Then why do you respond?
THE SECRET
TomS wrote:stumbler wrote:I would consider your job as a customer service job though, whether others would call it sales or not.
Now THAT'S funny.
A car salesman --
1) Customer walks into the showroom because he ALREADY wants to buy the product (car,truck, etc.)
2) Customer says "I want that car with a truckbed on the back".
3) Salesman, after looking at brochure, replies "I am sorry, but a truckbed on the back is not an option."
4) Customer says "I want that car in orange-purple"
5) Salesperson, after looking at brochure, replies. "I am sorry, but it only comes in these colors..."
6) Customer gives up on what he wants - because the car salesman CAN ONLY SELL what the manufacturer makes, the way the manufacturer makes it.
7) Customer and Salesman sit down - and they fill out the order checking off the options the customer wants.
The salesman has absolutely NO CONTROL over the product. He can only take ORDERS for what the manufacturer gives him to sell.
9) A car salesman is the archtype for an ORDER TAKER.
As opposed to what I do, where I go in and evaluate the client's business, help the executive bring to light any problems, develop a proposal to solve those problems, present the proposal and get a signature to go forward.
Now, WHO would you say is doing REAL sales here?
1) Someone who sits at a small metal desk on a showroom floor and waits for someone to walk through the double-doors to place an order for a car.
2) Someone who actively searches out clients, defines problems, crafts solutions and gets the client to implement them.
Hmmm?
I guess you have never set foot in a car dealership?
If someone said "I want a truckbed on that" we would find an aftermarket source for that and coordinate its installation.
"I want it in orange-purple" - We would say "No problem - let's take a ride over to the paint shop so you can pick out your colour."
And so on and so forth, all down the line. I presided over a lot of custom building while working for various dealerships. There are a lot of fascinating custom cars and trucks out there because I hunted down what needed to be done, who could do it, added a healthy percentage to the quote and tucked it all neatly into the financing.
A salesman is the opposite of what you describe, and no dealership on earth could afford to employ the mythical "salesman" you describe, even on commision.
Who is doing real sales? Car salesmen. The biggest compliment is when a customer says "I wasn't going to buy anything today" or "I thought I wanted a car, but this truck is a much better option for me."
I used to hear that a lot.
None of those were "orders." They bought what I had to sell- right there on the spot.
The only reason a car dealer would take an "order" would be to keep the person off the market until they could be satisfied in some way that made money for the dealership. Most "orders" in a car dealership sit in a stack with the "deposit" checks stapled to them, uncashed.
They are a tool, not a contract.
And, judt for your information, custom work has nothing to do with "orders." They buy and sign for the vehicle, drive it off the lot - even if just around the block - and then we handle the customization. No "order taking" involved.
We find them a vehicle they will take, one way or another, (usually another) - whether by trading for it, finding a barely used example, or convincing them that they want something else.
That is sales.
When I was a teenager, I had a job interview at a car dealership. I was told "This will be simple - I only have one question for you. A customer comes in and wants a red tercel. We only have a yellow one. What do you do?"
I said "Sell him the yellow one."
He said "Excellent. Now, just one more question - You're not religious or anything are you? Some of these people seem to think that what we do is wrong, and I don't want to waste my time."
I said "Let me help you out here - It's against federal law to ask people about their religion in a job interview, so I am going to be here at 8AM tomorrow morning and we'll pretend I never heard that question."
That's sales.
Our customers virtually NEVER walked in saying they wanted a particular car, colour, etc. Most say "I'm just looking."
So, if you consider taking people within the course of a few short hours from "I'm just looking" to "Thank you! I love it!" "order taking" - then I'm afraid I can't help you much.
The only thing you have made clear is that you would be eaten alive in a car business environment and that you have never had any real dealings with real world automobile dealerships.
If you ever want to get into sales, you might have a good future. But only if you are a good learner 
What's the difference? The Secret is still anti-Christian.