Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.
Discussion
Mexman said:
Like I said, that's how its possibly coming across and how I am reading it from the outside.
Not saying its right or how it should be, just how it is sounding.
Your probably right in that’s how I’m coming across but just to be clear I’m talking about single cars at different dealers, not 4 or 5 at the same one.Not saying its right or how it should be, just how it is sounding.
Lily the Pink said:
You fail to realise that the salesman's time is worth much MUCH more than your time. Whenever they buy a new house they only ever look at one and buy that one; they never waste Estate Agents' time by looking at more than one.
Well I’ve certainly never gone to visit a house after seeing it online and then decided not to buy it because the utility room is too small or the outside is painted the wrong colour 
There is a wealth of information online on virtually every car made, you don’t need a test drive to find out how big a car is or if you can fit your golf clubs in.
It’s very rare that someone will ask to drive multiple different cars, if they did they’d get a bit of further qualification to find out exactly what they’re hoping to find out rather than just diving in and making lots of work.
Butter Face said:
Lily the Pink said:
You fail to realise that the salesman's time is worth much MUCH more than your time. Whenever they buy a new house they only ever look at one and buy that one; they never waste Estate Agents' time by looking at more than one.
Well I’ve certainly never gone to visit a house after seeing it online and then decided not to buy it because the utility room is too small or the outside is painted the wrong colour There is a wealth of information online on virtually every car made, you don’t need a test drive to find out how big a car is or if you can fit your golf clubs in.
It’s very rare that someone will ask to drive multiple different cars, if they did they’d get a bit of further qualification to find out exactly what they’re hoping to find out rather than just diving in and making lots of work.
Oh and as a side note, years ago I was interested in a 350z. Nissan stated that golf clubs fit in the boot - now my golf bag did, but only after taking all the clubs out first - no sale and I believe a few golfers were caught out with this
Theguy5 said:
Mexman said:
Like I said, that's how its possibly coming across and how I am reading it from the outside.
Not saying its right or how it should be, just how it is sounding.
Your probably right in that’s how I’m coming across but just to be clear I’m talking about single cars at different dealers, not 4 or 5 at the same one.Not saying its right or how it should be, just how it is sounding.
We must be nightmare customers for you sales guys, sorry.
For balance I ordered 3 of my last four cars without even sitting in them.
Last time I bought a brand new car before realising it is a mugs game was in 2009, a Volvo in Ayr.
Phoned the dealer Mon or Tues: " I want to arrange a test drive in a new V50 2.0D on Saturday". All arranged no problem they confirmed yes there was a demo.
Phoned on Friday again to confirm I still intended to come. Arrived at the time, no demo, the salesman (not the correct term for this guy IMHO) dug a very well, dirty used one off the forecourt. We went for the shortest of test drives. He drove first and me on the way back.
I made the mistake from buying from that dealer and the poor (maybe appalling) experience continued right through to 4 years later to when the tailgate started to rust.
They had just self tapped the number plate screws into the car and not used the proper number plate mounts. Of course Volvo would NOT cover this corrosion under warranty .
A complete contrast to Volvo in Carlilse who threw me the keys to a demo and sent me on my way, they serviced the car once I bought it and ably did any warranty work: a joy to deal with.
Yes I very soon realised my mistake that I should have bought from the Carlilse dealer.
Phoned the dealer Mon or Tues: " I want to arrange a test drive in a new V50 2.0D on Saturday". All arranged no problem they confirmed yes there was a demo.
Phoned on Friday again to confirm I still intended to come. Arrived at the time, no demo, the salesman (not the correct term for this guy IMHO) dug a very well, dirty used one off the forecourt. We went for the shortest of test drives. He drove first and me on the way back.
I made the mistake from buying from that dealer and the poor (maybe appalling) experience continued right through to 4 years later to when the tailgate started to rust.
They had just self tapped the number plate screws into the car and not used the proper number plate mounts. Of course Volvo would NOT cover this corrosion under warranty .
A complete contrast to Volvo in Carlilse who threw me the keys to a demo and sent me on my way, they serviced the car once I bought it and ably did any warranty work: a joy to deal with.
Yes I very soon realised my mistake that I should have bought from the Carlilse dealer.
Mexman said:
Theguy5 said:
Just get fobbed off ‘there’s no one free at the minute’ or they ask me a few questions and come to the conclusion I’m not buying and lose all interest. I feel like I have to be buying there and then to get taken seriously, the reality is I’m not 100% on what car I want and want to drive a few of my favourites but I must give off the impression that I’m a ‘test pilot’.
There's your mistake I think."Not 100% on what car I want and want to drive a FEW of my favourites"
That screams of test pilot and unsure 'buyer' to a busy commission based salesman.
Your coming across as you wish to drive half a dozen different cars, which will take up a good few hours of someone's time and there may not even be a decision at the end of it all.
It the meantime, the salesman could have spoken to and dealt other people.
Sorry, but that statement you made is screaming out of the screen at me that you are a totally unsure/not ready to commit tyre kicker who is shopping the world.
I think you need to change your approach if you want to get somewhere
Someone else from sales may disagree with me, but that's how its coming across??
Would you be straight and say 'I'm sorry but we cant authorise a test drive as we aren't sure you want to buy from us'?
Or do you have a more flowery line to give out?
lord trumpton said:
Mexman said:
Theguy5 said:
Just get fobbed off ‘there’s no one free at the minute’ or they ask me a few questions and come to the conclusion I’m not buying and lose all interest. I feel like I have to be buying there and then to get taken seriously, the reality is I’m not 100% on what car I want and want to drive a few of my favourites but I must give off the impression that I’m a ‘test pilot’.
There's your mistake I think."Not 100% on what car I want and want to drive a FEW of my favourites"
That screams of test pilot and unsure 'buyer' to a busy commission based salesman.
Your coming across as you wish to drive half a dozen different cars, which will take up a good few hours of someone's time and there may not even be a decision at the end of it all.
It the meantime, the salesman could have spoken to and dealt other people.
Sorry, but that statement you made is screaming out of the screen at me that you are a totally unsure/not ready to commit tyre kicker who is shopping the world.
I think you need to change your approach if you want to get somewhere
Someone else from sales may disagree with me, but that's how its coming across??
Would you be straight and say 'I'm sorry but we cant authorise a test drive as we aren't sure you want to buy from us'?
Or do you have a more flowery line to give out?
If they say no; as many do, then chances are they are a bit of a time waster.
The ones that get me are the Renaultsport enquiries, someone pops in or rings up "can I arrange a test drive in a Megane Sport?", now as it stands we don't run one so we direct them to the nearest dealer who does, now they are 30 miles away and a bit of a faff to get to, we almost always we get the response "oh they are too far away, I won't bother", now surely if someone was that interested in actually buying one, then they would go that distance to demo one.
It's interesting how when the customer's primary objective appears to be to buy a car how small ( but not unimportant ) a part of the process the test drive usually is.
It's interesting how when the customer's primary objective appears to be to take a test drive how rarely that enquiry progresses to a sale.
The estate agent analogy is interesting. A good agent will qualify an enquirer much more throroughly than a car salesman about their ability and intention to proceed before inviting them to have a poke around your home.
I used a restaurant analogy earlier. This situation is rather like turning up unannounced at a restaurant ( maybe during the equivalent of a busy Friday night service ) and saying "I'm think of booking a table for 4, sometime in the next 6 months. I'm looking at a number of places or we might just go for a picnic. Can you bring me a complimentary taster menu right this minute please, and then I'll go away and think about it, maybe pop back for another free taster in a few weeks. Thank you very much"
It's interesting how when the customer's primary objective appears to be to take a test drive how rarely that enquiry progresses to a sale.
The estate agent analogy is interesting. A good agent will qualify an enquirer much more throroughly than a car salesman about their ability and intention to proceed before inviting them to have a poke around your home.
I used a restaurant analogy earlier. This situation is rather like turning up unannounced at a restaurant ( maybe during the equivalent of a busy Friday night service ) and saying "I'm think of booking a table for 4, sometime in the next 6 months. I'm looking at a number of places or we might just go for a picnic. Can you bring me a complimentary taster menu right this minute please, and then I'll go away and think about it, maybe pop back for another free taster in a few weeks. Thank you very much"
There's also a line of thought that the dealer is simply a shop window for the manufacturer so the prospective purchaser thinks that he is able to go, look, touch feel and drive those manufacturers cars. After all, it is a showroom.
The belief is, especially perhaps from the older generation, that you are buying the car from the manufacturer and not the staff of the dealer. This is why 'going to look at cars' is seen as some form of leisure activity (and to be fair it's made very easy by the level of attractions on offer - cafes, TV areas, kids creches and so on) but in reality it's the pain that dealers have to go through to sell cars.
The belief is, especially perhaps from the older generation, that you are buying the car from the manufacturer and not the staff of the dealer. This is why 'going to look at cars' is seen as some form of leisure activity (and to be fair it's made very easy by the level of attractions on offer - cafes, TV areas, kids creches and so on) but in reality it's the pain that dealers have to go through to sell cars.
Edited by minghis on Sunday 9th June 09:37
HTP99 said:
If they say no; as many do, then chances are they are a bit of a time waster.
I haven't tended to change my cars as often as some of you here, so perhaps I don't have that many test drives, but it seems that some dealers know how to avoid wasting their time. The ones that insist on driving me around for a while and then let me have a bit of a drive whilst they sit beside me waste a lot more of their time than the ones that just give me the keys and tell me to bring it back when I'm done.syl said:
I haven't tended to change my cars as often as some of you here, so perhaps I don't have that many test drives, but it seems that some dealers know how to avoid wasting their time. The ones that insist on driving me around for a while and then let me have a bit of a drive whilst they sit beside me waste a lot more of their time than the ones that just give me the keys and tell me to bring it back when I'm done.
I've conducted test drives in all 3 of the ways that you describe.I don't particularly like driving first. Sometimes it's necessary if your business is situated on a busy site or in a congested area. You don't want the customer zooming off without settling in to a comfortable driving position, but they may feel pressured to get out of the way if the premises are congested, so down a quiet side road is much better. Not everyone is such an expert, confident driver as the contributors on here and if the first part of the journey has difficult stressful junctions and manoeuvures then that may colour whether or not they felt good driving the car.
I've also had customers claim for example that the car is "jerky", impossible to drive smoothly and similar. Once they have said that you can't say "No, you are driving it wrong, let me show you" without affecting their ego. On the other hand, being used to the car, if I've already demonstrated how it drives just as smoothly as anything else before letting you try then we are not on the back foot.
Ah, yes ego! An unaccompanied test drive is definitely good to flatter the customer's ego. You can tell by the number of times the mention to other people, even years later that the dealer trusted them with £xxxxx of shiny new car. Yes, it's nice to explore the car without feeling the salesman is watching your every move, people feel less inhibited about their driving and if there are 2 people involved in the purchase then it gives them the chance to discuss it openly without having to "go away and think about it".
I've often chucked people the keys to cars and told them to bring it back in 20-30 minutes or so. Full in the knowledge that if they don't bring it back, well I'll get my coat and leave my keys in the desk then. There are some aspects of trade plate regs and insurance that don't bear very close scrutiny. Only had one heart stopping moment which was a family in a Mazda 626 of all things, in the days before mobile phones were a given. 20 minutes turned into all afternoon, and they only came back 15 minutes before closing time. They liked it so much they'd taken it to show Granny, and yes, can we buy one please!
I'll do that because I'll take the risk and accept the consequences. However if I was in charge of a chain of 6 or 7 dealers, each with 10 sales people doing say 2 demos per day then I couldn't allow that level of risk ( 140 theft opportunities per day ) to be a company policy.
So that's why it would have to be "copy driving licence and I'm coming with you"
Lily the Pink said:
You fail to realise that the salesman's time is worth much MUCH more than your time. Whenever they buy a new house they only ever look at one and buy that one; they never waste Estate Agents' time by looking at more than one.
My time is important, particularly as it is commission based.If I have 2 sets of people wandering around looking at cars, and the first couple I approach state "we are undecided and want to test drive a few cars and think about it ' or the other couple who have seen the car they are interested in advertised, have turned up appointed and are ready to buy now, which couple would you spend your time with?
I take it you are not commission based and have the comfort of a nice basic salary to wallow in, without having to worry who you prioritise first to pay your mortgage?
And to return the rolleyes emocion
Mexman said:
My time is important, particularly as it is commission based.
If I have 2 sets of people wandering around looking at cars, and the first couple I approach state "we are undecided and want to test drive a few cars and think about it ' or the other couple who have seen the car they are interested in advertised, have turned up appointed and are ready to buy now, which couple would you spend your time with?
And to return the roll eyes emocion :roll eyes:
Do you car sales guys have appointed 'order processors' to take the payment from the people who have already decided and want to purchase? If they've already decided to buy, then would any further dealings with them be possibly wasting your time. Order taker/order maker scenario.If I have 2 sets of people wandering around looking at cars, and the first couple I approach state "we are undecided and want to test drive a few cars and think about it ' or the other couple who have seen the car they are interested in advertised, have turned up appointed and are ready to buy now, which couple would you spend your time with?
And to return the roll eyes emocion :roll eyes:
That way you could then help the undecided to decide and secure a sale. Win/win?
minghis said:
There's also a line of thought that the dealer is simply a shop window for the manufacturer so the prospective purchaser thinks that he is able to go, look, touch feel and drive those manufacturers cars. After all, it is a showroom.
The belief is, especially perhaps from the older generation, that you are buying the car from the manufacturer and not the staff of the dealer.
Even on here, where you'd think people would get it, the vast majority of time people refer to "taking their car to VW, Ford etc" as if it is a branch of the manufacturer. Of course to the general public that impression is re-inforced by dealers being named things like 'Audi Chester', when actually it's Inchcape.The belief is, especially perhaps from the older generation, that you are buying the car from the manufacturer and not the staff of the dealer.
Mexman said:
My time is important, particularly as it is commission based.
If I have 2 sets of people wandering around looking at cars, and the first couple I approach state "we are undecided and want to test drive a few cars and think about it ' or the other couple who have seen the car they are interested in advertised, have turned up appointed and are ready to buy now, which couple would you spend your time with?
I take it you are not commission based and have the comfort of a nice basic salary to wallow in, without having to worry who you prioritise first to pay your mortgage?
And to return the rolleyes emocion
It's not your fault, but the system doesn't work in the way customers (at least, the PHers) want it to work. Unfortunately salespeople are the public face of that.If I have 2 sets of people wandering around looking at cars, and the first couple I approach state "we are undecided and want to test drive a few cars and think about it ' or the other couple who have seen the car they are interested in advertised, have turned up appointed and are ready to buy now, which couple would you spend your time with?
I take it you are not commission based and have the comfort of a nice basic salary to wallow in, without having to worry who you prioritise first to pay your mortgage?
And to return the rolleyes emocion
minghis said:
Do you car sales guys have appointed 'order processors' to take the payment from the people who have already decided and want to purchase? If they've already decided to buy, then would any further dealings with them be possibly wasting your time. Order taker/order maker scenario.
That way you could then help the undecided to decide and secure a sale. Win/win?
Unfortunately not, it would be just another wage to pay, and with ever decreasing margins, the sums wouldn't add up.That way you could then help the undecided to decide and secure a sale. Win/win?
Yesterday, I was on my own, sold 5 cars and 2 handovers.
Now, as you can always guarantee, most of these people all turn up at once
At one point I had a couple collecting there new car, 2 lots of people who I had handed keys to, so they could have a look, and another family sitting in the office waiting to see me and the phone ringing off the hook.
It was hectic, the one set of people who I had given 3 sets of keys to, literally just dumped them back on my desk and left as I was still busy, and the family waiting to see me, I knew would buy, as I had seen them earlier in the day, and knew they were back to buy.
The other single gent that I had also given keys to a car, looked around at it for all of 30 seconds and then wandered around the pitch looking at every single car out there.
He then came back into the office whilst I was still massively busy and in front of everyone said 'can I test drive a few'?
Unfortunately no can do, too busy currently, to which he replied, 'OK, I need to come back with the wife anyway'?
I mean, really???, why would you possibly want to waste my time, when you can plainly see that I am up to my neck in handovers and dealing genuine buyers?
This is what we are up against, what if I had prioritised this guy, and burnt the other people who were here to purchase?
Unfortunately, we do have to prioritise the people that WE think are buyers and sometimes not have the time to deal with the 'maybe' purchasers or 'lookers and browsers'
There are only so many hours in the day, and we sometimes have to make a conscious decision as to who gets our time and who does not.
Its a difficult balancing act, some people will accept that you are busy, and others will kick off and make a scene.
So be it.
Mexman said:
Unfortunately not, it would be just another wage to pay, and with ever decreasing margins, the sums wouldn't add up.
Yesterday, I was on my own, sold 5 cars and 2 handovers.
Now, as you can always guarantee, most of these people all turn up at once
At one point I had a couple collecting there new car, 2 lots of people who I had handed keys to, so they could have a look, and another family sitting in the office waiting to see me and the phone ringing off the hook.
It was hectic, the one set of people who I had given 3 sets of keys to, literally just dumped them back on my desk and left as I was still busy, and the family waiting to see me, I knew would buy, as I had seen them earlier in the day, and knew they were back to buy.
The other single gent that I had also given keys to a car, looked around at it for all of 30 seconds and then wandered around the pitch looking at every single car out there.
He then came back into the office whilst I was still massively busy and in front of everyone said 'can I test drive a few'?
Unfortunately no can do, too busy currently, to which he replied, 'OK, I need to come back with the wife anyway'?
I mean, really???, why would you possibly want to waste my time, when you can plainly see that I am up to my neck in handovers and dealing genuine buyers?
This is what we are up against, what if I had prioritised this guy, and burnt the other people who were here to purchase?
Unfortunately, we do have to prioritise the people that WE think are buyers and sometimes not have the time to deal with the 'maybe' purchasers or 'lookers and browsers'
There are only so many hours in the day, and we sometimes have to make a conscious decision as to who gets our time and who does not.
Its a difficult balancing act, some people will accept that you are busy, and others will kick off and make a scene.
So be it.
Of course, I don't know how big your place is. Yesterday, I was on my own, sold 5 cars and 2 handovers.
Now, as you can always guarantee, most of these people all turn up at once
At one point I had a couple collecting there new car, 2 lots of people who I had handed keys to, so they could have a look, and another family sitting in the office waiting to see me and the phone ringing off the hook.
It was hectic, the one set of people who I had given 3 sets of keys to, literally just dumped them back on my desk and left as I was still busy, and the family waiting to see me, I knew would buy, as I had seen them earlier in the day, and knew they were back to buy.
The other single gent that I had also given keys to a car, looked around at it for all of 30 seconds and then wandered around the pitch looking at every single car out there.
He then came back into the office whilst I was still massively busy and in front of everyone said 'can I test drive a few'?
Unfortunately no can do, too busy currently, to which he replied, 'OK, I need to come back with the wife anyway'?
I mean, really???, why would you possibly want to waste my time, when you can plainly see that I am up to my neck in handovers and dealing genuine buyers?
This is what we are up against, what if I had prioritised this guy, and burnt the other people who were here to purchase?
Unfortunately, we do have to prioritise the people that WE think are buyers and sometimes not have the time to deal with the 'maybe' purchasers or 'lookers and browsers'
There are only so many hours in the day, and we sometimes have to make a conscious decision as to who gets our time and who does not.
Its a difficult balancing act, some people will accept that you are busy, and others will kick off and make a scene.
So be it.
But why on earth was there only one person in the sales department on a Saturday?
Because....Royal Cornwall Show.
The main dealer I am linked to had half of there staff at the show on the stands, and my colleague who also doubles up as the General Manager for the dealer showrooms was covering over there.
In all honesty, due to the Royal Cornwall Show, we were expecting a quite day, like the two days previously when it was pretty dead.
And then yesterday, it all kicked off !
The main dealer I am linked to had half of there staff at the show on the stands, and my colleague who also doubles up as the General Manager for the dealer showrooms was covering over there.
In all honesty, due to the Royal Cornwall Show, we were expecting a quite day, like the two days previously when it was pretty dead.
And then yesterday, it all kicked off !
I feel your pain. But I'd have to ask the owner of your business why he jeopardised his core business for an agricultural show...
A customer going to a car dealer is quite likely to be interested in a car, and faced with the chaos you describe would probably go somewhere else to buy a car.
Someone going to an agricultural show would probably be unlikely to be going there to buy a car.
You can only do what you can do but it must be so frustrating not being able to grab every opportunity.
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