And there was me thinking they wanted to sell cars...

[Beefmeister]

Went into my local Mini dealership today (on the A12, near Brentwood) to look at the Mini Countryman with a friend of mine as she's very seriously thinking if buying one.

So today, launch weekend, we were in the showroom for 30mins looking round, sitting in, and generally hovering around a Countryman Cooper S (her model of choice) and didn't see one salesman. Actually that's a lie, one was helping a customer, then afterwards he went outside for a fag.

She left extremely hacked off and went next door to look at a VW Tiguan (extremely attentive staff, she loved the car and is seriously considering one now). Then t'other way to look at the BMW X1 (great staff, awful overpriced car).

She was so annoyed by their lack of service she's considering an older, inferior product now.

Do they not think that maybe they should have some more staff on during the launch weekend of their new car?! I managed to convince her to go look at another dealership not too far away.

Incidentally, having looked around it I thought the Countryman was a fantastic car. Roomy, versatile, looks great in the metal. Would actually consider a Cooper S myself as a family car.

Just not from those wkers.

[Deva Link]

Just to balance things I've had exactly the same experience as you had at MINI at VW & BMW dealerships.

If you find a decent sales person then just be thankful and buy whatever he's selling - all cars are much of muchness anyway.

[shouldbworking]

To be fair I wouldnt have expected extra traffic in for the launch of the countryman, certainly not anyone interested in buying. Maybe a few 'christ who thought that was a good idea' gawkers.

[Dr Derek Doctors]

shouldbworking said:

To be fair I wouldnt have expected extra traffic in for the launch of the countryman, certainly not anyone interested in buying. Maybe a few 'christ who thought that was a good idea' gawkers.

And a few people stabbing their own eyes out when they saw one.

[LukeBird]

Dr Derek Doctors said:

And a few people stabbing their own eyes out when they saw one.

[okgo]

Strangely Brown said:

If I were the manager of the dealership and a salesman "went outside for a fag" when there were customers in the showroom, he would have ben sacked on the spot.

I'm almost positive there is far more to this than meets the eye.

Having worked for said brand the extent BMW go to, to test their staff, mystery shopping with hidden cameras, inspections, recorded calls etc I do not for one minute think that the above has happened as described as the salesperson wouldn't be working there.

[Delinquent Man]

If 'very serious' about buying one then why doesn't she make an appointment instead of going in on a weekend when there are a more than average number of punters vying for a less than average number of salesmen? I feel she could have avoided disappointing herself.

[E31Shrew]

If youre still keen on a Mini, give Vicky at Rybrook Shrewsbury a buzz. They've worked on my 8 series in the past and I cannot praise them highly enough. Stunning service. The main mechainc used to be with BMW and has a lot of knowledge of the 8 hence it goes there.
Just reread...Its a Mini dealership by the way

Edited by E31Shrew on Sunday 19th September 16:38

[Beefmeister]

okgo said:

Strangely Brown said:

If I were the manager of the dealership and a salesman "went outside for a fag" when there were customers in the showroom, he would have ben sacked on the spot.

I'm almost positive there is far more to this than meets the eye.

Having worked for said brand the extent BMW go to, to test their staff, mystery shopping with hidden cameras, inspections, recorded calls etc I do not for one minute think that the above has happened as described as the salesperson wouldn't be working there.

No, really not.

We were in there, hanging around the car (no-one at their desks), and we saw the single sales guy finish with the customers he as standing with, then go outside.

When we left, he was standing at the side of the building, smoking a fag.

They had one salesperson on from what we could see.

We now have an appointment booked in at another dealership, and she will inevitably buy (lease) one from them.

Delinquent Man said:

If 'very serious' about buying one then why doesn't she make an appointment instead of going in on a weekend when there are a more than average number of punters vying for a less than average number of salesmen? I feel she could have avoided disappointing herself.

Sorry, but i think going to the dealership on the launch weekend isn't exactly expecting failure is it? I would have expected more than one member of staff.

Edited by Beefmeister on Sunday 19th September 16:34

[okgo]

Poor form then, but I know how annoying it is when people turn up un-announced on a sunday when they only put one member of the sales team on.

IMO either staff it properly or close.

[Blue Meanie]

I don't know.. I'd rather be able to roam a dealership at will, without being bothered.

[Hitch78]

At that point why did you not ask for his assistance?

He may well be the only chap on, has had a non-stop day and was in need of a break. He saw you and your mistress climbing about the car and thought he had 5 for a fag before he launched into another hour of specs, finance and the like. They may use biblical amounts of hair product but even Mini sales people are only human!

[LukeBird]

Blue Meanie said:

I don't know.. I'd rather be able to roam a dealership at will, without being bothered.

Up to a point I agree. But there is a point where the salesperson can step in and ask if you'd like any help. I think half an hour is more than enough time to look around a car.

[Deva Link]

okgo said:

Having worked for said brand the extent BMW go to, to test their staff, mystery shopping with hidden cameras, inspections, recorded calls etc I do not for one minute think that the above has happened as described as the salesperson wouldn't be working there.

I've been in several BMW dealerships and wandered around with an effectively unlimited budget burning a hole in my pocket, and I've never yet been spoken to by a salesperson.

I even tried emailing and then calling my local one and they still didn't respond.

To be fair, when I go in there, the salesmen are all busy with customers writing up their orders. I honestly think that they have enough customers literally throwing themselves at them that they don't need to chase. Fair enough really, nice position to be in.

If BMW wants to sell more cars then they should put more dealerships on.

[Strangely Brown]

Hitch78 said:

He may well be the only chap on, has had a non-stop day and was in need of a break. He saw you and your mistress climbing about the car and thought he had 5 for a fag before he launched into another hour of specs, finance and the like. They may use biblical amounts of hair product but even Mini sales people are only human!

Worse than being ignored by a salesman who "pops out for a fag" is a salesman who had just come back in from having a fag. It is disgusting having to speak to someone who has just put a cigarette out: the smell is quite foul. IMO, that level of disregard for the customer would also see him out of the door in pretty short order.

[okgo]

Deva Link said:

okgo said:

Having worked for said brand the extent BMW go to, to test their staff, mystery shopping with hidden cameras, inspections, recorded calls etc I do not for one minute think that the above has happened as described as the salesperson wouldn't be working there.

I've been in several BMW dealerships and wandered around with an effectively unlimited budget burning a hole in my pocket, and I've never yet been spoken to by a salesperson.

I even tried emailing and then calling my local one and they still didn't respond.

To be fair, when I go in there, the salesmen are all busy with customers writing up their orders. I honestly think that they have enough customers literally throwing themselves at them that they don't need to chase. Fair enough really, nice position to be in.

If BMW wants to sell more cars then they should put more dealerships on.

Can't speak for the ones outside of the dealer group I worked for, but its odd. I never saw anything like this.

[Delinquent Man]

Beefmeister said:

Sorry, but i think going to the dealership on the launch weekend isn't exactly expecting failure is it? I would have expected more than one member of staff.

I wouldn't have. Always best to expect the worst if you haven't made an appointment. It's a £20k purchase, she's not buying baked beans.

[Deva Link]

Delinquent Man said:

Beefmeister said:

Sorry, but i think going to the dealership on the launch weekend isn't exactly expecting failure is it? I would have expected more than one member of staff.

I wouldn't have. Always best to expect the worst if you haven't made an appointment. It's a £20k purchase, she's not buying baked beans.

I think the traditional British reticence prevents people from making appointments - they would feel it implies a committment which they're not ready to give. And it might be a £20K++ purchase to the customer, but we keep being told how little dealers (and salespeople) make so it should be very routine to them.

OK, maybe hoardes of tyre tickers wander around dealerships at weekends, but I've done it during the week and had the same sort of response. When I've queried this I'm told that people don't normally look at cars during the week!

What are you supposed to do? Go and have a look, then go home and call the dealer and make an appointment and go back? The dealer salesperson wants shooting for letting a prospect out of the showroom without engaging with them and getting some details.

[Beefmeister]

Deva Link said:

Delinquent Man said:

Beefmeister said:

Sorry, but i think going to the dealership on the launch weekend isn't exactly expecting failure is it? I would have expected more than one member of staff.

I wouldn't have. Always best to expect the worst if you haven't made an appointment. It's a £20k purchase, she's not buying baked beans.

I think the traditional British reticence prevents people from making appointments - they would feel it implies a committment which they're not ready to give. And it might be a £20K++ purchase to the customer, but we keep being told how little dealers (and salespeople) make so it should be very routine to them.

OK, maybe hoardes of tyre tickers wander around dealerships at weekends, but I've done it during the week and had the same sort of response. When I've queried this I'm told that people don't normally look at cars during the week!

What are you supposed to do? Go and have a look, then go home and call the dealer and make an appointment and go back? The dealer salesperson wants shooting for letting a prospect out of the showroom without engaging with them and getting some details.

Thankyou, i was beginning to think i was the only one here who thinks a salesperson should actually have to work for him commission!

Edited by Beefmeister on Sunday 19th September 17:14

[Deva Link]

I think the problem here is referring to these people as salesmen/women - it's an insult to the profession. They're no more salespeople than the staff in estate agents. In reality they're order writers.