Sales Attitude

[Dryce]

Today I had a message from a dealer with an offer on a car that's now available. I phone back to let him know I'm no longer interested. But he starts out getting his spiel in first before I can say I'm no longer in the market - when I eventually do - he asks what I bought. I tell him. Curt response 'Enjoy your car' and phone goes straight down.

Nice one.

So I'm a proven customer in his market. He saw us turn up and leave in SWMBO's car. So there's another future proven customer in his market sector there. Does he think we'll ever be back to deal with him?

I've made the effort to call back to make sure he knows not to waste his time with me.

When we get a call from a potential customer to let us know we're not in the running then we take that as a courtesy - even if there's major disappointment after putting in some fairly major sales effort which has cost us. If we'd engaged in conversation about which of our competion they'd chosen we'd make a note and remember for next time.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

That's the sort off attitude you would expect in one-time selling where there is very little chance of a repeat sale, from a car dealer it's actually rather pathetic.

Sounds a bit timeshare really.

 

[artyman]

It always pays to be nice to people, I was painting on a beach near Bridport some years ago, they came up and chatted so gave them my card, a couple of years later they contacted me for a commission. If I had been off hand and resented the interruption I wouldn't have heard from them again.

 

[Mercator]

Have you posted a review of the 640d GC? I'd be interested as I fancy one myself.

 

[Dryce]

Have you posted a review of the 640d GC? I'd be interested as I fancy one myself.

My intention was to post some thoughts once I had it out and about off the motorway and out of the suburbs. Had the weather not been awful since I collected it then I would have done at least one decent trip by now - but so far it's done 250 miles in my 15 days possession - motorway and suburban commuting - which is hardly the right stuff to which to base some usable opinions.

Edit: I did post some initial comments: http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/1671924-post21.html

I would add that since I've discovered that 'Auto' on the climate control has to be set both sides (doh!) or the passenger side locked to the drivers' side. And then it's not much different from the W211 dual zone (which only has a single overall auto setting). I would also add that the owner's manual really really is dire - and that irks me because when I get a new car I actually sit down and read these things - 'self published' is too kind.

 

[ricardo62]

sales staff

Today I had a message from a dealer with an offer on a car that's now available. I phone back to let him know I'm no longer interested. But he starts out getting his spiel in first before I can say I'm no longer in the market - when I eventually do - he asks what I bought. I tell him. Curt response 'Enjoy your car' and phone goes straight down.

Nice one.

So I'm a proven customer in his market. He saw us turn up and leave in SWMBO's car. So there's another future proven customer in his market sector there. Does he think we'll ever be back to deal with him?

I've made the effort to call back to make sure he knows not to waste his time with me.

When we get a call from a potential customer to let us know we're not in the running then we take that as a courtesy - even if there's major disappointment after putting in some fairly major sales effort which has cost us. If we'd engaged in conversation about which of our competion they'd chosen we'd make a note and remember for next time.

The best tools a salesperson has are his ears, to listen as to what the customer needs , and also to explain the benefit of a feature , to many seem to have forgotton the basics , but that is now a future customer he has lost just by not being polite .
Off tack but i myself am trying to find employment in the sales proffesion car sales in particular , but finding i keep comeing up against a brick wall , im wondering if its an ageist thing and maybe they are looking for a 20 something , anyway sorry to hijack your thread ..

 

[BruLan]

I've bought 4 new Mercs over the years and could never understand how the Sales Staff always seemed to be doing you a favour, by even speaking to you
As a friend once observed "The only reason he's leaning on that Car is because hes trying to sell it on someone else behalf"

 

[gIzzE]

As a sales person, you need to listen to what the customer is asking and then repeat back to them what they are asking, make it sound like you are in complete agreement and that they know what they are talking about.

It isn't rocket science.

 

[Dryce]

Off tack but i myself am trying to find employment in the sales proffesion car sales in particular , but finding i keep comeing up against a brick wall , im wondering if its an ageist thing and maybe they are looking for a 20 something , anyway sorry to hijack your thread ..

I would say that the ages of the sales staff that we've been encountering in the dealerships that we visited have mainly been late 20s to late 30s and with the 40+ being their managers.

The older staff we do encounter have usually been with the dealer or chain for a long time. So that may indicate that there is ageism on the new employment opportunities with the older staff being the result of of those who have survived the attrition of the job.

We haven't encountered any female non-receptioon staff for several years.

 

[Tan]

I remember a few years ago, my Brother and I went in to Mercedes Bromley looking to buy a car, we did not have a huge budget on that occasion and we were basically told to go look elsewhere.

We did and ended up at Portman Mercedes in Manchester, where we bought an E-class (same budget as we took to Bromley), the sales man was brilliant and shortly after got our business for an S-class and an SL.

I feel that some sales people forget that many customers are brand loyal and thus chances are they will be buying not just the one car but many over the years, they just see the short term view.

 

[Rory]

Does he think we'll ever be back to deal with him?

Chances are you won't anyway - the average time a car sales person stays in their job is 3yrs. It's also, depite what the impression they like to give off, not very well paid (minimum wage basic is standard) and their actual pay is very dependant on pretty complex commission and bonus arrangements. Bottom line is the salesman's horizon is the end of month - they really don't care beyond that.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The reality is that for every punter that will remember good service, there is ninety nine that don't care about it and just want the lowest prices possible.

Couple that with the fact that most salesmen aren't allowed to scratch their jacksie without telling their manager, I can see why a lot come across as though they can't be bothered.

Remember this as well, companies & businesses adapt to customers demands and this is the result; customers will travel to the other end if the country to save ten bob; if they're not 'loyal' why should their local showroom be?

 

[Deleted member 11979]

The reality is that for every punter that will remember good service, there is ninety nine that don't care about it and just want the lowest prices possible.

Couple that with the fact that most salesmen aren't allowed to scratch their jacksie without telling their manager, I can see why a lot come across as though they can't be bothered.

Remember this as well, companies & businesses adapt to customers demands and this is the result; customers will travel to the other end if the country to save ten bob; if they're not 'loyal' why should their local showroom be?

Good point well made

 

[Dryce]

Chances are you won't anyway - the average time a car sales person stays in their job is 3yrs.

SWMBO always goes back to people she has previously dealt with but found to be OK (even if she ended up buying eslewhere). My car was bought from a different branch from hers because the sales manager she bought her car from had moved to that branch.

In 2011 looking for a used R171 she ended up dealing at Western Mercedes (Edinburgh) and the sales staff member that she had dealt with when looking for an R170 back in 2005 was still there and remembered her. In both cases she didn't end up buying from them - but if she was looking for another MB they'd get another chance.

If 3 years is the average then that probably indicates that there are plenty who last longer - possibly a lot longer if initial turnover is high.

 

[ricardo62]

I would say that the ages of the sales staff that we've been encountering in the dealerships that we visited have mainly been late 20s to late 30s and with the 40+ being their managers.

The older staff we do encounter have usually been with the dealer or chain for a long time. So that may indicate that there is ageism on the new employment opportunities with the older staff being the result of of those who have survived the attrition of the job.

We haven't encountered any female non-receptioon staff for several years.

Well im 50 and it is so frustrating when i know i have the attributes needed , my late father was a sales director for a company called Toshiba Tec , they supplied electronic cash registers for major chains , so ive had a good mentor , im getting the feeling that my age is a obstacle .

 

[Scott_F]

Remember this as well, companies & businesses adapt to customers demands and this is the result; customers will travel to the other end if the country to save ten bob; if they're not 'loyal' why should their local showroom be?

Because they want to win as much business as possible to stay afloat in a competitive environment ?

And not just the initial sale. Most people will have all servicing and warranty work done at the same place that they bought their new car which is a real cash cow for the dealership.

As you say, you can always go elsewhere and therefore they need you more than you need them.

 

[Dryce]

The reality is that for every punter that will remember good service, there is ninety nine that don't care about it and just want the lowest prices possible.

The golden rule is never ever to put off a customer. The welcome sign is always on the door.

However for cars the commission/target/incentives aspect seems to mean that the ecosystem distorts such that the sales staff end up working for themselves rather than their branch or company and they see the customer not in terms of the business but in terms of their tactical need.

So you have the perverse situation where a salesman hasn't got used stock but won't send the customer either across the showroom to the new car sales team or to another nearby branch that actually has suitable used stock. In effect the risk that the customer will be lost to a competing dealer or brand weighs less than the loss of the customer to another department in the same company.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I wonder whether the selfish or poor service approach to sales does lead to better sales performance and renumeration?

Whilst not cars, I'm thinking about some shopping we did yesterday. Although I could apply the same thinking to restaurants, and other purchases.

Commodity items, like most of the childrens clothes, we tend to sacrifice service for lower cost. Ralph Luaren Polos for Baby D are less than half-price in T K Maxx than Selfridges, and buying half a dozen makes that worthwhile. We know what we're looking for and if they have it then we take it, if they don't then we go elsewhere.

But some items which we buy relatively fewer of, like my clothes or perfume, we place service above cost as a priority. In fact with those two items, we go back to the same people who we have built a relationship with, and who know what we like, and as a result they recommend things, order items in with us in mind, and generally we buy most things they recommend.

The second customer experience is all about repeat purchases and long term business, the first is about shifting stock, and they're both actually very effective at what they do, and there are times when I want each experience.

Interestingly though when it comes to cars, maybe it's because we don't buy them often enough, I've never bought a car from the same person twice, which despite being anything but a commodity purchase means that something else is preventing that, and i think it's probably because i've not yet found one who would make me go back to them personally.

But I do have relationships with Service Managers/Advisors and Parts Managers/Advisors and I go back to them personally time anytime again.

I wonder whether the sales roles attract a different kind of person to the service roles? Or might it be the way they're incentivised?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Most people will have all servicing and warranty work done at the same place that they bought their new car which is a real cash cow for the dealership.

That's not quite correct, *most* people now don't buy from their local dealership for example in Doncaster for years the Mercedes garage was a Charles Sydney and if you saw a Mercedes on the road 99% of the time it had 'Charles Sydney Doncaster' on the license plate.

Nowadays it's very rare to see the current 'JCT 600 Doncaster' on plates, I've seen them from as far flung places such as Exeter.

The real 'cash cow' for them is fleet sales; they spend a lot less time selling ten cars to one company than they do selling a new A-Class to an OAP and because the salesmen make such small margins, who do you think they will look after better?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The golden rule is never ever to put off a customer. The welcome sign is always on the door.

However for cars the commission/target/incentives aspect seems to mean that the ecosystem distorts such that the sales staff end up working for themselves rather than their branch or company and they see the customer not in terms of the business but in terms of their tactical need.

I agree entirely with the sentiments of your postings, it's just the reality is quite different to what most people think; margins for car dealers are getting ever tighter (check out the car auction thread on here) because of the 'choice' that people have now, so do you think they've got the time taking people for test drives and putting leg work in to be told that another dealership 300 miles away can sell them the same car £500 cheaper but they couldn't be bothered to travel up to that dealership and test drive, they'd rather waste their locals time instead?

When will people realise that the beauty of being able to buy somewhere else for less money also shows the beast that makes your local dealer very wary of offering any advice or help?