“Customers are people, not paychecks.” That’s the quote listed on the TikTok profile of a Wisconsin-based Ford salesperson who goes by Tom online. In a recent post, he explains why he’s been his dealership’s top-selling associate.

According to him, it doesn’t have to do with any games or psychological warfare. But rather, genuinely attempting to help folks get into cars that they can afford. He begins his video by walking the lot of his dealership, which he says is enveloped in cornfields and isn’t really in a high traffic area.

“I’ve been in car sales for just about a year now. And I’ve been sales person of the month every single month since I started,” he tells viewers. “And no it’s not fancy word tracks and being sleazy and lying to customers. The Ford Dealership that I work at is surrounded by cornfields, middle of nowhere. We sell 60-70 cars a month. We have about nine or ten sales people and I average over 20 of those per month,” he tells folks online.

Respecting Car Buyers

As he continued with his video, he stated that most patrons are pretty hip to car selling tactics. He urges folks selling cars to abandon any dishonest strategies. Instead, if they prioritize really helping their clients, they’ll be successful “Customers today now are educated and they’ll smell a pitch from a mile away. As a salesman you don’t need to remember slick lines, fancy work tracks. You just need to be transparent, be real with customers, ask them what … they’re looking for, and how you can help them.”

To close out his video, he remarked that at the end of the day, a person’s word matters more than anything. “People respect honesty. And honestly, being genuine is your biggest sales tool. And for customers: work with someone who treats you the same way.”

The mental warfare that car dealerships implement in their selling techniques are often criticized online. This includes dragging out the buying process, which makes securing a deal a war of attrition. The back-and-forth games of “checking in with a manager” is also a tiresome process for shoppers.

Consumer Reports has delineated a list of negotiating tactics prospective car buyers should be aware of, too. Such as the “four-square” sales technique. The research group says consumers should look out for initially low-ball offers meant to get folks into the dealership. Dishonest dealers will then try to upcharge folks once they’re on the showroom floor. The best thing to do in this scenario is probably to walk out the door. That’s because from the get-go, the dealer has broadcast it doesn’t intend on honoring its marketed pricing.

Other Car Buying Techniques

There are additional helpful tips folks may want to pursue when shopping for a new car. If you’re getting your vehicle financed, check the popularity of a ride in your particular area. If you’re living in pickup country, then nabbing yourself a Hybrid sedan at a discount may be easier, and vice-versa.

This can help you get a final, out the door amount for what you want to pay for your car. Once you’ve got that figure finalized, then get pre-approved for your own loan. Premier America credit union argues that oftentimes, directly getting a quote yourself will usually secure a more attractive interest rate.

Bankrate also listed the pros of pre-approval. Walking into a dealership knowing what you’ve been pre-approved for can help you in your negotiation process. This way, you know what your limit is, and don’t fall for a monthly payment trap. Plus, many dealerships will tack on additional interest rates from local banks, meaning there’s often no benefit to financing through them.

Software analytics company KPA writes that “76% of Americans don’t trust dealerships to be honest about pricing.” Furthermore, CarProUSA indicated that 86% of surveyed buyers “are concerned about hidden fees when buying/leasing a vehicle.” With figures like these, it’s no wonder more and more no-haggle dealerships are popping up across the country.

After the Sale

In another TikTok, Tom also shows why he’s probably such a successful salesperson. He had no qualms with calling out Ford for allowing a vehicle to roll off the assembly line unfinished. Due to an uninstalled AC component, mold built-up inside a patron’s new vehicle’s cabin.

This made it difficult for the car buyer to breathe while inside of his vehicle. So Tom and his dealership contacted Ford to initiate a buy back. According to him, there’s “no reason” the automaker should’ve made such a big mistake. He instructed the buyer to hold onto the loaner vehicle he gave them until the buyback process was completed.

Towards the end of the video, he said that they were still in the process of negotiating the buyback from Ford. He speculated that the customer would either buy a new vehicle through them. Either that, or he’ll work out a deal to buy out the loaner he was currently in. Tom ultimately told viewers that if they were in the customer’s situation, they’d probably want a dealership to give them that option. Which is what, at the end of the day, guided their customer service decision making.

MotorBiscuit has reached out to Tom via TikTok comment for further information.