BUT MINIMAL on most other Chevy products.

You are probably the same person that goes out to a restaurant and has a waitress/waiter wait on you hand and foot and leave nothing for a tip BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOB!!!

Anyway, hope everybody is having a great day!!!

Kracka

His commission check and a referral is plenty if he was good.

You don't tip your realtor. They get a commission check from the sale/purchase and will often times give their client a house warming gift.

JACKPAC

My goal is always to make the sales guy hate me just a little after all the negotiations are complete.

Greg00Coupe

Its all about relationships. First, car sales is a tough business, don't fool your self. Long hours and most customers are out to get the dealer. Oh yea my trade is perfect etc, I got perfect credit, I got a job ya da ya da.

I have valued relationships with the dealers I use. I don't provide gifts but have provided numerous sales for them. My dealer appreciates that and in fact sent me some corvette luggage as a token. On his list for the next car.

Straight shooter, good deal, no money down.... uses the honor system.

On the other side.........

First Corvette I shopped for it was in February 1999 in Northern Ohio. Walked into the Corvette showroom in Amherst Ohio looking for the top dog. Had no idea what he looked like only a name. Walked right by me NEVER acknowledged me nor my wife. I went into the regular showroom asked for him and they said oh you just passed him we'll get him. I told the young salesman never mind sell me a Corvette which he did.

No egos or games for me....... my first Corvette buying experience was very negative and disappointing and I never forget!!!!

Two sides to experiences.

beepster

Huh?? After reading this, I'm done for the day...

Atticus Alan

I'm with Sin City here. It's a slippery slope to corruption if you're kicking back $200 to the salesman who gave you a $2500 discount. I would worry about appearances if I was the salesman being given the the "tip." In my business, I tell the people I help who insist on giving me gifts that I like chocolate, which limits the price of their gift.

However, if any salesman wants to discount a C7 Z51 by $4k for me, I'll promise them a very nice tip... .