It simply amazes me on how certain sales people take a potential smooth-running deal into an absolute disaster. Some people chalk it up to the sales process. I chalk it up to just plain stupidity and a negative personality. I get the title of today's story for a comparison of the Johnson Automotive commercials with the sleazy salesman/badger and a fellow salesperson.
You can see this great marketing gimmick here: http://youtu.be/G401CC5Rep8
We had hired a new Internet sales person (calling him management would be a disgrace to our store, so I will generously give him the title of a glorified salesman with a computer) a little over a week ago. He came with our new desk manager, who pumped up our general manager and put him together, making him seem like he's all that and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. I was warned by others who had the pleasure (again, I am being polite) of working with him for a day or two that I was not going to get along with this guy--my personality and his were not going to mesh. Frankly, I get along with nearly everyone I work with, or at least I try to.
In any case, they were right.
I spent five minutes with this person, and in two of those minutes, I wanted to lock him in a cage and throw him down a well. But, I gave him the benefit of the doubt throughout the week. "Roscoe", as I will refer to him, complained from hour one. Wasn't getting any internet leads, didn't deem my "quick-draw" phone reflexes were fair, whined to the general manager that "he wasn't accustomed to our system" and flat out refused to work it, so on and so forth. That wasn't the least bit of my worries with Roscoe.
He decides to dictate what I need to do, work my leads without my permission, and whine even more that he's not getting any leads in the rotation. And that's just a handful of what is an issue.
But it gets better.
After a day or so from hearing him complain, I get a Costco lead. Figuring that it is an easy sell (as most Costco members are), I gave the opportunity to Roscoe. He brings them down, but doesn't sell them a vehicle.
I send out an e-mail, a follow up inquiring as to why John Doe didn't purchase. I get an e-mail stating that they had the absolute worst service by Roscoe and will never return to our dealership, stating they were lied to, that factoring numbers did not add up; he was even told to "shut up" and "your numbers don't matter--these are the real numbers" straight from Roscoe's own flapping gums. I bring this to my general manager's attention (as he specifically wants a report on all Costco clients that come in and do not leave with a car), and he is utterly appalled. He sends his own e-mail correspondence out, apologizes, and leaves the client alone.
I was not aware of this.
The next day, John Doe sends me an approval letter from his finance company. Reviewing the deal jacket, it looks to be all squared away and I send him an e-mail asking when he could come down and wrap things up.
"I apologize Erik, but I accidentally sent this to the wrong dealership."
Ouch. He did happen to say that the only way he and the misses would ever step foot back into our store again would be under special circumstances. I replied one last time, thinking that he was set on never returning again with only $200 more off the intended Costco price and giving him an out the door figure.
He replies back; "That sounds like a very tempting offer. Let me speak it over with the wife."
I was shocked, and under that impression, he must've been so brutalized by Roscoe over price that I must've given him thousands off the original offer! Lo and behold, he gives me a final call, asking me (before he made a two hour drive--the poor guy) if that was the price, and it wasn't going to change. I assured him it wasn't, and he came down.
From handshake to handshake, it took 30 minutes. Simple. Easy. No hoopla, no garbage... he met with everyone in the dealership (outside of Roscoe, who was fuming that I brought his clients back in and sold them with genuine courtesy), and was honestly happy. He even bus-drove Roscoe to the General Manager, telling him that Roscoe backed up into another car with the one he was buying (and was still cool with the dent)!
Needless to say, after the guy left the dealership, I was left shaking my head. Why? Was it that difficult to say "This is your price. This is the car"? Was it that difficult to do that and make a client happy?
No, it wasn't. When it is set pricing, there is absolutely no need to bend and twist a client's arm into a ridiculous offer. I made a profit, and I had a completely satisfied customer. I hope that for the one's that read my article, that if you are a consumer at a dealer (or anywhere for that matter), if you don't like the guy that you're working with, ask to work with another sales person, or go through the chain and ask for management to work with you. More often than not, that establishment wants your business, but the one's who want your business don't know the nonsense that you go through with salespeople at the bottom of the totem pole until it is absolutely too late and you leave upset.
Don't deal with average salespeople. Deal with the best.
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