What is your preference when shopping at a dealership?

[fried1765]

I like to be greeted and asked if I need help. I DON'T like getting the bums rush before I am even out of my vehicle. If I am just looking I will say so, then leave me alone... but don't disappear completely if I have questions. I was at the local Kubota dealer the other day shopping for a tractor. I was greeted shortly after entering the front door, very pleasant, turned out to be the owner. Pleasant chat until he asked what other brands I was looking at. When I mentioned I was considering the other orange brand, he went ballistic, you would have thought I shot his favorite dog. I promptly excused myself and went next door to the JD dealer. The JD dealer showed me some tractors, I decided which one I wanted, he wrote up the deal with a 20% discount since they were having a sale. The "sale" price was the same as the MSRP listed on the JD web site. I ended up with the other orange tractor.

With that sort of treatment, I would have done the very same.

 

[rdl]

Greeting your customers is an absolute must, regardless of the type of business you have. I have a course I offer to the businesses I work with, the majority of which is focused on sales and front line staff. While greeting customers is important, greeting them with a sincere and genuine attitude is equally important. People can sense the difference between a salesperson that is just going through the motions versus one that is sincerely trying to be helpful. Having that attitude means eliminating some bad behaviours on the part of the salesperson and some bad business practices on the part of the ownership. PM me and we can talk further if you like.

 

[Overtaxed]

My preference, come out, say hi, ask me what I'm looking for, point me in the direction; if it's complex or there are a lot of options, make sure I have some understanding, then leave me to walk around with a "I'll be inside after you take a look". Often I'll then ask them to join me on the lot and explain some stuff to me and give me some prices. That's a "perfect" dealer experience for me (either tractors or anything else really).

 

[Deere Dude]

I made an effort to drop in at a Kubota dealer to check some 45-50 HP tractors and their foot pedal function. I wondered round the lot and looked at a dozen different models, climbed up and played with the controls etc. It had to be at least 15 minutes. Then I walking inside and saw a salesman helping a woman at a desk so I looked around at the brochures for about 10 minutes. Then I walked back outside to decipher what I learned. I just sat back down in my truck to take off and a saleman perks up and asked if I needed some help. Not any more I told him. In all my years looking at JD stuff that never happened. They may think they are doing you a favor by being there, but most of the time they are timely.

 

[bdeboer]

I'm with the greet me, introduce yourself and ask what I'm looking for, then send me in that direction.

Prices can't hurt, but if I'm interested I will still find sales person that greeted me and ask for a quote