PersuasiveConcepts.com

Have you ever walked into a place and got the vibe that nobody wanted to be there? Not the customers or even the employees? That’s how I felt the first time I walked into this dealership, and each time afterwards. First, I noticed that there was no music playing, then I noticed only scowls, no smiling faces.The vibe was all wrong.

Everybody, employees included, had their arms crossed in front of their chests, their body language saying, “Don’t approach me, I’m standoffish!” Even the expressions on their faces said I didn’t want to be there, there was contempt written all over the faces of the salespeople, anger and fear on the customers. Is this your dealership?

Just walking in the front door, past the unsmiling, unwelcoming receptionist was enough to put me in a bad mood. I didn’t WANT to be there, after 60 seconds I was ready to leave. What vibe is your dealership putting off?

The decor was all off as well, plastic plants trying to lend to a home like look came off as fake and slightly annoying. No pictures of family, or even happy customers for that matter (probably because they’re aren’t any), adorned offices or desks. The first salesperson I saw I walked up to him, put my hand out and said, “My name is David, and you are?”

I received a limp fish of a handshake in turn, a slight frown and then, “Are you here to buy a car?” There was no emotion behind the words, his gaze somewhere behind me, it was all I can do not to turn around to see what he was looking at.

“No,” I said. “I’m here to to help you, and the rest of the salespeople generate your own leads. How’s you’re day going?”

“So you’re not here to buy a car,” he said, his gaze still behind me. ” That’s how my day is going.” No smile, no nothing.

“I know how that is! What’s your name by the way?”

For the first he looked at me and seamed to see me for the first time, he said “Mark?” Almost as if he wasn’t sure that was his own name, almost as if it were a question instead of a definitive statement. His gaze shifting, once again, to behind me.

“Well, I gotta run Mark. It was a pleasure. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Mmmhmm,” was all I got in return.

To one degree or another this is how everybody acted, as if they didn’t want to be there. I didn’t either. They sold plenty of cars but had horrible online reviews, no repeat traffic and hardly any referrals. In effect they had reduced car shopping into a commodity, where they raced to the bottom, sacrificed profit, and concentrated on units sold instead of gross.

Bottom line? People came because they were the cheapest. They sold below invoice, were completely void of any customer service, and hated the fact that they were alive. At least it seemed that way.

The morning meeting was more of a whipping sessions. A don’t do this or your fired session, one devoid of any direction or motivation. Yes, even the manager hated his job. Do you?

Is your dealership throwing off the don’t buy from me signals like this one was? Are you curious as to the name of this dealership? I’ll give it to you if you ask nicely? The answer? It’s your dealership. Take a closer look and you will see that I’m right. If not, tell me what makes your dealership different in the comment section below. I don’t mind being wrong. So, is it you?