Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.
Discussion
People not turning up or late for appointments without even a phone call or email is my biggest bugbear when it comes to the job, it's plain rude and arrogant, I get the whole "well I turned up for an appointment and the car wasn't even there and they didn't contact me to let me know", that is just as bad and hand on heart, we are not like that.
Appointments are good for us so you can plan your day, make sure the correct car is on site and you can make sure you have time to deal with someone, you do fund that the people who just rock up, expect to be looked after straightaway do tend to get the hump if they are waiting around; make an appointment and it won't happen.
We aren't the kind of dealership who have to have a minimum of "3 appointmens on the board for the weekend", all you end up doing is hassling people to make an appointment, they make one to get rid of you and to tell you what you want to hear and then don't show up.
We also don't do "VIP" events or late night follow up evenings; the latter just pisses people off.
Appointments are good for us so you can plan your day, make sure the correct car is on site and you can make sure you have time to deal with someone, you do fund that the people who just rock up, expect to be looked after straightaway do tend to get the hump if they are waiting around; make an appointment and it won't happen.
We aren't the kind of dealership who have to have a minimum of "3 appointmens on the board for the weekend", all you end up doing is hassling people to make an appointment, they make one to get rid of you and to tell you what you want to hear and then don't show up.
We also don't do "VIP" events or late night follow up evenings; the latter just pisses people off.
The Honda dealer seems to do VIP events all the time. They get a 3rd party company to call - I've experienced these at work too, and I think they get paid for every appt made, so they're VERY pushy.
They always have the same absolutely gobsmacked reaction when you say you won't be going, as if no-one before has ever said they didn't want to go!
If that approach is common, then it could be people agree just to get rid of them.
They always have the same absolutely gobsmacked reaction when you say you won't be going, as if no-one before has ever said they didn't want to go!
If that approach is common, then it could be people agree just to get rid of them.
Our manufacturer use a third party company who make "pre qualified" appointments for us dealers, on the whole they are crap and rarely "pre qualified" and they rarely show, or if you get hold of them to actually qualify them yourself, you tend to find they they had no intention in making an appointment, all they did was request a brochure and then they get the call and are steered towards agreeing to an appointment.
I had one least year, the customer was a customer of ours who was at the stage in their PCP they they could finish early and go into a new car, it just so happens that when get were called they were actually in the process of emigrating and we're making moves to chat to us about their car and agreement and their options.
I got a call from the finance company (they say they are the finance company but in actual fact they are an agency working for the finance company), "I've got a hot lead for you, an appointment, has been made for mr xyz for x date and time, he has this model and wants to chat about an upgrade, I'll email the details to you" the email actually stated they were emigrating and wanted to chat about their options and handing the car back!
Anyway I endeavoured to make contact with them as it was a car that we suppliespd and would want to buy back, they never responded to any of my contact and didn't appear for the appointment.
Another was a lady who had made an appointment for an automatic Duster, I called her and it transpires she was looking online at small automatics, she put some details in and lo and behold had a call to steer her towards an appointment in an auto Duster as it was an automatic, the fact that she was actually looking at a Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 didn't figure with the agency.
Needless to say, she wasn't interested when I actually explained what a Duster was.
I had one least year, the customer was a customer of ours who was at the stage in their PCP they they could finish early and go into a new car, it just so happens that when get were called they were actually in the process of emigrating and we're making moves to chat to us about their car and agreement and their options.
I got a call from the finance company (they say they are the finance company but in actual fact they are an agency working for the finance company), "I've got a hot lead for you, an appointment, has been made for mr xyz for x date and time, he has this model and wants to chat about an upgrade, I'll email the details to you" the email actually stated they were emigrating and wanted to chat about their options and handing the car back!
Anyway I endeavoured to make contact with them as it was a car that we suppliespd and would want to buy back, they never responded to any of my contact and didn't appear for the appointment.
Another was a lady who had made an appointment for an automatic Duster, I called her and it transpires she was looking online at small automatics, she put some details in and lo and behold had a call to steer her towards an appointment in an auto Duster as it was an automatic, the fact that she was actually looking at a Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 didn't figure with the agency.
Needless to say, she wasn't interested when I actually explained what a Duster was.
Zooks said:
papa3 said:
The manufacturer gets their panties in a HUGE bunch about a national event. They advertise save £x today only but they only pay £x/2 and we get stung for the other half.
Interesting, does this apply to other manufacturers ”incentives” or just sales events?Zooks said:
Butter Face said:
There is normally a cost to the dealer for deposit contributions etc yes.
Didn’t know that. I negotiated hard for my car but assumed it was only for the discount after the manufacturers incentive. Seems like you guys get screwed from both sides!This costs the dealer a fixed sum, so on some cars it costs Renault virtually nothing, but on others it costs them a lot more.
We always work out these costs before any other discounts anyway so it’s all accounted for.
Zooks said:
Didn’t know that. I negotiated hard for my car but assumed it was only for the discount after the manufacturers incentive. Seems like you guys get screwed from both sides!
On the £2750 advertised "VW" deposit contribution for our Tiguan, £1K was from the dealer. Couldn't understand why some brokers had the contribution as £1750 - turned out the other £1K was included with the dealer discount.Sheepshanks said:
I suppose it's part of people being terrified to show their hand - they feel if they commit to an appointment then they're more committed to buying the car.
To be totally frank, as a customer, it feels a bit of a cheek that you have to make an appointment to buy a car. If pressed on a time I'd regard it as the approx. time I'll arrive, not a rock solid apt (like going the quack etc).
More generally, I also think people feel they should be able to do the deal in 15 mins - so having a fixed apt seems un-necessary.
Why is it a cheek? How is the dealer expected to organise its day without them. To be totally frank, as a customer, it feels a bit of a cheek that you have to make an appointment to buy a car. If pressed on a time I'd regard it as the approx. time I'll arrive, not a rock solid apt (like going the quack etc).
More generally, I also think people feel they should be able to do the deal in 15 mins - so having a fixed apt seems un-necessary.
If I was going to the dealer with the sole intent to buy a car I'd want appointment.
I enquired about a car at a franchise up north, and I wish to God I hadn't. Aside from booking me in for an appointment I never asked for at a VIP sales event, and then hassling me continuously for not turning up to an appointment I never asked for, they were a pain to deal with from the off. Continuously told about finance packages I didn't want, tried to push me into a car I didn't need, and when they eventually sent me a "personalised video" of the car I had enquired on, it turns out it wasn't the facelifted car in the advert, and the video was shot in the bodyshop where it had 3 large areas being sanded to be filled and painted, a badge missing off the front and what looked like a serious battered driver seat considering it was only 40k mileage.
What bothers me if this is 3 or 4 sales people within one dealer franchise, which puts me off. One bad egg is fine, but it felt like they all had exactly the same MO. I know it's high sales and I have no expectations to be treated like royalty, but don't get huffy on the phone when I miss an appointment that was made without my consent, for a car that isn't close to the same as the one on the website.
On the flip side, I have been to two Lexus dealers, bought from one, and their service at both sites was impeccable. Their values and training really do hold up to this day.
What bothers me if this is 3 or 4 sales people within one dealer franchise, which puts me off. One bad egg is fine, but it felt like they all had exactly the same MO. I know it's high sales and I have no expectations to be treated like royalty, but don't get huffy on the phone when I miss an appointment that was made without my consent, for a car that isn't close to the same as the one on the website.
On the flip side, I have been to two Lexus dealers, bought from one, and their service at both sites was impeccable. Their values and training really do hold up to this day.
Wills2 said:
Sheepshanks said:
I suppose it's part of people being terrified to show their hand - they feel if they commit to an appointment then they're more committed to buying the car.
To be totally frank, as a customer, it feels a bit of a cheek that you have to make an appointment to buy a car. If pressed on a time I'd regard it as the approx. time I'll arrive, not a rock solid apt (like going the quack etc).
More generally, I also think people feel they should be able to do the deal in 15 mins - so having a fixed apt seems un-necessary.
Why is it a cheek? How is the dealer expected to organise its day without them. To be totally frank, as a customer, it feels a bit of a cheek that you have to make an appointment to buy a car. If pressed on a time I'd regard it as the approx. time I'll arrive, not a rock solid apt (like going the quack etc).
More generally, I also think people feel they should be able to do the deal in 15 mins - so having a fixed apt seems un-necessary.
If I was going to the dealer with the sole intent to buy a car I'd want appointment.
Dan W. said:
asking a customer how much time they have.. do you do it or not.. usually they will say not long how long will it take.. take to buy a car usually between half an hour to 2 hours depends..... oh well Im not buying today I just want a px guide for now... makes my blood boil that one.
If I get the old "yeahh just looking errrr, whats my car worth?", I will always say something along the lines of "to give an accurate valuation will take approximately 20 minutes", 99% of the time they say "oh I haven't got time. I'll get back to you"; gets shot of the time wasters. HTP99 said:
If I get the old "yeahh just looking errrr, whats my car worth?", I will always say something along the lines of "to give an accurate valuation will take approximately 20 minutes", 99% of the time they say "oh I haven't got time. I'll get back to you"; gets shot of the time wasters.
Speaking as a customer, it seems like I'm always asked "How much are you expecting for your part-ex?" (my reply is usually "I don't know", or "as much as possible...")What's that about? Is it just to see if I'm a total dreamer, or does it actually affect how much you'll offer?
silentbrown said:
Speaking as a customer, it seems like I'm always asked "How much are you expecting for your part-ex?" (my reply is usually "I don't know", or "as much as possible...")
What's that about? Is it just to see if I'm a total dreamer, or does it actually affect how much you'll offer?
Pointless question that you will make no difference to what you are offering. Never ask it as the answers you give are identical to 99% of people.What's that about? Is it just to see if I'm a total dreamer, or does it actually affect how much you'll offer?
Pendel used to prescribe a sales technique to ask this. On their planned test drive you always used left turns, easier to negotiate, less stress etc. Built into the route was a busy road right turn and in the middle of this maneuver the sales exec was supposed to ask, "how much do you want for your PX" the theory being the customer was so distracted by driving they gave an honest figure. Utter pish again.
silentbrown said:
HTP99 said:
If I get the old "yeahh just looking errrr, whats my car worth?", I will always say something along the lines of "to give an accurate valuation will take approximately 20 minutes", 99% of the time they say "oh I haven't got time. I'll get back to you"; gets shot of the time wasters.
Speaking as a customer, it seems like I'm always asked "How much are you expecting for your part-ex?" (my reply is usually "I don't know", or "as much as possible...")What's that about? Is it just to see if I'm a total dreamer, or does it actually affect how much you'll offer?
If you don't ask, generally they have a lower figure in mind (figure B), so we go back with a figure that is generally lower than whatever figure that they have in mind (figure C).
it is far easier to find a common ground between figure C and B as opposed to figure C and A.
HTP99 said:
Dan W. said:
asking a customer how much time they have.. do you do it or not.. usually they will say not long how long will it take.. take to buy a car usually between half an hour to 2 hours depends..... oh well Im not buying today I just want a px guide for now... makes my blood boil that one.
If I get the old "yeahh just looking errrr, whats my car worth?", I will always say something along the lines of "to give an accurate valuation will take approximately 20 minutes", 99% of the time they say "oh I haven't got time. I'll get back to you"; gets shot of the time wasters. I got to experience the customer perspective of our industry recently. I have never been so deluded that I thought there were no issues with customer service and transparency in the industry but I have also never bought a car from a dealership as a retail customer.
I had a requirement for 3 vans for one of our group businesses. They are tools bought to be used and abused so there is no emotion in the purchase. We had a preferred brand as we hold the authorised repair franchise making warranty and repair issues easy to manage.
A well known Scottish group had advertised on their website "Generic diesel van, brand new, only £7999+VAT"
Our normal supplier could not even come close, they were over £1,000 per van more expensive, and so I called the number on the web site. After a very friendly greeting the call handler (it was a central number for all inquiries) started upon the data capture spiel wanting 3 phone numbers and an email address, before I had even asked a question.
Once given a chance to speak I told the call handler I wanted to buy 3 of the vans on their website. She then started to try to set an appointment for me to see the vans at a local branch. I told her again I just wanted to buy 3, pay in full and arrange collection or delivery. This seemed to cause confusion. I was then transferred to their "Commercial sales team" who went through the whole process again. Again I let him know it was an outright purchase and we would pay the invoice in full. After another attempt to arrange an appointment to view the vans I was transferred to our local branch and spoke to the "Commercial manager"
No prizes for guessing but we had another crack at setting an appointment before I repeated the same request to be told, "Sorry, they've all sold, we do have some pre owned vehicles of the same model though." By this point I had lost the will to live but asked for the details of the used vehicles. They were 12 months old, average 10k on them and selling for.........£9999+VAT. 2 weeks later and the £7,999 vans were still on the website.
If this is indicative of the buying experience from a large group then the whole industry needs to have a serious look at itself. I have been away from the big group motor trade for a long time and have no desire to go back to it. By the time I got off the call I was thoroughly pissed off, and I knew what to expect from this type of organisation. As is often the case an entire industry gets tarred with one brush despite there being thousands of reputable dealers trying to offer a good service.
I had a requirement for 3 vans for one of our group businesses. They are tools bought to be used and abused so there is no emotion in the purchase. We had a preferred brand as we hold the authorised repair franchise making warranty and repair issues easy to manage.
A well known Scottish group had advertised on their website "Generic diesel van, brand new, only £7999+VAT"
Our normal supplier could not even come close, they were over £1,000 per van more expensive, and so I called the number on the web site. After a very friendly greeting the call handler (it was a central number for all inquiries) started upon the data capture spiel wanting 3 phone numbers and an email address, before I had even asked a question.
Once given a chance to speak I told the call handler I wanted to buy 3 of the vans on their website. She then started to try to set an appointment for me to see the vans at a local branch. I told her again I just wanted to buy 3, pay in full and arrange collection or delivery. This seemed to cause confusion. I was then transferred to their "Commercial sales team" who went through the whole process again. Again I let him know it was an outright purchase and we would pay the invoice in full. After another attempt to arrange an appointment to view the vans I was transferred to our local branch and spoke to the "Commercial manager"
No prizes for guessing but we had another crack at setting an appointment before I repeated the same request to be told, "Sorry, they've all sold, we do have some pre owned vehicles of the same model though." By this point I had lost the will to live but asked for the details of the used vehicles. They were 12 months old, average 10k on them and selling for.........£9999+VAT. 2 weeks later and the £7,999 vans were still on the website.
If this is indicative of the buying experience from a large group then the whole industry needs to have a serious look at itself. I have been away from the big group motor trade for a long time and have no desire to go back to it. By the time I got off the call I was thoroughly pissed off, and I knew what to expect from this type of organisation. As is often the case an entire industry gets tarred with one brush despite there being thousands of reputable dealers trying to offer a good service.
Classic Bait and Switch
https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_sec...
3.30
Marketers must not use the technique of switch selling, in which their sales staff decline to show the advertised product, refuse to take orders for it or to deliver it within a reasonable time or demonstrate a defective sample of it to promote a different product.
Ok, it's consumer law, but I would still report to ASA or local trading standards.
https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_sec...
3.30
Marketers must not use the technique of switch selling, in which their sales staff decline to show the advertised product, refuse to take orders for it or to deliver it within a reasonable time or demonstrate a defective sample of it to promote a different product.
Ok, it's consumer law, but I would still report to ASA or local trading standards.
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