My Dad met a guy in the pub he'd worked with previously (don't remember his name, let's call him Mike) and in the course of the conversation Mike said he'd just accepted a job with Arnold Clark in Paisley / Linwood as a salesman, and was going on 4 week Sales Course starting next week.
'Great, all the best Mike' my dad said.
Maybe 4 or 5 months went by and my Dad met Mike again. He asked him how he was getting on with his new job.
'Nah, chucked it after a few months.'
'How come?' asked my Dad.
'Too much pressure, I couldn't sleep at night with what they were asking me to do!'
Sales technique went along the lines of... politely enquire to anyone browsing if they can do with any help. Try and get involved in conversation and within 90 seconds decide whether or not they are seriously looking to buy a car today, or just browsing. If they are just browsing, you have another 90 seconds to politely get away from them and leave them to it, while turning your attention to another 'victim'. If you decide they are serious, you have the same amount of time to get them indoors and sitting comfortably to start the serious negotiations. Don't let them away without buying anything etc.
This is the good bit... if a friend or relative comes in and is seriously contemplating a car, you are to offer them a poorer deal than you would to other customers (telling them these are 'mates rates') because they will trust you, and assume you are getting them the best deal, and won't bother looking elsewhere!
Seriously hope I never have to darken their doorstep again. Had a bad experience with them in Ayr with a very aggressive sales manager who raised his voice and accused me of not being serious about buying a car. Left Ayr and went to Linwood (not AC) and bought a car that afternoon.