One of the biggest turn-offs can be them not knowing the product, or guessing the answer to a question in a way that doesn't look plausable, so the buyer investigates further to find the salesperson lied, and all trust washes out in the first rain.
I also think it's good when they can't do enough to help you (not in a patronising way though) and you can almost feel honoured to be giving them your money.
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I don't mind getting sales leaflets in the post advertsing special offers .. and telling you to ring Joe Bloggs.
Whtat I STRONGLY object to is ringing Mr bloggs - "he's busy, can I ask him to ring you back?"
And NO ring back.
So all this expense in mailshots is totally wasted and I am 100% brassed off. Own goal.
(You could not invent a better way of turning off customers).
I'm afraid the industry has changed little in my eyes for the last 25 years.. it has a record of poor service totally justified by most consumer experience (not all of course).
madf
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Great point , cos we get sick and tired of stuffing envelopes! but seriously, dead right comment, i know it happens i have probably been "Joe Bloggs" at some point.
In your experience has anything changed for the better?
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You are the people with the money , not us, it is our job to provide you with a service that is courteous,polite and efficient. What is the point in lying because in my experience it will soon come back and bite you on the back side!!
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Many thanks for your comments, you have hit the nail on head : " nobody is qualified to pre-judge"
Every dealership, and indeed , sales executive has a different approach to customers.
Many salespeople try to pounce on customers which in this day and age does not work, but on the other hand some people DO want that approach.
In my opinion the whole process should be pleasurable, relaxed and fun. Is this fair comment?
p.s. "stress" is name related , very character building!!
Cheers
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I buy for a living ( not cars ) and spend millions of pounds a year but the same principles apply whatever you are selling be it widgets for a quid or helicopters at £ 20 million..
Never prejudge a customer cos he's wearing old jeans or whatever, particularly at the weekend - he's the one who dresses down as he's been in a suit all week making pots of money in the city to spend on a nice car.
In fact you have to sell yourself , I come across a lot of salesmen and the ones who get my business are the ones who are friendly , polite and not pushy , know their product in and out and do not treat you like an idiot or something they have just trodden in that smells.
Salesmen have to do what they say they will - ie ring back to customers , follow up queries and complaints and provide CUSTOMER SERVICE .
Any salesman who trys to have me over will find he never see's me again and I tell all my friends in and out of the backroom.
I run a Honda and the dealership sent me a letter regarding an offer on the new Civic, I rang the dealership because I was interested , sales manager was on the phone so what happens - he does not ring me back. His loss....
Remember the old saying - the customer is always right ( even when he is wrong).
Oh and by the way , never ignore the ladies when a couple come in and she asks a question.
A place to play for the kids and a coffee / biccies goes down well while you are negotiating.
Go to your local Toyota dealership and see how they do things.
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Many thanks , these are just the sort of comments i am looking for .
We must remember to treat each customer as a valued guest .
Not customers problem if you are having a bad day! Just cos the last guy did not buy !
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Go to your Toyota dealer -- Yea -- SWMBO bought a 18 month old Paseo from main dealer with loads of branch's locally - I asked all the questions I could think of - will it be checked over and serviced -when was it registered - lets see log book - Log books at other dealers's but I have all info - bought car and a month later when log book came stamped on it was "Imported vehicle" - after checking with Toyota it was UK spec but bought by soldier and taken to Germany - then I checked oil - nothing on dip stick - took it back and it was checked and we were assured it was fine - used oil for all time we had it but never smoked and never failed- The point of this is we had to go back to dealer for PX and we got top price but I couldn't have got a good price private.
The car I have now was from a dealer who deals in up market cars - went to see it twice - test drove it twice - couldn't find anything wrong - I was 95% sure but the 5% nagged me and it proved right - he started it up an hour or two before I went to see it - valve seal has gone and there are 24 of them.
8< SNIP - last sentence removed as may offend certain walks of life - DD}
Dave
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"Go to your local Toyota dealership and see how they do things."
Been to two very recently and if all car dealers were like them I'd be back on a pushbike.
Whilst negotiating a price for a new car their underhand tactics at trying to extract money from us for 'optional' extras which are automatically included in the 'on the road price' and can't be removed easily from the system resulted and then conveniently hiding the APR of the finance lead us to think they were out to confuse the customer as much as possible so left without doing a deal.
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daveyjp,
Am i right in assuming that would never go back to that dealership again? Through trying to be crafty and greedy in the "old school" way ,they have lost a deal and all your servicing business and any customer referalls that you may have put to them!
Us as dealers rely on repeat business in this tough day and age and it is so easy to p+&s people off because there are enough other places they can go to.
I am sure no customers would begrudge us making profit , because that is what we are here to do, but we have got to be right with people so they come back and recommend us.
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dxp55,
Hey come on we are not all like that , but i bet you have told everyone you know about how badly you were looked after at that dealership.
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It really goes to show stress that it takes only one bad experience to lose a customer forever....
I never forget anyone who crosses me - I once was had over by a sales director of a large electrical generator firm - It took me twenty years but I got revenge .
There will always be good and bad dealers and good and bad buyers and salesmen.
I will still use my Honda Main Agent because whenever I have gone there to the service department they have sorted out a couple of minor problems on the spot without charge so it balances itself out.
SWMBO drives Toyota and I have only have good experiences with them.
Davyjp - I'm sorry if you feel you have been done over but it really does pay to do your homework before both buying and selling anything, not just a Toyota. Try negotiating with Arabs for a living to find out what nitpicking over contracts is all about.
You really do have to be prepared especially as regards finance and do not sign anything until you are absolutely sure what you are signing. I think its a little naive to expect any salesman not to do the best deal he can for his company if he can. Up to you to ask the correct questions.
Do not be hustled.
When I drive any bargain , I get it down in writing and check it including reading all the small print before signing - it drives people mad when I spend ages reading all the small print and asking the precise meaning of their gobbledegook.
And if the salesman is giving you bull - tell him so (in a friendly fashion) giving your reasons and keep asking for the deal you want.
If you don't get it , walk away.
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helicopter,
It drives me mad when people spend ages reading small print but too many salespeople try to blindside people with it , so why not be upfront in the first place and it will save loads of grief later and both parties know where they stand.
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Stress
I know I posted earlier but I have just remembered on incident many years ago that was completely out of order.
I had ordered a van on run out stock at a substantial discount with power steering as an extra. The salesman confirmed it was available and I placed the order. The van was delivered to the dealership and immediately registered in my name. When they were doing the PDI they discovered it did not have power steering fitted as ordered. The salesman phoned me up to tell me the bad news, to which I stated I did not want the van. You can imagine his reaction, new already registered van could not be returned to stock. If he had said he could not have obtained the power steering, I would have ordered the next model up as it had power steering as standard along with a larger engine and greater payload. He then said he needed to speak to his sales manager. The sales manager phoned back, he had investigated retro fitting power steering. Unfortunately this was going to cost an extra £1600 - more than the next model up would have cost. My answer was simple - no deal as contract clearly stated the price of power steering. After trying to get me to pay half ,he finally had to have it retro fitted at their expense or they would have been stuck with a pre-registered old model van.
From the customer's point of view I had done absolutely nothing wrong. The salesman should have checked the actual stock to see if there was a van with power steering fitted, not hoping there was. When the van was delivered, the specification should have been check before registering it. The salesman and sales manager should never have telephoned me with their problem - one of their own making. Surprisingly I did use this garage again as it was convenient, not from loyalty.
I think this was an extremely bad case, but shows how some dealerships will try to pass the buck on anything - if they are allowed.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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artful dodger,
They could have de-registered the van so they were being lazy in an attempt to hit target ! I have had similar situations and experience has told ma that if you inform the customer early enough , and keep them informed, the situation is almost always resolved quickly and amicably without grief.
Not your problem though , dealership error , their bill!!
Good that you stuck to your guns.
Can`t fault them for trying though!!
Thanks again for postings today.
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Having worked in the trade since I was 18, Ive seen it from both sides.
Quite often, the service dept can let down a good sales experience and the employing of arrogant, inpolite staff can undo any hard work done by a good salesman.
I would like to see a system where when you have a problem with your car, you phone one person, a sort of liason, who will deal with the internal department instead of having to deal with several different departments neither of which are especially interested in helping eachother or the customer.
One things which I saw to great effect was a salesman who for his regular customers ( and this is perhaps why they were regular ), actually collected the cars from his customers when they needed warranty work or servicing and dealt with the service department for them. He was also a very nice chap and it made a huge impact - his repeat business rate actually caused arguements with other salesmen.
There is also nothing worse than a salesman who doesnt know what he's selling - should be sacked on the spot for this if it was legal. Id like to know the person has sat up all night memorising the CO2 emissions for every model in the range, so that when I ask him, he doesnt look blankly at me like I asked for his wifes phone number!
BMW dealerships may look like Next decor-wise, but they are full of people who are just a little too smug at times although their cafes are a good idea ( I used to help a trader collect cars from such a dealer ). Down-to-earth sales people are the ones you want to deal with and those who adapt to their customers attitudes and needs.
One complaint ive always had is that if you want a test drive, every model and gearbox combination should be no more than a few days away and stop sales managers running the car they want - they should be running a car which best demonstrates the pinnicle of the chosen model range such as the latest engine offered and with features that are not standard so that instead of seeing them in the brochure, you can see them working for real.
Much easier to sell options if you can SHOW a customer how they work and how useful they are.
Thats my rant over :-)
Prob not much you dont know OP but thats all I can think of right now.
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Based on my experience, I'd say sales staff should:
1) Be polite and friendly. This is the number one rule. If the customer actually likes the salesman, there is a much better chance of a sale.
2) Not waste customers' time. Get to the customer quickly when he/she comes through the door. Don't waffle on telling them things they don't need to know - and make sure you are able to answer their questions accurately without having to go away and ask. If a customer knows what they want, don't try to sell them something else instead.
3) Allow customers an unaccompanied test drive
(&, as has been said by others - Do what you promise. If you say you will do something - like ring back - do it.)
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>>If a customer knows what they want, don't try to sell them something else instead.
This was exactly my last experience of a main dealer salesman. To cut a long story short we were looking for a used car for my other half and she knew exactly what car she wanted, the colour it needed to be and it had to have the right style of alloy wheels. This was not as hard as it sounded as there were loads of them about. Anyway I nipped into the dealer early in one week to enquire what they had and they had just taken in a part-ex that day which matched our criteria exactly and would be up for sale on the lot as soon as it had been valeted.
We went back on that Saturday so we could have a proper look and she could have a test drive but unfortunately the car had already been sold in those few days. The salesman knew that the car was for my other half, he knew that it had to be the 'right' colour and that was 'the most important factor' (in her eyes), yet he preceded to try to sell us everything other than what we were actually looking for. He even persuaded her to test drive one that she didn't like, and did everything he could to get a sale on something we didn't want. To say this became tiresome is an understatement.
He even plauged us with calls thereafter telling us what he could get in for us to look at, but could never match our requirements. Okay I know he has a job to do but he just annoyed us in the end and left us with a negative feeling about that particular car dealership. So my point is you need to know when you have gone from being helpful to being plain annoying in the eyes of your customer and don't try to push them into something they really don't want.
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I've had some interesting experiences in car dealerships, and varying levels of service. The strangest was a few years back when I stood in a Honda dealership for about 10 minutes looking around seeking attention but was ignored. I eventually walked over to a sesated 'sales executive' who was bent over applying lip balm, and despite me standing about 2 feet away failed to notice me at first and sudenly looked up in surprise. I asked for a brochure on the Accord and explained I was looking to buy immediately and was told they had run out of brochures. Left my name and address, never got the brochure. Bought an Audi instead, though even then the first dealer was intent on selling me an over-priced demo and was not interested in me ordering a new one! I had to go to another dealer where the experience was so much better (I was taken seriously, negotiated a good price, kept informed etc). I got an the same car on a (brand new) X plate for less than the other Audi dealer wanted for a V plater with 6,000 miles! ('but it's got metallic paint' was the response from the latter!)
My more recent new purchase (VW Passat) was through an internet broker. I tried a couple of local VW dealers, where the service was okay but they would not negotiate price. Saved £2k, and will do the same next time I want a new car.
Too many of these dealers are all show and no substance. Their indifference to customers and seeming lacki of interest in/knowledge of the product beggars belief in some cases. I accompanied a a friend of mine recently when he test drove an Audi A3 Sport and was very intested in buying the demo car - whiich was for sale at £22k - and when we all stood looking at the car the salesman/boy looked totally disinterested and bored by the whole procedure, and I ended up pointing out all the positive features of the car! The salesboy looked at me as if I was nuts!
When you think of the money you're (trying) to spend on a new or used car the buying experience is too often a major disappointment (in my opinion, of course!)
Pat
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3) Allow customers an unaccompanied test drive
Not allowing customers a proper test drive is one of the biggest failings of most dealerships. A short, mainly 30 mph test drive is no way to get any idea of the driving characteristics of a car.
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machika,
Would love to be able to do unaccompanied test drives , but the constraints are always the individual dealer groups insurance companies .
If it is any consolation MY test drives are tailored to the indiviual driver , vehicle and weather conditions, say no more!!
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machika, Would love to be able to do unaccompanied test drives , but the constraints are always the individual dealer groups insurance companies . If it is any consolation MY test drives are tailored to the indiviual driver , vehicle and weather conditions, say no more!!
Yes, I am fed up with being told that it is the insurance company's policy. It is up to the dealerships to negotiate more flexible policies. It can be done, as my wife and I were given the keys to a Honda Jazz at our local dealership, within the last 18 months, and told that it was ours for half and hour or so. One can learn a fair amount about a car in 30 minutes, especially if there are no constraints about where it can be driven.
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"Can`t fault them for trying though!!" Oh dear oh dear Stress........................
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Stress - as a matter of interest , have you attended any proper courses on negotiation either provided by your employer or on your own initiative?
If not , maybe BMW should spend some money on properly training their staff in negotiation rather than spending it all on glass and aluminium palaces and leaving staff asking for advice on an internet forum .
The enacting of real negotiation situations in these situations is an eye opener . It shows very clearly that if one side perceives the other to try to be pulling a fast one or untrustworthy the deal will fall apart pretty rapidly.
The objective is the 'Win Win' situation where both sides achieve a satisfactory deal.
This thread shows the perception of dealerships morality to be pretty low with the majority employing young , untrained or very pushy and ( I'm sure not you ) but pretty amateurish staff who are only interested in turning a quick buck. They are perceived as trying to squeeze the very last penny out of a deal. IMO this is the wrong attitude to take.
Get the trust by giving a fair deal . Once that trust has been earned then your customers will keep coming back.
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This is a really interesting topic. I have been offered a job by BMW as a trainee Sales Exec and i'm unsure whether to accept. Its nothing to do with the actual job, just a few other factors. But is working for them really that good, as from what i've heard is BMW where the big money is at?
Getting back to the subject, i work in a dealership now and there is a difference with the sales guys. Some are excellent and do anything for the customer (obviously with the knowledge that there is a possible sale to be made) but others are so relaxed and expect the sales to just drop into there laps...
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Slightly odd this thread, inasmuchas, if you're selling cars, just as if you were
selling potatoes or pints of beer & have been doing it for some time, it's plainly
obvious what makes the business successful: The product must be fairly priced.
The product must be 'supported' in some way,be it reliable taste/provenance of the potatoes,
the comfortable & welcoming ambience of the pub or the servicing & back-up of the
car dealer.The product must do it's job.
There aren't any magic bullets or 'tricks' to this, no killer closing sales gambit that merely
has to be uttered. I'm sure Stress, that you're sincere & simply wanting to do a good job,
but would suggest you make a list of what you would want/be happy with when you
buy a pint of beer/kilo of potatoes(..or even a car!) & apply that to how you sell or propose
to sell cars at every stage in the process.
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Sunny22,
Glad you like it, cheers. We as salespeople all go to work for one thing, and believe you me it is not to allow me a break from my family!! Every car sales exec. i know or have worked with wants to get out of the job because the hours are horrendous, but you only get out what you put in. The highs far outway the lows and this job gets into your blood and I still believe that it is the most varied fun job that i can think any half educated clown like me can do !!
Oh and I love working for BMW because the back up they give you from training to incentives are second to none i have worked with.
p.s. take the job kid, the cars are mint and the opportunities are there in the right dealership.
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Product knowledge is a fundamental part of a car salesman's job, and in my experience is often pitifully lacking.
I remember asking a VW salesman to explain to me the difference between VAG's PD unit injector technology and other manufacturers' Common Rail systems. I knew the answer perfectly well of course, but I was testing both his product knowledge and his integrity.
It was immediately obvious he did not even understand the question, never mind being able to answer it correctly. Instead of admitting that technical matters were not his area of expertise and either asking someone who did know the answer or looking it up, he proceeded to bluster and waffle incoherently and inaccurately for several minutes while I did my best to keep a straight face.
Unsurprisingly, I didn't buy a car from him.
My tips for salesmen:
a, Know about what you are trying to sell!
b, If you can't manage a, don't try to bullshine!
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back up they give you from training to incentives are second to none i have worked with.
Which is paid for by the punter. Not sure I'd to think I was funding those 'second to none'
incentives.
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woodbines,
apologies if that sounded crass , i should have been clearer in my meaning of incentives . Unlike many car sales execs. I have a great passion for cars and how they work and when i get to go to BMW head office in Bracknell and see the new products that are due for release , and then get to test them, that is a great incentive for ME.
I would love to be wearing flash suits and have a big jazzy watch etc. but those days of super high earnings are long gone with the " swiss tony`s" of the industry!
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Stress
I had a mate who worked through the 90's as a salesman for BMW, part of a large group (and I assume you are).
He made really good money. He used to tell me that selling BMW's was easy because most of the time the customer had decided to buy BMW by the time they arrived at the dealership. His job was more about helping them decide which particular model, paint, options etc they should order. It was then a case of a fair amount of time spent sourcing the requested car.
This is unlike selling, say a Civic, when the customer might be thinking also of a Corolla, Focus, Astra, etc etc and you have a real convertion job on your hands.
I imagine you have had training on how to qualify customers etc. He used to get a lot of dreamers come into the showroom. I think another difficult aspect of the job was the 'David Brent, Alan Partridge' types he had to deal with. Lot of arrogant jerks, just won 'best photocopier salesman in West Region' award etc and who expected the salesmen to tug forelock, yes sir, no sir, stuff.
Mind you, I think things have got a bit difficult for BMW lately? Overoptimistic on RHD sales for 2006? - 1's and 3's touted to brokers at 15% discount I hear? Better throttle back on allocation next year, LOL!
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Bought a nearly new Audi A6 2 weeks ago from an Audi main dealer and am picking it up this Saturday.
I was looking for a very specific model and travelled over an hour to the dealership to view this car. Despite this, upon arrival the sales guy launched in to a pre -scripted survey. Example questions included "what were the most important aspect of the car I was looking for", and "what were the most important considerations when I purchased my existing car" each time he noted my response on the retail group survey form. I had to stop the salesman half way through the survey as, in my view, none of the questions were relevant to my visit. The survey was unsolicited and un-welcome.
After test driving the car he presented me with a deal. The deal included a price for my PX plus a monthly payment of £171. I'd been considering finance a thought this payment looked very low. I asked him what the APR was and whether this was a PCP deal requiring a balloon payment at the end. He couldn't answer either question making the information presented to me meaningless. It transpired that it was indeed a PCP deal with a balloon payment but the salesmen did not have this info. when he presented me with the monthly payment figure.
He then presented me with literature for paint protection, GAP insurance and tyre insurance, explaining all three. Fair enough, but more about that later.
I agreed a deal and also asked him to provide me with a finance figure for the balance of the vehicle over 24 Months including APR. The next day I was put in touch by telephone with the 'Business manager' and given the quotation over 30 Months (despite me asking for 24) and again no APR. The business manager then started trying to sell me the paint protection, gap and tyre insurance again. I had to stop him and explain that the salesman had provide the same info the day before. He then told me that the salesman was new and if I needed to know anything, I should contact him. I did need to know something so I left a message on the voicemail of the 'business manager' to say that I did not wish to take up the finance offer but also enquire about alternative payment methods and requested that he call me back. He didn't call me back.
Two days later I got a call from the salesman. I enquired about a Bankers draft as a method of payment for the outstanding balance. He informed me that they do not accept bankers drafts because "They take 10 days to clear". I challenged this and he called me back with a change in story saying that it was company policy not to accept a bankers draft due to potential fraud.
As a customer all I require is that the sales team are straight with me, polite, return my calls, provide me with a deal and clearly explain methods of payment up front. In this recent experience, the team were polite, but fell down on every other count. If it wasn't for the fact that this was the car I wanted, I would not have bought from them.
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If I was considering buying a "prestige" car I would expect the salesperson to be immaculate in all respects, and that would include the grammatical correctness of both their speech and their writing.
--
L\'escargot.
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L`escargot ( I see what you did there)
People buy from people, irrespective of there upbringing, education or presentation. There is no set guideline for being a salesperson , if you can talk to people in a nice polite and personable way then the product knowledge etc will follow with training.
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Thought I'd add my little bit. Just after the Falklands War, a friend who had returned, serving in the Marines, and I , paid a visit to a BMW dealer in Cambridge. We both wanted to try the latest 1000cc twins. The dealer is no longer there, and this may help explain why. My friend had plenty of money burning a hole in his pocket. We both tried the bikes, and had them for an hour.
When we returned, no-one asked him (or me) if he wanted to buy one. He would have written a cheque there and then, he was so taken. But we left. Nobody said goodbye even.
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When we returned, no-one asked him (or me) if he wanted to buy one. He would have written a cheque there and then, he was so taken. But we left. Nobody said goodbye even.
Surely oldpostie if yr friend wanted a BMW 1000 he could have muttered something to that effect? I doubt if the dealership would have refused to sell him one. Seems a bit prima donna to leave just because no one rushed up wagging their tail and tried to sell him something. Indeed this is what puts a lot of people off car dealerships.
My own, somewhat narrow, experience in this matter is that even minimal standards of literacy, product knowledge, courtesy and common sense cannot be relied upon in these circles. Were I so lucky as to want to buy a nice new motor for money, I would expect to have to deal with a probably pretentious and unpleasant idiot somewhere along the line. I would be able to read from the expression on the person's face that he or she was imagining me on the toilet and assuring him or herself that I was no better than him or her. But it wouldn't bother me unduly.
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The strange thing was, it was me who was keen on the bigger bike, as I was thinking of changing my 650 R65 for a 1000. The friend came along on his old R60/6 600cc, and we both had a demo ride. A few months later, I ordered a new R100RS at the Earls Court show. When I went to pick up the new bike, the dealers knew nothing of the deal and I had to wait hours, including a long tube trip into London from Ongar, until the bike was ready. I had several cases of really poor service from BMW motorcycle dealers, but that was pretty hopeless. On talking about this to the friend, who still had his old R60, he then told me he had been keen on the 1000s, as they had such a lot more go than the old 600. But it is offputting, and not prima donna-ish, when you go to a showroom with sales staff who are just not interested. The only dealer who always provided good service was a real enthusiast, Tony Jefferies, in Yorkshire. The others were not up to much.
It's not just these dealers who are poor. I went to one Vauxhall showroom a year or so ago, and eventually had to ask the service manager if I was visible.
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I see what you mean oldpostie, being rudely ignored rather than left to yourself until ready... yes, it would make you go somewhere else.
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L`escargot ( I see what you did there) People buy from people, irrespective of there upbringing, education or presentation. There is no set guideline for being a salesperson , if you can talk to people in a nice polite and personable way then the product knowledge etc will follow with training.
stress,
You've just displayed a prime example of not listening to what the (potential) customer wants and expects.
--
L\'escargot.
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With dealer margins at 1-2% these days I suspect they push the paint and tyre protection so hard because there is more profit on that than on the car.
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With dealer margins at 1-2% these days I suspect they push the paint and tyre protection so hard because there is more profit on that than on the car.
I think this is a bit of a sob story myself as although the dealer margins may only be up to 5% they never mention the ned of year volume bonus they get for selling a 'quota' of vehicles. I suspect many dealers are happy to sell at 0% margin to get their volumes in. Otherwise how could brokers get the prices they get ?
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aprilia,
everybody wants a deal nowadays , the brand loyalty is not always there anymore.
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My best ever buying experience was when we bought the MX-5 (1yr old) from a main Mazda agent.
The salesman was informal but polite and genuinely friendly. First class knowledge of the car, honest about the pro's and con's of imports (most dealers just rubbish them), and happy to let us take the car for 2 hours unaccompanied with no pressure at all. Answered all questions concisely and correctly, and when he'd answered all our questions, made us a coffee, and left us to talk amongst ourselves, and said to give him a shout if we needed any more information.
Appraisal of the p/x was honest and fair, a deal was thrashed out over 10-15 minutes and both sides felt like they'd got something out of it.
The day we collected the car, mine and SWMBO's names, along with a couple of others, were on a little "visitors" board at the reception desk. We were introduced to the service manager who put his card in the document wallet and asked us to call his direct number if ever we weren't satisfied with any aspect of the service we received, or needed any technical advice during our ownership of the car. They also gave us a full service price "menu" and a full explanation of the notice periods required for service bookings, courtesy cars and the like.
The car was delivered in immaculate condition, with a completed handover checklist, and with a full tank of fuel. The salesman took about 10 minutes to go through underbonnet check points, hood operation, tonneau cover fitment and other basics. They'd driven it into the showroom so we could go through this in warmth and comfort, and were able to drive our new car out when we left ("We think it makes for a better experience", and boy does it!)
We were also given the name and direct number (without asking) of the dealer principal who we were assured we could talk to if we were at all unhappy with any aspect of the buying or ownership experience.
I genuinely cannot see how they could have done it better. Nothing OTT, lots of information and the impression that the people genuinely cared about the cars they sold, and the people they sold them to. Got a call a week later to ask if everything was OK, and after reminding us of the contacts for the sales manager and dealer principal, said they'd leave us to enjoy our new car, which they then did.
If I'd bought a Bentley I wouldn't have expected better service or care than this.
Cheers
DP
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I have NEVER had a call from a dealer asking if everything was 'OK' after buying a car. Only one I ever had was from an Audi dealer asking why I wasn't buying an A4. Explained that the salesman clearly thought I was a cousin of the muppets, he treated me as such (despite my knowing more about the car than him) and went on to offer me three shillings for my 18 month old Mondeo as p/x
(he was doing me a favour apparently!)
Managerial type chap than proceeded to slightly up the p/x offer and attempt to sell me a very expensive pcp. Not impressed.
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DP,
It sounds to me you have bought a car from a very well run, very settled dealership which is encouraging to hear.
Genuine passion for products and service is reflected in the way the garage operates and deals with its` existing and new customers .
Cheers for that, it is good to hear.
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Stress
My last proper experience of a big dealer (June 2005) was that:
1 - they lied about the price of the car - i found advertised for a £1000 less on the interest than the price i agreed. They honoured the lower price.
2 - they lied about the finance - "oh sure, the finance is £180 per month" Logiclally, you multiply £180 x 24 months to arrive a finance figure. Well it's not is you clueless so and so, it says here £350 for month 1, £180 per month until month 24 when it's £250 because of an exit fee. So you lied. (figures made up, i can't remember them)
Granted, selling a Citroen C3 to a couple with two screaming kids is the most rewarding job in the world, but it's the lies that put me off going back there. Spending £8,500 (down to £7,500) out of my personal pocket is significant enough to want to deal with someone with ethics and can add up.
More recently, i'm half looking at a six / seven seater to replace the C3. I pop into a estate of dealerships on the way home from work. My work is based on construction sites, so i don't dress up. I turn up in my very dirty R reg Almera. I have enough cash to buy a new Verso / Scenic / Touran, but i am looked at and treated as if I'm something they've trodden in. Top tip guys, don't judge a book by its cover.
Next car will via a broker.
They're not all bad though - the girl who sold me my Octavia was honest and on the ball. And that was a Vauxhall garage.
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I find that a lot of dealers don't respect younger buyers (I'm 21). I went to look at a Volvo C70 and the dealer laughed at me when I asked if I could have a test drive! He eventually agreed but only let me drive about a mile on a straight road and was bullsh*tting throughout and also started slagging off where I live! I couldn't believe what I was hearing so just got out the car and walked away. He probably thought I just wanted a joy ride and that I wasn't serious despite the fact I had a decent amount of money to spend and could have bought that car there and then. I ended up buying my S60 from a dealer who treated me with respect and was willing to negotiate. Also the car was newer and in better condition for around the same price as the C70. His loss I suppose!
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My experience of accompanying other people buying cars (at both the prestige and non-prestige end of the spectrum) is that many dealerships' staff seem in many ways to not understand the buying process and seem instead to be caught up in a whole series of tasks that don't appear relevant to the customer.
I have lost count of the number of times we walked into dealerships (having phoned first too to arrange a test drive) and on entering the glass palace have seen maybe 10-20 staff members in sight who all look like they are carrying files around or madly stapling things together but making sure they don't make eye contact with a customer who has obviously walked in. I am not quite sure what all those staff members do. It creates the impression of some huge bureaucracy which you know you are supporting as the customer and yet there often is no one person who is close to the front door and able to do a simple meet and greet. It is only in one dealership (a small local Mazda place without said army of paper carriers marching about) that someone greeted us and asked us some basic questions which got the right introductions made etc. It is no rocket science to deal with customers whereas alot of dealers seem to make it look like they are running a nuclear power plant or something and only Person X can deal with you and they are on the phone/out to lunch/in a meeting.
We had quite a few people when they did deal with us make wholly unsuitable "palming off" type suggestions eg go and sit in a car that was double the price of the one we wanted. This happened with a frankly rank Merc dealer where we spent 20 minutes being palmed off right and left - told to sit in the cafe (and serve ourself with "Klix" type coffee - yuch!) told to sit in a B class when we had specifically said an A class or Smart was the only thing within budget and then finally introduced to a sales person who had spent said 20 minutes sitting at his desk stapling....
In general I have found the Japanese makes and smaller sized garages have given the best service and have had the least artificial sales people. Large mass market makes and in particular every single Merc dealer has been useless and arrogantly dismissive of our inquiries. I would love to see what happens if a Merc UK boss ever went into a dealer and mystery shopped them...Love to see some red faces.
so my tips would be similar to other people -
greet people quickly and be friendly as you ascertain their purpose.
Don't park people and lie to them about why a person is not available.
Be knowledgeable about your product and don't slag off other vehicles (you never know what one or other buyer may own).
Ask relevant questions to clarify what is going on. I went shopping once with a female friend who was looking for a company car. Two out of three salesmen did not have the wit to work out that plainly we were friends and not a couple and it was her buying decision entirely (even when this was spelt out very clearly) - they continued to talk paint colours to her and talk about how lightweight the controls were and talk to me about "oh this is how this works and when she wants the oil checked I'll show you how to do it)...it was like dealing with neanderthals....
Be careful with false bonhomie - some people really do not like a stream of jokey or sexist banter when they are trying to decide what to buy.
make sure your sums add up. Some of us can sense when something plainly doesn't.
Fundamentally realise you are selling probably people's most expensive purchase bar a house....so don't act as if you are flogging a pile of toasters. People need reassurance, simple gestures and be able to trust you. That trust is so easily broken by lying, failing to do incredibly easy things like return phone calls or to make bookings/introductions as you said you would. Again your job is not rocket science so don't make it out to be such hard work.
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UKbeefy - you sum up nicely the atmosphere in these glass palaces! What do these people actually do and does it not occur to them that the function of the business is to sell/service cars and this involves dealing with customers???
It's interesting that Mercedes dealers come in for some stick here. I had a Merc a few years ago and used two dealerships occasionally - one was good but the other was just as ukbeefy descibes. Grudging, arrogant service, maybe as an owner of an oldish 190E I was seen as some sort of pleb who shouldn't really be darkening their doors.
Also, I drove past a big, prominent Merc dealership in South Birmingham yesterday which had closed down. (I'm sure it was operating a couple of months ago) - perhaps due to complaceny and arrogance?
A few years ago a mate of mine ordered a new C Class in November for a March delivery/new reg, and having heard nothing since placing the order phoned the dealership in February to check on progress. He was told that they had no record of his order, and offered no apology or explanation, but said that if he would like to place an order they might be able to get one by June! Needless to say he declined their offer.
When you see these failed/closed dealerships I often wonder if it's simply due to poor management and customer service. It's not rocket science, surely they can learn from each other and/or other retail/service sectors where people are not made to feel like an irritation.
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I have lost count of the number of times we walked into dealerships (having phoned first too to arrange a test drive) and on entering the glass palace have seen maybe 10-20 staff members in sight who all look like they are carrying files around or madly stapling things together but making sure they don't make eye contact with a customer who has obviously walked in. I am not quite sure what all those staff members do.
So you've visited most of the Audi dealers in the Thames Valley then !!
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Aston Green Audi in Slough (may now be called Slough Audi) are an honourable exception. My late lamented A4 came from there and sales and service were first-class - so was the car.
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Skoda dealers were usually great, I got one from one and he delivered to th ehouse on a trailer, brand new) ready washed. Went through the handbook , very thorough.
Kept me informed on the delivery date ( it was factory fresh) not been in a field like many other marques).
After sales?, brilliant one small probelem wirg rear wiper- fixed quickly- car lent.
I think Skoda could teach dealers a thing or two.
`This was afew years ago, and the salespeople were more 'mature', the the types one sees in main dealers now.
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Come to India !!! Skoda dealers are pretty arrogant, they expect you to buy 20000 pound cars without a test drive because is is the only diesel in the segment. Also sales and service is absymal,ar holds well dues to its eengineering. Hyundai are about to hit them where they hurt. lot of my frineds would love a Skoda but bought Honda's.
Heard rumours that Skoda and rethinking their delaerships. The India market is too valuable to lose
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Well as it happens I went today to a small family style Yamaha bike dealer to collect some service parts for my bike. Now although I haven't been in there for twelve months or so they did sell me my bike three years ago. I went in my car and not on my bike so I could have looked like any old test pilot/daydreamer.
But my point is I nipped into the small showroom before I went to the parts section next door. I only went in to browse round and both of the staff in there were busy, not a problem I was only looking. After a couple in minutes I heard one of the assistants say to another member of staff that came in that the gentleman (me) had been in there a couple of minutes and no one had had chance to greet him yet and could they go and see if I was okay. Now this creates a very charming impression, that they actually care about you. Obviously I was fine and I said I was just browsing and the guy said feel free and if I wanted anything to give them a shout. Anyway the other people that were in there were looking at the new R1's & R6's and I didn't want to get in there way so I went to the parts department to get my bits and bobs.
On the way back from the parts department towards the direction of my car I noticed that the showroom had more or less emptied, so I thought I would nip back in and have a closer look at the R1 and within thirty seconds the head guy (who was busy before) came over and asked if he could be of any assistance. I told him I was just looking and asked if I could sit on the new bike. He said it was fine and I could try any of them that I liked. He then preceded to ask me if I was 'on the internet' and gave me a Yamaha invitation card, which if I registered on the Yamaha website it would give me a invitation to the launch of the new R1 next friday night (they were having a do at their dealership) and for one lucky person at one Yamaha dealership in the country, they will win a brand new R1. Even after I had had a few more minutes browsing and was heading towards the door on the way out, the head guy thanked me for popping in and said goodbye with a cheery smile.
Now this to me is the way to go about selling your product. Respect each customer who comes in, make contact with them as soon as possible but in a friendly way rather than an 'I'm going to sell you a bike today' way. If the customer has come in to browse then let them get on with it in peace, but ensure that they know they can approach you with any questions. Even when it is obvious that they are not in there to buy, inviting them to attend your launch parties and such like leaves a really nice impression that you care. And the fact that I was 'waved' goodbye and that my prescence had been acknowledged, well that was the icing on the cake.
This all reaffirmed why I use their dealership for parts and products. There are probably five Yamaha dealers nearer to me than this one, but it is their friendly attitude that always makes sure my custom lands on their doorstep and no other dealers.
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Not directed at any post(er) in particular, but the tone of some comments and/or observations makes me think the good 'ole general public expect car dealers (and I do have some sympathy for them) to be a mixture of psychic & humble servant with the patiience of Job.
The last thing I want when I visit a dealership is someone bounding up to me & profiling my needs. I don't expect salespeople to drop what they're doing & come running - there's alot work involved in sourcing/disposing of trade-ins & administration - I've never had a problem getting attention when I needed it - if necessary I'll even (gasp!) walk over to someone's desk & ask!!!
It's always better to be informed before you go to a dealer, that's my priority - know the answer before you ask as much as possible - all of us here have web access so there's no excuse! When buying new, only the money matters, when buying used only the car matters to me - 'used' means you have to know provenance - I concentrate on that, and get the most accurate (..and there are lots of free sources) retail & trade-in values for when negotiating.
Personally I love car-shopping & find almost without exception, salespeople polite & interested - as I am myself to them. In fact using a bit of sly-chology with salespeople (i.e. being aware of their needs as people too) can bring benefits. My only gripe really, is the game you have to play with trade-in values & the ping-pong involved in getting proper value - but hey, I secretly enjoy that too
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Stress just wondering what area of the country you work? The job i have been offered is in Yorkshire and what the sales manager called the best dealership in the north of england?? Big statement to make... Where i currentley work i'm part of company car scheme thing and this job does not offer a comoany car for the first year or anything like thats so it means forking out about 5k on a motor for my 70 mile all round commute! Argh.... Decisions!
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We went into a Toyota dealership ( ready to buy with cash in the bank) and a older chap ( dealer principal?) in a suit walked up to us, I said what we were interested in ( Yaris or aygo) and introduced ourselves to him. He did not say who he was and after listening for a couple of minutes passed us to another man in a suit who was walking past. This chap straight away passed us to another man in a suit (as we were in the process of introducing ourselves again) the 3rd employee then asked us what we were interested in.
At this point we made our excuses and left, but not before enquiring in the service dept of service costs. This Service manager was head and shoulders above the 3 Salesmen we met regarding being welcoming and we agonised about it, but just could not risk buying a car from them.
(So our introduction of ourselves to them and our interests, which we talked of for a couple of minutes to the first gentleman
was totally wasted as we got passed ( not introduced) on. All this within a few minutes.
As a friend said "It seems like a slap in the face for attempting to buy a car"
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Some honesty. If you don't know something about a model I'm interested in, just tell me. If you try and BS your way through my questions, I'll know about it.
Thinking specifically of the guy from the large national chain who came out with gems like the following when trying to convince me to buy an automatic 530i Sport.
'They don't do a manual at all, you cant get it, the engine develops too much torque'
'Well they did do a manual but it was £3k more, it would be much more expensive if it was a manual'
'This is a 3 litre M5'
And the gem...
'It's active suspension' when asked what the button which opened the electric blind did. The look on his face when I pressed it..
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I had to show a Ford salesman where the bonnet release on a mondeo as once. Pitiful!
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In a Peugeot dealership today and while waiting for a (very nice) saleslady, I earwigged the conversation between the sales manager and an old couple buying a car. Old chap was saying how hw always used to buy British but following the end of Rover had difficulty deciding.
"Not to worry" said salesman, "Peugeot are the only European manufacturer building in Britain". Apparently the Japanese factories are purely a sales gimmick so they can import more cars. I felt like interrupting and mentioning that Ryton is dead, please stop talking dross.
But I didn't!
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Just driven past a garage with an early smart on the forecourt and a huge 'Power Steering' banner in the windscreen. Unless it was retro fitted it's a lie.
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Sunny22,
In the midlands . Different groups offer different car schemes whether it is a straight demonstrator or a lease type.
Cheers
Steve.
p.s. nice bold statement from the sales manager good positive attitude .
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I've bought 2 SEATs from Westerham Garage- fantastic service. They send me a xmas card every year!
--
Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
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