customer appointments- do you hold cars for people?

[Mistermuttley 19]

Hi, not posted much before except to rant about Nissan Leafs (cos I like em!). But I wonder if the more experienced traders could help me out with a question I have.

I have had a few cars where someone has arranged to view a car and then someone else rings up wishing to view at an earlier time.

For example I have a Jazz at the moment and someone is viewing tommorow at 4-5pm. Someone else called and wished to view it and said they have the cash and they are fairly local. I have then explained that as someone is coming to view on the Sunday, that I am giving them first refusal. I have then told customer 2 I will call them if the 1st viewer doesn't purchase.

The missus (probably rightly) thinks I'm mad and should just let viewer 2 see the car first as the 1st customer could be one of the famous no shows.

So my question is when customers ring up to view cars do you mention if other people are viewing and prioritise them or do you let anyone view and let the other potential buyers know if it has sold.

Feel I may be being too fair to the customer as lets face it, half of the potential customers dont treat us with consideration.

Thanks

[umesh 336]

Been there too many times , but if you've promised then you have to stand on ! 

I do explain and tell them how it is and just say if it falls through for any reason then you'll let them know , mostly appreciate the truth and respect it , only last weekend had identical situation - the customer was a no show so I called the 1st guy and told him it was up for sale - came straight down and bought it.

[CGF 3]

Everything's still for sale until you're holding a deposit. If tomorrow's customers were that keen, they'd have either come over straight away or paid a holding deposit over the phone.

The only time I'll hold a vehicle is when someone's traveling from a distance in which case I'll ask them to call us once they're leaving to let me know they're on their way at which point I will hold it for them until they arrive.

[Rory RSC 596]

Its for sale until its sold. First to see can have it. Not a chance and you are being too nice. Sell it to whoever pays first.

I offer £100 refundable holding deposits to secure the car and if you don't like or I have mis described the car then have your deposit back. 

 

[Mojo121 229]

7 minutes ago, CGF said:

Everything's still for sale until you're holding a deposit. If tomorrow's customers were that keen, they'd have either come over straight away or paid a holding deposit over the phone.

The only time I'll hold a vehicle is when someone's traveling from a distance in which case I'll ask them to call us once they're leaving to let me know they're on their way at which point I will hold it for them until they arrive.

Same here. I'd never have someone begin a journey to get halfway there and let down - that's a recipe for a bad review and bad karma. I think explaining, if they can't make it until later that week, that it will remain for sale and for them to call you on the day to confirm they're still coming and the car is still available is a nice halfway house. 

[Mistermuttley 19]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I think I have been a bit silly with some people ringing to view, case in point the Jazz.

The 2nd caller was fairly local and was going to come round and pay cash! Instead I have made him wait until the 1st viewing appointment has finished and may therefore lose him as a potential sale. Hopefully the 1st one will buy it.

Will think about my approach with customers from this though and tell them that they can book an appointment but the car is open for viewing till then and may go before they come to view. I think asking them to call before they travel to confirm they're still coming and the car is still for sale is a good idea. Time to toughen up!

[BHM 994]

mistermuttley, no chance at all cos punters nowadays do not give a toss about you, your business or your family finances.

EVERYTHING is for sale until I have a deposit.

I make appointments ON THE DAY "phone me when you're setting off" but even then I sometimes add "it's first come, first served".

How many times has some pure time-wasting c*** promised you "I'm coming to buy" only to either let you down or come & f*** you about then say they've got 5 more to see.

Sorry if this seems extreme but I'm trying to get my point across - it's a war out there & the spoils are hard to come by. Serious punters will get their arses into gear. F*** those who are left behind, most of them will usually get the silver medal anyway cos they piss about.

[grant8064 219]

Same as most here, first come first served.

Can't make it for a few days to view? No problem but give me a call before setting off to make sure it's still here because I don't want to waste your time.

Builds a bit of buzz if nothing else.

[Row 71]

First come first served, I have been let down too many times doing it the other way round plus it doesn't look good if you call the second customer and tell them the first one did not buy.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

14 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

Its for sale until its sold. First to see can have it. Not a chance and you are being too nice. Sell it to whoever pays first.

I offer £100 refundable holding deposits to secure the car and if you don't like or I have mis described the car then have your deposit back. 

 

Absolutely Rory 

[Rory RSC 596]

Think of it like this as as well because I used to be a bit like you back when we first started.

Now we are more established we get a lot of walk on customers. I think around 60% of customers we have had no contact with ( email / phone / facebook / carrier pigeon) . They just turn up.

Lets say its 9am and I get a call from someone who says is the X5 still for sale thinking of coming round a bit later. Yes it is. I always ask them are they coming a long way, do they want to secure the car with a £100 holding deposit, all my adverts mention the deposit and all my videos mention the deposit. This sorts out the men from the boys and the serious ones travelling from London, or booking a flight from Aberdeen will do it.

Lets say 10:30 I open office door someones looking at X5 likes it and says I want it mate, let me pay the asking price and I will even buy it on finance netting you a nice bit of commission. Do I say -'nah sorry mate, some guy called earlier' or do I say ' Old out yer hand geezer'.

If a few hours later the original caller turns up to view it and finds out its sold I do not feel bad, not even for a second because they had the choice for it not to be like that. Simple.

[Mat C 77]

We offer a reservation fee service. £100 reserves the car for you until an agreed time/day. I confirm this to them in an email so that there's no confusion. In the 2 years i've been independent, I've refunded 3 reservation fee's as people have changed their mind/or some other BS excuse. No skin off my nose, and keeps people happy. We have had on several occasions, people not want to leave a reservation fee ( no problem, but don't shout at me if its gone ) and then just turn up and be disappointed that its sold, I did warn you, this is my job you know, to sell stuff!

I had one the other month, Customer 1 is constantly on the phone, email, text saying he wants a lovley Silver Coupe we have, and i'll have a reservation fee later in the day. Sends me £1 to make sure his bank will send the transfer over.... then I get an existing customer ( Customer 2 ) come in with his partner on handover and he decides to buy said Lovely coupe... SOLD. The customer 1 then emails saying i'm going to send the reservation fee..... oops, sorry mate, its gone. He went mental, proper winging and moaning to me about customer service etc... I sent him back his £1 and apologised, but until we have £100 in the bank, its still for sale. ANYWAY.... I then smash the rear bumper on the car as I was rushing about so i send him a picture of it to say, hey guess what, I pranged this car so guess you can have a laugh at me.. He saw the funny side and apologised for being a duche bag. I said i'd look for another one for him. Fast forward 3 weeks, Mr 2nd customer calls me and says, i've seen another Lovely Coupe Cooper S on your website that I love, will you have this one back in PX... Yes sir I will, I call customer 1 and deal him on the customer 2's px ( the original Lovely coupe )  for the same price as before even though it was an extra owner and make a tidy sum on both deals too. Happy days. THEN 3 weeks ago, customer 2 comes in on spec and buys my oldest car in stock and px's his beauty of a Cooper S Coupe that I sold within 24 hrs..... Love Mr Customer 2!! - in fact I might give him a bell......

 

[justina3 518]

I cant make it until tomorrow thats fine but if someone makes it before you its gone.....simples 

 

I do however always take phone numbers so i can tell people they snoozed so they lost

[Dan W 57]

Just had a fun conversation with a customer, He emailed on Friday to say he was keen to look at 2 vehicles on Sunday, sent him an email response asking if he wanted to put a holding deposit on them until the sunday, also left him a voicemail.... no response low and behold we sell both cars on the Saturday..

11.00 this morning he comes bounding in shouting at me as they both have sold signs in them...

well mr customer I did try to contact you on the phone and email you didn't reply.... his response why should I put a deposit down on any vehicle !!!
because if you don't someone else will... quite enjoyed watching him sulk his way out the front door.

[LISL 7]

No appointments here. At all. It's walk-in as there's always someone on site, if you call up and ask if it's in stock and it is, we'll say it is, but if you leave it a day or two to pop down and it's sold, it's sold. We've had some negative feedback on this over the years, but falls by the wayside. 

When I started up however, it was me on my tod and I did it exactly like Mat.