anyone been lied to by a used car dealer?
Discussion
daemon said:
nickfrog said:
Problem is they usually don't care about the repeat custom or fertilising a customer for the long term hence the systematic over qualifying. If you're not buying now, f off. But to their defense it's also often down to the structure of their incentives. They become short-termist if they're not that already.
I think you're fairly spot on there. The days of you having a "customer for life" are fairly much gone - 95% of people shop on price, and they'll do the same again next time, rather than give you repeat custom. You could give a customer the best deal in the world with a cast iron warranty on the best car in the world and next time round they'll buy down the road to save a fiver.No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
Clivey said:
daemon said:
I think you're fairly spot on there. The days of you having a "customer for life" are fairly much gone - 95% of people shop on price, and they'll do the same again next time, rather than give you repeat custom. You could give a customer the best deal in the world with a cast iron warranty on the best car in the world and next time round they'll buy down the road to save a fiver.
No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
Sadly, I can only agree.No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
As I said earlier, I would rather pay a little bit extra to make the whole experience more honest & pleasant. I thought I had last time but it turns-out the dealer I used was only interested up until the point they had my money.
My wifes BMW though, they always seem nice at the time but their follow up is poor. We went in about a 1 series M Sport for my son, hadnt a suitable one, told them our parameters and they never followed up on it at all - never rang back, even just to say they hadnt yet got one in. Also, they keep ringing my wife up - clearly from some bloke whos paid to ring people and they say things like "we've just got some nearly new and new 3 series in on offer, would you be interested in arranging an appointment to view?" - "no, i drive a z4, have you any of those in?" "Ermmmm, i've just got 3 series on my sheet here...". She probably would consider changing as shes looking an auto, but they've distilled "customer service" to the point of just being lip service to it.
unrepentant said:
daemon said:
nickfrog said:
Problem is they usually don't care about the repeat custom or fertilising a customer for the long term hence the systematic over qualifying. If you're not buying now, f off. But to their defense it's also often down to the structure of their incentives. They become short-termist if they're not that already.
I think you're fairly spot on there. The days of you having a "customer for life" are fairly much gone - 95% of people shop on price, and they'll do the same again next time, rather than give you repeat custom. You could give a customer the best deal in the world with a cast iron warranty on the best car in the world and next time round they'll buy down the road to save a fiver.No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
Edited by daemon on Saturday 2nd August 19:22
crostonian said:
And of course private car owners never lie about their faultless, pristine part exchanges....
Totally."well we just thought it was time for a change, and our car has give us no trouble at all" = "its been a pig of a thing and our mechanic says it needs two fortunes spent for MOT so get rid".
nickfrog said:
daemon said:
nickfrog said:
Problem is they usually don't care about the repeat custom or fertilising a customer for the long term hence the systematic over qualifying. If you're not buying now, f off. But to their defense it's also often down to the structure of their incentives. They become short-termist if they're not that already.
I think you're fairly spot on there. The days of you having a "customer for life" are fairly much gone - 95% of people shop on price, and they'll do the same again next time, rather than give you repeat custom. You could give a customer the best deal in the world with a cast iron warranty on the best car in the world and next time round they'll buy down the road to save a fiver.No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
I reckon the 10% have adapted and found a way to regain loyalty. Natural selection I suppose.
Yes, there are 10% of dealers out there whos business model involves customer retention, etc and maybe they get a bit more cash from the deal, therefore meaning they dont have to sell quite as many cars. The other 90% of those trading, trade for "today". I dont think thats natural selection, its just adapting in different ways to suit todays market.
crostonian said:
And of course private car owners never lie about their faultless, pristine part exchanges....
Oh yeah and dealers give them top whack retail money for them when trading don't they?! There's a reason why they low ball, to take into account they may need to do some work on it
eltax91 said:
crostonian said:
And of course private car owners never lie about their faultless, pristine part exchanges....
Oh yeah and dealers give them top whack retail money for them when trading don't they?! There's a reason why they low ball, to take into account they may need to do some work on it
I am sure you can therefore see the problem when a customer hides the fact the car has a dodgy turbo or hidden major fault thats going to cost £1,000+ to fix.
daemon said:
Also, they keep ringing my wife up - clearly from some bloke whos paid to ring people and they say things like "we've just got some nearly new and new 3 series in on offer, would you be interested in arranging an appointment to view?" - "no, i drive a z4, have you any of those in?" "Ermmmm, i've just got 3 series on my sheet here...". She probably would consider changing as shes looking an auto, but they've distilled "customer service" to the point of just being lip service to it.
Ah, that's a 'prospecting evening'.Basically the sales manager gets a b
king from the directors because the dealership is not selling enough cars and told to implement some 'sales initiatives'.The first thing he'll do is buy a big pack of brightly coloured balloons and a helium canister and get the salesmen to tie balloons on all the cars on the forecourt so that they can half deflate and look a bit sad within a couple of days. If he's feeling particularly dynamic he'll order the tailgates to be lifted on all the cars too.
When that mysteriously fails to result in an instant doubling of sales he'll order a 'prospecting evening'.
1,000 names of customers who've had their cars more than a year are printed off, given to the salesmen, and they sit there after the dealership shuts ringing one after another after another with a pre-determined script along the lines of 'As a valued customer you've been personally selected to be told about the great deals we have here at XYZ Motors this week. When can I make a VIP Appointment for your personal special visitation?'
The punter then grunts a vague time on Saturday, and the salesman writes it in his diary so that he can ring later that day and ask why they didn't turn up (which is because punter went back to his dinner and forgot the whole conversation within 30 seconds) and when they'd like to re-book their VIP Appointment?
Soul destroying work, but the important thing is that the sales manager can report back to the board that he has 'actioned' some 'sales initiatives', so it's well worth another wasted evening for all concerned.
daemon said:
Clivey said:
daemon said:
I think you're fairly spot on there. The days of you having a "customer for life" are fairly much gone - 95% of people shop on price, and they'll do the same again next time, rather than give you repeat custom. You could give a customer the best deal in the world with a cast iron warranty on the best car in the world and next time round they'll buy down the road to save a fiver.
No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
Sadly, I can only agree.No customer loyalty translates to a sales force who sell for the now.
As I said earlier, I would rather pay a little bit extra to make the whole experience more honest & pleasant. I thought I had last time but it turns-out the dealer I used was only interested up until the point they had my money.
My wifes BMW though, they always seem nice at the time but their follow up is poor. We went in about a 1 series M Sport for my son, hadnt a suitable one, told them our parameters and they never followed up on it at all - never rang back, even just to say they hadnt yet got one in. Also, they keep ringing my wife up - clearly from some bloke whos paid to ring people and they say things like "we've just got some nearly new and new 3 series in on offer, would you be interested in arranging an appointment to view?" - "no, i drive a z4, have you any of those in?" "Ermmmm, i've just got 3 series on my sheet here...". She probably would consider changing as shes looking an auto, but they've distilled "customer service" to the point of just being lip service to it.
http://www.thecarpeople.co.uk/find-a-car/car-detai...
markmullen said:
............ And the very next day I went back with one trillion pounds in £50 notes and a suitcase of bullion and waved my 24 inch cock at the salesman who wouldn't let me into their new car when I'd turned up pissed yesterday stinking of st and covered in kebab meat (I use it as a test to see if they're worthy of my money).
You always manage to come across as a bit of a tool. t and covered in kebab meat (I use it as a test to see if they're worthy of my money).You know, I would have bought from SCOM but not since reading your posts on here. Shame. Some nice cars your boss has in there.
£1495 Suzuki Ignis Sport
"Everything works as it should, it's had a new exhaust and a full service"
At the end of the first month I got fed up with sweating so had the air con re-gassed (so much for everything works), the exhaust broke clean off at the bodged patch (no sign of new pipe work anywhere) and closer inspection showed the the oil filter hadn't been changed for quite some time (it was filthy and when I cut it in half it was full of gunge... not serviced then)
I serviced it, had the back exhaust replaced, got the aircon working and sold it to my sister for £750... she's happy with it. I was glad to be shot of it.
Pity it was a really fun car once it was working
"Everything works as it should, it's had a new exhaust and a full service"
At the end of the first month I got fed up with sweating so had the air con re-gassed (so much for everything works), the exhaust broke clean off at the bodged patch (no sign of new pipe work anywhere) and closer inspection showed the the oil filter hadn't been changed for quite some time (it was filthy and when I cut it in half it was full of gunge... not serviced then)
I serviced it, had the back exhaust replaced, got the aircon working and sold it to my sister for £750... she's happy with it. I was glad to be shot of it.
Pity it was a really fun car once it was working
Edited by leafspring on Saturday 2nd August 21:36
unrepentant said:
Depends what you sell. I have plenty of repeat customers who also come to me for their wives cars, kids cars and send their friends. I sold 2 cars to new customers from referrals this week.
In your case, I'd suggest it's where you sell, rather than what - sales is very different in the US.
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