I “get bumped” every day (someone offers criticism) and I have a chance to respond to “getting bumped” every day. When I hear disparaging words, about the industry and “those salespeople” my challenge is to remember – the auto industry is far from perfect! There is a lot of good happening, within the industry, and as a result of the social impact the industry has, as well. It is the reality of the industry today. People don’t know what they think they do, and that is because we have ready access to research tools like the internet, making us each an instant expert in what we want to research. As a result of instant expertise, or perhaps bad experiences of their own, or that of someone they know, people say things…
When I “spill a reaction” I work to make it about the good things that are happening and there is so much better yet to come.
The industry has changed rapidly for good, yes – and bad – and I have my PHD in the negative reactions offered up daily by people I meet. I work to change the negativity by concentrating on the positive.  The broad view remains the same…
So, how do I channel the energy and keep an outlook that enables me to “press on”?
What I do. I learn about people’s needs by building a rapport and genuinely caring about the means and the end results that benefit the person I am working with.  That has led customers to communicate their needs to me and they have then allowed me to show them what I have for solutions.
This is my mind dump. Hope you can relate. My aim is to build a relationship with each customer and not to be negatively impacted by this season of criticism. I cannot affect more than a little corner of the industry’s experience…
But if it is your corner and mine – it matters to me!