Why wait for a manager? Christine Plunkett
The archaic practice of lassoing a car shopper into the showroom and making them wait while the over-caffeinated salesperson scampers back and forth to the great and powerful Oz for price and payment negotiations… well… it sucks! You need a better pencil tool.
Shoppers, in most cases, have done extensive research on the vehicle or vehicles of interest online. They understand the price and available promotional offers better than your green pea “product specialist,” and they want to get down to brass tacks. Assuming this is not your shoppers first rodeo, they will likely balk at the sales person’s, “follow me” command and utter the dreaded, “I just want to know the best price” or “I’m not ready to buy today, I’m just looking.”
The Hail Mary plea that they “at least meet your sales manager before they leave” is the ultimate confession of defeat. Where is the sales manager, anyway? In the sales tower. The magical, mystical, off-limits land of financial wisdom and secrets. Assuming the shopper pities the agent enough to consent, the manager will descend from their throne and hit ‘em with the eloquent, “So, what do we have to do to put a deal together today?” Reminder, this person has still not been presented any price or payment information.
If this scene plays out in the dealer’s favor, the shopper will once again be asked to take a seat, enjoy a cup of coffee, and die a slow death impatiently waiting for THE NUMBERS. Every car dealer knows how long it takes to pencil a profitable yet appealing offer. The shopper is uncomfortable, on guard, and prepared to fight. The sales agent is prepared to do battle against both the customer and the desk manager. Everyone is on edge. There must be a better way.
What would it take to evolve the sales process so that the shopper and the salesperson are on the same page, looking at the same ACCURATE numbers without the back-and-forth nonsense? A car dealer pencil tool that is evolved.
It is possible. It requires a mindset shift and the right technology. Innovative dealers who want to appeal to the new generations of shoppers must adapt to the new normal. Quick, easy, frictionless transactions are a must.
Why make people wait for a manager?
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