Looking on behalf of a ' Friend '

[Dan W 57]

10 Mins into working on a bank holiday and one of my least favourite customer types already....
I have a friend who is looking for.... vague description of budget or type of car.....

No problem if you would like to leave me his details I would be happy to contact him and see what we can offer...... response no I want to drive 3 cars and I will let him know what I think about them and he may came back to you.

Er no thank you, please feel free bring this ' friend ' in and we can sit down and find a suitable vehicle.

Needless to say this gentleman got annoyed I wouldn't let him drive my cars and said well my friend will take his business elsewhere haha

Anyone have similar experiences.

[Cornish Guy 45]

That sort of customer is best left alone.

[justina3 518]

I think every industry has similar issues, There was a guy in the fish shop done a similar thing this morning for some reason there was only one staff member on lots of people in there, anyway he wanted to know the ins and outs of marine fish keeping from lighting to fish to tanks the works the attendant done his best to answer as quick as he could without sounding rude, the buyer then said thanks and did the shop have any starter kits for £100 the poor sales guy just spent almost an hour going through pumps which where five times that price. 

Barmy army

 

 

 

[Dan W 57]

Yes must admit when I first started the job I would have done the same spent time with these gimps.

Seeing as I am on the only one in today wasn't in the mood for a timewaster

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Dear Mr third party, I'm afraid I only appoint customers who have called me, discussed the car at length and confirmed it will be their intention to buy on the basis of my description. If your friend wishes to purchase a specific car of mine simply ask him/her to contact me personally. Thank you. 

[It's me 615]

Had one the other week was buying a car for his daughter,he had been before she rejected the car he had picked on the colour she didnt like it,this time he said i am buying and she will agree with my choice, can i have a test drive? no i said bring her down if she likes the colour then we go on test drive,they turns up after my normal hours after he asked me to wait she looks at car we go on test drive we come back she doesn't like the colour

no wonder i sometimes go to the pub

[Arfur Dealy 823]

32 minutes ago, s and b said:

Had one the other week was buying a car for his daughter,he had been before she rejected the car he had picked on the colour she didnt like it,this time he said i am buying and she will agree with my choice, can i have a test drive? no i said bring her down if she likes the colour then we go on test drive,they turns up after my normal hours after he asked me to wait she looks at car we go on test drive we come back she doesn't like the colour

no wonder i sometimes go to the pub

That is just just plain f taking the p. 

It just reminds me why I don't facilitate viewings until I've received an upfront deposit. Confirmed buyers only !

[trade vet 701]

1 hour ago, Arfur Dealy said:

That is just just plain f taking the p. 

It just reminds me why I don't facilitate viewings until I've received an upfront deposit. Confirmed buyers only !

No offence,but I imagine Dan W is a full time dealer rather than a doorstepper.So I doubt he can demand a deposit prior to punters turning up.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

30 minutes ago, trade vet said:

No offence,but I imagine Dan W is a full time dealer rather than a doorstepper.So I doubt he can demand a deposit prior to punters turning up.

If you run a forecourt where the public can walk on and waste your time, then you have made that choice... if walk-in business is a percentage of your sales then you've accepted the above. You are paying extra for the pain and gain.

I'm not shy to say I sell all my cars by video, upfront, from home without an expensive forecourt, I don't need a forecourt and sell on average 170-200 cars year. 

Anyone can sell like I do, all you need to do is do your job properly, install confidence and guarantee accuracy. 

 

7 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

If you run a forecourt where the public can walk on and waste your time, then you have made that choice... if walk-in business is a percentage of your sales then you've accepted the above. You are paying extra for the pain and gain.

I'm not shy to say I sell all my cars by video, upfront, from home without an expensive forecourt, I don't need a forecourt and sell on average 170-200 cars year. 

Anyone can sell like I do, all you need to do is do your job properly, install confidence and guarantee accuracy. 

 

Trade-vet. To be fair, you do need space to store cars and privacy for collection, I'm fortunate that after 31 years as a full time independent dealer I have both. 

[trade vet 701]

Hi Arfur,31 years as a doorstepper,that has got to be a record,you must be a good player.If you are doing 3 or 4 per week,you must be running around 12 hours a day doing workshops,paint shops,valeters,collecting parts,going to the block and fetching stock etc.I did try it once for a few months,did well but too much hassle for me,much prefer pitches.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Trade-vet I can smell your cynicism. I buy all my stock mainly Manheim Silver online. I treat the cars like a production line. All cars are delivered by Manheim straight to my garage where they are mot'd painted and PDI, then off to the Tescos for a full valet £50 (amazing value). They are then delivered to me where I photo and fully describe in ultra HD video. I couldn't be easier. 

[trade vet 701]

26 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Trade-vet I can smell your cynicism. I buy all my stock mainly Manheim Silver online. I treat the cars like a production line. All cars are delivered by Manheim straight to my garage where they are mot'd painted and PDI, then off to the Tescos for a full valet £50 (amazing value). They are then delivered to me where I photo and fully describe in ultra HD video. I couldn't be easier. 

Sounds good,I did say you must be a good player.I know a lot of good doorsteppers but none have been doing it for 30 years.When I tried it,I was buying from main dealers and running around all day and night getting the stock right.Selling it was the easy bit,because we had a particular imposing house then with a front door bigger than No 10.Out of interest I was talking to an old trader last week and he was describing to me how he sold 2 fire engines from the door ,if anybody wants to know !

[BHM 994]

I think you'll find more people going down the doorstepping route. If you've had the foresight, or luck, to own a large property you immediately eliminate second premises costs such as rent, rates etc. so you can price competitively and what you lose in time running around you surely gain by not sitting in a showroom waiting for a Billy Bunter to turn up.

With every passing year more & more people are becoming internet savvy. With this comes with the ability to immediately compare prices and the way I see it is the secondhand market has almost split between the "price aware cash buyer" and the "need credit will pay whatever buyer" - the second of which are generally keeping the secondhand pitches employed.

Apart from a few specialists, I'm afraid the days of cars being seen as luxury goods are long gone. Let's be honest, about 80% of punters are price lead (they'll buy what is obviously a pile of shit if it's £50 cheaper) and the average 10yr old family car is now cheaper than a decent pushbike - market forces, supply & demand but this situation is barmy on the face of it.

I should say here that when I'm going on about doorsteppers I'm referring to people operating a genuine business from premises based at home - not some chancer flogging a few via Gumtree in the local pub car park.

Edited August 29, 2017 by BHM

[Arfur Dealy 823]

7 minutes ago, BHM said:

I think you'll find more people going down the doorstepping route. If you've had the foresight, or luck, to own a large property you immediately eliminate second premises costs such as rent, rates etc. so you can price competitively and what you lose in time running around you surely gain by not sitting in a showroom waiting for a Billy Bunter to turn up.

With every passing year more & more people are becoming internet savvy. With this comes with the ability to immediately compare prices and the way I see it is the secondhand market has almost split between the "price aware cash buyer" and the "need credit will pay whatever buyer" - the second of which are generally keeping the secondhand pitches employed.

Apart from a few specialists, I'm afraid the days of cars being seen as luxury goods are long gone. Let's be honest, about 80% of punters are price lead (they'll buy what is obviously a pile of shit if it's £50 cheaper) and the average 10yr old family car is now cheaper than a decent pushbike - market forces, supply & demand but this situation is barmy on the face of it.

I should say here that when I'm going on about doorsteppers I'm referring to people operating a genuine business from premises based at home - not some chancer flogging a few via Gumtree in the local pub car park.

BHM....Again, I absolutely agree 100%

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Is it just me that thinks "doorsteppers" is a pretty derogatory term ?

[trade vet 701]

47 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Is it just me that thinks "doorsteppers" is a pretty derogatory term ?

Yes Arfur it probably is....usually associated with traders who have failed at running a pitch.You might hear people say -What happened to so and so who drove a Bentley and had that huge pitch etc......oh yes,.he is a doorstepper now ! However,Arfur you could be referred to as a 'personal automotive procurement consultant',would that make you feel better!   What about these clockers haircutting PCP's prior to their return - 'recalibration engineers'- that's another story !

[Arfur Dealy 823]

3 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Yes Arfur it probably is....usually associated with traders who have failed at running a pitch.You might hear people say -What happened to so and so who drove a Bentley and had that huge pitch etc......oh yes,.he is a doorstepper now ! However,Arfur you could be referred to as a 'personal automotive procurement consultant',would that make you feel better!   What about these clockers haircutting PCP's prior to their return - 'recalibration engineers'- that's another story !

Trade Vet. I see it very differently. When I talk to the boys at auction with sites, they're always moaning and saying they wished they didn't have the expense and responsibility, the costs, the hassle, in fact they're all looking for cheaper ways out. I certainly don't envy anyone with a site, I believe it's the other way round

[Dan W 57]

Replying to an earlier post Yes I do work at a main dealer.

Seems the majority here don't, its nice to see other views and how you guys do stuff keep up the good work all.

[justina3 518]

Derogatory term !! you should see some of the names i have been called over the years

[Arfur Dealy 823]

1 hour ago, justina3 said:

Derogatory term !! you should see some of the names i have been called over the years

Haven't we all