Can owning a nice car be bad for business?
Discussion
SilverPhoenix said:
My accountant/friend has some very nice machines in his garage but leases a Mondeo for business use.
All in the name of creating an frugal/cautious impression to clients.
My financial advisor (the spitting double of Stephen Merchant by the way) originally turned up in a 7 series. In that kind of role, you want your guy to look the part. If he can afford that then he is good with money which is why I want his advice. The next visit he had a 5 series. Times of austerity and all that, he downsized to show that he had a nice car but wasn't wasteful with his money. The last time he rolled up in a 3 series. Belt tightening, very sensible I say. Nope, just got divorced All in the name of creating an frugal/cautious impression to clients.
toon10 said:
SilverPhoenix said:
My accountant/friend has some very nice machines in his garage but leases a Mondeo for business use.
All in the name of creating an frugal/cautious impression to clients.
My financial advisor (the spitting double of Stephen Merchant by the way) originally turned up in a 7 series. In that kind of role, you want your guy to look the part. If he can afford that then he is good with money which is why I want his advice. The next visit he had a 5 series. Times of austerity and all that, he downsized to show that he had a nice car but wasn't wasteful with his money. The last time he rolled up in a 3 series. Belt tightening, very sensible I say. Nope, just got divorced All in the name of creating an frugal/cautious impression to clients.
Bumping an old thread,
Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
This is typical of the moronic attitudes prevalent in this country. It's like the "I pay your salary" retort people often use towards council employees. Here we have - "I am funding your posh car".
What people seem to forget is that anyone who buys their products or services, or those of the company who employs them, is also funding their lifestyle choices.
But that's OK, clearly.
What people seem to forget is that anyone who buys their products or services, or those of the company who employs them, is also funding their lifestyle choices.
But that's OK, clearly.
C.A.R. said:
Bumping an old thread,
Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
I don't want to decry what you're saying because I can imagine how you all felt as employees, especially when your own wages are frozen.Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
At the same time, logically, what right have workers got to decide what the company owner should do with his own company's money and secondly, one option might be to take your skills and time to someone else who pays better etc?
The problem here is that we have an underlying attitude of jealousy regarding other people's lives, a big way that manifests is judgement of their circumstances based on the car they drive. At the end of the day, what's it got to do with anyone else?
Not wishing to troll, just to highlight how we are conditioned to think so negatively in this country regarding other people's success.
Its a tricky one and depends what kind of business you work in.
When I got my Z4 last year (hardly a Ferrari...) I got all kinds of snide comments at first from people who don't know anything about cars. "They must be paying you too much" etc.
It annoyed me that I had to point out that it cost me less than a Renault child-wagon, because really what people spend their wages on is nobody else's business.
As a single, childless guy in his 20s with no debt or financial commitments, I'm lucky that I can afford to spend my money on myself, and I am in no way whatsoever ashamed of that.
Some people are just bitter and jealous, I guess. I see it as their problem, not mine.
When I got my Z4 last year (hardly a Ferrari...) I got all kinds of snide comments at first from people who don't know anything about cars. "They must be paying you too much" etc.
It annoyed me that I had to point out that it cost me less than a Renault child-wagon, because really what people spend their wages on is nobody else's business.
As a single, childless guy in his 20s with no debt or financial commitments, I'm lucky that I can afford to spend my money on myself, and I am in no way whatsoever ashamed of that.
Some people are just bitter and jealous, I guess. I see it as their problem, not mine.
johnnymarrsbars said:
Its a tricky one and depends what kind of business you work in.
When I got my Z4 last year (hardly a Ferrari...) I got all kinds of snide comments at first from people who don't know anything about cars. "They must be paying you too much" etc.
It annoyed me that I had to point out that it cost me less than a Renault child-wagon, because really what people spend their wages on is nobody else's business.
As a single, childless guy in his 20s with no debt or financial commitments, I'm lucky that I can afford to spend my money on myself, and I am in no way whatsoever ashamed of that.
Some people are just bitter and jealous, I guess. I see it as their problem, not mine.
This is more of a general social issue you are seeing - jealousy.When I got my Z4 last year (hardly a Ferrari...) I got all kinds of snide comments at first from people who don't know anything about cars. "They must be paying you too much" etc.
It annoyed me that I had to point out that it cost me less than a Renault child-wagon, because really what people spend their wages on is nobody else's business.
As a single, childless guy in his 20s with no debt or financial commitments, I'm lucky that I can afford to spend my money on myself, and I am in no way whatsoever ashamed of that.
Some people are just bitter and jealous, I guess. I see it as their problem, not mine.
What this thread is about is if the individual or business can be actually stunted by nice cars - As in my previous post where British Rail pulled their orders from the person I know because he turned up to the buyers meeting In a new Mercedes.
You can say it is 'short sighted' as most have in this thread and I agree in principle but it is also short sighted of the person driving that nice expensive shiny car not to expect some form negative attitude from people not doing so well.
Put it this way, my friends dad wont let him drive the 'nice' (911 turbo) to work and another company I deal with who I know their son hides his c63 round the back.... common sense when dealing with people who drive 'normal' cars bringing you the work - They have heard MANY times before when a new car is outside 'we are paying too much for this work', 'you are doing too well out of us' etc.
Even though I could never ever afford the cars or lifestyle my clients have,I had a scenario lately
where I deduced from a customers snide remarks that he thought my lifestyle ,cars etc where
above what he expected.
Quoted a job for him,and he had great pleasure in telling me he would be running works himself as
he did not have the budget for my prices..
I then hear through the grape vine that it ended up costing him miles more than we quoted.
Needless to say ,he now wants us to do his future work..
where I deduced from a customers snide remarks that he thought my lifestyle ,cars etc where
above what he expected.
Quoted a job for him,and he had great pleasure in telling me he would be running works himself as
he did not have the budget for my prices..
I then hear through the grape vine that it ended up costing him miles more than we quoted.
Needless to say ,he now wants us to do his future work..
paul0843 said:
Even though I could never ever afford the cars or lifestyle my clients have,I had a scenario lately
where I deduced from a customers snide remarks that he thought my lifestyle ,cars etc where
above what he expected.
Quoted a job for him,and he had great pleasure in telling me he would be running works himself as
he did not have the budget for my prices..
I then hear through the grape vine that it ended up costing him miles more than we quoted.
Needless to say ,he now wants us to do his future work..
Put your quote up by 10% where I deduced from a customers snide remarks that he thought my lifestyle ,cars etc where
above what he expected.
Quoted a job for him,and he had great pleasure in telling me he would be running works himself as
he did not have the budget for my prices..
I then hear through the grape vine that it ended up costing him miles more than we quoted.
Needless to say ,he now wants us to do his future work..
C.A.R. said:
Bumping an old thread,
Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
I can empathise.... however it might make you feel bad, but ultimately it's probably proportionate to his wage. Clearly you've all assumed that he took some huge bonus to the detriment of all of you, and used it to buy the car cash. In reality he might just be spending £500 a month on a lease, or maybe bought a used one (14 reg is out in 4 weeks). No-one is entitled to a pay rise every year, and isn't necessarily the case that he got paid any more this year than any other. An average year is exactly what you might expect... exceptional years just raise the average so average isn't so bad! Changed my opinion on this last week, the small manufacturing company I work for is going well but had an average turnover last year, so our wages are 'frozen' for the foreseeable...
MD roared into the car park on Friday in a 13 plate AMG C63. I mean, yea it's his money etc and what he does with it or how he earns it is up to him, but it's the impression which it gives not only to us but to the folks on the shop floor too.
I don't think it will put any customers off - but it has certainly irritated the workforce who are struggling on the same wage we've had for a while now.
The car is lovely and it does sound nice though. Doesn't really make it any easier for me to get by however!!
Being in the property game, the bigger and flashier your car, the better. Hotel car parks on auction day were always a sight to behold. Most are leased or bought on the never never, but everybody wants to strut about looking like the big 'I am'.
It was somewhat amusing when the recession hit to see how many of the white teeth brigade were all of a sudden driving around in old vans etc.
It was somewhat amusing when the recession hit to see how many of the white teeth brigade were all of a sudden driving around in old vans etc.
A lot of our work is through recommendation and generally we're either fixing something that's costing our clients a fortune, or a mistake would make our fees pale into insignificance. As such they may think lucky git on a personal level, but they will take comfort on a professional level that I turn up looking like I'm very well remunerated (especially since we were significantly younger then others doing similar work). It implies you must be good at what you do.
Perhaps we've lost some work due to jealousy, but equally my nice cars, laptops, phones, etc have led to conversations and introductions to people who have subsequently provided us with work. It's such an incestuous world at the top of large corps, that a guy you struck up a conversation with over your car may well be working for company X a year or two later, and you get a call out of the blue for work (because after talking about the car, he's gone of to ask the guy signing off on your work, what the hell does he do to afford that, etc, etc).
You may not be liked by the RFTs, but I was one of those once, picking up my salary, getting hols and able to not give a s
t what happens elsewhere in the company on a day to day basis. I gave that cushy salary up, took a massive risk to start up my own company, worked day and night to protect and enhance our reputation and never truly get a day off despite taking months off/year. My point of view through out has been you're paid what you're worth and if you think you're worth more, go elsewhere!
Perhaps we've lost some work due to jealousy, but equally my nice cars, laptops, phones, etc have led to conversations and introductions to people who have subsequently provided us with work. It's such an incestuous world at the top of large corps, that a guy you struck up a conversation with over your car may well be working for company X a year or two later, and you get a call out of the blue for work (because after talking about the car, he's gone of to ask the guy signing off on your work, what the hell does he do to afford that, etc, etc).
You may not be liked by the RFTs, but I was one of those once, picking up my salary, getting hols and able to not give a s
t what happens elsewhere in the company on a day to day basis. I gave that cushy salary up, took a massive risk to start up my own company, worked day and night to protect and enhance our reputation and never truly get a day off despite taking months off/year. My point of view through out has been you're paid what you're worth and if you think you're worth more, go elsewhere! Edited by 5to1 on Sunday 2nd February 12:25
Siscar said:
Eleven said:
Was this the Wyndham Grand perchance? They tend to park nice cars outside, the tat goes in the underground car park. They fill the spaces first of all and as a nicer car arrives a weaker or older one gets moved downstairs.
A lot of 5* hotels do that, they like to have the decent stuff on display. A few years back I was doing a review of a motor insurance scheme which was run through a broker. We were convinced they were taking an excessive slice of commission vs what they actually did. So, off to Bologna to meet them, armed with a bunch of technical figures. Turned out we didn't need the figures....into the car park, we see two virtually new Ferraris, a 911 Turbo and a Maserati. The MD of the company I was working with made up his mind there and then to sack them from the account.
when I got married, we visited various photographers to see their work, talk through what they could do. Bare in mind I didn't want to penny pinch on getting this right, but being a yorkshireman, I want value !
went to one company, studios a bit OTT, but all good, being a car fan, noted brand new M3 outside........ then I get a sales pitch for £3000 for 3 hours worth of work AND he wants us to work the wedding order around him...........
no sale and I can remember saying to my (now wife) good luck to him keeping up the finance on his M3.
maybe he only needs 1 fool out of 20 that walks through the door, but even having spend a couple of grand anyway on another team of photographers......... I must have recommended them endlessly for some years now, and in that type of game, I reckon word of mouth must count.
went to one company, studios a bit OTT, but all good, being a car fan, noted brand new M3 outside........ then I get a sales pitch for £3000 for 3 hours worth of work AND he wants us to work the wedding order around him...........
no sale and I can remember saying to my (now wife) good luck to him keeping up the finance on his M3.
maybe he only needs 1 fool out of 20 that walks through the door, but even having spend a couple of grand anyway on another team of photographers......... I must have recommended them endlessly for some years now, and in that type of game, I reckon word of mouth must count.
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