Luxury Sport Car Industry - W**NKERS!
Discussion
It appears that the "exotic-ness" (new word) of the cars you deal with (whether it be buying/selling/servicing/modifying) is inversely correlated with the "quality" of people you meet when doing the aforementioned activities.
It need not be Ferraris - anything from a Merc to a Lambo - a lot of the guys involved in the Motor trade deliver SHOCKING attitude - and what amazes me is that the more you pay for your machine the more you are treated like a fu*king as*hole.....
Does the fact that you service/sell/broker blah blah a very expensive car mean that you can act like a prick? It appears it does.
Anyone agree - has somebody on this board actually dealt with a institution/individual in this business that was an exception to what I've just said. Be interested to know.... should've posted it under General Gassing......
It need not be Ferraris - anything from a Merc to a Lambo - a lot of the guys involved in the Motor trade deliver SHOCKING attitude - and what amazes me is that the more you pay for your machine the more you are treated like a fu*king as*hole.....
Does the fact that you service/sell/broker blah blah a very expensive car mean that you can act like a prick? It appears it does.
Anyone agree - has somebody on this board actually dealt with a institution/individual in this business that was an exception to what I've just said. Be interested to know.... should've posted it under General Gassing......
I've once visited Ferrari at the IAA exhibition in Frankfurt. People were quite nice; Luca de Montezemolo (sp?) had a chat with me, and staff let me and the girl who was with me, have a seat in all their cars (it was the launch of the 456 IIRC). Maybe it was because I had an international press ID 
Salesmen at Merc and BMW were quite arrogant to
rs, even when I worked for BMW.
Most of the arrogant people in business are those who lack of education and have to wear a suit in their job. A weak personality sums it up.
>> Edited by Bodo on Thursday 6th March 12:36
Salesmen at Merc and BMW were quite arrogant to
rs, even when I worked for BMW. Most of the arrogant people in business are those who lack of education and have to wear a suit in their job. A weak personality sums it up.
>> Edited by Bodo on Thursday 6th March 12:36
I couple of years back I was at an outside car show. The local mercedes dealer had a fair sized stand which I strolled up to. At the time I was a contractor and could easily have afforded any of the cars they had there (I had a 328 in the garage + an M3 for going to work in).
As I approached the cars the salesman locked all of them in turn on their remotes.
I will never, ever, ever buy a mercedes now, not if they were the last car on earth. I'd rather walk!
As I approached the cars the salesman locked all of them in turn on their remotes.
I will never, ever, ever buy a mercedes now, not if they were the last car on earth. I'd rather walk!
Manu
I take it that an individual has pissed you off big time. I look forward to hearing about it although obviously not via this forum.
I have found in the past it helps dealing with people who are as mad about the cars as I am. Also the direct blunt approach, leaving people with no uncertainty as to what I expect of them, else I'll be taking my business elsewhere seems to be appreciated (well they still smile at me).
DAZ
PS - Rich, your "shrugged shoulders" treatment on a cetain sunday afternoon at the so called UK importers of your vehicle left me in utter disbelief.
I take it that an individual has pissed you off big time. I look forward to hearing about it although obviously not via this forum.
I have found in the past it helps dealing with people who are as mad about the cars as I am. Also the direct blunt approach, leaving people with no uncertainty as to what I expect of them, else I'll be taking my business elsewhere seems to be appreciated (well they still smile at me
). DAZ
PS - Rich, your "shrugged shoulders" treatment on a cetain sunday afternoon at the so called UK importers of your vehicle left me in utter disbelief.
dougt said: I couple of years back I was at an outside car show. The local mercedes dealer had a fair sized stand which I strolled up to. At the time I was a contractor and could easily have afforded any of the cars they had there (I had a 328 in the garage + an M3 for going to work in).
As I approached the cars the salesman locked all of them in turn on their remotes.
I will never, ever, ever buy a mercedes now, not if they were the last car on earth. I'd rather walk!
Now thats SHOCKING!
In a situation like that I think I would have resorted to very loud jokes about the war. How dare they make assumptions like that?
Matt.
Went to the local Merc dealer a couple of months back, toyed with the idea of a SL55. The sales guy approached me I told him I was interested in the SL55 they had in the showroom at £16k over list but I would not pay over list. The guy said he just had to pop awy for a few moments and next thing I know hes upstairs in his office with his feet up. TW@t.
Do they not realise that the people walking in through they glass and aluminium marketing palaces are the people who allow them to be there?
As a matter of course when going to buy a car I make as much effort as possible to be scruffy, just to piss of the neauv having to write out the order ticket. Just so they know where they stand in the grand scheme of things mainly.
Matt.
As a matter of course when going to buy a car I make as much effort as possible to be scruffy, just to piss of the neauv having to write out the order ticket. Just so they know where they stand in the grand scheme of things mainly.
Matt.
rich1231 said: Went to the local Merc dealer a couple of months back, toyed with the idea of a SL55. The sales guy approached me I told him I was interested in the SL55 they had in the showroom at £16k over list but I would not pay over list. The guy said he just had to pop awy for a few moments and next thing I know hes upstairs in his office with his feet up. TW@t.
rich1231 said: Went to the local Merc dealer a couple of months back, toyed with the idea of a SL55. The sales guy approached me I told him I was interested in the SL55 they had in the showroom at £16k over list but I would not pay over list. The guy said he just had to pop awy for a few moments and next thing I know hes upstairs in his office with his feet up. TW@t.
A letter to Daimler Chrysler UK setting out your experience of the dealer asking them to recommend an alternative dealership, which is not part of the same group as the offending dealer, where customers are treated with a little more respect would be a a good place to start.
DAZ
Daz,
I agree about the letter but I cannot be ar$ed. Thing is if I go and look at cars in dealerships which I often do at weekends, I make it clear very quickly if I am just having a nose or serious about a purchase. I never waste their time and pride myself in "If i say Im gonna do it, I will" attitude. Wish they could all do the same.
The major importer incident a few weeks ago suprised me too. Total lack of product knowledge and the feeling I had interrupted a Sunday Tea Party. Of course I didnt look that great in my Benny hat!
The car is fixed now and coming back to me today yipppeee.
I agree about the letter but I cannot be ar$ed. Thing is if I go and look at cars in dealerships which I often do at weekends, I make it clear very quickly if I am just having a nose or serious about a purchase. I never waste their time and pride myself in "If i say Im gonna do it, I will" attitude. Wish they could all do the same.
The major importer incident a few weeks ago suprised me too. Total lack of product knowledge and the feeling I had interrupted a Sunday Tea Party. Of course I didnt look that great in my Benny hat!
The car is fixed now and coming back to me today yipppeee.
At the end of the day, in some dealerships, its how much money they smell on you; some really want to see the gold Rolex and Armani suit before they'll give you the time of day. They make a snap judgement based on your appearance and treat you accordingly. I suppose they do have to put up with an awful lot of timewasters and dreamers, but nothing justifies out and out rudeness.
rich1231 said:
Customer service seems to be a bad word these days.
I can only think of 1 company that I have dealt with recently (business AND personal dealaings) that has actually pleased me and delivered a quality service - it was French.
None of these stories come as a surprise. Walk into a showroom nowadays and you'll be frostily greeted by a fu*k-retarded peroxide receptionist who'll say "a sales exec will be with you shortly" - half an hour later some c**t will come out of some secret door and will act as if he's doing YOU a favour by selling you car.
But this "rot" extends to pretty much every aspect of the motor industry well beyond sales staff. And I promise you - if you deal with any machinery even remotely exotic then the C**T factor increases exponentially.
AlexH said: At the end of the day, in some dealerships, its how much money they smell on you; some really want to see the gold Rolex and Armani suit before they'll give you the time of day. They make a snap judgement based on your appearance and treat you accordingly. I suppose they do have to put up with an awful lot of timewasters and dreamers, but nothing justifies out and out rudeness.
I agree but what I say is -
THIS IS WRONG. JUDGE AT YOUR PERIL.
19 year olds kids in tracksuit bottoms drive Lamborghinis/Ferraris nowadays - I've seen it..
One lesson I've already learned is that you treat everyone the same - you NEVER know who has the readies... often it's the people stinking of cash who've got bollock-all that have the biggest problem "releasing funds."
AlexH said: At the end of the day, in some dealerships, its how much money they smell on you; some really want to see the gold Rolex and Armani suit before they'll give you the time of day. They make a snap judgement based on your appearance and treat you accordingly. I suppose they do have to put up with an awful lot of timewasters and dreamers, but nothing justifies out and out rudeness.
Well I look like shite most of the time. To be honest because I prefer receiving some customer service I smarten up a bit to go to a car dealership: They have to wear suits. Least I can do is put on a pair of chinos and a Pistonheads polo shirt to look at their lovely new car.
manu said:
AlexH said: At the end of the day, in some dealerships, its how much money they smell on you; some really want to see the gold Rolex and Armani suit before they'll give you the time of day. They make a snap judgement based on your appearance and treat you accordingly. I suppose they do have to put up with an awful lot of timewasters and dreamers, but nothing justifies out and out rudeness.
I agree but what I say is -
THIS IS WRONG. JUDGE AT YOUR PERIL.
19 year olds kids in tracksuit bottoms drive Lamborghinis/Ferraris nowadays - I've seen it..
One lesson I've already learned is that you treat everyone the same - you NEVER know who has the readies... often it's the people stinking of cash who've got bollock-all that have the biggest problem "releasing funds."
You are quite correct manu. Judge by deeds not appearance. But because so many *do* judge by appearance I just pander to 'em a bit. Makes life easier...
Manu you know the problems I've had especially more so because of my age. But I say again, I never had any grief from Maranellos or Graypaul. JCT were also very polite and did not dismiss me due to appearance or age. And trust me, I go into these dealerships looking like worse than a TRAMP!!
Now, if I get a sales guy being even a little snotty, I just get soooo damn rude its unreal, act like I have no time, and need to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about, and any inconsistencies with regards to details/specs etc I point out straight away in a very patrionising manner. I especially pick off points that I know are relatively uncertain in this murky world (e.g. servicing on a 355, I'm still learning what the exact schedule is!!) and ask them about that, see how much they know.
Its the same with some nightclub bouncers....... If you don't like your job F**K OFF and find another.
But seriously, service in general seems to be shit lately, in most industries.
Now, if I get a sales guy being even a little snotty, I just get soooo damn rude its unreal, act like I have no time, and need to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about, and any inconsistencies with regards to details/specs etc I point out straight away in a very patrionising manner. I especially pick off points that I know are relatively uncertain in this murky world (e.g. servicing on a 355, I'm still learning what the exact schedule is!!) and ask them about that, see how much they know.
Its the same with some nightclub bouncers....... If you don't like your job F**K OFF and find another.
But seriously, service in general seems to be shit lately, in most industries.
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