Leaderboard

Good call Jim. It's time the whole world (not literally) slowed down a bit. In my many years in this business I have studied the browsing/buying patterns of customers and tried different opening hours to accomodate everyone, so we didn't miss a sales opportunity. Or so it appeared. Fact is, no matter what your published opening hours are, there will always be browsers who come in half an hour after you close. Over a 4-month trial (Feb-May) a couple of years ago, we surveyed everyone who purchased a car on a Sunday. In only 2 cases (out of 51) did the customer say they wouldn't have bought the cars from us during the week if we were closed on that day. And they were both New car deals that, quite frankly, hardly covered the leccy bill, let alone the wages! However, the powers-that-be decreed that if the opposition was open, then we would be too. A compromise was reached. At the moment, we're open every Sunday from April to October and only by appointment over the winter. Do we miss any walk-in deals? Probably. Do we worry about that? Nope. Do we get calls on the Monday after? Yep. Are the deals still done? Again, yep. It is certainly a location-based decision though but if, at the end of the day Jim, you're still surviving and the staff and customers are still happy, it's all good.

Yes and in Scotland Peter Vardy close Sundays as does some of the most successful independent car dealers in Aberdeenshire, so hopefully I will be joining the elite!

We WERE in, but we hid behind the sofa 'til you went away.

I don't know any legitimate trader who is self made that didn't start as a road side trader . No legitimate trader bought ,leased or builted a show room put out £100k on stock before he had ever sold a car of his own bat . Think I will take cover !