Golf R Observations and Questions

[triode12]

I honestly have no clue who it was serge, but I expected that sort of talk from a Ford Dealer or a Car City Ringwood bomber jacket wearing, cigar smoking slick salesman, rather than a Dub dealer. It got me quite anxious. Appreciate your apology though bud. No hard feelings!

-Dan

Oh believe me, it happens with all of the VW dealerships I have encountered. They are no different from the rest.

[Serge]

I honestly have no clue who it was serge, but I expected that sort of talk from a Ford Dealer or a Car City Ringwood bomber jacket wearing, cigar smoking slick salesman, rather than a Dub dealer. It got me quite anxious. Appreciate your apology though bud. No hard feelings!

-Dan

I understand what you mean, unfortunatelly everyone is different. Dont forget we are here to make money, you are there to get the cheapest car

Why must you even use tactics?
Can't you just treat customers with honesty and integrity and trust them to make up their minds?
The usual tactic of making customers wait (stew) while the salesman goes to "consult the manager" may work but it puts a bad taste in the mouth for most people when they realise what you have done.

Another consequence of the games you guys play is that a lot of people are loathe of the car purchasing process . So would probably defer purchasing a new car instead of doing so more often. How is this helping your industry?

I am sure if you use the straight forward No BS approach, you'd make just as many sales and in return build up customer loyalty/goodwill which would lead to more sales via word of mouth recommendations. I have helped the finance manager for the dealership I purchased my cars from, with on going word of mouth sales of 6-7 extended warranty sales a week since Dec. So that is one benefit of treat a customer like me with respect and honesty. But treat me like dirt and you'll bet I'll tell everyone I know how crap you guys are.

I cannot understand why dealers have to resort to American style sales tactics in order to make a sale. Clients are no longer naive and with the help of the internet and forums like these are on to the tricks and tactics you dealers employ. So it behooves your industry to change for the better and adopt more honest practices even though your experience might tell you otherwise.

Look at the end of the day, im not here to argue and say who is wrong and who is right and why we or you are getting treated in such a way.
But see you found a person who you liked and referred people to. Everybody is different.
I know where you are coming from as well. If you received good experience you will tell 10 friends, but if you receive bad experience you will tell 100 friends.

[Mr_Bob]

triode12: I believe these games are a byproduct of the customers, in an environment where a discount is expected.

If you negotiated a price, and the rep didn't need to "check with the manager" then it implies that he still has room to negotiate further.
This would then prompt further pressure on the rep, who would need to check, and come back with a "no, that was our best offer."

That would raise concerns that the manager was never asked, he just went into the back room and had some biscuits


Questioning another business's integrity is never a good strategy, even if it is justified.
I think it would be best to ensure you have the correct options and corporate discount details, then encourage the customer to take that offer if you can't match it.

[Danny]

The usual tactic of making customers wait (stew) while the salesman goes to "consult the manager" may work but it puts a bad taste in the mouth for most people when they realise what you have done.

I am sure if you use the straight forward No BS approach.......

Bingo triode, this is why I bought off Sth Yarra VW (I can not recommend them enough). The salesman did treat me as a person, he was honest, friendly, normal, he never ONCE got up from his seat to consult the manager, he actually sat with ME and we both worked at his computer while he took off and added options to show me how the system worked and how individual options affected the price and the LCT, and where he could discount, and we sat there for 20 minutes until I was happy (read: Astonished) with what I saw. No BS, no Managers. The price was just there for me to accept, or not. No pressure. He did the best deal there and then without me even really haggling, he was just open and honest. No other dealer came close to the price, and their treatment of customers, so it was a complete no brainer, they deserved my hard earned, and will continue to deserve my business should I stay loyal to the VW brand.

South Yarra VW gave me the very best experience buying a car that I have ever, ever had. Period. And that sort of goodwill deserves business from as many people that I can throw them, and I sincerely hope that they get business from my testimonials, as a small family owned dealer, they derserve it

[Tim]

I had the complete opposite experience with South Yarra. I got the "ill ask my manager" line repeatedly even though my offer never changed. They even rang me the next day and asked if i had considered *their* offer. To that I replied it was you guys that were considering *my* offer!
The guy was like "ill go ask my manager and call you back in 5 minutes" I had to laugh!

That was a little while ago though. With all the fantastic reviews I hear about Burwin I think i'll head out there to buy my next VW.

[Serge]

Bingo triode, this is why I bought off Sth Yarra VW (I can not recommend them enough). The salesman did treat me as a person, he was honest, friendly, normal, he never ONCE got up from his seat to consult the manager, he actually sat with ME and we both worked at his computer while he took off and added options to show me how the system worked and how individual options affected the price and the LCT, and where he could discount, and we sat there for 20 minutes until I was happy (read: Astonished) with what I saw. No BS, no Managers. The price was just there for me to accept, or not. No pressure. He did the best deal there and then without me even really haggling, he was just open and honest. No other dealer came close to the price, and their treatment of customers, so it was a complete no brainer, they deserved my hard earned, and will continue to deserve my business should I stay loyal to the VW brand.

South Yarra VW gave me the very best experience buying a car that I have ever, ever had. Period. And that sort of goodwill deserves business from as many people that I can throw them, and I sincerely hope that they get business from my testimonials, as a small family owned dealer, they derserve it

Thats great to hear that. The person you have been sitting there was there for a long time, hence he didnt need to go and speak with his boss. Now, lets say you went to same dealership but to a person who has been there for 6 months and his pricing structure had to be approved by a manager. Most likely you would have different experience to what you had. Thats why im saying EVERYONE is different and there are always different circumstances for each case.
But im glad to hear that you enjoyed dealing with that person.

I had the complete opposite experience with South Yarra. I got the "ill ask my manager" line repeatedly even though my offer never changed. They even rang me the next day and asked if i had considered *their* offer. To that I replied it was you guys that were considering *my* offer!
The guy was like "ill go ask my manager and call you back in 5 minutes" I had to laugh!

Here is exactly what i was trying to say above to Danny

[Corey_R]

Lets stop this dealer discussion here guys. It's not the topic of this thread.
Triode, you purchased your car from the same place I did. I had a great experience with them too. Yet others have complained. Danny, you liked your experience at South Yarra, and that's great, but others have had the opposite experience, said they're the worst place they've ever been and gone to Serge's dealership.

As Serge said and Mr_Bob has alluded to, dealers are there to make money, customers are there to get the best price they can. Each person approaches the situation slightly differently. Looking around these forums, and some of the discounts people have expected and some people have received, the industry would not be able to survive if everyone got them.

[Danny]

Thats great to hear that. The person you have been sitting there was there for a long time, hence he didnt need to go and speak with his boss. Now, lets say you went to same dealership but to a person who has been there for 6 months and his pricing structure had to be approved by a manager. Most likely you would have different experience to what you had. Thats why im saying EVERYONE is different and there are always different circumstances for each case.
But im glad to hear that you enjoyed dealing with that person.

That I can 100% understand. Its never so much the dealer, as the sales rep who you deal with. I've also had 2 bad experiences with burwin in the past, but then a fantastic one this time around so yes, you can't always blame dealer as a whole, good or bad.

Corey R sorry to be OT, but Southampton... For while Morning Camilla is Docked.

[triode12]

Thats great to hear that. The person you have been sitting there was there for a long time, hence he didnt need to go and speak with his boss. Now, lets say you went to same dealership but to a person who has been there for 6 months and his pricing structure had to be approved by a manager. Most likely you would have different experience to what you had. Thats why im saying EVERYONE is different and there are always different circumstances for each case.
But im glad to hear that you enjoyed dealing with that person.



Here is exactly what i was trying to say above to Danny

Perhaps then your industry should do away with this different pricing structure for different levels of seniority arrangement. It would level the playing field and give all customers a consistent experience. Wouldn't it be better to sell to every customer you get even though you get a smaller profit margin. i.e. sell by volume.

The resultant increase in business would also then increase your dealership's goodwill/reputation exponentially and your customer patronship would snowball. You would then be hard pressed to keep people out of the showroom.As it is now, you have customers with both good and bad impressions of your dealership - how can that be a good thing?

I know you cannot please everyone but for those customers who try to lowball you, just stand firm and say that you cannot do the deal politely. Instead of playing the "I'll check with the manager" game or other unsavoury tactics.

Corey - this is my last post on the subject. I was not trying to start an argument with Serge, just want to try to suggest an alternate solution to his industry's practices.

[Fab_R]

Bingo triode, this is why I bought off Sth Yarra VW (I can not recommend them enough). The salesman did treat me as a person, he was honest, friendly, normal, he never ONCE got up from his seat to consult the manager, he actually sat with ME and we both worked at his computer while he took off and added options to show me how the system worked and how individual options affected the price and the LCT, and where he could discount, and we sat there for 20 minutes until I was happy (read: Astonished) with what I saw. No BS, no Managers. The price was just there for me to accept, or not. No pressure. He did the best deal there and then without me even really haggling, he was just open and honest. No other dealer came close to the price, and their treatment of customers, so it was a complete no brainer, they deserved my hard earned, and will continue to deserve my business should I stay loyal to the VW brand.

South Yarra VW gave me the very best experience buying a car that I have ever, ever had. Period. And that sort of goodwill deserves business from as many people that I can throw them, and I sincerely hope that they get business from my testimonials, as a small family owned dealer, they derserve it

I had exactly the same experience with Barloword Moorabin and the salesperson I dealt with.
I also feel the same way in so far as loyalty to the dealership is concerned as well as recommending friends and family to them..