Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.
Discussion
Mexman said:
I wonder then in that case whether your body language gave it away, that you were not remotely interested in the particular marque/car?
It does happen, sometimes you can read someone like a book, just from watching them.
Yes this is me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxZ6gUZnnZ8It does happen, sometimes you can read someone like a book, just from watching them.
Butter Face said:
b
hstewie said:
hstewie said:Butter Face said:
Everyone? Everyone in an entire dealership ignores you.
You walk in, and nobody looks at you? Nobody says hello?
How many staff? Are they with customers?
I have never seen a customer purposely ignored in any car dealership I have been in, ever.
Literally not a word in three different dealers this afternoon, Birmingham and outskirts, all large marques.You walk in, and nobody looks at you? Nobody says hello?
How many staff? Are they with customers?
I have never seen a customer purposely ignored in any car dealership I have been in, ever.
All full of staff, some on the phone of course, but plenty literally standing talking amongst themselves.
No receptionist/greeter?
I sincerely struggle to believe it tbh, next time wear a hidden camera and submit the footage to the manufacturer and they’ll give you some cash for it as someone should be fired.
AndyD360 said:
Had a similar experience at Merc and Audi recently and to a lesser extent BMW. No appt, just walked in on the off chance but no acknowledgement from reception. Had a look at a couple of specific models rather than having a sit in everything so we weren't hard to approach,
I had the opposite a few weeks ago in a LR dealer. Mind you, I went straight up to reception and said something like: "Look, I just wanted to have a quick look around a Discovery Sport, just to get an idea of interior size, is that alright?" Couldn't have been more helpful really, she went and got a sales foetus, resplendent in a fine pair of scuffed gondolas, and he showed me around the car. I was pretty up front and said I'm not looking to buy, just trying satisfy my curiosity. He still insisted on taking me out for a spin and then tried to ooze me over to a Velar afterwards. Same deal last week in my local BMW house, just wanted to have a beak around a new X3. Told the chap I was just curious and did he mind if I had a look round, etc. He was great really, span me a quick dit about the car, offered me a coffee and a brochure and left me to it.I don't know, I often find if you just tell people what you're doing rather than expecting the red carpet treatment, they'll treat you accordingly and let you get on with it. Personally, I think it works both ways. You never know, you might even get a cup of coffee thrown in.
Osinjak said:
AndyD360 said:
Had a similar experience at Merc and Audi recently and to a lesser extent BMW. No appt, just walked in on the off chance but no acknowledgement from reception. Had a look at a couple of specific models rather than having a sit in everything so we weren't hard to approach,
I had the opposite a few weeks ago in a LR dealer. Mind you, I went straight up to reception and said something like: "Look, I just wanted to have a quick look around a Discovery Sport, just to get an idea of interior size, is that alright?" Couldn't have been more helpful really, she went and got a sales foetus, resplendent in a fine pair of scuffed gondolas, and he showed me around the car. I was pretty up front and said I'm not looking to buy, just trying satisfy my curiosity. He still insisted on taking me out for a spin and then tried to ooze me over to a Velar afterwards. Same deal last week in my local BMW house, just wanted to have a beak around a new X3. Told the chap I was just curious and did he mind if I had a look round, etc. He was great really, span me a quick dit about the car, offered me a coffee and a brochure and left me to it.I don't know, I often find if you just tell people what you're doing rather than expecting the red carpet treatment, they'll treat you accordingly and let you get on with it. Personally, I think it works both ways. You never know, you might even get a cup of coffee thrown in.
HTP99 said:
Osinjak said:
AndyD360 said:
Had a similar experience at Merc and Audi recently and to a lesser extent BMW. No appt, just walked in on the off chance but no acknowledgement from reception. Had a look at a couple of specific models rather than having a sit in everything so we weren't hard to approach,
I had the opposite a few weeks ago in a LR dealer. Mind you, I went straight up to reception and said something like: "Look, I just wanted to have a quick look around a Discovery Sport, just to get an idea of interior size, is that alright?" Couldn't have been more helpful really, she went and got a sales foetus, resplendent in a fine pair of scuffed gondolas, and he showed me around the car. I was pretty up front and said I'm not looking to buy, just trying satisfy my curiosity. He still insisted on taking me out for a spin and then tried to ooze me over to a Velar afterwards. Same deal last week in my local BMW house, just wanted to have a beak around a new X3. Told the chap I was just curious and did he mind if I had a look round, etc. He was great really, span me a quick dit about the car, offered me a coffee and a brochure and left me to it.I don't know, I often find if you just tell people what you're doing rather than expecting the red carpet treatment, they'll treat you accordingly and let you get on with it. Personally, I think it works both ways. You never know, you might even get a cup of coffee thrown in.
Osinjak said:
HTP99 said:
Osinjak said:
AndyD360 said:
Had a similar experience at Merc and Audi recently and to a lesser extent BMW. No appt, just walked in on the off chance but no acknowledgement from reception. Had a look at a couple of specific models rather than having a sit in everything so we weren't hard to approach,
I had the opposite a few weeks ago in a LR dealer. Mind you, I went straight up to reception and said something like: "Look, I just wanted to have a quick look around a Discovery Sport, just to get an idea of interior size, is that alright?" Couldn't have been more helpful really, she went and got a sales foetus, resplendent in a fine pair of scuffed gondolas, and he showed me around the car. I was pretty up front and said I'm not looking to buy, just trying satisfy my curiosity. He still insisted on taking me out for a spin and then tried to ooze me over to a Velar afterwards. Same deal last week in my local BMW house, just wanted to have a beak around a new X3. Told the chap I was just curious and did he mind if I had a look round, etc. He was great really, span me a quick dit about the car, offered me a coffee and a brochure and left me to it.I don't know, I often find if you just tell people what you're doing rather than expecting the red carpet treatment, they'll treat you accordingly and let you get on with it. Personally, I think it works both ways. You never know, you might even get a cup of coffee thrown in.
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 10th January 23:07
Butter Face said:
I sincerely struggle to believe it tbh, next time wear a hidden camera and submit the footage to the manufacturer and they’ll give you some cash for it as someone should be fired.
It's a few years ago but there's an industry story about the new UK boss of Alfa doing a tour of the showrooms after he started. He was ignored in many of them and he set his time limit at 40! minutes.I was video mystery shopped today, by someone who has video shopped me before; I think 5 times now, over the years.
Funny thing was as soon as we clocked each other, we both knew, he gave me a smile and a wink which said it all, we both ran through all the motions; the odd knowing wink and nod here and there, between the two of us, there was a bit of banter; "have you been here before?" said I "ummm, I think I may have enquired a few years ago", said he, "it's just that I'm sure I recognise you, or maybe you look like someone that I've dealt with before", said I.
I finished off, did everthing that is expected of me, walked him to the door, shook his hand with a friendly "goodbye".
He walked off, turned his camera off, turned round and we had a chat for 20 minutes.
Funny thing was as soon as we clocked each other, we both knew, he gave me a smile and a wink which said it all, we both ran through all the motions; the odd knowing wink and nod here and there, between the two of us, there was a bit of banter; "have you been here before?" said I "ummm, I think I may have enquired a few years ago", said he, "it's just that I'm sure I recognise you, or maybe you look like someone that I've dealt with before", said I.
I finished off, did everthing that is expected of me, walked him to the door, shook his hand with a friendly "goodbye".
He walked off, turned his camera off, turned round and we had a chat for 20 minutes.
Sheepshanks said:
Butter Face said:
I sincerely struggle to believe it tbh, next time wear a hidden camera and submit the footage to the manufacturer and they’ll give you some cash for it as someone should be fired.
It's a few years ago but there's an industry story about the new UK boss of Alfa doing a tour of the showrooms after he started. He was ignored in many of them and he set his time limit at 40! minutes.HTP99 said:
I've mentioned it before, on similar threads, every time I go into my local Ford dealer, I am blanked, I have never been approached, acknowledged or even gained any eye contact with anyone and I'm in there a good 15-20 minutes.
I've never been spoken to in our local BMW dealer - I've visited in person (several times) I've called and I've emailed. Nothing. To be fair, when I've visited (at various times of the week) the place has been rammed with people throwing orders at the sales-guys.Yet most of my colleagues drive BMWs so maybe it's me. Although I have called at two other BMW dealers for a wander round and they were quite normal.
HTP99 said:
Osinjak said:
Jesus Christ there are some sensitive souls on here. It was a joke mate, lighten up.
There are some on here who take great delight in putting us down due to the job that we do, giving us names etc, Ok you weren't and I apologise for taking your words the wrong way.HTP99 said:
I've mentioned it before, on similar threads, every time I go into my local Ford dealer, I am blanked, I have never been approached, acknowledged or even gained any eye contact with anyone and I'm in there a good 15-20 minutes.
I Hope you are actually in the market to buy a car ? if so its a disgrace they ignore you We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
Dan W. said:
HTP99 said:
I've mentioned it before, on similar threads, every time I go into my local Ford dealer, I am blanked, I have never been approached, acknowledged or even gained any eye contact with anyone and I'm in there a good 15-20 minutes.
I Hope you are actually in the market to buy a car ? if so its a disgrace they ignore you We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
We have one odd ball who comes in every few months or so, he has done for well over a decade, we call him Ferrari man as he is Italian and wears a Ferrari cap, problem is he always wants to talk and take brochures. I got a call from an ex colleague a few years who moved franchise; "guess who has just walked in, Ferrari man!".
Dan W. said:
I Hope you are actually in the market to buy a car ? if so its a disgrace they ignore you
We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
We used to have Colin that did that with every single VXR model we ever got in stock. He then bought one from somewhere else and kept coming in asking us for advice on how to get them to fix things as they were not very helpful and he had seen our good reviews and thought we might know a few good things customers say to get things done We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
JimmyConwayNW said:
Dan W. said:
I Hope you are actually in the market to buy a car ? if so its a disgrace they ignore you
We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
We used to have Colin that did that with every single VXR model we ever got in stock. He then bought one from somewhere else and kept coming in asking us for advice on how to get them to fix things as they were not very helpful and he had seen our good reviews and thought we might know a few good things customers say to get things done We do have the odd local oddball here who we will ignore and not speak to, mainly due to them thinking its a library and they can request to take cars out all the time despite having no interest in buying, we even have one gentleman comes in every 2 weeks or so and spends an hour in the showroom looking in and out of the same cars and he doesn't even have a license but he seems harmless..... so he can get on with it
HTP99 said:
Nope not looking to buy, just scouting out the competition, however I still shouldn't be ignored, if I were to be approached I would tell them what I do and the reason that I am there.
We have one odd ball who comes in every few months or so, he has done for well over a decade, we call him Ferrari man as he is Italian and wears a Ferrari cap, problem is he always wants to talk and take brochures. I got a call from an ex colleague a few years who moved franchise; "guess who has just walked in, Ferrari man!".
Yes being ignored is not acceptable, only time I have experienced this or seen it in action was when I first started in this industry and the salesmen who worked for this company were actually terrified of speaking to a customer sometimes incase they didn't sell a car they would get absolutely torn to pieces. We have one odd ball who comes in every few months or so, he has done for well over a decade, we call him Ferrari man as he is Italian and wears a Ferrari cap, problem is he always wants to talk and take brochures. I got a call from an ex colleague a few years who moved franchise; "guess who has just walked in, Ferrari man!".
This company still run the classic sales process and make the sales lads feel like dirt, if you did a meet and greet and didn't get the customer inside you were a failure.... if you did get them in and no details you were abused.... if you went on a test drive and gained no commitment you were crap.... if you didn't sell a car you were sat down and talked to for an hour about where you went wrong.... if you did sell a car and didn't sell paint and gap that was another 30 min meeting..... was soul destroying and it literally got to a point where the salesmen would pretend to be on the phone or would hide to avoid customers in case they felt a b
king could happen. places still run like this as wellGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff