Stories from the Sales Frontlines

dino001

Oh - perhaps they should. The problem is I simply don't believe they exist in meaningful way. At least in my short experience in middle-level brand (Subaru). Perhaps in high-end you get something for paying full sticker, here any service dept would make me "preferred customer" after just couple of visits regardless of point of sale. But I don't really hold my breath for any real preferred treatment - so what's the point.

greanpea68

I noticed that and I'm beginning to think with all the sales talk going on around here, some guys just ain't learnable.

And they say you can't teach a old dog new tricks :P

i know it is a bet deal but anything is possible. If they loose or basically give one away cause that is what it will be. I know what I'll have to do. I might need a reminder post if that day happens.

colloquor

Last time I checked, all new vehicles, including Honda, are covered by manufacturer's warranties, not dealer warranties. Thus, you "should" treat each and every new car service under warranty the same. If you want this customer's business the next time around, they should be treated equitably, rather than giving them punitive treatment. But, maybe this is why Honda owners love their cars, but not the dealers??

Our dealership - Dodge/Jeep -, and Service Dept., could care less where the customer bought their new vehicle. All service customers are treated fairly and equally.

carhag2000

I was actually just venting. In the grand scheme of things this single sale is minutiae. I still have my fabulous good looks and super model-esque body. I do however pick up customers cars for service and loan them my personal car when they are in for service and many other services that these folks probably wont get 65 miles away. Believe me though these folks wont get so much as directions if they buy elsewhere!

dino001

In what? Perhaps in speed of taking my money for "engine/transmission/radiator/injector/wallet" flush If I paid full asking price for a car and then went along with every single (unnecessary) service recommendation, I would expect a limo dropping me off and picking me up on the way to work. And if I don't - well I could live without that. If a loaner is a part of mfrs. service program, it will be available to every customer regardless of point of sale (subject to physical availability, of course).

And if not - well, my coworker's one-day-old Corolla broke down on a two-mile long bridge. Did Dan Marino offer her a loaner for time of electrical system trouble shooting? What do you think?

I could see "customer loyalty" program or such - if airlines have it, so can dealers. You could even have some discount coupons that are handed at sale, or some point system if you really want to be fancy. But than it gets clear - you spent here this much, you get that much back. And I bet they'd accept everybody to join - cause why wouldn't they?

british_rover

Sales and service aren't in separate buildings or separate parts of a complex for most Land Rover dealers.

The service desk is less then 25 feet from my desk and the lounge is less then 15 feet from my desk.

joel0622

Service does not care where you bought your car. Where it pays off is if you are having a problem in the service department you can call the guy you bought it from. If you get your car serviced some place other then where you bought it then you don't have the opportunity.

At this point you can all say what you want but I have saved customers $1000's over the years and got more loaner cars for people then I can count.
it has also sold me more cars over the years then I can count.
Some people just don't get it, this biz is easy. Be courteous, professional, and nice to people and they will buy cars from you, and pay a profit. After you sell them still be nice, help them out when they ask, and NEVER ignore a problem, calling a customer back and telling them you could not help may not lose you a customer, but ignoring them will.

british_rover

Thats kind of what I meant but in our case the service dept will come over and ask me about a particular person sometimes. If my name shows up on a persons file but they didn't buy the car there they will ask what was up.

isellhondas

Are you new in the business?

Why get so frustrated? In any business, there are always a small percentage of customers that you don't want.

Fits sell out here before they ever arrive so you should have no fear of loss. Just find another customer.

And, do you REALLY pick up service customers and loan them your personal car...??? Really???

jmonroe

And they say you can't teach a old dog new tricks

That's because when you've been around the block a few times we know there aren't any.

I might need a reminder post if that day happens.

Me? I ain't no "I told you so". :P :P

jmonroe

dino001

Yes - that I can agree with. Additional opportunity if things don't go well. But you know what happens - sales force in many dealerships changes faster than batteries Graphic Guy's mother's STS Caddy . So it is good for a few months, unless you get lucky and buy from a long-term guy.

Also - many dealers intentionally put a big firewall between departments. How many stories of full retail charges from service to used car dept. did we hear in last few months? So if they charge full retail their best customer, is there any reason not to charge anybody else?

mackabee

"this single sale is minutiae"

Hey! another word for "mini"!
Let it go carhag2000, it's not worth the aggravation. It's like wrestling with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it! Let her buy her car 65 miles away and then give her a call. Say something like this: "Mrs/Miss Fit Congratulations on your new Fit. I'm sorry we couldn't get together on the figures this time. I do hope you will give us the chance to service your vehicle and when you're in the market again please consider us." and move on to the next one.
Mackabee

british_rover

I have loaned people my Demo but I would never loan someone my personal car. Not that I have a personal car right now but when I did there is no chance anyone but me would drive it.

carhag2000

Some people just don't get it, this biz is easy. Be courteous, professional, and nice to people and they will buy cars from you, and pay a profit. After you sell them still be nice, help them out when they ask, and NEVER ignore a problem, calling a customer back and telling them you could not help may not lose you a customer, but ignoring them will

Joel, you are a very smart and most assuredly sucessful person. If I could take your attitude and instill it in all of my newbies we would all be millionaires. Like my first sales manager in the car business always said It aint rocket science!

carhag2000

Mack, you are the eternal optimist. I will take the high road and follow your advice. I am not new in the biz just this particular deal stuck in my crawl. Hopefully after many years of following your splendid example I to can be of the same caliber as you.

mackabee

"Why do you think they refer to us with livestock terms behind our backs?"


We do? I thought it was more like ups, strokes, squirrels, dogs, baby seal, whale, grape, roach, mental midgets,camels, horses, peacocks,fish, etc.
Mackabee

obyone

Ten things to never say to a dealer!!

mackabee

Hey, I know exactly how you feel. Some deals we tend to take personally and it can ruin the rest of your week and even your whole month. Hang in there it's only the beginning of the month! Many days remain. Now is the time to take your days off and completely forget about the dealership. Stop and smell the roses!

One of the F$i manglers just left me a voice mail about a deal from August! that he needs proof of income for the customer. Why didn't he ask me in August or the first week in September.? I just listened to the voice mail and discard it it. If it's so important why doesn't he call the customer? I'm enjoying my day off with my boys. Waiting on Mama to come home so we can get some gourmet burritos at Qdoba's,,hmmm good!



:shades:

greanpea68

I noticed that and I'm beginning to think with all the sales talk going on around here, some guys just ain't learnable.

You guys are the best!

greanpea68

Also - many dealers intentionally put a big firewall between departments. How many stories of full retail charges from service to used car dept. did we hear in last few months? So if they charge full retail their best customer, is there any reason not to charge anybody else?

The thing with helping your customers in service is I can get one day rentals for certain things or I will go pick them up at work or drop them off at home. i can also get them pushed through service over someone who didn't buy a car here. Thats the help I am talking about, and I have found that a lot of people really appreciate it.

michaellno

Waiting on Mama to come home so we can get some gourmet burritos as Qdoba's,hmmm good!

Qdoba is good, but Chipotle is better when it comes to burritos.

Don't know if they have any in your neck of the woods, but if they do, you gotta give them a try!

greanpea68

We do? I thought it was more like ups, strokes, squirrels, dogs, baby seal, whale, grape, roach, mental midgets,camels, horses, peacocks,fish, etc.

You forgot to add Roaches, stiffs, strokers, tire kickers, tackling dummies(in other words they aren't buying for 6 months so it is just practice).

But I ussualy like to prefer to use the word customers.

british_rover

I agree. Just before I left VA I tried out one of the Chipolte places by the Short Pump mall and it was GOoooOdddd.

british_rover

When he said that I was really trying to think of any livestock type terminology and I can't. The closest thing I could come up with was COWS(Can't Operate Without Spouse) and I didn't even first hear that in the car biz.

greanpea68

The closest thing I could come up with was COWS(Can't Operate Without Spouse) and I didn't even first hear that in the car biz.

Thats a good one. I'll use that one. :shades:

british_rover

Yeah I heard that at a Job interview of all places and it wasn't for an automotive related job.

dino001

I guess if it's there than great. But again - my coworker bought her Corolla from Dan Marino's great "no-hassle" place and he did not offer her a loaner even when it broke down second day.

mackabee

Those have been around for ages.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Mack :shades:

british_rover

Lie toyotas don't break down... :P

Sounds like a pretty crappy dealer to me. I can't imagine anyone at any one of our stores not giving some kind of car to a person who's brand new car brakes down the day after they buy it. Service and sales would put their heads together and find something.

greanpea68

I guess if it's there than great. But again - my coworker bought her Corolla from Dan Marino's great "no-hassle" place and he did not offer her a loaner even when it broke down second day.

I have at the same store for a few years and know how to manipulate the system to keep my customers happy. Newbies might not know or have the experience to getsome things done. Every dealer is differant. Marino was over rated anyway. ....................Just kidding :P I don't want shake the tree to much.

joel0622

Outstanding!!!! That will be used first thing in the sales meeting when we go over the write up sheet

lrguy44

Another difference between high end and low end.

dino001

I would say it is a reasonable thing to ask. I understand it was potentially a costly thing, as the breakdown was an electrical gremlin that could be chased for weeks, but again - even a cheap car customer expects just a little care in the first week...

british_rover

Wow you hadn't heard of COWS either? I guess it really isn't a car sales term then.

joel0622

Dino, I can only talk about my own experiences, and with the exception of a 6 month leave of absence to move my wifes mom to Maryland I have been in the same store since August of 1993.

I learned one thing quick, find a place and stay put. It is pretty cool to have customers who came in to buy there first car with a 6 month old child and now I am selling them a car for that very same child.

One thing I left out of my recipe for success was a sense of humor. I have one customer who tells me I have a $500 laugh because every time me and his wife start cutting up and she hears me laugh she will kick him under the table when he tried to cut the deal another $500. Last time when they were buying a used Focus for a commuter car she told him to not even start that crap, that we were all friends.

I have sold that family 20 cars over the years, all because we were fair on the first one.

dino001

But you must admit - you are more of an exception than rule. Sometimes a little thing as management change can basically put the place upside down so people would leave, even those who like to stick around. And then we have "megastores" that change their staff every three days...

My local Subaru store seems quite stable - the same sales guys hanging around for last four years. If I were to buy one, they'd probably have to split their mini at least five-fold, as I had a chance to chat (and more ) with almost all of them when I serviced my car and hang around the showroom (or checked latest offer their boss or the mfr. sent to me) ...

snakeweasel

Am I wrong to let her walk? Am I wrong to be frustrated? Am I wrong to want to tell the service dept that she pays full retail for any service and has to wait for our customers before her car gets in?

No.

Yes, its sales and you lose sales don't let it get to you just move on.

Yes, don't be spiteful it detracts from the quality of life.

metmdx

I feel like I'm the last guy in the marathon, days behind...
Anyway, Mack; any news on October incentives yet?
Thanks, metmdx

mackabee

You bet! Chipotle is who got me started! Closest one is up in Richmond va, then Alexandria. I will get to have some on Friday or Saturday since I'm heading up that way.

mackabee

Yep, looks like same as last month. Go to link title and check them out.

Mackabee

metmdx

Rats....thought we'd see something on Sienna...oh well, gotta do whatcha gotta do...
thx, metmdx
ps. don't see anything...says see your local NY dealer for specials....

british_rover

Yeah you are talking about the Short Pump mall location I think.

marsha7

I leave edmunds for 2 days in this topic and I fall 4 months behind in reading posts...and now mackabee is posting restaurant logos...what next, the Superman "S" symbol or the Bat symbol from Batman???...:):):)

joel0622

This whole thread is a resemblance of what the car business is really like. Here at the dealership if it is a slow day we will talk about anything to pass the time and get a laugh. Some times it is stories and some times it is just nonsense. Just like this thread, except the language is a lot cleaner here at edmunds then it is with the guys I work with.

sterlingdog

You are absolutely correct. We are helpless when it comes to having any rights in the car purchasing arena. I certainly found that out a month ago. The staff from salesman right up to dealership owner were unethical, incompetent, and lied to me like mad dogs in the noon day sun. Talk about your livestock---I was raped, butchered, and thrown to the wolves. Then I was told by a lawyer that I had no recourse and it was insinuated by some that the situation was my fault. Since you live in my state, go to "Dealerships" on this site and read my review of Pinehurst Toyota. I might have been able to share in the error, but the lies really burned me up. I'm not finished with them yet. I have written the headquarters in Japan. The headquarters in the U.S. just isn't far enough up the ladder for me. At least some power was looking out for me. Now I understand that they aren't even going to continue making the stupid car that I wanted. Don't let some of the guys on this site intimidate you. Some don't care for consumers entering their realm. Others have been very nice. They speak their own special language as we all do in our chosen fields. While you may not always understand it, you can learn a great deal of information here. It will give you a whole new perspective on how to deal with car salespersons. As in any foreign land, believe half of what you hear and doubt that.

chikoo

I am no die hard fan, but yes, sports has become the new way of battling it out instead of regular warfare in quite a few of the countries/communities around the world.

mikefm58

LOL..... Cowboys.... LOL....

I have to admit i love evryones optomistic attitude

Oh, I see now, a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] arrogant Pats fan.. LMAO

jmonroe

I am no die hard fan, but yes, sports has become the new way of battling it out instead of regular warfare in quite a few of the countries/communities around the world.

I didn’t know that. I can only imagine, with so much riding on the outcome, those sporting events must be brutal.

I guess face masks are out of the question.

jmonroe

mackabee

Lie toyotas don't break down...

Once in a while one might This one must have been a wholesale piece! Check this link out!

link title
Mackabee

mackabee

Hey I taught him well!
Mack