Growing consumer uncertainty—and the influence of how people choose to spend their money—is prompting companies to rethink how they do business.
More and more, they’re weaving in social responsibility and fair, honest management as part of their core strategies. It’s all part of a broader shift toward being more transparent, accountable, and trustworthy.
In my 13-plus years in automotive retail, the pace of change has often felt like a neck-and- neck horse race—demanding constant effort and resources just to keep up. While some stay just ahead of the curve, many are stretched thin trying to maintain their position in an increasingly fast-moving landscape.
When the Numbers Don’t Add Up
For example, when I coached Nissan dealers on using their e-commerce tool, many initially saw engaging with buyers online as a waste of time. Instead, they instructed their sales teams to focus solely on getting the customer into the showroom—perhaps out of concern that digital communication reduced their leverage.
But once we broke down the customer journey, reviewed the data, and compared it to traditional methods like the “meet and greet,” it became clear that digital retailing offered real value. It saved time for the customer and helped dealers qualify serious buyers more efficiently.
A Lesson in Trust, Tech, and Transparency
Like digital retailing tools, artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies are opening up a wide range of opportunities for dealers to drive real business value. One unexpected upside of my job search has been the chance to explore different companies, their platforms, and the strategies they use to support every part of the dealership—from the showroom to service to F&I. I’ll admit—it’s given me a little FOMO.
But one of the most valuable takeaways from my time on the floor came from a great teaching moment early in my sales career. My very first sale was with a young man and his father, who came in looking to trade a sporty sedan for an SUV—his first child was on the way, and he needed something more family-friendly. He loved the vehicle we test-drove, and he was well-qualified financially, but when it came time to talk numbers, things got tense.
His father couldn’t understand why our payment estimate didn’t match theirs, and despite my best efforts— even after using an online loan calculator, as advised by my GSM—the confusion only grew. Eventually, they left, clearly feeling mistrustful. I couldn’t shake the encounter. It wasn’t losing the sale that bothered me—it was knowing they walked out believing we weren’t being transparent.
Customer Experience Fail
That night, I dug into the numbers, consulted industry colleagues, and even turned to ChatGPT to better understand where the disconnect might have come from. What could have caused the sales manager’s lack of patience started to come into focus.
Many dealership managers rely on finance software to calculate payments but aren’t always equipped to explain the math behind loan amortization or how APR affects the final monthly cost. In this case, the customer assumed the interest rate should have resulted in a lower payment.
The manager, unable to walk him through the difference, defaulted to saying, “These are the right numbers,” which came across as dismissive and left the customer feeling talked down to—like he was being gaslit.
The Teaching Moment
The manager likely couldn’t explain the math difference for a few key reasons:
- Lack of Deep Financial Knowledge: Most dealership managers are experts in sales and negotiation, but they aren’t necessarily trained in the detailed math behind loan amortization.
- They rely on finance software to generate payments.
- They might not be able to break down the formula manually.
- If they don’t fully understand how APR affects payments, they can’t explain the difference.
- Dependence on Dealer Software: Managers input numbers into a system that calculates payments automatically.
- They may not fully understand how the system gets from loan amount to final payment.
- If a customer questions the math, they don’t have an easy way to validate it manually.
- Instead of explaining, they often just say: “This is what the bank system shows.”
- The APR vs. Interest Rate Confusion: The customer thought the interest rate (4.9%) should have made the payment lower, not realizing that APR includes extra costs.
- Many managers also confuse APR with the simple interest rate.
- If the manager wasn’t comfortable explaining how APR increases the effective interest cost, they might have just dodged the explanation.
- Avoiding a Potential Conflict: Some managers prefer not to get into a math debate with customers.
- The more they explain, the more skeptical the customer might become.
- It can make the dealer seem like they’re hiding something, even when they’re not.
- They may fear losing the sale if the customer believes they are being overcharged.
- The Manager May Have Thought It Was a Negotiation Tactic: Some customers challenge the math as a way to push for a lower payment.
- The manager may have assumed the customer was negotiating, not actually confused.
- Instead of clarifying, they held firm on the payment to avoid setting a precedent.
The next morning, I followed up with the customer via text. We exchanged screenshots and walked through the numbers together. He thanked me and said he now understood the calculations—but shared that the breakdown in trust came from how the payment had been presented. He felt the sales manager was defensive and dismissive, which made him question our intentions.
He admitted he still loved the vehicle, but he wasn’t sure the payment fit his budget. I encouraged him to visit his local bank to explore financing options that might offer a lower rate.
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Later that same day, he called—this time from the bank. They had confirmed the dealership’s rate was actually excellent, and he asked if the vehicle could be ready for delivery.
That moment wasn’t just my first sale—it was a lasting lesson in the power of empathy, patience, and clear communication. Technology can help us price more accurately, respond faster, and even predict customer behavior—but it can’t replace the trust that’s built when someone feels heard and respected.
Emotional intelligence and critical thinking aren’t just soft skills—they’re business essentials, especially in a field where trust drives every transaction.
