Stories from the Sales Frontlines

greanpea68

The worst is "I just bought a car from A. private party or b. from a used car dealer and can you show me all about how it works and take me on your off road track?"

I have to agree that is not a fun time but what can you do?

greanpea68

One thing is that unless its an odd combination of options or one of the last in a model year run wouldn't there always be another one somewhere?

Yes.

driveright

The worst is "I just bought a car from A. private party or b. from a used car dealer and can you show me all about how it works and take me on your off road track?"

I have to agree that is not a fun time but what can you do?

Charge a fee.

suncontry

Wholesale for yours and wholesale + $1500 for the one you are buying.

Thanks qBrozen. Would I add in an extra $1000 (total $2500) for a Certified PreOwned Warranty (Lexus)?

Sun

british_rover

About a year ago we had a couple come in on a busy saturday with a LR3 that bought used at a chevy dealer. They even had the chevy dealer's plate frames on it. They wanted someone to show them all the stuff on their car because and I quote, "the dealer that sold it us didn't have a clue about the car or how anything worked." Why would you buy a car from a dealer that didn't know anything about the car? :confuse: I guess if the price was good enough I wouldn't care but still it would make me uncomfortable.

All three of our sales guides, the centre manager and our UCM were with customers and we couple of people out on test drives by themselves.

I told them they would have to come back sometime in the week and maybe someone could show them stuff in the car.

I never saw them again till about six weeks ago. The wife was asking me some questions about the car and I answered them. Then she said, "I don't know why I even asking you about this stuff cause I am getting rid of this car next week." :confuse: :sick:

I asked, "Why are you getting rid of it?"

She says, "Oh it is a real troublesome car and I just don't want to deal with it anymore. I mean I like it but these cars have so many problems so I don't want it anymore."

Now remember I haven't seen this woman in almost a year and I keep up to date with service on who is having problems with cars so I ask, "have you had a lot of service issues?"

"Oh no this is only the second time I have had it in the shop but everyone says these cars are so bad so I don't want to deal with it when it has problems," she says."

:confuse:

Ok so she just bought the car less then a year ago, probably paid too much since she is clueless and now she is going to trade it in because it might have problems in the future even though she likes the car. Oh and I bet she has even told the other dealer that she is getting rid of the car because she is afraid of it having problems and so they are going to hammer her on trade value.

I checked the warranty history of the LR3 with service and it has only been in for its pre-paid scheduled services and never had a warranty claim. :confuse:

british_rover

One thing is that unless its an odd combination of options or one of the last in a model year run wouldn't there always be another one somewhere?

Yes.

If it is a used car it could very well be the only one of its kind.

jmonroe

I happen to be monitoring the lot and I told him that he needed to go back to Carmax and let them service what they sell. He left mad

That customer you had and the one lrguy44 had must be related. How else could two guys have a pair of stones like that? :surprise:

Talk about a lot of chutzpah !!! :mad:

jmonroe

jmonroe

I will e-mail my Professor/Medical Doctor/MBA/Lawyer sister (yes she is all of those I kid you not) and ask her.

OK...we're going to hold you to that.

jmonroe

joel0622

You should be able to get the manual from the manufacturer

Not me, i will get one out of the file cabinet we have full of them dating back 20 years

But these guy can get you most anything
link title

Good source for Chiltons also.

joel0622

How else could two guys have a pair of stones like that?

Shoot, something like that happens 3-5 times a month. There is always someone pulling up asking something. You would be amazed at the number of people who think we work for Ford and all dealerships are owned by Ford. The real funny ones are the folks who pull up and want to see our GM because the GM across town ran them off when they complained about there service bill. Now they want our GM to call Ford and fix it.

cotmc

"so she just bought the car less then a year ago, probably paid too much since she is clueless and now she is going to trade it in because it might have problems in the future even though she likes the car."

Aren't these customers a good thing for the industry? I mean, don't they help offset all the mini's that the rest of us try to negotiate?

Good story, by the way. In terms of entertainment and prose, this one was up there in mack's territory!

lrguy44

Not to mention the wierd, non biz related phone calls

snakeweasel

Not to long ago I was working for a manufacturer in the department that was responsible for all printed material. They had manuals for every post war vehicle that they ever made (and some prewar ones). We had them scanned to PDF files and their printer can print them out one at a time if someone orders them.

mako1a

I'm glad you guys are telling these "buy there ask here" stories. I am one of those guys. I always thought you work for Ford or Toyota, etc and were paid by Ford or Toyota as they ultimately manage the store or at least make the rules. I bought a 4Runner at Checkered Flag in Va Bch and when a new Toyota dealer opened 6 miles away in Chesapeake I just started going there. Their first question was "who was your salesman". I said I didn't remember cause I really didn't. Then I said I bought in Va Bch and they said why are you getting service here? I said cause you're closer. OK They did the work. It was all transparent to me. I never thought a thing about it and continued going there. When I moved to the western part of the state I took my oil change card from Checkered Flag which had 1 or 2 changes left on it and asked if they (Shelor) would honor it as I just moved here. They said no. When I bought my next one I went to West Virginia and blew off Shelor since they did nothing for me anyway. Had they done those oil changes I surely would have bought from them. I think a lot of customers see you guys as employees of the brand rather than independents working in a particular store.

traindriver

Joel, I usually tend to agree with your line of thinking in your posts but I really don't see the big deal with the guy from Carmax. (unless, of course, Carmax in Nashville is a franchised new Ford dealer) I assume that we are talking about a used car, being a 2006 model. ...Why not say "Sorry sir, we don't keep copies of old owners manuals in stock but you may try calling 1-800-xxx-FORD (i.e. Ford Customer Service or whatever) to see if you can order it from them?" I can understand your annoyance if someone came to your store asking these questions if they were driving a NEW Ford from a competitor.

I am sure that the guy probably has no understanding that the keypad code is not something that he or you can just change right there on the spot without the little card that has the "master" code from the factory. With the master code and the owners manual (that he came to your store to see if he could obtain) he could have set it to whatever he chose. (I have done it with my 04 F150.) Or, perhaps a suggestion to bring it into the service department so they could determine the master code/reset it/reprogram it or whatever needed to be done.

As I said before, I generally agree with your posts and appreciate your insight but it seems to me that you just royally pissed off a potential service department customer. If I were him, I would pull that Explorer with my teeth and a rope all the way to Memphis before I would bring it back to your store for service. What was so unreasonable of his request? Did I miss something?

BTW, just got back from Myrtle Beach myself. If you had went into MB via Marion-Mullins-Nichols-NMB (hwy 9 ??) you might have seen one of my favorite roadway signs.... Somebody apparently was trying to make an anti-drug statement (think "SEE ROCK CITY") on the side of their barn. Someone painted, in HUGE letters, "DRUGS ARE DANG". I wonder about that barn every time I pass through. Did they not know how to spell "dangerous?" Were they on drugs themselves? Did they run out of paint and just haven't got around to finishing sometime in the last decade or two? Maybe they are speaking of personal experience and illustrating what drugs can do to the mind? Priceless.

isellhondas

In the real world, that isn't going to happen. A person doing a dealer trade isn't going to beat the hell out of the car.

But,if you're worried you should buy a car we have on our lot!

oldfarmer50

"...In the real world, that isn't going to happen..."

Maybe, maybe not. But the fear that it COULD happen is what scares people. Car buying can be an emotional and irrational process.

user777

i tend to agree on your take on the story. i can definitely see where someone would tell a new car purchaser he should go back to his place of purchase for an owner's manual (and there should be one in the car). geesh! carmax should do right by the customer.

that said, it would seem to me one would want to tell someone to "bring your vehicle to our service department", because your store really wants the maintenance income don't they?

also, curious, isn't it possible that on a csi survey, the store refusing to provide assistance would be written up? i remember a csi and verbal follow-up where i was asked about experiences at two other stores. hmmm.

dino001

I think a lot of customers see you guys as employees of the brand rather than independents working in a particular store.

Seriously, you thought that? Why? It NEVER CROSSED MY MIND. Are SEARS, Penney, WalMart working for Nike, Sony, or Serta? So if you know they don't why would you think that local Kia/Toyota/Ford/Subaru megastore is any different? The very definition of word "dealer" is a person (or organization) that works for themselves while selling others' product.

Would you come to your Best Buy and demand a free computer mouse, cause you just moved in and they should jump at opportunity to make business with you. Oh - you have a "free mouse" coupon card from Jim's Electronics from 1000 miles away - yeah, that should do it :sick: . In reward you'll graciously grant them your business buying a new iPod in next five years, of course only if it's priced lowest in town.

That's great - why didn't I think of that? Next time I move, I'll certainly do it.

qbrozen

That's a much tougher question. Its REALLY going to depend on age, mileage, and condition. I mean, a 4-year-old 50k mile car is going to cost the dealership more to get certified than a 2-year-old 20k mile one (meaning the older one might need new tires, new brakes, etc). I feel anywhere between $500-$1k should do it. Some folks have explained to me that it might cost $1k to certify a car, yet I have purchased a certified car for $1500 over wholesale and received a bit over wholesale on my trade.

Given its a Lexus and thus probably a high demand item, $2500 over sounds about right to me, in my unprofessional opinion.

qbrozen

I admit it, I've used stores in the past to test drive when I had no intention of buying there.

I did not do it blindly, though. Meaning, when I first visit a store, it is never for that purpose. But once I learn it is a store I would never buy from, I use 'em and leave 'em.

Yeah, I know, its not a nice thing to do, but I figure I'd rather waste a jerk's time than that of a nice person/shop. (meaning, I need to test drive and might not like the car, and I hate when that happens and the salesperson is real nice)

janda1

My experience with these types is in real estate. People come to vacation areas like mine and use a realtor as a tour guide. They never have any intention of buying,they just want to see the neighborhood and homes.
Not much you can do to prevent it. I stopped picking people up and make them come into the office. That usually scares off the lookie loos. :shades:

janda1

Correction, car came in from Atlanta Georgia. :shades:

mitzij

I don't have a problem helping people figure out their cars' bells and whistles. It keeps me educated, and they might come back when they have real work for me to do. I do like the petulant look I get when a customer's first words are 'I didn't buy my car here, but...' Usually, I tell them I'll forgive them 'this time'!

Have any of you ever been charged a fee for warranty work? I had a gentleman come in the other day who was worried that I was going to charge him. He had low mileage, his truck was about a year old. He said another dealer charged him the last time he had warranty work done. I had to reassure him several times. I think he didn't believe me until the work was done and the bill read $0.00.

joel0622

You both make great points. My annoyance was more with carmax then the customer. I think it is pretty crappy of carmax to talk about there great service and how they are different then the rest, yet sell a car to someone and then tell them to go to a Ford dealership and have them cough up a manual package that cost $32.50 if he wanted the whole thing and have us get his keyless code for him a 1/2 hour labor charge of $41.50. Carmax new that stuff is not free yet they let him leave thinking he could just go to his local Ford Dealership and we would be more then happy to tie up there loose ends. If you want all the conveniences along with the sale then buy from the store who sells that flavor. Then you get your manuals and keyless codes at point of sale.

My hope was that he would leave irritated and go back to carmax and let them know that he was.

See Rock City!!! I told my wife that a trip in TN is not complete till you spot a See Rock City bill board. Rock City is a Tourist attraction in Chattanooga/

isellhondas

Well, you are one of those people who shoudn't buy a car that has been dealer traded. Actually, even if a car were driven hard, it's pretty unlikely any damage would come from that.

I used to watch longshoremen drive expensive imports off of the ships. You have NO IDEA how some of these cars were driven! Long term effects from this? Doubtful.

epiney

Number one reason for buying at another They don't like the sales person.

Why do think this happens? Do you try to change your style to suit the customer? I would think if this is the number one reason and it could be addressed, your close rate coud be improved quite a bit.

Related question. How does a customer go about firing a sales person. Say I don't hit it off and it's not going work with the guy that takes me as an up, but I don't want to go to another dealership. Do I ask the sales manger for another sales guy? Wouldn't this be better than just disappearing?

greanpea68

Nissan has a promo with Dunkin Donuts right now. Come in and drive a sedan and get a $25 gift card to Dunkin Donuts. It's ironic that the only people who come in and ask for the card are the people who... 1) Are not remotely interested in buying a new or used car... 2) if they were they probably couldn't finance a freeze pop :sick:

The people who actually interested in purchasing vehicles don't even know about the promo. When they buy I hand them a gift card and they are happy.

ray80

I'll be back later,,,,,,,,,,,headed for my local Nissan dealer

Not really, I never go for any of that 'come in and get free xyz' I'm not one to waste the time of sales people like that and wouldn't like it if I were in sales. (could use a hazelnut coffee bout now though)

british_rover

As Terry used to say...

"They couldn't buy steam off a hot dog."

joel0622

"They couldn't buy steam off a hot dog."

Couldn't finance a postage stamp

Couldn't finance .50 cents if they had a dollar in there pocket

Jesus couldn't get that deal done

Jesse James stands a better chance of getting approved

If dollars were water they would die of thirst

There BK was medical, they choked on plastic

carhag2000

"They couldn't buy steam off a hot dog."

I always heard " He couldn't buy a sick monkey, breakfast."
Also on a rough trade in " That car is rougher then a night in jail."

Or on particularly good accomplishment, " Thats strong." or " stronger then a pepsi [non-permissible content removed]."

isellhondas

This doesn't happen often but once in a great while, I will have a customer that I just can't break the ice with.

I'm pretty good at disarming standoffish customers but once in awhile I'll get one that I just can't mesh with.

As far as I'm concerned I would much rather pass on that customer but I usually end up finishing the deal.

I recently had a couple that never, once smiled. They questioned EVERYTHING and when I would give them an answer, they would look at each other. I jumped through hoops to find and deliver to them the oddball car and color they just had to have. When I delivered it to them, there was no emotion of any kind. Just cold fish as cold as ice.

But, I can deal with that. I don't need for all of my customers to like me. What I didn't need was a bad survey from them and that is exactly what I recieved. They wre unhappy with how long it took to get the car even though it arrived two weeks earlier than I had promised. They were mad at the finance lady over some paperwork question, and they were mad at out service dept because it too long it install a couple of accessories they had ordered.

But, it was my survey and they torched me.

I will never call these people. If I see them in service, I will nod a "hello" to them. If they call me with a question they will receive an answer and nothing more.

I'm sure that's they way they would prefer things to be.

british_rover

You had to know that survey was coming though didn't you? I wouldn't be surprised if I got a bad survey from people like that.

isellhondas

You know, I didn't think they would do that to me.

I would MUCH rather not sell a car than receive a bad survey. I don't need or want unhappy customers.

And, it's usually no surprise when a bad survey hits. they are almost always from the people who walked in with a chip on their shoulder, paid the least for their car and left thinking that just somehow, they got shafted.

These are the same people that just seem unhappy with life in general. I guess it's a way to get even with us or something?

geffen

How does the surveys factor in on sales people does this count against your performance review? or is there a certain amount of bad surveys that are overlooked because of difficult customers?

mackabee

Whenever I sell a car that has to be dealer traded I ask the customer first what mileage is acceptable to them. I also tell them we only employ older retired folks who are non- smokers and they don't eat in the car. All they do is drive one up and bring one down. In the case where we do an exchange for a dealer and get a car back that's going to have miles and it will be sitting in our lot I explain to the customer looking to buy it that the miles on the car were put on because the car was driven down and that their warranty begins on the day they purchase the car and the miles don't count against them. We normally try to stay within 150 miles of our region so we don't end up with cars that have over 400 miles on them.
Mackabee

isellhondas

Nothing gets overlooked. In any business there will always be a very small percentage of customers that you just don't want. These are miserable people who will never be satisfied with anything. The more you do for these people, the more they expect and the less they appreciate you.

I don't get "performance reviews" nor do I need these. I am my own worst critic and for me good surveys are a matter of pride.

british_rover

flat bed 90 percent of our dealer trades so they don't get any miles on them. Sometimes if we can't get shipping arranged or if it is from one of the two dealers less then 100 miles away we will drive them.

mackabee

I would guess this varies by dealership. At our store we have to maintain a "green" CSI which means all surveys have to be above 93 score. Toyota uses a graded scale red, yellow, and green. Anyone on the red doesn't stay at the dealership long. and anyone going under green gets a drop in pay.
Mackabee

isellhondas

I tell my customers the same thing and I can't remember the last time someone had a problem with that. We DO use a couple of retired guys and they baby the cars.

I don't know how you can tell them that the miles don't count against their warranty because they do! Still, big deal, so the car's warranty has been reduced by 100 miles. Who is going to care about that?

roadburner

I was really surprised when my salesman told me that my car was going to be flatbedded down from Cleveland to Cincinnati- especially since there was no extra charge for the service.

mackabee

Isell, sounds like the couple I sold a Prius to in May!

Mackabee

jipster

I would agree with that. But, I honestly think that a lot of people just don't understand how a poor CSI score affects a salesman or dealership. They probably think you just get a talking to by your manager.

When I bought my beautiful hot Mazda MPV in 2004, I probably gave about a 95% score. I didn't know that anything less than a 100% was a failure. Had I known I would have given 100%... no problem.

carhag2000

I don't know how you can tell them that the miles don't count against their warranty because they do! Still, big deal, so the car's warranty has been reduced by 100 miles. Who is going to care about that?

I thought that the mileage on the odometer at the delivery was recorded on the RDR and didnt count agains the warranty. I thought that that was cool up to 500 miles for Hondas. I have been speaking this as the gospel for the last 8 years please dont tell me I have unknowingly mislead thousands of customers.

jmonroe

It's ironic that the only people who come in and ask for the card are the people who... 1) Are not remotely interested in buying a new or used car... 2) if they were they probably couldn't finance a freeze pop

and 3) very over weight people for whom a box of donuts is the last thing they need. :surprise:

As another poster has already said, why waste a persons time when you have no intentions of buying. :confuse:

jmonroe

lrguy44

We need to get dealer trades done quickly, so we employ Jeff Gorden and Dale Earnhart, Jr. to get the cars.

wlbrown9

I was looking over the manual for the '04 GM Envoy for info on the warranty for exhaust parts before putting it in for service for a SES light the other day. There was a statement in the warranty book about miles for testing, etc. before purchase (might have been up to 1000 miles normally) not counting against the warranty. Dealership is supposed to note the in service mileage. I would think you would also have the required sales mileage statement in the package to fall back on if you had 500 miles on at delivery and had a 'warranty' issue at say 36,200 (36K mile warranty), you would have only used up 35,700 of YOUR 36,000 mile warranty.

lilengineerboy

We need to get dealer trades done quickly, so we employ Jeff Gorden and Dale Earnhart, Jr. to get the cars.

Wow, I would think that would take forever, since they have to make the whole drive only making left turns :P

wlbrown9

Many years ago I used to play golf at a club where there were a couple of retired guys that moved cars for mostly rental car agencies and maybe some for dealers. They were retired Greyhound drivers...had a pass card so if they had a one-way move it cost them $0 to get the other way on the bus.