I see your point
On the contrary, I think it is just another pointless point by pointlesspoints. ;-)
As is this one of mine.
Edited by jbif on 04/04/2008 at 18:43
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Spelling and grammar clearly doesn't, either.
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Spelling and grammar clearly doesn't either.
Doesn't what? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
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Smart clothes dont mean you will buy a car either, I suspect you must have come across as a tyre-kicker. Did you actually approach a salesperson and make it clear that you were interested in buying something?
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I disagree, chaps.
People with money come in all shapes and sizes these days, and the bloke in rags with a fistful of fivers may well be a self-made grafter looking to enjoy his hard-earned cash.
Similary impeccable spelling and flawless grammar offer no insight into someone's ability to pay.
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would you buy a car from a salesperson in an oily boiler suit and a pair of Doc Martens the odd visible tattoo plus an earing?
Why not, if he or she was a respectable person? I feel you are at risk of further offending pointlesspoints by suggesting that a person's choice of wardrobe and accessories gives a sure insight into the human cowering within...
Edited by Lud on 04/04/2008 at 19:08
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I put this in a thread last November:-
'Around 1980 a friend's uncle was shown the door by a Rolls Royce dealer as they assumed he was a penniless time waster. My friend's uncle regarded expensive clothes as a waste of money! Anyway he has seen the car he wanted and went a back a few days later with a briefcase of cash. Their attitude changed immediately! '
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Human beings are easily persuaded by the most simple of stimuli. The way someone has chosen to dress or style their hair, their pattern of speech, and many other clues give the observer an instant snapshot of what sort of individual they think they are dealing with. There are of course times and occasions when the grasping of this can be very useful both to the observer and indeed the observed. It means that the the most inadequate of beings can ( at least temporarily ) be taken seriously and that it still remains possible to role play if that is to one's advantage. To take the parallel subject of choice of car would no doubt fill pages. I have spent all my working life in the premium end of the fashion industry and like most people who have been involved in this great charade at any kind of senior level, know that choice of apparel can empower or undermine an individual depending upon its' aptness for a situation. Shouldn't make a difference what anyone wears but to the simple minded majority it does. Far more powerful though is demeanor. A confident person in the scruffiest of clothes can fill a room whereas a demure individual in their gladrags will remain unnoticed.
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I always look at a chap's shoes. Scruffy or brown in town, oh dear! :-)
On a more serious note, first impressions do count, though maybe they shouldn't.
Edited by nick on 04/04/2008 at 20:03
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Actually brown is now OK, even suede if worn properly, but scruffy or ill made .....dear me no ! In fairness no one should be allowed to purchase a quality vehicle while wearing shoes which were designed for sport !
;-)
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Used to get fairly decent cut-price shoes at Anello & David in Drury Lane, but never go there now. I have an old pair of good black shoes but they've always been a shade tight and never really recovered from a muddy day in the Algerian bled some time in the 80s, shouldn't have been wearing them there really... Got a clunking pair of black respectable slip-ons too, but every other shoe I own is some sort of disgrace, and those are the ones I'm usually seen in. Especially the Vietnamese trainers with the pre-foxed leather uppers, 20 quid in the Beller and very fashionable my Iraqi friend commented approvingly. Quite well made too if prone to the flaws of all trainers.
Anyway half of you guys would probably turn away in horror if you saw me in the street. Must remember to hold my hand out if I spot you first and intone: 'Got any change, sir?'
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Somehow suspect you could buy and sell a few of us Lud. But. please, before it's too late, ditch the Vietnamese trainers. .......Unless of course they are part of some form of disguise.
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A customer of mine told me of a story about her father, a baker, who when he was able, decided to buy himself a brand new Rolls-Royce in the 1980's.
He went off down the showroom, marched in, still in his work clothes, leaving footprints of flour across the floor.
Says to the salesman, I want to buy a Rolls-Royce please. He looks at him up and down and asks if he knows that they are very expensive. Yes he says. Then salesman says, you know they are REALLY expensive?
Her father opened a Tesco carrier bag full of cash and asks, is that enough? Er, yes Sir.
Red faced salesman follows.
I think everyone wishes they could do that just once! Total classic.
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I dont normally have a problem with getting attention from dealers - I just start the conversation with 'I'm looking to replace my xxx' and they are polite and helpful despite the fact I always go in wearing a pair of skate shoes and a hoody.
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Dealers would be reluctant to take cash these days, regardless of the owner's sartorial elegance or lack of it.
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I believe because of money laundering rules they are subject to a £1000 cash maximum.
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"Spelling and grammar clearly doesn't, either."
Sorry to be picky, but, ironically, I think that should be: "Spelling and grammar clearly don't, either."
-))
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I'd be before the mods' panel for being that picky.
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Any salesperson that wants to make a decent living would make sure they ask the right questions to 'qualify'the potential customer regardless of the shoes/fleece/boilersuit they are wearing.Its not rocket science,but its easy to get wrong for the inexperienced.
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Total classic.
Those Rolls Royce stories are classic, true enough, real urban myths.
Any salesperson that wants to make a decent living would make sure
... , if they want to continue to earn their living at some luxury German makes, that they follow the Company's directions as to what type of customers they want to sell to from their glass palaces. They have an "image" in mind of the type of customers they want, and if you don't pass the test, they don't care if they lose some sales.
Mind you, if the credit crunch hits their sales & profit figures, then they may change their attitude.
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I know a chap who's worth a few bob, got a number plate worth lots, a classic statement of his profession.
He fancied trying out a certain Germanb make, and was told at the glass palace to come back when he could afford one.
My indy who's always grubby from fixing errant classic and vintage mercs, (and increasingly modern ones that the dealer struggles with) finds the rural dealers far more pleasant to deal with, they get used to landed peoples turning up in gum boots and overalls.
The town dealers tend to look down rather long noses, bit silly really as muck and brass will always be twinned.
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Those who mind don't matter; those who matter don't mind.
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I had a ten year spell selling Fords back in the 80's and we had a (new) Granada that we couldn't shift (from memory I seem to recall that it was a white diesel 'L' spec). Diesels hadn't taken off at the time and it was costing the company a small fortune to keep it in stock. A £200 bonus was on offer to any salesman who could offload it.
I was about to go out for lunch one day just as a most unlikely character walked into the showroom. Filthy sweater, filthier jeans, muddy boots and hair that looked as though it had been washed about a month before. To cut a long story short I approached him in a totally civil manner and he bought the Granada after a 10 minute dealing process. I got my normal commission plus the bonus (a considerable sum in those days) and a few bob more because we arranged the finance as well.
Never judge a book by its cover!!
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"Spelling and grammar clearly don't, either."
Sorry to be picky, but that isn't a complete sentence. ;-)
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MichaelR
Whar are skate shoes, and do they have Dover Soles?
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I've never had problems. I bought my 535 from a "gin palace" I turned up in the Landie wearing what Lud might describe as "loafers", jeans and a fleece top. I got a test drive (arranged that day using a car sourced from elsewhere later that week), the deal was done, but the salesman didn't flinch. He may have been sharp eyed enough to notice the 1959 Rolex I was wearing though :-)
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When i worked for interleasing and was looking at company cars i couldn't believe the attitude of some sales folk.
Turn up as a young lad in jeans and a t-shirt on a saturday and barely waaranty a smile from a salesman. Turn up on monday morning suited and booted to see the fleet manager and they'd gladly do anything to keep me happy.
Nowt as queer as folk as they say.
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I introduce myself as doctor. Now, in fact, as I don't have a PhD I'm not a real doctor, just a medic. Indeed, I have just left the profession for good recently. However, it works wonders at the dealers and the only price I pay is to deal with a few minor health problems that the salesmen present to me.
Trust me, it works. In fact, trust me, I'm a doctor!
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My old man still does that. My FiL introduces himself as the Reverened.....and wears his dog collar when dealing with car dealers - why do we still call them dealers, they just sell them like Tesco sells soap suds.
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Friend of mine always checks the "Lord" box when filling in an online hotel booking. Reckons it's great fun when he arrives at a Travelodge or similar to keep a straight face as people struggle to remember what to call him. Of course he's no such thing but it amuses him.
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Who was the really famous person that dressed down and went shopping for his expensive new car (Rolls Royce as I recall) in the likes of Park Lane come Mayfair?
Yes, he was told to leave by the senior sales but a junior sales person gave him the time of day, was civil to him, and gave him something like a brochure as he left the premises.
That actor/famous person/celebrity went back a few days later but togged up and he was offered, by the same senior sales person that ?kicked his booty? out a few days before, what vehicle he was after.
The person concerned turned around, withdrew the brochure (or what ever it was), took out a photograph that showed how he was the day before, smiled at the senior sales as he showed him the ?tramp? he had refused to serve.
He then gave the sale plus the commission that went with it, to the most junior sales person on the sales floor as a reward for showing him some kindness and civility.
Now, that story comes from the TV and was on the like of Parkinson, Clive James or similar screened in the 90?s.
Today I was in Derby, let?s just say unless you are Jeremy Clarkson in his dressed up best rags or a broker wearing the likes of Savile Row suit, or have the ability to be waving your Amex Centurion card around ? stay out of the Aston Martin dealership there. It was very apparent that they don?t like browsers or people ?not dressed? and dripping in visible wealth on their premises.
Wouldn?t drive one anyway?.
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Who was the really famous person that dressed down and went shopping for his expensive new car (Rolls Royce as I recall) in the likes of Park Lane come Mayfair?
It was the actor Michael Caine.
As I recall the way he told the story, the Mayfair dealer wouldn't sell him a Roller because they didn't think he was the right sort.
He bought one somewhere else and drove past the first dealer in it, blowing the horn and making gestures.
The first dealer is still there I believe, we won't name them, buy you could say as they've survived, they're alright Jack.
And if you listen carefully, you might just be able to hear a nightingale sing in the nearby square.
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The first dealer is still there I believe we won't name them buy you could say as they've survived they're alright Jack. And if you listen carefully you might just be able to hear a nightingale sing in the nearby square.
I didn't need the square bit. Got it right away from Jack. Trumped up twits the lot of them.
VBR.....MD
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a waste of money! Anyway he has seen the car he wanted and went a back a few days later with a briefcase of cash. Their attitude changed immediately! '
If this had been me, I would have only shown them the briefcase full of money they could have had !!!
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Why would anybody want a Roller or a Bentley these days, just recycled and overpriced German cars.
A real gentleman should buy a Bristol. Now, there's a dealership that will pass, at times unpredictable, judgement on their customers.
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There is NO limit on the amount of cash;only sums over £9,999 have to be reported but no restriction on accepting them.
Edited by jc2 on 05/04/2008 at 13:42
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Why get uptight about such a trivial matter? Provided that I can buy the car I want at a price that is acceptable I couldn't give a monkey's about the demeanor of the salesperson.
Rise above it is my advice.
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I belive those with wealth try not to show it. It is them who belive they have wealth try to show it.
I am sorry about the grammer on my first ever pointless point but harder i will try.
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"There is NO limit on the amount of cash;only sums over £9,999 have to be reported but no restriction on accepting them"
Nearly: the Money Laundering Regulations require 'high value dealers' to register with HM Revenue & Customs. A high value dealer is anyone selling goods (not services) for over 15,000 euros for cash - coins, notes or travellers' cheques. Just one item is enough to require you to register.
The dealer is then a 'relevant person' and has to report any transaction he suspects of being money laundering - i.e. he is suspicious of the source of the wad of cash offered him by the customer. If this sounds stupid, it is - the best advice to dealers is not to sell goods worth more than the equivalent of 15,000 euros for cash; instead to ask for another form of payment. In other words, don't be a high value dealer. I would expect that most car dealers have such a policy in force.
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Just had a mildly amusing experience in our local Ford dealers new glass palace. Went in to get a new aerial for my wife's car. Some oik has obviously decided to take her old one as a souvenir of his night out or something. Anyway I park up directly outside the front door in my Mondeo estate. Bit of a queue at the parts desk so I wander over to the new cars on display. Get in a C-Max and play with the seat position etc. Wander over to an S-Max and while away some time on it and finally have a good poke around a new Mondeo. Totally ignored except by the old bloke cleaning the cars who manages a grunt and a nod. Queue up for part and return through the showroom musing on what / when / if I decide to change, you know the sort of thing. Fiddle with a few more switches etc. and slope off back to the car. Not really bothered at all as I wasn't actually in the market for a car today but you would think that it might have occured to them to check. Mind you I do look like a sack of spuds today in jeans, T-shirt and a somewhat lived in old leather jacket as I'm working at home, but y'know appearances can be deceptive.
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.......... you would think that it might have occured to them to check.
Well, I like to be left alone to browse. Nothing annoys me more when I'm in a shop or a car showroom than having a saleperson pester me and say things like "Can I be of assistance, sir" or "Are you all right, sir." etc. If I need to talk to a saleperson I'll approach one. Otherwise I want to be left alone.
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Quite agree with you, I prefer to browse undisturbed myself. I was just reflecting on the fact that it is well known that trade is slack at present and no one there seemed keen to make a sale. Up to them and certainly no skin off my nose but if I were the sales manager of that branch and had observed the scenario I would be having a full and frank exchange of views with the staff right about now! In my view, a polite greeting and gentle offer of assistance can be all that is required to establish contact and the potential customers wishes.
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Bit of a queue at the parts desk so I wander over to the new cars on display.
Maybe the salespeople are sharper eyed than you imagine - 'Oh, there's a bloke checking out the cars while the parts desk queue subsides - I'll get back to my game of space invaders..'
Good technique - why waste energy?
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Aye - you're probably right. It's Friday after all!
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