A word to car salesmen everywhere: That little old lady, the one you thought was a perfect mark, may have a secret that could cost you your job.
Just as other retailers have for years, automakers and dealerships are looking to forensic researchers, or mystery shopping services, to get the lowdown on their sales staff. Some have fired employees based on reports from such research companies, including S.H. Brown of Rochester, NY, that provide information on everything from whether salespeople provided customers with the proper warranty information to how clean dealers' bathrooms are.