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Consumer Advocates

ddavis

Boss
Jun 28, 2011
1,491
496
First Name
Doug
Warning! This is a rant.

If you are running an internet department of any size, you have, or have had, a consumer advocate ...a Ralph Nader type. They always take the customer's side and attempt to block any attempt for the dealership to make money. I don't understand the rationale and there is nothing that infuriates me more.

You have a nice 2007 model car on you lot. The salesperson runs in and tells you there is a scratch on the passenger side rear fender. My response, "it's supposed to have one" ..."its a used car" ..."if it didn't have one we would be obligated to add one".

Your ISM takes a customer to your price leader and the customer notices it has a stick shift. He apologizes for it and explains, "I can believe they advertise this stuff". He could have said, "this is a great vehicle for the price, if it is still here at the end of the day, I might buy it myself".

I overheard a customer tell the salesperson that she needed to turn in her lease car and pick out a new car. He proceeded to tell her that she may have equity in the car and lets get it appraised to see. She had no idea that this was possible and with a lot of coaching we ended up in the car $4000 more than we could have been.

I caught an ISM sending out an email with unpublished factory to dealer incentives.

Ever have an ISM pull up Kelly Blue Book to show how ridiculous the bid was on a customer's car?

I'm certain I'm not alone here.