Audi dealer acts like douchebag...but I agree with them

[Xer0]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

That doesn't mean that they don't appreciate or want repeat customers.  And its not like this is a dispute over several thousand dollars worth of damage, no, its a little $500 deductible.  A $500 deductible that they would have gotten back during the life of ownership with service fees alone, which is also were most of the dealer's profits come from anyway. 

[AutobahnSHO]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

But if I (and lots of other people,) tell my friends I had a GREAT experience at XX place, they'll build up plenty of business in the long run.
If I (and lots of other people,) tell everyone I know that is looking for a car to never go to YY dealer, then they'll never be as successful as XX.

[sportyaccordy]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

eHow: How to Earn Repeat Business As A Car Salesman

http://www.izmocars.com/

The best car dealers using our iCRM averaged 60% of repeat business.

Common Car Dealer Sales Tricks

For every crooked car dealer, there are probably just as many for whom you really do come first, because the smart ones worked out a long time ago that repeat business and personal recommendations are the key to successful selling. And remember that line that you used to escape the car dealership, that you had to pick up the kids or mother-in-law, and would be back the day after?

Greater New York Automobile Dealer Association Homepage

Repeat Business: Dealers invest time and money in training, state-of-the-art equipment and building a strong customer base. They know satisfied customers mean repeat business ? and repeat business is, after all, key to maintaining a successful, long-term operation.

Jesus Christ, you are a fucking idiot. No offense.

[2o6]

eHow: How to Earn Repeat Business As A Car Salesman

http://www.izmocars.com/

Common Car Dealer Sales Tricks

Greater New York Automobile Dealer Association Homepage

Jesus Christ, you are a fucking idiot. No offense.

I wanna see how he'll refute this.

[Jon?]

I wanna see how he'll refute this.

Another strawman in 3...2...1...

[thewizard16]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

That's simply not true. Of course, they are in the business of making money off every sale, but repeat business is critical to car dealerships. A customer buys their A4 and has a positive experience, where do you think they're going to come first in three to five years when they want to replace it? I have a family member who has bought term new cars from the same dealer because they've treated him well, so don't tell me car dealerships don't care about holding customer loyalty. Customer loyalty and positive word of mouth is what keeps them in business.

[Rupert]

No, I'm pretty sure it's those super loud TV ads that keep dealers in business.

[GoCougs]

LOL - you turkeys have a lot to learn if you truly believe car dealerships, or any retail business, is about repeat business.

I end my win by citing Tueton's quote from page one, with emphasis added (you know, that friend of ours who worked at a BMW dealership):

At the BMW dealer, I made a point to greet all of the customers who I interacted with. I helped a guy learn how to use his climate control.

One day, there was a couple that had gotten pissed because their car was two hours late for delivery. I talked to a salesman and said that these people were buying a lux car and should be treated like they are, even if it was just a 3 Series. He told me that they were just purchasing a $40,000 car that happened to be at a BMW dealership. The luxury was the BMW itself -- not the dealer's workings.

That made me feel sick.

[Jon?]

LOL - you turkeys have a lot to learn if you truly believe car dealerships, or any retail business, is about repeat business.

I end my win by citing Tueton's quote from page one, with emphasis added (you know, that friend of ours who worked at a BMW dealership):

And your 'proof' about repeat business is a quote from a single salesman from a single dealership? 

Run along now.

[Rupert]

Repeat business is extremely important to retail in general, and if you think otherwise, I can see why you are an engineer.

[GoCougs]

Repeat business is extremely important to retail in general, and if you think otherwise, I can see why you are an engineer.

You work in (auto dealer) retail, possibly at some managerial level?

(Did you just see how I beat you?)

[Rupert]

Do you?

[GoCougs]

Do you?

First, you issued an ad hominem attack - the hallmark du jour of defeat - being the nice guy that I am I'll give you a pass since you weren't nearly as bitchy as the others in announcing it.

Second, you predicated valid judgment on working in retail yet you issue judgment yet you don't have a career in retail. IOW, you have explicitly stated that you cannot be right, thus you yourself pronounce your judgment wrong (all in the same post, BTW).

[Rupert]

Uh, no, that would be you.

[sportyaccordy]

Also, my uncle is a somewhat successful car dealer and has been in the game for about 10 years. He swears by repeat business

My dad, who is a doctor w/a private practice, doesn't keep people sick, but also values repeat business

Repeat business is great because it makes your customers do your advertising work for you at a much more successful rate than traditional means... for free

If someone doesn't see the value in that... they probably don't know shit about business

[dazzleman]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

That's not necessarily true with luxury car dealerships.  The customers for those cars are fewer, their competition is narrower, and once people buy cars at that level, they don't like to drop back to average cars.  So for them, it's worthwhile to hold on to customers and maintain relationships.  For a Chevy dealer, I agree with you.

[Tave]

LOL - you turkeys have a lot to learn if you truly believe car dealerships, or any retail business, is about repeat business.

You work in (auto dealer) retail, possibly at some managerial level?

My family has been in the dealership business for years (owned GM dealers).

You're as wrong as wrong can be.

[Onslaught]

#1 rule about car dealerships is they aren't ever in it for repeat business.

You're dead wrong. Perhaps in a huge city you can get away with that. But in smaller ones you MUST look for repeat business. And I'm not sure how long you could get away with not looking for it even in a big city.
My local Mazda dealer had a good reputation for years and I know we had repeat buyers. Then after some bad changes it all went down hill over the last 8 years. It's closed up now.

[sportyaccordy]

FWIW they might have just been wiped out by the downturn

But yea... unless you're a sleaze first volume dealer I can't see why repeat business wouldn't be a, if not the goal of a salesman

[dazzleman]

As I look out over our business landscape, from some of the retail outlets up to the executive suites of banks and manufacturing companies, it has occurred to me that maybe our problem is that the businessmen of the past couple of decades really are just not very good businessmen.

We've become captivated by certain ideas and ideologies, and fallen under the thrall of some sophistocated analyses, but we don't seem to be able to see that the results are bad.  We're losing ground on every front in the economy, as our infrastructure decays, our manufacturing base atrophies, and the great philosophies we follow have made us progressively poorer and deeper in debt.

Car dealers are no exception to this.  They've long had a reputation for following shoddy business practices and mistreating many of their customers.  Maybe people will find a way to go around them and buy cars without their dealers.  Some already have.  Then when the dealers go extinct, we can cry over all the lost jobs that result from that too.

Our businesspeople have been overtaken by the same short-sighted and blind mentality as our consumers.  When will we learn?

[Rupert]

Never.

[dazzleman]

Never.

You're probably right.  But I hope you're wrong.  Because we can't keep going the way we're going.

[Rupert]

People have been saying that since they were first allowed to have opinions...

[dazzleman]

People have been saying that since they were first allowed to have opinions...

And they've usually been right...That's why things are always changing.

Not sure you got the point I was trying to make.

[TBR]

I think it's important to note that while many people (why distinguish between managers, professionals, consumers, etc; it's across all members of society) are shortsighted, many are not. Let's not be too pessimistic here.

[Onslaught]

FWIW they might have just been wiped out by the downturn

But yea... unless you're a sleaze first volume dealer I can't see why repeat business wouldn't be a, if not the goal of a salesman

No, it was going under before the downturn. In the 90's it was the top selling Mazda dealer in the south east for years. For a few months it was the top selling Mazda dealer in the US. And I was told that in one month the top seller in the world. But a few changes made it's reputation become damaged and in 5 years after that it was gone.

[dazzleman]

I think it's important to note that while many people (why distinguish between managers, professionals, consumers, etc; it's across all members of society) are shortsighted, many are not. Let's not be too pessimistic here.

But the overall direction of our business and economic policies have been shortsighted.  It's getting harder and harder to deny the erosion we have suffered, as we have eschewed investment for consumerism.  We've dressed it up in all sorts of fancy theoretical language, but the result is that we're getting poorer.  We're exporting a trillion dollars of our wealth overseas year after year.

I'm not trying to be a pessimist, just a realist.  We can't fix our problems until we actually recognize and admit they exist, rather than masking them, as we did so successfully until pretty recently.  I am optimistic that we can find our footing again if we decide to face up to our problems.

[TBR]

But the overall direction of our business and economic policies have been shortsighted.  It's getting harder and harder to deny the erosion we have suffered, as we have eschewed investment for consumerism.  We've dressed it up in all sorts of fancy theoretical language, but the result is that we're getting poorer.  We're exporting a trillion dollars of our wealth overseas year after year.

I'm not trying to be a pessimist, just a realist.  We can't fix our problems until we actually recognize and admit they exist, rather than masking them, as we did so successfully until pretty recently.  I am optimistic that we can find our footing again if we decide to face up to our problems.

That's true, but as long as there are foresighted people out there we do have a chance.

[Rupert]

And they've usually been right...That's why things are always changing.

Not sure you got the point I was trying to make.

I got your point about shortsighted businesspeople, etc. My point is that I don't really think it's the people that have changed.

[dazzleman]

I got your point about shortsighted businesspeople, etc. My point is that I don't really think it's the people that have changed.

People never change.  But sometimes, the way we react to our circumstances change.