Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Replying to: richard64 (May 19, 2008 2:01 pm)

Thanks Richard.
 
I always wondered why Bush made so many blunders in his mother tongue.
Compton may have had a role to play I guess

I'm off today so I thought I might do something different. I've been banging my drums all afternoon and man did it feel good! I got callouses on my fingers from practicing the scales on the guitar so I took a break from it today.
I may stop at the store in a little while to talk to the GSM about a deal. I have a regular customer that buys two or three cars a year. He usually waits until the end of the model year when we are blowing out inventory and gets the cars reeeaaaly cheeep!
 
With Toyota introducing the 09 so early he missed out an an 08. We gave him a price of $18490.00 plus fees back in November and he stood by the sidelines waiting for the price to come lower. Fast forward to last week and he calls me up says he's ready to buy and what am I going to sell him a car for.
 
So I get with the GSM and tell him Mr. Barnes is ready to "steal" another Camry. "We left him at $18490.00 on the 08 but now he wants an 09 since we are out of 08's anyway." I tell him "He should have taken the $18490.00." he responds. "I know but you know how he is. He squeezes every penny out of the deal." I tell him. "Ok, tell him I'll do $18,990.00 plus fees." he tells me. That's about a grand below invoice.
I call Mr. Barnes back and give him the figures. "Dang , he won't go any lower?" he asks. and then answers himself. "I guess I should have bought on the last number." he says. "Are you going to be there this evening?" he asks. "Yep, I'll be here. What time are you coming by? I ask. I'll be there at 4:30 how's that." he says. "perfect, I'll see you then."
He comes in with his wife Bobbie and get to the store at 4:00 Pm. "Ok, show me what you got."
We start walking to the back lot where we have about 100 Camrys. He really wants the mag grey but his wife's Avalon is mag gray so he doesn't want two cars in the driveway the same color. Bobbie just shakes her head and smiles. "I can't believe I've been married to him this long!" she states more jokingly than serious. "She hates to come with me to buy a car." Mr. Barnes comments. "So which color don't you have? I want to look at all of them before I decide." he says.
 
I look over the inventory and one of our most popular colors that we don't get many of is not there. (Aloe Green). I tell him about it and he wants to see it. "We might have one in rental. Let's walk over there and see."
 
We walk around rental to the front of the service department and not a single Aloe green Camry in sight. "Look, before we go on a mini-safari let me go inside and check out the inventory list. It will save us a lot of walking."
 
I go inside and there is one on the inventory but it's marked as SOLD! dANG.! I verify with the stock girl if in fact it's sold and it is. Sold a week ago. I look at the incoming inventory and see one is about to get here this week but has alloys and a moonroof. As I start to walk through the showroom Mr. and Mrs. Barneds are standing there and as I start to tell them there is none one pulls up to the service lane! "Whooa, there it is! That's the color right there." I tell them. "Perfect timing. Let's take a look at it." he says.
 
While the greeter is walking around the car to check for damage we are looking at the paint. He wants to know if it's pear and it is.
 
"Mr. Barnes, here's the story. We had one but it was sold on the 9th of May. I have another one coming this week however, it has some extra equipment on it. Like a moonroof and alloy wheels." I tell him. "Alloy wheels? what do they look like.?" I walk him to the back lot and show him a few of the cars that have those extra options on them. He looks at the window sticker and says: "This one is $1400.00 more than the other one. Hmm. I have to get a car this week. I'll tell you what. Let me go home and think about this one more night. I want to look at the color again but on a new car. That one in service was dirty and had a lot of scratches on it. Will you call me when the car comes in?" he asks. "Sure will."
As we walk over to his car where Bobbie is waiting he turns around and says. "Look Mack, I'm not going to waste anymore of your time. Go ask Jason if he will sell me that car coming in for $1000.00 more and we're done." he tells me. "Jason is out of town but I can work it with the SM on duty. Come on."
 
We go into the showroom and I brain farted for a moment. Instead of telling the SM that Mr. Barnes was offering $800.00 I said $1000.00 (This is where working the desk managers comes in) If you give them a lower figure they counter with a higher figure. So guess what he did?? Yep, he goes: "Tell him $1200.00 more and I'll do the deal." Dang it! I knew and just mumble under my breath. I tell the sales manager a few choice words and go back to Mr. Barnes. "Sorry, he won't do it. But I bet you Jason does." I tell him. "Well you talk to Jason when he gets back and call me. I'm not going to bother you at home tomorrow on your day off. I would really like to get the car before the weekend as we are going out of town for Memorial day." he tells me.
He gets in the Avalon and I say bye to them.
 
When I get home I send Jason an e-mail and I'm still waiting on a response. The car should be here tomorrow or Friday.
 
                      To be continued....
 
 Mack
  

Replies to this message:
• isellhondas (May 21, 2008 3:41 pm)
  • mackabee (May 21, 2008 6:38 pm)
• greanpea68 (May 21, 2008 3:51 pm)
  • joel0622 (May 22, 2008 5:24 am)
    • jmonroe (May 22, 2008 6:00 am) and 1 more...
• oldfarmer50 (May 22, 2008 6:09 am)
  • mackabee (May 22, 2008 10:28 am)
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Replying to: mako1a (May 19, 2008 2:48 pm)

Replying to: british_rover (May 20, 2008 11:09 am)

I agree that Volvo Manual shifters can be a little rubbery. Even the R series Volvos tend to be a little vague with their shifting action but that is nothing a short shift kit can't solve.
 
and a little bit of NEO Synthetic oil
 

 
Or Redline MT90

Replying to: richard64 (May 21, 2008 12:56 pm)

Don't you remember in the beginning when you had to get me straight once or twice?
 
When I first started posting here JM said he was happy that he could just scroll right past my posts when he saw my name at the top...
 
I can't go back and figure it out it has been way to long.
 
GP

Replies to this message:
• jmonroe (May 21, 2008 5:49 pm)
  • greanpea68 (May 21, 2008 5:55 pm)
    • jmonroe (May 21, 2008 6:15 pm) and 1 more...

Replying to: mackabee (May 21, 2008 1:35 pm)

Replies to this message:
• mackabee (May 21, 2008 6:38 pm)

Replies to this message:
• jmonroe (May 21, 2008 6:05 pm)
• isellhondas (May 21, 2008 6:20 pm)
  • oregonboy (May 22, 2008 7:39 am)
• woodyww (May 23, 2008 10:40 am)

Replying to: mackabee (May 21, 2008 1:35 pm)

We go into the showroom and I brain farted for a moment. Instead of telling the SM that Mr. Barnes was offering $800.00 I said $1000.00 (This is where working the desk managers comes in) If you give them a lower figure they counter with a higher figure. So guess what he did?? Yep, he goes: "Tell him $1200.00 more and I'll do the deal." Dang it! I knew and just mumble under my breath.
 
Mack I am laughing right now !!!! I know exactly what you mean about working the desk. The trick is to not get caught at working the desk. Than you can get black balled I have only been caught once or twice and it can be painful.
 
For the consumers...
 
It can be painful because now your manager can get stubborn if he thinks you are working him and not the customer. Managers frown on that for some reason
I have seen some managers go crazy when they think a salesperson is being "weak" by working the desk and not the customer. You definately don't want to be that sales person for the day.
 
There a story from the front line
 
GP

Replies to this message:
• joel0622 (May 22, 2008 5:24 am)
  • jmonroe (May 22, 2008 6:00 am)
    • joel0622 (May 22, 2008 7:52 am)

Replies to this message:
• joel0622 (May 22, 2008 5:16 am)
  • chikoo (May 22, 2008 12:09 pm)
    • obyone (May 22, 2008 12:48 pm) and 2 more...

Replying to: greanpea68 (May 21, 2008 3:40 pm)

When I first started posting here JM said he was happy that he could just scroll right past my posts when he saw my name at the top...
 
No, that is not correct. I never said that about you or anyone one else for that matter.
 
You have me confused with someone else.
 
Now, if you're going to start up with crap like that I'll be all over your post. I thought you'd know I'm not a scroll and run kind of guy, I'll go toe to toe with ya until you say uncle.
 
jmonroe

Replies to this message:
• greanpea68 (May 21, 2008 5:55 pm)
  • jmonroe (May 21, 2008 6:15 pm)
    • richard64 (May 22, 2008 6:53 am)