Dealership experiences
 

On Saturday afternoon we went out to begin researching some of the cars we are interested in replacing the V70 with (as well as some that are just pipedreams). During the afternoon we visited 3 dealerships of different brands (which will for now remain nameless, but none of them was Volvo). All 3 are premium brands (yes, there's lots of definitions of that. Let's just say that all 3 had vehicles with list prices of over £100k on their premises).

In the first dealership we were made very welcome, treated as though nothing was too much bother (even though they understood that we are at the very early stages of looking, ruling things in/out, etc and that we're not about to buy a car). They went off to put a decent amount of fuel into a car to allow us to have a decent test drive. They did not press nor push for a sale, hurry us or anything of the sort - they were interested in building a relationship.

The second dealership couldn't have been more different. The showroom was deserted and we'd sat in 3 cars before anyone came to us. He introduced himself by name 3 times, hurriedly got us a bottle of water each before disappearing again, telling us to ask the receptionist to get him if we needed anything - he was wearing jeans and a football shirt, which seemed rather unprofessional for an upscale brand. When we did need something (to sit in another two vehicle models that were outside and locked) and summoned him he then went to find someone else to open the cars for us (who also was wearing a football shirt, and continued saying how comfortable one vehicle was when both of us had struggled to get anywhere near comfortable in the seats). They didn't even attempt to take any details from us.

At the third dealership we were given plenty of time and offered a test drive, again despite making clear that we were not about to buy (and in the case of this brand, we can not afford the vehicle, we were only there because we were in the area and wanted to see). Once more, this dealership was engaged, enlightened and not pushing on the hard sell. They offered a test drive regardless of us making clear that we weren't going to buy, and when arranging a booked test drive made immediate confirmation by email.

Now I don't exist in a vacuum and I do realise that there's some sort of sporting event going on that some people think is quite important. However, for me if you are at work then you are at work, not watching football (unless of course that is your job). The second dealership made very clear what their priority was and it was not the customer. It reinforced a pronounced sense of disappointment we found with their vehicles (ones that we had been interested in for a long time).

Note that all 3 dealerships had televisions set up (first one in the showroom, second and third in back rooms) with the football showing.

So what are other people's views on this? Is it acceptable for a dealership (any dealership, but especially that of a premium brand) to relax the rules (eg jeans and footie shirt) because of such an event? Is it acceptable to allow employees to watch the football at the expense of the customer experience (because although the first and third dealers had the football on, I felt that they made us the clear priority - ie it had no impact on our experience).

My own view is that the first and third dealers had the balance correct, between the event and the customer. The second dealership should have closed for the day.

interesting to read your experiences. I think the variations you experienced is quite common, and I don't believe the good/bad relates to any particular brand - its just the behaviour and customer culture in that particular place.
I won't relate all my experiences, but before I bought my S90 last year, I attempted to buy it outside of the dealer network for many of the reasons you highlighted.

I did wonder that.

However (and this may give away what brands they are!) it did actually play up exactly to the reputation that the dealers of those brands have.

I remember when my wife was car hunting, she didn't want a Volvo at the time as she felt it was a lot bigger than her previous car. Anyway went a few dealers, one particular car she always liked so went to have a look. As you do quick look round the yard before you get spotted by someone. Anyway she went in, want this car, in white, this engine etc etc or nothing. Anyway as you do budget etc, right we've go one for you in stock. Thinking to each other we didn't see that. Anyway go out, right model, in black with the worst interior you could imagine and wrong engine. Just turned round and said that's not what we want. Just walked out, never been back since.

I've had more appalling examples of service in car dealers than good. The good are often very good, the bad are very bad. Not a great deal inbetween. Anything more then a tea cup of fuel in a test drive is a bonus in my eyes, yup, plenty bad experiences.

I'm more sympathetic towards the football shirt thing. The mood of the country is upbeat, Saturday was a huge event and they wanted to join in, even make it part of their marketing. Not the worst crime.

I visited possibly 10 different dealerships while hunting for my current car, and the contrast between salesmen and brands or salesmen within the same brand but at different dealerships was amazing.

Some just were very interested in helping, but as soon as they heard what I was interested in (medium sized estate car with a very firm upper budget and a few must haves in spec), they started offering up SUV's that were 25% over budget.
Another was amazed that I didn't like the ride of the sports suspension on that model and preferred my old car (I stated from the outset I only wanted to be comfortable, not to drive a racing car and still insisted the sports model had the same suspension as the premium model, despite the brochures themselves stating differently), and was quite rude to me after the event.

I did have a deposit on a car 2 hours away, when I got there I discovered the leather seats in a family car were so bucketed I couldn't get comfy after just a 20 minute test drive so I asked for my deposit back. 3 different salesmen claimed to be unable to find my paperwork and that my refund would have to wait until after the weekend (being end of the tax year they were clearly manipulating figures). Left a very bad taste with me.

The dealer I bought my car from, slightly better, not at all pushy, but definitely could have done more when it came to communication that I asked for during the purchase process and while it was being prepared.

As for being distracted by sporting events, I can kinda understand, but letting that get in the way of your job is unacceptable to me and would mean I'd be going elsewhere too, even if I liked the cars.
Working in sales myself, I found 2 colleagues watching the match at the weekend instead of working (this then led to something not being ready despite one of said colleagues promising it to the customer). I don't find this acceptable and puts me off if I go elsewhere.

Were the 3 dealers all of German Marques ?

Dealer 2 I would Hazard a guess at either the 4 rings or the Blue & white badge. I've come across dealers of these brands that assume that the cars will sell themselves & you the customer have already got the sale in the bag.

I sympathise with the Football Shirt thing, it was a big event on Saturday & the company may have relaxed the rules thinking the majority of typical customers will be watching the match rather than looking at cars.

No excuse for ignoring the customer though.

A mate of mine turned up at a Porsche dealer a good few years ago in jeans & t-shirt in an old Vectra SRi & was basically ignored & told to be on his way. He then went to the lotus dealer next door, they were far more accommodating & showed him around various cars without judging him.

He was very taken with a Esprit V8 & promptly paid cash for an ex-demo car to collect 2 weeks later.

Roll on 2 weeks he collected his new car in a suit after work & for a laugh popped back to the Porsche dealer. Salesmen this time were all over him like a rash. He then took great delight in say 'Don't you remember me I was in 2 weeks ago in my old Vectra asking about a 911' they replied 'Well no sir' errr 'yeah you wouldn't even let me have a proper sit in that 911 there so I popped down to Lotus & bought this'


He's now on his 3rd lotus.

I do get that, even though it means nothing to me.

However, the jeans and trainers (yes, I didn't mention them before) meant that he could have been any other customer, no name badge or anything.

But it was part of the whole impression of the football being more important than the customer. They did not want to be dragged away from the football to do what they were meant to be doing and we really felt that. In the entire time we were at all 3 dealerships we were the only customers there (probably because of the football) so it shouldn't have been difficult to give us some attention. If they weren't prepared to do so then as I said before, they should have closed up shop.

Perhaps it's all summed up by my husband's favourite quote of Warren Buffet:

The same is true of customer relationships - both the first and third dealers seemed happy to give up time, test drives, etc on the understanding that we are many months if not over a year away from decision (and in the case of dealer 3, more years than that before we could think about affording one of their vehicles). They seemed to appreciate the value of building a relationship and mindshare with us for future returns. Dealer 2's behaviour added to our disappointment in their vehicles which means that, pending checking out one more model, they may be off our list.

Andy-

My reply overlapped with yours.

One of the dealers was a German brand.

Your anecdote rather reflects the reality of my last paragraph. :-)

I'm guessing you went to VW, Audi and BMW?