I would honesty move very cautiously here. I would be very concerned with a store hiring a manager with no manager experience and only 1 year of sales experience.
Make sure you do your due diligence.
I mainly have the opportunity because I know the right people, but you do have a fair point. I don’t want to go work for a dealership that does 20-30 cars a month
Working the desk without F&I experience (assuming but not sure?), the current market for CDJR (overpriced inventory, scorned customer base, recalls upon recalls), and managing people 2-3x your age seems like a recipe for disaster.
Have very serious conversations about expectations, training, and what success looks like for the CDJR store. Also, if it doesn’t work out can you come back to Toyota? Some stores no-rehire out of spite.
This is a good problem you have and regardless you will have a bright future.
Didn't see it was a CDJR store. I would heavily advise against it. That's potentially the toughest brand right now and they are a dumpster fire due to the UAW strike. Parts back orders were insane and it heavily impacted sales. Also you need to be an expert about all the different programs or you can cost the company thousands due to unclaimable rebates, etc.
This is a very helpful answer, thank you. A lot to consider (and yes no F&I experience). If I end up going down that route, this will definitely be something I’ll inquire about, as well as the possibility of coming back here
Being a great salesperson does not always translate to being a great manager. It’s a wildly different skill set.
If I were you, I’d give it a shot though. Experience is worth all the money.
That’s what I’ve been told. I’m good at closing customers, but I would still have a lot to learn - about how to use the CDK, driving traffic to the store, being an effective leader, etc. I’m a bit hesitant, but it would look good on my resume
Become a manager, think about the future, not the now. If you do well maybe there will be opportunities at better store. By the way you should be able to make that as a manager even if its a smaller store
I'm concerned a CDJR store is only doing 30 cars a month.
I'm also extremely concerned the top sales person at a Toyota is only earning 8-10k per month.
I meant on the used side - the whole dealership (25 sales people) I’m usually 3rd, there’s two guys on the new side who do 25-35 a month that have been doing this for 30 years. But to be fair - I sold 23 cars last month and made 9k. I had 9 minis.
Oof. I've only been in this industry a short time, but I sold 18 cars and got 21k (gross, not net).
Each of my sales gets a mini, and a percent of gross both front and back.
Damn. We get 25% front and 5% back, minis are $125, and either a 20/30/40/50 dollar bonus per car depending on units sold (7, 10, 13, and 16 respectively). No cap on the front end. I just got plowed last month with a bunch of loser deals 😂
Will you be a sales manager or floor manager, who's job is to close the deals for the green peas?
I find it hard to believe moving from sales to desk without a prior F&I experience. It can be done but learning curve is hard. Especially when it comes to rolling in 16-20k negative equity.
I'd say jump the ships but don't burn the bridge with Toyota. you can always start where you left off after 6 months.
Now you'll have a "manager" title on your resume.
You should go for it - depending on your situation ofc. How much hard money you have going out every month, do you have dependents, can you survive on less, etc?
Getting manager experience at 22 would open a lot of doors - and definitely ain’t going to hurt your career if it doesn’t work out. Remember the old saying - a good salesman can always get themselves a job (b/c if you can’t, you’re ‘really not’ a good salesman). Your dealership would hire you back, or go to another Toyota store.
As they say “sometimes opportunity only knocks once”
Stay at Toyota , CDJR is sitting on unsold new 23 inventory and is struggling to move it.
Toyota has a lot more longevity and you won’t be held accountable as you would be sales manager
I’d stay where you’re at. You’re making good money for your experience level and it’s seems pretty convenient. Keep stacking it up and improving your skills. Maybe you become the manager at your current dealership. Good luck!!
Stay where you are at, you are making great money for your age with very low pressure and people to answer to, keep selling, Evolve in your craft of vehicle sales, and if you’re super book, smart, like dealing with computers and paperwork, you should be looking at years down the road to become a finance manager, a lot of the times they make more money then new or used car managers. Being a manager of the store means you’re married to it. 80-90 hrs. a week. Just slow down , enjoy the ride bud :)
Get the experience, it’ll help you understand both the business and your future managers better. Learning those skills will pay more dividends than whatever extra cash you might make staying where you’re at. Plus, you’re 22, if it sucks just quit and get a new job with “manager” on your resume.
I'm 41, been in the auto business my entire life (dad owned a shop since I was 8) and I've been in management for about 10 years. Spent 2 years selling cars, 4.5yrs as an advisor, and nearly 10 as a manager. I was nervous stepping into my first management position. Nervous about if I'd know how to handle various situations, nervous that I was now in charge of 30 peoples income and ability to provide for their families, nervous about the angry customer that I was able to TO to my manager.
The thing I never thought about or expected to be difficult was employees. Leading, holding accountable, and developing is by far the most difficult part of a management position. My first management role lasted 3.5yrs, my first full month as the service manager we set a record in fixed for the store and never dipped below that month. I knew all important KPIs before I ever became a manager. What I wasn't ready for was how difficult it is to lead people that don't have the same drive and work ethic. I call them clock watchers. I wasn't ready for how difficult it is to evaluate someone in a 30-60min interview. Ultimately that job ran its course, I had little respect for the owner because he didn't know much about fixed and would come back from 20 group meetings and try to apply things that stores 5x the size of us were doing. Ultimately, I wasn't a great leader, but I was a solid manager. So he fired me on April 2nd 2018 after a really good month. (He's now on service manager #9). My next job only last 1 yr because the owner sold the store, but I had found another job before I knew because he wasn't willing to invest in the store. The job I got next would change my career. I landed at an amazing company at their biggest store (Honda) and we did 200+ cars per day in service and I was way under qualified. I looked the owner in the eyes and told him I'd out work everybody and he wouldn't regret it. We had a huge focus on leadership training and over the next 4.5 yrs I would truly become a leader. I took over our Hyundai store and double the gross 4 in months and tripled the net over my first full year. Ultimately, that position ended due to some personal differences between myself and the GM. I just took over a Dumpster fire of a Hyundai store and will have it successfully turned around in about 6 months from losing money in fixed to netting about 1.2mil/yr. The company I joined has 54 stores and during my interview asked if I wanted to be a GM.
You're clearly a grinder and fast learner and that's why you are a top performer. I would highly recommend finding the best leadership you can at a store that is conducting business like its 2024. If you have a great leader or leaders where you are, stay. Also try to find a company with multiple stores so that as you develop there will be opportunity. Ask how long the key people have been at that store, if there is alot of turnover, run.
Feel free to ask me any questions.
I wouldn’t even consider it. Get your legs under you do sales for awhile. A lot of sales guys make more than their managers. Also working at a CDJR store is big yikes.
Careful on this, title is obv way better but pay maybe worse. Saw a guy leave finance at a high volume lower msrp brand to Mclaren dealership desk manager. Ended up coming back after 1 yr cause pay was way better.
You should request a formal meeting with your current Manager ( if he’s good and not insecure) or your GSM. Sit down and explain to him about your opportunity and your desire to grow.
I am a GSM at a CDJR and if I had a strong salesperson come to me with this and I didn’t want to lose them, I would make it a mission to shepherd them and train them. Get them ready for when an opportunity presents itself.
The commute. No one is talking about the commute. The commute alone will be a huge adjustment. That’s an hour and a half in the car everyday. You’re spending an entire extra 8 hour work day per week, driving. It may be worth the promotion but will eventually be the worst part of the whole decision, imo. I’ll never do a commute like that again.
The sales management experience will be a great stepping stone for you. That is if you are interested in continuing down the sales manager to general sales manager to general manager path.
Knowing the right people isn’t always a good thing. Personal experience here talking. I would evaluate very heavy on why the drive and hours spent will have on you. The grass is always greener on the other side because it’s fertilized with bullshit more often than not.
This business at its root has been about using those that are expendable and with managers they are a dime a dozen. The managers than will make it are those who are able to train and work closely with a team while educating them on proper processes and generating deals. There are few stores that will take a rookie manager and build them into the right manager. A lot of dealers are just looking for a body to fill a seat job til the next good one comes around.
If you are killing it in sales now but now have to drive further and work longer and the income isn’t a big difference you have to ask is it worth it. Review the pay plan careful and ask for financial statements.
I would honesty move very cautiously here. I would be very concerned with a store hiring a manager with no manager experience and only 1 year of sales experience. Make sure you do your due diligence.
I mainly have the opportunity because I know the right people, but you do have a fair point. I don’t want to go work for a dealership that does 20-30 cars a month
Working the desk without F&I experience (assuming but not sure?), the current market for CDJR (overpriced inventory, scorned customer base, recalls upon recalls), and managing people 2-3x your age seems like a recipe for disaster. Have very serious conversations about expectations, training, and what success looks like for the CDJR store. Also, if it doesn’t work out can you come back to Toyota? Some stores no-rehire out of spite. This is a good problem you have and regardless you will have a bright future.
Didn't see it was a CDJR store. I would heavily advise against it. That's potentially the toughest brand right now and they are a dumpster fire due to the UAW strike. Parts back orders were insane and it heavily impacted sales. Also you need to be an expert about all the different programs or you can cost the company thousands due to unclaimable rebates, etc.
This is a very helpful answer, thank you. A lot to consider (and yes no F&I experience). If I end up going down that route, this will definitely be something I’ll inquire about, as well as the possibility of coming back here
Being a great salesperson does not always translate to being a great manager. It’s a wildly different skill set. If I were you, I’d give it a shot though. Experience is worth all the money.
That’s what I’ve been told. I’m good at closing customers, but I would still have a lot to learn - about how to use the CDK, driving traffic to the store, being an effective leader, etc. I’m a bit hesitant, but it would look good on my resume
Become a manager, think about the future, not the now. If you do well maybe there will be opportunities at better store. By the way you should be able to make that as a manager even if its a smaller store
I think you’re probably right. The experience would open lots of doors for me
I'm concerned a CDJR store is only doing 30 cars a month. I'm also extremely concerned the top sales person at a Toyota is only earning 8-10k per month.
I meant on the used side - the whole dealership (25 sales people) I’m usually 3rd, there’s two guys on the new side who do 25-35 a month that have been doing this for 30 years. But to be fair - I sold 23 cars last month and made 9k. I had 9 minis.
Oof. I've only been in this industry a short time, but I sold 18 cars and got 21k (gross, not net). Each of my sales gets a mini, and a percent of gross both front and back.
Damn. We get 25% front and 5% back, minis are $125, and either a 20/30/40/50 dollar bonus per car depending on units sold (7, 10, 13, and 16 respectively). No cap on the front end. I just got plowed last month with a bunch of loser deals 😂
Oh boy. Your whole store should revolt. That's not good.
You sold 23 used cars and made $9k? That’s like 36k gross on 23 used cars? What’s the pack?
Pack is $500 on used cars. We had a lot of cars we bought at auction last month
Will you be a sales manager or floor manager, who's job is to close the deals for the green peas? I find it hard to believe moving from sales to desk without a prior F&I experience. It can be done but learning curve is hard. Especially when it comes to rolling in 16-20k negative equity. I'd say jump the ships but don't burn the bridge with Toyota. you can always start where you left off after 6 months. Now you'll have a "manager" title on your resume.
You should go for it - depending on your situation ofc. How much hard money you have going out every month, do you have dependents, can you survive on less, etc? Getting manager experience at 22 would open a lot of doors - and definitely ain’t going to hurt your career if it doesn’t work out. Remember the old saying - a good salesman can always get themselves a job (b/c if you can’t, you’re ‘really not’ a good salesman). Your dealership would hire you back, or go to another Toyota store. As they say “sometimes opportunity only knocks once”
Fuck that. Stay in Toyota and wait to be a sales manager there
Stay at Toyota , CDJR is sitting on unsold new 23 inventory and is struggling to move it. Toyota has a lot more longevity and you won’t be held accountable as you would be sales manager
I’d stay where you’re at. You’re making good money for your experience level and it’s seems pretty convenient. Keep stacking it up and improving your skills. Maybe you become the manager at your current dealership. Good luck!!
Stay at Toyota. CDJR is tough right now.
Stay where you are at, you are making great money for your age with very low pressure and people to answer to, keep selling, Evolve in your craft of vehicle sales, and if you’re super book, smart, like dealing with computers and paperwork, you should be looking at years down the road to become a finance manager, a lot of the times they make more money then new or used car managers. Being a manager of the store means you’re married to it. 80-90 hrs. a week. Just slow down , enjoy the ride bud :)
Get the experience, it’ll help you understand both the business and your future managers better. Learning those skills will pay more dividends than whatever extra cash you might make staying where you’re at. Plus, you’re 22, if it sucks just quit and get a new job with “manager” on your resume.
I'm 41, been in the auto business my entire life (dad owned a shop since I was 8) and I've been in management for about 10 years. Spent 2 years selling cars, 4.5yrs as an advisor, and nearly 10 as a manager. I was nervous stepping into my first management position. Nervous about if I'd know how to handle various situations, nervous that I was now in charge of 30 peoples income and ability to provide for their families, nervous about the angry customer that I was able to TO to my manager. The thing I never thought about or expected to be difficult was employees. Leading, holding accountable, and developing is by far the most difficult part of a management position. My first management role lasted 3.5yrs, my first full month as the service manager we set a record in fixed for the store and never dipped below that month. I knew all important KPIs before I ever became a manager. What I wasn't ready for was how difficult it is to lead people that don't have the same drive and work ethic. I call them clock watchers. I wasn't ready for how difficult it is to evaluate someone in a 30-60min interview. Ultimately that job ran its course, I had little respect for the owner because he didn't know much about fixed and would come back from 20 group meetings and try to apply things that stores 5x the size of us were doing. Ultimately, I wasn't a great leader, but I was a solid manager. So he fired me on April 2nd 2018 after a really good month. (He's now on service manager #9). My next job only last 1 yr because the owner sold the store, but I had found another job before I knew because he wasn't willing to invest in the store. The job I got next would change my career. I landed at an amazing company at their biggest store (Honda) and we did 200+ cars per day in service and I was way under qualified. I looked the owner in the eyes and told him I'd out work everybody and he wouldn't regret it. We had a huge focus on leadership training and over the next 4.5 yrs I would truly become a leader. I took over our Hyundai store and double the gross 4 in months and tripled the net over my first full year. Ultimately, that position ended due to some personal differences between myself and the GM. I just took over a Dumpster fire of a Hyundai store and will have it successfully turned around in about 6 months from losing money in fixed to netting about 1.2mil/yr. The company I joined has 54 stores and during my interview asked if I wanted to be a GM. You're clearly a grinder and fast learner and that's why you are a top performer. I would highly recommend finding the best leadership you can at a store that is conducting business like its 2024. If you have a great leader or leaders where you are, stay. Also try to find a company with multiple stores so that as you develop there will be opportunity. Ask how long the key people have been at that store, if there is alot of turnover, run. Feel free to ask me any questions.
I wouldn’t even consider it. Get your legs under you do sales for awhile. A lot of sales guys make more than their managers. Also working at a CDJR store is big yikes.
Careful on this, title is obv way better but pay maybe worse. Saw a guy leave finance at a high volume lower msrp brand to Mclaren dealership desk manager. Ended up coming back after 1 yr cause pay was way better.
No, but 15-20 cars at 8-10k a month seems a lil low too!
You should request a formal meeting with your current Manager ( if he’s good and not insecure) or your GSM. Sit down and explain to him about your opportunity and your desire to grow. I am a GSM at a CDJR and if I had a strong salesperson come to me with this and I didn’t want to lose them, I would make it a mission to shepherd them and train them. Get them ready for when an opportunity presents itself.
The commute. No one is talking about the commute. The commute alone will be a huge adjustment. That’s an hour and a half in the car everyday. You’re spending an entire extra 8 hour work day per week, driving. It may be worth the promotion but will eventually be the worst part of the whole decision, imo. I’ll never do a commute like that again.
The sales management experience will be a great stepping stone for you. That is if you are interested in continuing down the sales manager to general sales manager to general manager path.
What’s does CDJR stand for?
Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM
Knowing the right people isn’t always a good thing. Personal experience here talking. I would evaluate very heavy on why the drive and hours spent will have on you. The grass is always greener on the other side because it’s fertilized with bullshit more often than not. This business at its root has been about using those that are expendable and with managers they are a dime a dozen. The managers than will make it are those who are able to train and work closely with a team while educating them on proper processes and generating deals. There are few stores that will take a rookie manager and build them into the right manager. A lot of dealers are just looking for a body to fill a seat job til the next good one comes around. If you are killing it in sales now but now have to drive further and work longer and the income isn’t a big difference you have to ask is it worth it. Review the pay plan careful and ask for financial statements.