From “Mobile Home” Sales Person to Manufactured Home Consultant
Looking back over 40 years plus in the mobile home business (yes, I know they are called manufactured homes now. I’ll get to that later), I tend to think back on how things in the industry were then as compared to now.
We of the older generation tend to remember the old days as being better than the present. However, I can report, without reservation, that the mobile home of the past and the manufactured home of today bear little resemblance, not only in quality, but also in the way they are sold. The revolutionary transformation into the technological age has been pretty mind-boggling to us “oldtimers.”
Back in the 1960s and 70s, the mobile home salespeople were also a different breed than the present professional manufactured home consultants. The early salesperson was usually trained to sell automobiles before graduating to “ trailer” sales. After all, the mobile home business had its roots in the automobile business. Sales-people tended to use the same techniques and narratives with customers that were common when selling cars. Almost all mobile home dealerships copied the sales system universally used then and now in car sales, called the “T.O.” (turn-over) system.
Back then, a salesman was classified either as a “liner” or a “closer.”
A “liner” is an individual who greets prospective customers when they enter the dealership and tries to motivate customer interest in purchasing a mobile home. The “liner” is usually one of a group of salespeople who are on duty, at the time, who rotate talking to customers, referred to as “ups.” The “liners” purpose is get as much pre-qualifying information and ammunition as possible, that could be used by the “closer” to convince the customer to purchase a mobile home. The salesperson seldom ever completes the sale. The customer is “turned over” (T.O.ed) to the “closer” who establishes the selling price and “closes” the deal.
The selling price philosophy of the “closer” back then, when negotiating with a customer was either, (1) “hitting a home run” which means getting a high price, high profit selling price with a non-resisting customer, also called a “lay-down”, or (2) if the customer was a “hard sell,” meaning a tough negotiator. If this was the case, the philosophy was “ the least I will take, is the most I can get.”
Fortunately, the attitudes and stereotypes of 40 years ago no longer permeate the manufactured home industry today. Unfortunately, there are those who have not explored manufactured homes as a housing alternative due to outdated images of mobile homes and mobile home salespeople.
It is less likely that in today’s manufactured housing world will you ever bump into one of these old sales types, nor would you want to. Today the manufactured home retailer is very much attuned to the needs and desires of the potential home purchaser. The retailer knows very well that the home he/she is promoting to potential homeowners cannot be duplicated by a site built home and will cost 15 to 35% less than the site built.
Manufactured home salespeople in the industry are well trained, have knowledge of the homes they sell, and realize that a home is not purchased unless customer is completely satisfied with the home and the sales environment of the retailer.
Today’s manufactured home is well built, energy efficient, safe and virtually maintenance free. A manufactured home can be customized to satisfy most requirements and wants of the homeowner.
Purchasing a manufactured home or any home is one of the the biggest decisions a person will ever make. Your manufactured home retailer, manufacturer, and sales consultant are dedicated to helping you make your choice to become a manufactured home owner — the best decision you will ever make.
One last note: The only thing from the 60s that hasn’t changed. You could buy a new mobile home then for about the same price as a luxury automobile. Today you can purchase a large luxurious new manufactured home for about the same price as a luxury automobile.
