How not to treat your pizza guy!

[Henning]

It was on Good Morning America this morning, I didn't watch the segment, but I saw the teaser!
The best move is to shut it down for a week or two, reopen with a new name, big "NEW MANAGENENT" sign out front and pray!

Yeah, but people will recognize them and the lie, probably make it worse than just saying "Sorry". Really, he shouldn't have a license from the state IMO.

 

[docmirror]

There are a some lies from salespeople, but you'd really be surprised at the lies from customers!
The old saying is "Salesmen lie, customers negotiate."
Most salespeople are honest hard working folks trying to feed their families, just like any other job, but the bad ones are really bad and the good ones you never hear about. Kind of like cops, the news seldom talks about the 1000's of arrests that happen everyday without incident, only the ones that go bad.
As an industry, especially in the 50'-90's we did ourselves a lot of damage by allowing customers to be treated badly. Most of those guys are long gone, but a few of them and that attitude is still hanging around. But, people still buy from them, so they must like that style of treatment.

The local Ford salesman was first rate. I went in shopping a few months back for a Focus replacement. I asked for the salesman with the most kids, and I got this guy in his early 30s with 4 of em. I really tried to buy a car from him but the money just didn't work out well. I left a nice email with the sales mgr even though I didn't buy a car there. If I get a car, I'll surely go back and ask for him again. Nothing worse than a bad salesman. The guy I bought the Toyotas from was a typical slob. When I asked for two prius'(Priuii?) in bright orange paint he looked at me for a second like I was from outer space. I almost walked right there, but it was for my kids.

 

[Henning]

There are a some lies from salespeople, but you'd really be surprised at the lies from customers!
The old saying is "Salesmen lie, customers negotiate."
Most salespeople are honest hard working folks trying to feed their families, just like any other job, but the bad ones are really bad and the good ones you never hear about. Kind of like cops, the news seldom talks about the 1000's of arrests that happen everyday without incident, only the ones that go bad.
As an industry, especially in the 50'-90's we did ourselves a lot of damage by allowing customers to be treated badly. Most of those guys are long gone, but a few of them and that attitude is still hanging around. But, people still buy from them, so they must like that style of treatment.

The good ones you hear about by word of mouth. Their customers follow them from dealership to dealership, brand to brand, across their career because they know they have someone that has their back with any problems and gets them taken care of like they are the most important person in existence. That is the level of service that isn't often taught in the industry, nor is our culture geared towards.

The scumbags aren't gone, they have the Buy Here Pay Here lots in the hood.

 

[Fredbob711]

The good ones you hear about by word of mouth. Their customers follow them from dealership to dealership, brand to brand, across their career because they know they have someone that has their back with any problems and gets them taken care of like they are the most important person in existence. That is the level of service that isn't often taught in the industry, nor is our culture geared towards.

The scumbags aren't gone, they have the Buy Here Pay Here lots in the hood.

Above the salesmen, you also have the managers. There are some truly horrible managers out there. And attitude reflects leadership.

My dad insists his salespeople treat people fairly and he works his butt off for them. He's had salespeople follow him from dealership to dealership for 20+ years across multiple brands because they like working for him. But from what I've seen (and I know I'm biased) he's one of the better managers in the area.

 

[Henning]

Above the salesmen, you also have the managers. There are some truly horrible managers out there. And attitude reflects leadership.

My dad insists his salespeople treat people fairly and he works his butt off for them. He's had salespeople follow him from dealership to dealership for 20+ years across multiple brands because they like working for him. But from what I've seen (and I know I'm biased) he's one of the better managers in the area.

You bet, that's why everyone in that office was a piece of crap, the owner/manager is a piece of crap. Leaders set the standard and their ilk end up surrounding them. That's why I don't think he should have a license in the business. There is a morals and ethics clause in the licensing for a reason, and this guy does not pass license issuance standards.

 

[poadeleted21]

There are a some lies from salespeople, but you'd really be surprised at the lies from customers!
The old saying is "Salesmen lie, customers negotiate."
Most salespeople are honest hard working folks trying to feed their families, just like any other job, but the bad ones are really bad and the good ones you never hear about. Kind of like cops, the news seldom talks about the 1000's of arrests that happen everyday without incident, only the ones that go bad.
As an industry, especially in the 50'-90's we did ourselves a lot of damage by allowing customers to be treated badly. Most of those guys are long gone, but a few of them and that attitude is still hanging around. But, people still buy from them, so they must like that style of treatment.

A friend of mine's family started it all, according to legend. They started a business in Memphis known as "Dobb's Ford".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27880-2004Jul30.html

Oh and I lie like hell to salesfolks. Just making sure they're not the only ones playing.

One thing that interested me drove me nuts while recently buying my new VW was that no matter how many times I told the sales guy "I don't care about payments, won't be making any" they kept coming back asking. "60 or 72 months" and "what can you afford on payments?", "Where do you need your payments to be?". I don't know how many times I had to tell them it was irrelevant to the converstation we were having.

 

[PaulS]

A friend of mine's family started it all, according to legend. They started a business in Memphis known as "Dobb's Ford".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27880-2004Jul30.html

Oh and I lie like hell to salesfolks. Just making sure they're not the only ones playing.

One thing that interested me drove me nuts while recently buying my new VW was that no matter how many times I told the sales guy "I don't care about payments, won't be making any" they kept coming back asking. "60 or 72 months" and "what can you afford on payments?", "Where do you need your payments to be?". I don't know how many times I had to tell them it was irrelevant to the converstation we were having.

I worked with a guy who was a car salesman in a previous career, he said the people who come in and say "I want this car and I absolutely will not pay more than XXX per month" were the biggest chumps he ran across. He said they used to have contests to see who could stick those people in the worse deal. Not nice people.

 

[docmirror]

Yeah, paying cash for cars generally irritates sales people. The lack of means to shaft the buyer with lots of fees goes way down. When I paid cash for the Toyotas the guy didn't bend over to help much.

 

[Henning]

Yeah, paying cash for cars generally irritates sales people. The lack of means to shaft the buyer with lots of fees goes way down. When I paid cash for the Toyotas the guy didn't bend over to help much.

I never minded cash one bit. One time a dad and kid came in with a bunch of water jugs of coins that have been saved for 16th b-day. No worries, called the bank and they sent down a van with a counting sorting machine. If you don't make 'back end' on the deals, your motivation and ability to **** people drops off to nothing. You can still screw them on misrepresenting quality, but that is easier to protect yourself from, and easier to resist doing.

The car business can work either way, provide a benefit in a community, or rip off a community. In the long run it is the ones that provide a benefit that prosper.

 

[pilot_dude]

A friend of mine's family started it all, according to legend. They started a business in Memphis known as "Dobb's Ford".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27880-2004Jul30.html

Oh and I lie like hell to salesfolks. Just making sure they're not the only ones playing.

One thing that interested me drove me nuts while recently buying my new VW was that no matter how many times I told the sales guy "I don't care about payments, won't be making any" they kept coming back asking. "60 or 72 months" and "what can you afford on payments?", "Where do you need your payments to be?". I don't know how many times I had to tell them it was irrelevant to the converstation we were having.

I interviewed with them in the late 80's and the distrust I smelled from them permeated my clothing for a week.
Ironically, when I called on the Dobbs group in the 90's, they also owned all of the Huddle Houses and Wendy's in Arkansas if memory serves me correctly.

 

[Gerhardt]

I worked with a guy who was a car salesman in a previous career, he said the people who come in and say "I want this car and I absolutely will not pay more than XXX per month" were the biggest chumps he ran across. He said they used to have contests to see who could stick those people in the worse deal. Not nice people.

I don't see the problem with that. Everyone has a budget. At least those people know to live within it.

The problem with the industry is that the price tags are HUGE and the prices are negotiable. I haven't bought a new car in a few years, but every time I do I'll take a look at comparable vehicles and the price tags and then offer what I think is a fair price. But I'm very up front about not going through the "let me talk with my manager" routine. If he can do it, great, if not, that's fine too. You'd be amazed at how many sales people still say, after that, that they need to talk with the manager. And every single time I get up and leave. I don't want to play games. I just want to buy a vehicle.

Twenty years ago I had a salesman at our Ford dealership who understood this. A nice guy too, and while he was there he was the only one I would work with. One day I was picking my car up from their shop when he saw me and came over to say hello. I mentioned that I'd be in sometime later in the year to look at trucks. He was quiet for a bit, then asked me to take a walk with him and he asked what I would be looking at. We looked and I saw one I liked, and he went to look at my car, took a few minutes doing whatever car salesmen do with numbers. Then told me I could have the new truck for x number of dollars after trade-in. The price was so good I couldn't NOT do the deal. So after the paperwork is done he's showing me all the features on the truck when his manager comes out and lays into him right in front of me. Most of you know me well enough...

"First of all, you don't ever speak to someone like that. Ever. But if you do have to speak to someone you do it privately. But I can promise you that I wouldn't have paid one dollar more for the truck today. You may have made a sale a year from now, but not today. If you're losing money on the deal, it's not a problem, keep the truck and I'll take my car back. Otherwise, I think you owe Joe an apology."

He didn't apologize, but instead laid into me. "That's not the place we START negotiating. That's where we end up if we HAVE TO!"

Car dealerships have the reputation they earn. Ours is known for good prices...but you pay for it in terrible service.

 

[poadeleted21]

I interviewed with them in the late 80's and the distrust I smelled from them permeated my clothing for a week.
Ironically, when I called on the Dobbs group in the 90's, they also owned all of the Huddle Houses and Wendy's in Arkansas if memory serves me correctly.

In other states too, and other restaurants. Were also responsible for providing airline food too. They long ago sold the car dealerships.

 

[Henning]

I have talked people out of cars when I thought they were stretching their budget too far or I didn't think they would be happy with (or safe in in one case) the car.

My favorite and easiest sale ever was a 5 stripe Airman who just got his 6th with a wife and 2 kids wanted to buy a new Trans Am. First off, I didn't have one to sell him today lol. Second off with insurance a new TA is going to cost $1500 month before you put gas in it and start it up. Third off, this is not Burt Reynolds T/A, this is over twice the horsepower less 30% the weight. This dude will die in the T/A, plus he will get a ton of tickets. I wouldn't have sold him one if I did have one.

However, I had a 200hp V6, 5-speed, T-Top, Firebird that had been delivered over 120 days ago. I explained to him the $1500 month reality (insurance $750, Payment $750) and the cop problem. I grabbed the keys to the Firebird and told him, "Take a ride with me". We jump in the Bird and I head for the highway ramp directly next to us and head for the bridge to Oklahoma. As I make the left onto the ramp I just light them up and go up half the ramp sideways holding it just under the rev limiter, hit second as she starts to swig straight and gave it another kick, scratched third and ran it out until I hit the limiter in fifth at 90 some then got out of it and off the ramp on the other side of the bridge. I switched seats with him there and he drove back sporting a chubby. Made the deal for sticker price in about 15 minutes.

 

[PaulS]

I don't see the problem with that. Everyone has a budget. At least those people know to live within it.

The problem with the industry is that the price tags are HUGE and the prices are negotiable. I haven't bought a new car in a few years, but every time I do I'll take a look at comparable vehicles and the price tags and then offer what I think is a fair price. But I'm very up front about not going through the "let me talk with my manager" routine. If he can do it, great, if not, that's fine too. You'd be amazed at how many sales people still say, after that, that they need to talk with the manager. And every single time I get up and leave. I don't want to play games. I just want to buy a vehicle.

Twenty years ago I had a salesman at our Ford dealership who understood this. A nice guy too, and while he was there he was the only one I would work with. One day I was picking my car up from their shop when he saw me and came over to say hello. I mentioned that I'd be in sometime later in the year to look at trucks. He was quiet for a bit, then asked me to take a walk with him and he asked what I would be looking at. We looked and I saw one I liked, and he went to look at my car, took a few minutes doing whatever car salesmen do with numbers. Then told me I could have the new truck for x number of dollars after trade-in. The price was so good I couldn't NOT do the deal. So after the paperwork is done he's showing me all the features on the truck when his manager comes out and lays into him right in front of me. Most of you know me well enough...

"First of all, you don't ever speak to someone like that. Ever. But if you do have to speak to someone you do it privately. But I can promise you that I wouldn't have paid one dollar more for the truck today. You may have made a sale a year from now, but not today. If you're losing money on the deal, it's not a problem, keep the truck and I'll take my car back. Otherwise, I think you owe Joe an apology."

He didn't apologize, but instead laid into me. "That's not the place we START negotiating. That's where we end up if we HAVE TO!"

Car dealerships have the reputation they earn. Ours is known for good prices...but you pay for it in terrible service.

The problem with that strategy was that the guys who ended up getting screwed would not know that they ended up paying 20 to 40 % more than they should have. Or they would walk out with a 6 year loan with that payment instead of a 4 year loan they could have gotten and would be none the wiser..

 

[pilot_dude]

In other states too, and other restaurants. Were also responsible for providing airline food too. They long ago sold the car dealerships.

Ah, yes, completely forgot about Dobbs airline food service.

Yep, AutoNation bought them lock, stock and barrel. I did a fair amount of consulting work with theme in their Fort Lauderdale corporate office. Good folks overall.