My 1st HUGE issue with my dealer...
11-09-2003, 07:37 PM
#46
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Why don't you start paying sticker for your cars and not invoice. Then the dealer could afford to hire better quality people and pay them to give you the *** kissing you so rightly deserve.
11-09-2003, 08:48 PM
#47
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Now that's the attitude of someone in the failure mode.
If you think customer service is *** kissing, get into construction - there you can keep your suedo pride in tact.
That's from someone who ate more than their peck of dirt to make sales - and is not sorry about it.
If you think customer service is *** kissing, get into construction - there you can keep your suedo pride in tact.
That's from someone who ate more than their peck of dirt to make sales - and is not sorry about it.
11-09-2003, 08:58 PM
#48
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Believe me, I do not think good customer service is *** kissing. I appreciate it when it is provided to me and I take pride in offering it to others. I just get sick of hearing people whine about the horrible, thieving dealer, how cheap can they get the car, and then be shocked when they don't get the service they expect.
I spend part of every day helping people obtain their dream and also helping to solve their problems.
I spend part of every day helping people obtain their dream and also helping to solve their problems.
11-09-2003, 09:03 PM
#49
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"Believe me, I do not think good customer service is *** kissing. I appreciate it when it is provided to me and I take pride in offering it to others. I just get sick of hearing people whine about the horrible, thieving dealer, how cheap can they get the car, and then be shocked when they don't get the service they expect."
LOL, i see if you just pay more for the car, you get better service. yeah, right. service has nothing to do with sales. in fact, it's an ENTIRELY different profit center (does the sales dept share commissions with the service dept? does the service dept share warranty proceeds from PCNA with the sales dept? does the service dept share non-warranty work proceeds with the sales dept? i didn't think so). further, many people had to pay premiums to sticker back in the rape days. ironically those getting hosed the hardest in those days by such unscrupulous dealers also reported a higher disatisfaction with service from the same. is it any wonder that after long wait lists, MSRP premiums, and poor service when p-car dealers were mere order takers (with little capital at risk given the market) owing to higher demand than supply that those same customers are now giving back what they recieved now that supply outstrips demand. wake up and smell the capitalism. it doesn't just work when it's in your favor.
btw, i doubt seriously that a very high % of total p-cars sold are sold anywhere near invoice still. stop talking like a dealer bruce and try and empathise with and learn from your customers while you still have a successful franchise.
LOL, i see if you just pay more for the car, you get better service. yeah, right. service has nothing to do with sales. in fact, it's an ENTIRELY different profit center (does the sales dept share commissions with the service dept? does the service dept share warranty proceeds from PCNA with the sales dept? does the service dept share non-warranty work proceeds with the sales dept? i didn't think so). further, many people had to pay premiums to sticker back in the rape days. ironically those getting hosed the hardest in those days by such unscrupulous dealers also reported a higher disatisfaction with service from the same. is it any wonder that after long wait lists, MSRP premiums, and poor service when p-car dealers were mere order takers (with little capital at risk given the market) owing to higher demand than supply that those same customers are now giving back what they recieved now that supply outstrips demand. wake up and smell the capitalism. it doesn't just work when it's in your favor.
btw, i doubt seriously that a very high % of total p-cars sold are sold anywhere near invoice still. stop talking like a dealer bruce and try and empathise with and learn from your customers while you still have a successful franchise.
11-09-2003, 09:09 PM
#50
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Originally posted by BRUCE
Believe me, I do not think good customer service is *** kissing. I appreciate it when it is provided to me and I take pride in offering it to others. I just get sick of hearing people whine about the horrible, thieving dealer, how cheap can they get the car, and then be shocked when they don't get the service they expect.
I spend part of every day helping people obtain their dream and also helping to solve their problems.
Believe me, I do not think good customer service is *** kissing. I appreciate it when it is provided to me and I take pride in offering it to others. I just get sick of hearing people whine about the horrible, thieving dealer, how cheap can they get the car, and then be shocked when they don't get the service they expect.
I spend part of every day helping people obtain their dream and also helping to solve their problems.
But when you have a high payment due and the car is in the shop for 2-3 weeks and you're driving a rental while paying for this "coach", it can get a lot of people pissed.
I suspect the service guy's get the brunt and service is a different profit area.
I've been a RE broker for 35 years and have been used, abused and lied to; but that's part of the territory (and for a commission only job). Hell, I never got the credit for the RE I sold when it went up, even tho I had to shove it down the buyers throat; it was the buyer's business acumen; ask him he'll tell you....
Excuse the rant......, it just felt good....
11-09-2003, 09:12 PM
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"So many get more than they can really afford, and that's not a salesman's fault - the buyer is responsible."
yes, and we all know car salesmen never try to up sale be it via higher commission models and/or options.
yes, and we all know car salesmen never try to up sale be it via higher commission models and/or options.
11-09-2003, 09:22 PM
#54
Unfortunatly the amount of profit being made really does not matter when it comes to customer service. Here's why, the basics of customer service do not cost anything extra. Those basics include what I stated in prior posts, honest, returning phone calls and being gracious. The employees are hired to do their job, in the auto dealer business a large part of that job is customer service. Now how will the employee act and treat customers is in large part developed by the business practices of the specific dealer. If the dealer's main focus is on profit profit profit then you will have your employees pulling all the stops and pissing people off. but if the dealer realizes that good customer service = return customers = good reputation = lots of profit then everyone is happy. Unfortunatly the latter is not the norm in my experiences.
Now Bruce, I understand your frustration with the customers wanting the cheapest price and forcing you guys to make less money, that is just the way the world is now, and it sucks. People don't care about service, support, quality, fairness or anything like that anymore, all they care about is getting the car at the very lowest price possible. In my sales profession that makes the job very hard and I see it in the auto business as well. But Ben has a VERY good point, don't complain about people wanting the lowest price when the dealers goal is to get the highest price, even sellling the cars for thousands more than the manufactuer wants the car sold for. That is just not fair either!
I think Torags has a very good idea, and I wish I knew if manufactueres did this, but to have customer service reps to hold training sessions for the dealership sales/service force. That way the dealer is not out any cash for the training, the customer gets good service and comes back which benefits all. Now if could only find a way into being an auto manufacturer's rep instead of a tire manufacturer's rep I would be in heaven and I could do those sessions myself
Now Bruce, I understand your frustration with the customers wanting the cheapest price and forcing you guys to make less money, that is just the way the world is now, and it sucks. People don't care about service, support, quality, fairness or anything like that anymore, all they care about is getting the car at the very lowest price possible. In my sales profession that makes the job very hard and I see it in the auto business as well. But Ben has a VERY good point, don't complain about people wanting the lowest price when the dealers goal is to get the highest price, even sellling the cars for thousands more than the manufactuer wants the car sold for. That is just not fair either!
I think Torags has a very good idea, and I wish I knew if manufactueres did this, but to have customer service reps to hold training sessions for the dealership sales/service force. That way the dealer is not out any cash for the training, the customer gets good service and comes back which benefits all. Now if could only find a way into being an auto manufacturer's rep instead of a tire manufacturer's rep I would be in heaven and I could do those sessions myself
11-09-2003, 09:43 PM
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I must go on record as being very satisfied with my Pcar service. After reading the vortex(VW) forum I chose Pcars for my SUV.
However, I bought the S, 200 mi away from my home (& local dealers) and I did not get it for invoice. They appeared happy with the sale.
However, I bought the S, 200 mi away from my home (& local dealers) and I did not get it for invoice. They appeared happy with the sale.
11-09-2003, 09:53 PM
#56
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Ben,
Yes all departments have their own profit requirements but it all goes to the same bottom line, where good dealers retain around 2% net to gross. Many dealers are small, family owned businesses that often make no profit. So my point was that a more profitable dealer could afford to higher college trained or a better quality of employee that potentially would provide better service rather than hiring anybody who could not get a job elsewhere.
Many of you make very valid points, and I learn a lot from them.
Yes all departments have their own profit requirements but it all goes to the same bottom line, where good dealers retain around 2% net to gross. Many dealers are small, family owned businesses that often make no profit. So my point was that a more profitable dealer could afford to higher college trained or a better quality of employee that potentially would provide better service rather than hiring anybody who could not get a job elsewhere.
Many of you make very valid points, and I learn a lot from them.
11-09-2003, 10:11 PM
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Originally posted by BRUCE
Ben,
Yes all departments have their own profit requirements but it all goes to the same bottom line, where good dealers retain around 2% net to gross. Many dealers are small, family owned businesses that often make no profit. So my point was that a more profitable dealer could afford to higher college trained or a better quality of employee that potentially would provide better service rather than hiring anybody who could not get a job elsewhere.
Many of you make very valid points, and I learn a lot from them.
Ben,
Yes all departments have their own profit requirements but it all goes to the same bottom line, where good dealers retain around 2% net to gross. Many dealers are small, family owned businesses that often make no profit. So my point was that a more profitable dealer could afford to higher college trained or a better quality of employee that potentially would provide better service rather than hiring anybody who could not get a job elsewhere.
Many of you make very valid points, and I learn a lot from them.
High school grads who have decent upbringing and are polite (& who speak English), can be trained with new model videos and existing personnel. High school summer interns (gofers) who are NOT going to college would be proud to be associated with Pcars.
Also early retirees from customer service type employment are excellent candidates.
College grads have expectations that may be too high and result in turnover & they're not at mega dealers.
11-09-2003, 10:26 PM
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Torags,
The types of people you mention are among the successful people we hire. I just wish we could afford to pay them more and not have to pressure them so much to achieve profits. But that's business.
Obviously, the mere size of a dealer or group does not guarantee profitability, although economize of scale helps. My point was that there are many car dealers that barely get by, regardless of size. We often can not afford to hire more skilled people or even a larger volume of people to help serve our customers. I wish we could afford 10 cleanup people so we could wash every service customers' car, for example.
The types of people you mention are among the successful people we hire. I just wish we could afford to pay them more and not have to pressure them so much to achieve profits. But that's business.
Obviously, the mere size of a dealer or group does not guarantee profitability, although economize of scale helps. My point was that there are many car dealers that barely get by, regardless of size. We often can not afford to hire more skilled people or even a larger volume of people to help serve our customers. I wish we could afford 10 cleanup people so we could wash every service customers' car, for example.
11-09-2003, 11:02 PM
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Bruce I understand your situation. I was given the opportunity to be an equity partner in a dealership. After exhaustive due diligence I decided it didn't pencil for my purposes.
Additionally the manufacturer has a lot to do with dealer success, at that time Nissan was being beat up, now they have about three hot models. Even when doing well it's a narrow margin....
These Pcar dealers are not used to high flooring costs, they have backed up sports car inventory and Cayenne absorption, they may not be having a picnic after the dust settles.......
Additionally the manufacturer has a lot to do with dealer success, at that time Nissan was being beat up, now they have about three hot models. Even when doing well it's a narrow margin....
These Pcar dealers are not used to high flooring costs, they have backed up sports car inventory and Cayenne absorption, they may not be having a picnic after the dust settles.......