I was gently reminded by Meghan this weekend that I haven't blogged in a while… So here it is! I haven't had any good juicy topics, or maybe I just haven't been in the right blogging mood. But she's right, it's about time!
I'm sitting here in a fast food Americanized Chinese place here waiting on my dinner before I head to orchestra rehearsal. I long for the day in the future when you can pick up wireless internet like you can radio and TV stations.
I'm listen to my latest book in audio (from Audible.com, where for $14 a month you can get an audiobook, put it on your Ipod, and then your commutes to work aren't nearly as bad!), called "You Call the Shots." It's written by a 21 year old about his entrepreneurial exploits with internet businesses. He also works at his family's Ford dealership, and does really well there. And of course his parents keep wanting him to stop doing this kind of stuff (and making $100,000's) and go to college (so he can get an everyday job? What a joke!). Anyways he talks about what makes a good salesman… the person's job is to remove barriers to the sale.
Well this got me thinking to my recent car buying experiences. And I realized just how bad the sales people I've dealt with were. Not bad in terms of how they're treating me, etc., but bad in terms of selling. I usually went in there and was pretty open about what I was looking for, talked about some of the things that were getting me to buy the car, etc. But I don't think any one of them listened. Not that I need a car salesman to listen to me to make me happy, but it would behoove them to. And they weren't really interested in keeping a long term relationship. There were many times I wrote them and said "keep me in the loop for this and that" or even "when are you working over the holidays?" so I could come in and do some negotiating. No responses. One person from the Mazda dealership is pretty good about calling me up… actually to tell me that they had great financing deals and were closing out their 2007 inventory. That was great technique… except I wanted an Acura. Makes me wonder if I'd be a good car salesman…
4 comments:
Glad to see you're back in action Dale! :)
we want a post about other action going on! ;)
Why is a Mazda dealership contacting you if you want an Acura? Did you approach them first?
I haven't blogged in well over a week now, either. Oh well.
uh hem, martha, i've noticed you're mia'ness!
i think the problem with car salesmen is that they're not really trained. I think they are on the car facts but not on selling. Further, as i firmly believe manners are becoming extinct, common sense with regards to treating [potential] customers isn't so common.
(yes, I know, Karen. It was really more like 2 weeks than 1 week, wasn't it? But I blogged 2 days in a row. Two whole days! ;) )
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