I can’t call what it means to sell cars in the current recession, but I just witnessed how to lose business.
A friend is shopping for cars and has been bouncing around Toyota dealers. Specifically, he’s gone to Appleway and Downtown Toyota Spokane. I’ll be the first to say that I’d not buy another car from Appleway, but they owe that to this guy Bernard, who either does or did manage their Chevy service department. But the folks in the Toyota unit have been doing ok by my friend. He had an entirely different experience at Downtown Toyota Spokane, however, as they seemed to not want to help him. And his inquiries were met with indifference and disinterest. As he walked around the shop, he was lucky to get a salesperson to tell him what they didn’t have and nobody tried to see him a car. Finally, the other Toyota dealer, Parker Toyota in Coeur d’Alene, told him to bring in an offer and they’d see if they could match it. Come on now. Match it? He told them he was in Spokane and all but asked them to give him a reason to make the 33 minute drive.
It’s a bummer he’s had a hard time getting really good help, as he will be buying a new car in the next few days and might be sealing the deal at Appleway as I write this. Perhaps they don’t think he’ll purchase, but to treat a customer as anything other than a customer… well, I will be the first to say I remember the places that treat me as if I don’t matter. And even if I’m only looking, I won’t go back when I am ready to spend. In fact, I’ll spend more money somewhere that treats me well before I’ll try to save money somewhere else. But perhaps I’m a dying breed.
As I said, I can’t call it. I don’t sell cars and don’t really like buying cars. I do, though, know when I’m not being treated like a valuable customer. And my friend (no, it’s not me, my truck is running fine) hasn’t been treated like a valuable customer. And when the best place is only decent… it says something.