Are the days of "A Gentleman of the Trade" dead and buried?

[Phil H 124]

What really peeves me off is the way everybody looks down on us in the motor trade as if we are scum of the earth and we'd sell your mother for a fiver. I've been speaking to a hell of a lot of Dealers from various parts of the country and of varying sizes explaining what I'm doing and the reasons behind it and I tell you what I have never spoke to so many Polite, Courteous, Respectful and Welcoming people for years. It's amazing how many of them share the same views as me, but what I really find encouraging is they all say enough is enough and instead of fighting each other are prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder to protect their livelihoods before it's too late. 

Speaking to them brought back the good old days where you could just chat for ages, build relationships, swap opinions everyone's head was between their bum's as they've had to lay staff off and take on more duties themselves to keep there head above water due to ever decreasing margins but they still had the time of day and respect for me. When they picked up the phone and I introduced myself the first thought that probably went through their head was "oh no not not another telesales call" by the time the call ended we'd laid the foundations of a long relationship to come. 

So IMO the days of "A True Gentleman or Woman of the Trade" aren't dead but instead making a comeback and I look forward to having a close prosperous close working relationship with you for many years  to come. 

[James Bush 95]

I work in a small town with 5 car dealers, bit over kill for the size of the town and customers who come from far away always comment on how many there are and how do we all survive but from day one we've all worked together rather that going head to head with each other so all have a slightly differing stock profile, we all have a good chin wag when we see each other and will quite happily underwrite each others part exchanges or point customers in the right direction if they arrive at the wrong dealer which is quite different from the impression most folk have of the motor trade.

I travel the country buying stock and I find most in the trade are polite, pleasant folk who enjoy there job and are not the type I started with in the motortrade 20+ years ago where sales staff would do anything to get the sale, maybe the modern world of the internet and sales of goods act changes have helped focus the mind a little from profit to customer care a little more?

If I do come across an unfriendly type its normally some fake Rolex wearing sales manager at a main dealer, I came across the type a few weeks ago when collecting a car from dealer auction, kept us hanging around for 10 minutes while just chatting and laughing in an office with the other staff, came out and shouted around for somebody to help him (he only had to open the key cupboard, took the p155 out of the young service receptionist then made a big deal of telling us how busy they are and how much money they're making.

[justina3 518]

the rise of social media and the shows such x-ray and the ferret now they do have a place i agree but all they ever show is the negatives never the good side, so people are kind of lead in to that feeling that all we want to do is part them with there money and prey never to see them again. 

 

 

[sparky 274]

2 hours ago, justina3 said:

the rise of social media and the shows such x-ray and the ferret now they do have a place i agree but all they ever show is the negatives never the good side, so people are kind of lead in to that feeling that all we want to do is part them with there money and prey never to see them again. 

 

 

If I was in TV I'd be working on a program for those greedy little punters who thought they were getting a bargain then cried  to Anne when it all went pear shaped. The ones who bought a 10 plate focus diesel with 50k on for 2k which turned out to be an ex taxi, an iphone 6 for £20 quid which turned out to be a bar of soap or some land that was full of frogs and newts in the middle of nowhere but in 10 years would suddenly become the next Kensington.

 

My title for this program would be simple. You bought it, tough ****!

 

Apologies for going off topic.

[justina3 518]

i think thats very on topic, the show i feel covers some well deserved rouges and good for them hope they get all they deserve, just wish they added an end line like crimewatch used to.