bad review from a customer did not even meet

[Barclaywoodmotorco 4]

bad review on google posted from a customer i did not even meet !!!!!!

called on a nissan juke at 515 on a friday he asked if he could come and see it and have a test drive ,

i asked are you looking to buy a car today and he said no.

i said sorry just closing for the day.

then got slagged of on the net go figure

what do you do about bad reviews

nic 

[NOACROSS 414]

Just reply with something mildly witty and make sure you spell and punctuate properly and professionally. 

You could say pretty much what you’ve posted here, saying he rang as you were locking up at an already late time and you tried to arrange a suitable future appointment..guy just hung up or something. Or just say you’d be delighted to be given an other opportunity to serve them during business hours  

Mostly- don’t sweat it. Reviews are bollocks on the whole and customers will work out an idiot leaving a stupid review. In the end, the reviews pan out fairIy I find. You always get the odd fool unfortunately. 

Edited August 8, 2018 by NOACROSS

[Barclaywoodmotorco 4]

thank you for the reply, you cant always win in this game customers are hard to work out

[EPV 631]

34 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

Just reply with something mildly witty and make sure you spell and punctuate properly and professionally. 

You could say pretty much what you’ve posted here, saying he rang as you were locking up at an already late time and you tried to arrange a suitable future appointment..guy just hung up or something. Or just say you’d be delighted to be given an other opportunity to serve them during business hours  

Mostly- don’t sweat it. Reviews are bollocks on the whole and customers will work out an idiot leaving a stupid review. In the end, the reviews pan out fairIy I find. You always get the odd fool unfortunately. 

Exactly how I'd play it. Answer professionally, point out the dozens of other reviews from people who actually bought a car and not one bad review from a person who didn't want to buy one.

Forget it and move on.

[Rory RSC 596]

Had a quick look at your google reviews. Always frustrating to be on the end of these sort of things but personally think you could go about the replies to bad ones much better. 

 

[Trident 24]

"Dear such and such, sorry you felt compelled to write a poor review, unfortunately it is always hard for smaller companies to balance work and home life and as you confirmed you were simply browsing we could not offer an out of hours viewing on this occassion, we welcome viewings during working hours for those unsure of exactly what it is they are after."

Reviews are the new 'in thing' and whether we like it or not are here to stay, i guess we all just need to show courtesy and 'understanding' and at the very least respond to negative comments, at least that gives two sides to the story for anyone interested to make up their own mind... people love to be keyboard warriors nowadays and businesses won't get away with being shite anymore....

 

[metcars 394]

That's the problem with reviews, it's the negative ones that are so much more fun to read

[Arfur Dealy 823]

5 hours ago, Trident said:

"Dear such and such, sorry you felt compelled to write a poor review, unfortunately it is always hard for smaller companies to balance work and home life and as you confirmed you were simply browsing we could not offer an out of hours viewing on this occassion, we welcome viewings during working hours for those unsure of exactly what it is they are after."

 

 

LIKE

[Barclaywoodmotorco 4]

8 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

Had a quick look at your google reviews. Always frustrating to be on the end of these sort of things but personally think you could go about the replies to bad ones much better. 

 

thanks for the input i think your right 

nic

[Arfur Dealy 823]

10 hours ago, Barclaywoodmotorco said:

thanks for the input i think your right 

nic

The two negatives I have had were  both from not buyers, absolutely morons both of them. 

Not = non

[MattR 177]

Answer professionally, and mildly apologetically. If someone calls when you are closed, or about to, its fine for you to offer the drive in your working hours. That may be the reason the review came in - from the info you have given, you may not have done.

The billies think we are salaried big garage employees who are paid to sit in the passenger seat of a car no matter the time or day of the week. Explain you are closing in a few minutes to have a couple of hours with the kids before bedtime - anyone who fails to understand that wouldnt be wanted as a customer by me. Then offer to see them on Saturday morning 'i'm there at 930', which gives them the chance to drive it then. Better than saying 'are you buying today?'. Because the savvy ones who specialise in wasting time would say yes to that then walk after wasting an hour of your time

[It's me 609]

thank you for your feedback to my site,if you would like to discuss it further i would be more than happy to oblige ,i know a lovely quiet quarry away from the road,should we say 8.00pm?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

8 hours ago, Matt Reid said:

Answer professionally, and mildly apologetically. If someone calls when you are closed, or about to, its fine for you to offer the drive in your working hours. That may be the reason the review came in - from the info you have given, you may not have done.

The billies think we are salaried big garage employees who are paid to sit in the passenger seat of a car no matter the time or day of the week. Explain you are closing in a few minutes to have a couple of hours with the kids before bedtime - anyone who fails to understand that wouldnt be wanted as a customer by me. Then offer to see them on Saturday morning 'i'm there at 930', which gives them the chance to drive it then. Better than saying 'are you buying today?'. Because the savvy ones who specialise in wasting time would say yes to that then walk after wasting an hour of your time

Take a deposit over the phone and guarantee accuracy. Ask for commitment and call their bluff. 

[Rory RSC 596]

9 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Take a deposit over the phone and guarantee accuracy. Ask for commitment and call their bluff. 

This. Get quite a few calls asking for late viewings etc. When we say sure we take £100 reservation fee they suddenly don't want to. That's fine come on the 7 days we are open during the long normal operational hours we do then.

[BHM 994]

At the moment I’m getting so many messers, and start my holidays soon, I’m asking them upfront do they have others to see & are they ready to deal. Some object to the questions & don’t seem to like being asked straight - my guess is they’re tyrekickers. Plenty of talk, not much action.

[It's me 609]

30 minutes ago, BHM said:

At the moment I’m getting so many messers, and start my holidays soon, I’m asking them upfront do they have others to see & are they ready to deal. Some object to the questions & don’t seem to like being asked straight - my guess is they’re tyrekickers. Plenty of talk, not much action.

at least your phones ringing im not even getting that or any tyre kickers,maybe i should buy some corsas with rattly engines flat red and 3 doors

[Dan W 57]

1 hour ago, BHM said:

At the moment I’m getting so many messers, and start my holidays soon, I’m asking them upfront do they have others to see & are they ready to deal. Some object to the questions & don’t seem to like being asked straight - my guess is they’re tyrekickers. Plenty of talk, not much action.

Similar here, oh we have 5 more to go and view but whats your best price.....

well if I do you a good deal now you wont need  to go and look and the others surely.... no we still will, ok no problem don't try a rob a bank with a banana then my friend come back when you some intent of following through.

[andymc1973 199]

had a few on the 13th/14th car they have viewed

[NOACROSS 414]

It does seem to be Idiot Day/week/month so far! 

[MattR 177]

Ive just had one back in for a viewing with their mechanic, he told them they would get one for less privately. I agreed. He'll regret saying that when they have him looking at 10 cars next week. Never get my head round why the mechanic says that, he's there to say if its OK or not. 

[David Ayers 171]

1 hour ago, Matt Reid said:

Ive just had one back in for a viewing with their mechanic, he told them they would get one for less privately. I agreed. He'll regret saying that when they have him looking at 10 cars next week. Never get my head round why the mechanic says that, he's there to say if its OK or not. 

Yes of course Mr Punter you will get one cheaper privately. Of course you won't get any warranty but if your mechanic is guaranteeing there won't be any problems.....

[Arfur Dealy 823]

6 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

This. Get quite a few calls asking for late viewings etc. When we say sure we take £100 reservation fee they suddenly don't want to. That's fine come on the 7 days we are open during the long normal operational hours we do then.

Exactly 

[Nick M.K. 574]

3 hours ago, Matt Reid said:

Ive just had one back in for a viewing with their mechanic, he told them they would get one for less privately

A mechanic that was inspecting a car for one of my customers (they sent me to him) told me: It's near perfect, it has a small oil leak and ideally the front discs and pads should be changed in the next few months so I can also earn something from it as well as you...

A very sensible guy :-) Of course he would prefer the cheap private car with a long list of potential "earners" to be done...

16 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Take a deposit over the phone and guarantee accuracy.

They don't want accuracy Simon. They want a bargain, a mission, an experience, a project, a hobby, a talking topic for the mates at the pub and everything else that we hate. Some do leave a deposit though. Others say "That's a greeeeaaaaat shame" when I call them to cancel their viewing because the car has been sold. 

[BHM 994]

4 hours ago, andymc1973 said:

had a few on the 13th/14th car they have viewed

It’s absolutely f***ing desperate at the moment - I’ve done a couple of long termers this week (yeah!) but I’ve also dealt with a couple of absolute time wasting tyrekickers this week, today I terminated a viewing and sent the family packing within 3 minutes of arrival! The email queries have been pitiful (best price mate) and phone offers derisory - I told one Nigerian gentleman “Don’t embarrass himself, you’ve got £2500 so you should look at £2500 cars. I don’t go to the supermarket, look at the prices on the shelves then try negotiating with the shop assistant, that’s a greedy man’s game”. He didn’t sound amused.

 

19 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

They don't want accuracy Simon. They want a bargain, a mission, an experience, a project, a hobby, a talking topic for the mates at the pub and everything else that we hate. 

Absolutely 100% correct. They either want something for nowt or are just tyrekicking.

[It's me 609]

5 hours ago, Matt Reid said:

Ive just had one back in for a viewing with their mechanic, he told them they would get one for less privately. I agreed. He'll regret saying that when they have him looking at 10 cars next week. Never get my head round why the mechanic says that, he's there to say if its OK or not. 

if a mechanic ever comes out with this line to me i know they arent going to be letting the customer purchase because they think they can go up the block after finishing their paper round monday night and think they will nick one as good for lots less and then they want to trouser the difference it was to yours

they are a waste of space but fortunately most proper mechanics dont even want to be there at your place because helping people often kicks you up the bum