Stories from the Sales Frontlines

abacomike

@explorerx4 said:Mike, Get yourself a chalk board to communicate with him.

That would be great, but he can't see either.

@stickguy said:I think he is mostly blind to. Maybe those hand touches that Helen Keller used?

Yep, that's all I need to put me into the asylum!!!

abacomike

@imidazol97 said: And we haven't have a day of down time with the new platform. Not one!!!

No, the system hasn't gone down, but unfortunately the users have. You forgot how many of us had to go to school to learn how to navigate, respond to posts, etc.

Yes, the basic system is fine, but remember, there are many frequent posters who are still having problems knowing how to respond, and even to post.

But I was not commenting about the technology of the new format, just the school-kid silver and gold stars that are being used to do something - but I haven't figured out what - except it's made driver a happy camper now that he is earning his "merit badges "!

oldfarmer50

@graphicguy said:
mako....I dunno. I think my days of looking at 'vettes are in the rearview. My biggest fear is having my Midwest sensibilities hog tie me. I can see me buying a 'vette and letting it languish in my garage for fear of driving it in the rain, the fog, at night, when the temps are lower than 60, or higher than 80, on the 3rd Tuesday of any motnth ending in "y", etc. Then, I'd obsess about spending all that money and not using the car enough. Then the first scratch would happen and I'd double my obsession and not park it anywhere near even a golf cart....and on and on.

Are you kidding? That's half the fun. Otherwise, it's just hoopties from now on for you.

oldfarmer50

@fezo said:
Back to say I really dislike the difficultly in finding things in the new format which is why you are not hearing from me.

I'm doing ok. Slow but steady.

Good to hear you're still plugging along.

oldfarmer50

"need amoxicillin"

There may be a shortage due to guys like the local pharmacy tech who stole $62,000 worth of Xanax, Viagra and antibiotics used for treating STDs.

He must have been planning one heck of a weekend.

oldfarmer50

@stickguy said:
That is a sharp looking car.

Front end looks just like a Ford Fusion.

stickguy

damn, you people think everything looks like a Fusion.

anyway, I thought a Fusion front-end just looked like an Aston Martin anyway, and that sounds pretty good to me!

imidazol97

@abacomike said:
imidazol97 said: And we haven't have a day of down time with the new platform. Not one!!!

But I was not commenting about the technology of the new format, just the school-kid silver and gold stars that are being used to do something - but I haven't figured out what - except it's made driver a happy camper now that he is earning his "merit badges "!

I was responding to Stickguy's post.
@stickguy said: Turn off notifications and you will never even know about
badges and points if you want to ignore them. Just part of the software package.
Price you pay for a stable platform that is actually supported I guess.

driver100

GG said @graphicguy said: mako....I dunno. I think my days of looking at 'vettes are in the rearview.

@oldfarmer50 said:Otherwise, it's just hoopties from now on for you.

Just remember my friend who bought a new $130K Maserati.

So far, his car wouldn't start when he went away for 2 weeks because "this type of car" needs to be kept on a battery trickle charger if you leave it for a few weeks.

He hit a sewer grate once because it is so low to the ground...about 2 inches from the ground.

His tires needed to be replaced at about 8K miles at a cost of $3K...racing type tires.

The car won't go in snow so he bought an $18K Fiat to use in the winter....I think he likes driving the Fiat more!

Remember, be careful what you wish for, you may get it and be very sorry.

snakeweasel

@fezo said:
The same process in reverse puts Gary, Indiana in Central time so it has the same time as Chicago. The rest of Indiana is in the Eastern Time Zone - God's own time.

Actually the southwest portion of Indiana is also in the Central Time Zone.

ray80

@fezo said:

The other medical thing is as of Monday I have hearing aids. I suspect I'm going to change with Costco ones which seem to do more and are half the price.

I will say that if anyone has the slightest thought of getting such things, do it. They are next to invisible, pretty low maintenance and make a ton of difference in what you can hear. My lower range was fine. It was the upper frequencies and tinnitus that drove me crazy. Situation much improved.

I also recently had to give in and get hearing aids. Took a few years of saying 'what' before I got tired of of it before I decided it was (past) time to get them (of course the better half would have had me in them sooner).

Mine were discounted through a program but in looking at a hearing aid forum it does seem as though a lot of people do prefer going to costco (better prices, longer 'free' test/exchange, and if one picks the right costco equal of perhaps even better hearing aid specialists then other places may have). Really amazing what sounds I have been missing through the years,

sterlingdog

@abacomike said:
driver100...Mike, on the surface I think you are right, without dealers sales would decrease. But, look at retail stores....traffic at Christmas time is down 1/3 from just 3 years ago.

For major purchases, such as fine jewelry, automobiles/trucks, fine crystal such as Waterford, and fine Sterling Silver, even Rolex watches, people need to be physically involved in the selection and examination process.

I agree that buying online is expeditious and less taxing - but for high priced purchases, the interactional behavior is important.

The younger generations will have fewer objections to online purchasing, no doubt.

Mike, you are absolutely correct. Fine things need to be seen in person and examined. For example, no one should ever purchase an oriental rug over the internet. The color patterns cannot be successfully duplicated via the web. Also, the intricate pattern details in sterling silver and crystal cannot be viewed well on the web sites. It's the same with jewelry. My wife had always wanted an emerald ring---her birthstone. Four years ago I saw the perfect one and, fortunately, had the $12k to make the purchase. It was pictured on a trusted antique dealer's web page. I drove 200 miles to see it. It wasn't quite like the web site picture---actually, more beautiful. It could have been the other way around. If you spend the big bucks, it's best to see what you're getting in person.

Driver, you said that you hesitated to buy a nice watch because people might not notice it. You need one like my Christmas gift to myself. It measures two and a quarter inches across the top. You would have to be totally blind not to notice it. I spent the long weekend at the beach with some old high school buddies. We were sitting in this restaurant when the manager walked by and commented, "Couldn't you find a large watch?". Everyone seems to notice it.

GG, I really do like my navy blue Orient watch---keeps great time and looks expensive.

Richard

sterlingdog

@abacomike said:
oldfarmer50...I also bet that I gave the cashier a good story to tell about the old coot who didn't know what email was.

You bring up an interesting, if not important, point about email. I have wanted to change my email address for some time now due to the over abundance of ads I get each day. But then I think about what changing my email address will do in terms of the many, many important contacts I currently have and all the work I will bring upon myself in contacting banks, credit card companies, family, friends, business contacts, etc. that's when I decide that life is too short to have to spend that much time and effort just to change an email address.

So, I filter as much email as I can with my comcast server. I guess I would rather click "delete" a few times a day rather than spend days informing others of my new email address.

Guess I'm just a lazy good-for-nothing, not to mention an almost 70 year old fart!

Mike, to get rid of a large number of those unnecessary ads, look at the bottom of each ad for the "unsubscribe" sentence. Click on it and they will go away. Some may take about a week or so, but they will soon be gone. Recently, I was forced to change my email address. It wasn't bad at all. In fact, it had some advantages. It got rid of some businesses and people that I no longer wanted to hear from. I did a group email to my family and friends with the new address. I then notified sites such as Edmunds. It didn't take long to do.

Richard

sterlingdog

@robr2 said:
Thanks everybody for your kind words. When my son came to me back in first grade with a flyer from the local Cub Scout pack, I wasn't exactly overjoyed. I was a scout and when I moved to Boy Scouts, I had a bad experience. I didn't want my son to go through the same thing. But I said he could try it. The dad who became den leader said it was going to be a cooperative effort of all the parents to help lead meeting and run badges so I helped out over the next five years. When he went onto Boy Scouts, he joined a troop in the next town and I said I wasn't going to get too involved because in Boy Scouts, it's boy led. A month later, I bought the tan shirt, got trained and spent many weekends sleeping in snow caves, hiking mountains I had no reason to and giving up a week of vacation every summer to go to camp. Why - because my son loves it and I really liked all the boys he was with.

For his project he organized a group to build 3000 feet of mountain bike trail on conservation land with the help of a mountain biking group who taught us how to build a trail. It's in our town but only accessed from the town his troop is located in so it benefits both. He went before conservation, selectman, town manager and the group that manages the land. He got a local pizzeria to give him a deal on food - scouts love food. He raised money to pay for the food. Over 30 volunteers worked on project day and did a great job of organization or leadership.

But that leadership has been apparent for many years. It's been an amazing trip watching a little 12 year old boy packing his own pack, making his own meals and becoming more and more self sufficient with every trip.

Congratulations to the entire family---each one is involved in one way or another. It renews our faith in our fellowman when we hear these things. There are many fine young people in the world today. We hear too much about those who cause trouble and not enough about those who cause good things to happen. I'm happy for you and your son.

Richard

driver100

@sterlingdog said:Driver, you said that you hesitated to buy a nice watch because people might not notice it. You need one like my Christmas gift to myself. It measures two and a quarter inches across the top.

I just scratch my forehead or face a lot and make sure my watch is facing other people. If I am posing for a picture I stand with my arm in front and my watch facing the camera.

I always say....why spend the big bucks if no one is even going to notice!

driver100

@sterlingdog said:. I then notified sites such as Edmunds. It didn't take long to do.

Yeh, you were only off for about 6 months and needed to change your name!

snakeweasel

@sterlingdog said:
Mike, to get rid of a large number of those unnecessary ads, look at the bottom of each ad for the "unsubscribe" sentence. Click on it and they will go away. Some may take about a week or so, but they will soon be gone.

Don't be so sure, if it is truly spam all you are doing is telling the spammer that your e-mail address is good. Yes a legitimate company will drop you but most of what people get is just pure spam.

I then notified sites such as Edmunds. It didn't take long to do.

I keep changing my e-mail address in my preferences and each and every time I go back it's my old e-mail address. So far I have changed it 3 or 4 times.

robr2

@snakeweasel said:
Don't be so sure, if it is truly spam all you are doing is telling the spammer that your e-mail
address is good. Yes a legitimate company will drop you but most of what people get is just
pure spam.

Just mark it as junk and your e-mail program will soon learn to just move them to junk.

driver100

@snakeweasel said:I keep changing my e-mail address in my preferences and each and every time I go back it's my old e-mail address. So far I have changed it 3 or 4 times.

I then notified sites such as Edmunds. It didn't take long to do.

I keep changing my e-mail address in my preferences and each and every time I go back it's my old e-mail address. So far I have changed it 3 or 4 times.

That happened to me too! I thought maybe I forgot to change it and my memory was going...but, since it happened to you I am sure it happened to me.

My wife must have wondered who sent me a badge and what it was for

graphicguy

@oldfarmer50 said:

oldfarmer....you mean this?

http://www.hooptieride.com/

driver100

I got a notice from my Vw dealer in St Petes who also sells Porsches. This looked tempting;

driver100

@graphicguy said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

oldfarmer....you mean this?

http://www.hooptieride.com/

I like that idea.....kids and executives that can't afford a real limo could probably afford these guys;

jmonroe

@driver100 said:
More pix for Houdini.....

You won't see me buying the 2015 Genny with a front end that looks like that. Son #1 sent me pix last week about this sorry looking car. Your pix don't make it look any better. Unless my tastes change, I'll be getting a reconditioned Pinto.

jmonroe

jmonroe

@imidazol97 said:
And we haven't have a day of down time with the new platform. Not one!!!

But we should have had them. I can't even get the box to expand anymore. Anything that I put into the quote box I had to copy/paste it from the OP. Yeah, ain't this new thing great!

jmonroe

abacomike

@jmonroe said: .........Yeah, ain't this new thing great!

Bah humbug, jmonroe - bah humbug!

You mean to tell us you don't like the new format? You don't like the badges? What about the fact that some posters are earning badges they were deprived of when they little boys?

Pshaw, jmonroe.

robr2

@jmonroe said:
But we should have had them. I can't even get the box to expand anymore. Anything that I
put into the quote box I had to copy/paste it from the OP. Yeah, ain't this new thing great!

Don't hold back - tell us how you really feel.

stickguy

Cranky old men. And this coming from a guy that just got his AARP card in the mail.

jayrider

@driver100 said: You want folks to notice your watch ? Easy. Get one of those yellow signs that stick on your car window that says "Rolex On Board" and make sure your arm is positioned so people passing you can see it. As they pass, give them a nod of the head that communicates just what a dude you really are.

mako1a

This stuff has me cracking up. I love a timely joke...like the "old man yells at cloud". Good one robr2

tjc78

@jmonroe

I agree, I hate these "big mouth bill bass" grills. The Fusion, Avalon and others. I can't wait for this trend to end. Having said that, the grill on the 09 Genesis wasn't that great either (but much less offensive).

oldfarmer50

@graphicguy said:

Ha ha! I love it!

I was thinking more like this:
http://ericpetersautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Hooptie-picture.jpg

sterlingdog

@driver100 said:

LOL!

sterlingdog

@jayrider said:
How do you do that. I either get the whole thing or nothing.

I agree. I have another problem. After I respond, I can't seem to get back to the place I started. I have to go on a hunt to find out where I was.

Richard

sterlingdog

@driver100 said:
I just got 5 more points for 5 awesomes...not sure what I did to get it. Apparently I join a few

\others who got their awesomes lately too;

driver100driver100 1:49PM
MrShift@EdmundsMrShift@Edmunds January 19
roadburnerroadburner January 17
stickguystickguy January 7
abacomikeabacomike January 6
Stever@EdmundsStever@Edmunds January 2
brian125brian125 December 2013
kyfdx@Edmundskyfdx@Edmunds December 2013
bpeeblesbpeebles December 2013
Karen@EdmundsKaren@Edmunds December 2013
imidazol97imidazol97 December 2013
PFFlyer@EdmundsPFFlyer@Edmunds December 2013
xwesxxwesx December 2013
nyccarguynyccarguy December 2013

Anyone know what we actually did?

I know one thing for sure. Your award for the length of time that you have been here is incorrect. I was here before you were....as if any of it matters.

Richard

explorerx4

@sterlingdog said: Your award for the length of time that you have been here is incorrect.

My profile includes my 10th anniversary birthday cake badge. I have been a member since 2003.

sterlingdog

@fezo said:
Yeah, I mean I could make out most conversation but the high frequency hearing was in bad shape. If you're a music sort of any kind this can be maddening, I also have tinnitus which, while this doesn't cure it it sure helps.

Mine sits on top of my ears with little wires that you can't see leading into the ear. I have to look carefully in the mirror to see them at all. My hair covers the actual unit.

I have until April to decide to keep them or not. Hearing aids are priced ridiculously high for what they are. They cost maybe $250 to manufacture a hearing aid that retails for $3K. Just wholesale to retail is 100%. During he test period I'm likely to try alternatives - including Costco.

Not only do they cost $3k or $4k, most insurance companies won't pay for them. It's like being deaf isn't a medical condition. Sucks!

Richard

abacomike

@sterlingdog said: .......I know one thing for sure. Your award for the length of time that you have been here is incorrect. I was here before you were....as if any of it matters.

Aha! Like I said on my earlier post - Edmunds wants us to compete for our fair share of badges. Richard, you know I get a kick out of your posts, but... If it really doesn't matter, why go there? Because it's a natural part of how we were brought up by our parents - to compete as hard as you can to get ahead.

Richard, you are welcome to any of my badges (as everyone else is) if you can figure out a way to grab them from my account.

This badge and point thing could end up costing us many posters because it is set up to reward, but it will end up causing hurt feelings to those who are not earning what they think they should earn.

That is why I do not like the badges and the points and the competition.

sterlingdog

@stickguy said:
damn, you people think everything looks like a Fusion.

anyway, I thought a Fusion front-end just looked like an Aston Martin anyway, and that sounds pretty good to me!

I had to laugh when I read your post. I totally agree. For months now, every car is compared to a Fusion. It's been weird.

Richard

driver100

@oldfarmer50 said:
http://ericpetersautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Hooptie-picture.jpg

You think people would pay to go in this:

abacomike

@sterlingdog said: .......I had to laugh when I read your post. I totally agree. For months now, every car is compared to a Fusion. It's been weird.

I can even picture one of the editors of those car magazines commenting on the similarity of the Mercedes CLS550 and the new Fusion. My car is merely a Fusion with frejolas would be the comparison. What do you think Richard?

sterlingdog

@abacomike said:
sterlingdog said: .......I know one thing for sure. Your award for the length of time that you

have been here is incorrect. I was here before you were....as if any of it matters.

Aha! Like I said on my earlier post - Edmunds wants us to compete for our fair share of badges. Richard, you know I get a kick out of your posts, but... If it really doesn't matter, why go there? Because it's a natural part of how we were brought up by our parents - to compete as hard as you can to get ahead.

Richard, you are welcome to any of my badges (as everyone else is) if you can figure out a way to grab them from my account.

This badge and point thing could end up costing us many posters because it is set up to reward, but it will end up causing hurt feelings to those who are not earning what they think they should earn.

That is why I do not like the badges and the points and the competition.

You read me incorrectly. I went there because I hate mistakes of any kind. I could care less about the badges. If someone is doing record keeping, it should be done correctly. I suppose that comes from my years as an educational administrator. I ran a multi-million dollar budget in personnel. Most of it was federal dollars. I had to be extremely careful about errors. Give your badges to Driver. He loves them.

Richard

driver100

@sterlingdog said:I know one thing for sure. Your award for the length of time that you have been here is incorrect. I was here before you were....as if any of it matters.

Richard

I think they started counting sometime in December....and you weren't around in December. You didn't figure out how to get on until January....so you actually did start later, on the New and Improved Sales Frontlines.

driver100

@sterlingdog said:

@driver100 said:

LOL!

I said nothing and I got an LOL!

abacomike

@sterlingdog said: ......You read me incorrectly. I went there because I hate mistakes of any kind.

I agree - I dislike incorrect data, but a while back, it was explained to us that this system may never be able to historically capture all the data from the previous platform. I guess you missed that post during your absence due to the new platform. Is that a bit of "IRONY"?

My apologies Richard, I must have read your post incorrectly - nothing new for me, that's for sure!

imidazol97

I earned my Irritating to Salesmen badge this evening. I was coming home from Menards at 0 deg. F. (yeah, I know it's 85 in FL :grin), and I drove through the used car lots and past the new showroom and through parts of their new car stock. I have never seen as many salesmen looking out windows at me as I saw tonight. Highest temp today was 8 deg or so and it has to have been a miserable day for salesmen.

There was one pair of clients in the used car building at the Chevy store, otherwise barren at 6:30 pm. If I had had a particular car picked out from the lot of a store, I bet I could have gotten a good deal this evening just so they could have sold something today.

My problem is a car needs to be easy entry for my wife with her bad back and knees. So she needs to do some test sitting rather than my choosing a car.

How about a Cruze diesel?

At the Ford store no one attacked me. I have actually had them walk along side my car as I drove through their stacks of new and used cars. Hyundai store looked relatively empty.

imidazol97

@jmonroe said: But we should have had them. I can't even get the box to expand anymore.

Do you mean it doesn't iterate the text when you choose "Quote"? When there's a quote box in the text being copied, it usually doesn't copy anything other than the poster's name. A quirk I believe a host said is being looked at for fix.

Or do you mean that when I copy my own long post just above this, all my text copies but the box size stays small until I "grab" the 6 dots in the lower right corner that form an arrow and pull the box larger?

driver100

@imidazol97 said:I earned my Irritating to Salesmen badge this evening. I was coming home from Menards at 0 deg. F. (yeah, I know it's 85 in FL :grin)

It must be brutal out there for car salesmen. I guess this weather will affect overall sales too.
btw...it only reached 64 in Tampa today and only about 56 for tomorrow........stop sending that cold weather down here.

I am not complaining, it is still better than the around 0 (zero) back home.

explorerx4

I just saw a commercial for a local VW dealer on tv. Up to 30% off all new 2011, 2012, and 2013 VW's. New 2011?
Just looked it up. 2011 Routan, Also a 2012 Beetle and a 2012 Jetta.

imidazol97

@driver100 said:
only reached 64 in Tampa today and only about 56 for tomorrow.

We're heading into even more days of below 10 deg F over the next many days. We had a siege a week ago and around Christmas of this cold weather. We're over our average of zero temps this year. This Global Cooling is getting to me. It's bringing back memories of the Ice Age Return from the 70s based on carbon dioxide IIRC.

But I like to tease the Floridians (temporary in cases) about their low temps. But I realize some day it will be 115 and 110% humidity in Fl with tornadoes, hurricanes, and sink holes along with the rodeo bugs (big as horses) and here it will be 70 and 50% humidity.

Turn about, fair play.

sterlingdog

@abacomike said:
sterlingdog said: ......You read me incorrectly. I went there because I hate mistakes of any kind.

I agree - I dislike incorrect data, but a while back, it was explained to us that this system may never be able to historically capture all the data from the previous platform. I guess you missed that post during your absence due to the new platform. Is that a bit of "IRONY"?

My apologies Richard, I must have read your post incorrectly - nothing new for me, that's for sure!

Mike, thanks for clearing up the misconception that I had. I didn't realize that the new system was unable to capture the old data. Like a few others, I'm still going through the adjustment period.

Richard