Improving the Car Sales Experience

R.O.R

masterwriter wrote: »

I have edited this to post actual wording from NCA email. On phone I was told offenders can be fined on the spot or subject to prosecution. So it is illegal not to have price on cars

I've never been in to a dealers where they didn't have a printed price list available in the showroom for the 2nd hand stock. Personally I'd call this close proximity.

psmate

Audi Chris:

I am in the market for a new A4 and went to look at them twice, first of all to get a price list and a sit into it, and a bit of chat on standard spec and the diff between that and SE, I had looked on line anyway but just something to engage the salesman. Didn't take long 20 minutes tops.

Second visit was during a day off (not for this specifically) but I wanted to go in and get the process of buying it under way. Took out the 1.8 TFSI out for a test drive very smooth when I started asking about efficiency I was told "Audi say it depends on how you drive it!" not impressed. Got back to the garage and started looking at the dual climate control, wanted to see was it easy to use etc...when it wouldn't do what I wanted ie one side heat up and have the other side cool (was dual control after all) the salesman did not know how it worked...so it was a double whammy!
Also wanted to have a look at the figuires to finance, but the finance lady was not in yet, I explained that was fine and that they could ring or e-mail the figs and that we could close it off. I made it clear I was very interested and that I wanted to buy, I am still waiting for the call or an e-mail on this. That was 7 March...

Since then I have found out about the VRT reduction (thanks to E92's thread) and that BMW are a better buy in terms of engine efficiency...now I am not sure I want to buy Audi! I am a repeat customer to this garage no sticker to identify this on car though...and it is a well known southside Audi/VW garage.

Anyway that is my experience...I would have bought a new A4, now I'm going to defer until after 01 July to see what happens and maybe change brand! A follow up and some professionalism would have been appreciated!

-Chris-

Thanks psmate. Seems like the same story again - product knowledge and follow up!

Seems like it wouldn't take a hell of a lot of effort for the motor industry to make a huge leap in customer service..

eddie

I have just paid over my deposit for a 2008 car and now have to wait ( 12 weeks !!).

I am quite interested in the whole selling / purchase aspect and usually it is quite easy to understand any transaction , including cars....


It is a given that the buyer is going to to do whatever is needed to get a "good deal". The concept that a buyer should have "dealer loyalty" is almost ( but not quite ) as hilarious the idea that the dealer should have "customer loyalty" in the current situation.

I buy a new car every 2-3 years and have dealt with many many salesmen. 2 were what I would call professional salesmen, a few were ignorant / arrogant dickheads. Most though were just inept.

The problem with the whole business is that car sales is desigened to be secretive.

A) There is the "secret " car salesmans guide... why cant we all get a copy.... because it is "trade only".

What is the "cash discount" on list price.? ( like squeezing water from a rock to get that figure -10% to 15% depending on how many cars the dealer is from quota)

C) What is my car worth ? ( well apparantly a lot more if you pay list for the new one and note that your model/sunroof/GPS/etc etc add NOTHING to the value )

This secrecy give the impression of dishonesty and makes most customers feel as if they were price gouged and with a very unpleasent taste in the mouth.

I just ask for the "cost of change".. I am not interested in List price or trade in value just the "cost of change". I emailed 8 dealers. Told them exactly what model I wanted and exactly what I was trading in ( subject to their verification of course ) and requested the best deal on price to change. Money in hand ready to deal that day.

One guy was 4K out of the highest quote I received ( nearly 8k off the lowest) because he made a VRT error. He more or less told me to sod off when I queried it and I rang back and talked to his boss who said he would look into it and never got back to me. This was really interesting as this is where I bought my last car,, obviously I will not be back.

I got 3 other prices back. and 4 just did not even bother acknowledging the enquiry.

Of the 3 other prices there was a 14k to 18k range in the cost of change... this was trading in the same 2005 model against the same 2008 model. Obviously the 14k guy got it...

The premises were ****, the ambience non-exisent and the salesman has yet to prove himself to me....

I am in sales...... if ever there is a turn down in my business I will become a car saleman and ONLY if I am allowed to be honest and respect customers I will sell cars like they are going out of fashion. All at no or little cost to operation.

1) My customer is making avery big decision. I may do it every day, he only does it once every so often and it is a big deal. I will treat it so and make sure he is aware that I know it is a big deal and appreciate that he took the business to me.

2) My customer is busy.... I will ring him back when it suits him, not when it suits me. I WILL ring him back at any agreed time interval. 5 minutes is NOT 3 hours.

3) I will explain , list price, discounts and exchange vales in terms of cost of change. And try to convince him that we can offer the best short and long term solution.

4) Yes long term, I want him and his family and friends and next door neighbours etc etc,.. to be buying cars from me for the forseeable future. Not just this one but the next and the next. I want him so happy and comfortable in his dealings with my company that he is very happy to stay. No customer is no business, it is simply stupid to not treat them as the essential key in your success that they are.

5) I understand that he may want to chat to the family about it and need time to consider, he may have 1000 questions and need all kinds of information... it is a very big deal for him.... he has to be happy.

I have left a garage with what I know is a very good deal totally pissed off at my treatment, even after getting the great deal.!!!

I truly cannot understand why a car salesman would choose to be inept when they would so obviously be making a LOT more money by being good at what they do.... they have a customer comes to them and all they need to do is respect them and give them the information they need to make the purchase and yet a lot of salesmen can mess that up.

I admire the posters in sales contributing ( and starting ) to this thread.... I bet you will sell a LOT more cars as a result... and good for you. Email me in 2-3 years we may be able to talk :-) I might even moonlight at the weekends for you; !

Eddie