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What to do with lying customers

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#11
I think that customers lie (or tell us they'll show up for an appointment) as a means of brushing us off. What if we started showing the customer that we're investing time in them.

"Okay, Mr. Customer - I'll put you in our appointment book for 1:15 PM tomorrow - I'll have the car pulled up & ready [and if it's a used car] make sure I have the Car Fax & the Repair Order printed out for you and I'll make sure I'm not with anyone else. If you wind up running late [DON'T EVEN MENTION NOT SHOWING UP], please give me the consideration of letting me know via phone/text/email." People are people and I think once they realize that we as Sales Professionals are investing time in our customers - they're more likely to let you know they're running late.

It's about the customer (obviously) - but we also need to let them know that we're investing time in them and they should be respectful of it. Don't be afraid to say these things! Customers won't get mad - they'll respect you even more for it!
 
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#12
We too see fewer leads, floor traffic and lower show rates in Sept. & Oct. along with a larger percentage of extremely unrealistic ideas, gross inequity & UTOF scores.
I'm not sure what the cause is; however, I think it is a combination of people hunting harder for deals with the holidays approaching, people who know they're in a bad way being scared of trying to get through winter in their current ride and the inflated OEM ads for "end of the year" deals.
So the question becomes, what can (or does) your store do to overcome these issues?
 
#14
skeetle said:
I think that customers lie (or tell us they'll show up for an appointment) as a means of brushing us off. What if we started showing the customer that we're investing time in them.

"Okay, Mr. Customer - I'll put you in our appointment book for 1:15 PM tomorrow - I'll have the car pulled up & ready [and if it's a used car] make sure I have the Car Fax & the Repair Order printed out for you and I'll make sure I'm not with anyone else. If you wind up running late [DON'T EVEN MENTION NOT SHOWING UP], please give me the consideration of letting me know via phone/text/email." People are people and I think once they realize that we as Sales Professionals are investing time in our customers - they're more likely to let you know they're running late.

It's about the customer (obviously) - but we also need to let them know that we're investing time in them and they should be respectful of it. Don't be afraid to say these things! Customers won't get mad - they'll respect you even more for it!
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I do 100% of this all the time.

These customers, especially in slow months like this one we are in now, have no intentions of purchasing a vehicle, none whatsoever. It's like they are addicted to shopping online for something, have way too much time on their hands, and they love every second of it.
 
#16
sryan said:
I do 100% of this all the time.

These customers, especially in slow months like this one we are in now, have no intentions of purchasing a vehicle, none whatsoever. It's like they are addicted to shopping online for something, have way too much time on their hands, and they love every second of it.
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It never bothered me or the team when a customer no showed after confirming the appointment two or three times. The blame goes to the person setting the appointment and who is training them. If you're not giving the customer a reason to come in and giving them to much information (Order Taker) what reason do they have to come in for???

Can you use a gift card? Yes, but isn't every other dealer doing the same? Depending on the customers wants and needs and giving them two or three reasons why they need to come in now is the key.

I had fun with it when a customer no showed. I would call the customer at 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM and ask: if they were still coming in, the reason why is because I was still at the dealership waiting on them and if it was OK for me to go home now:) "I was at home" Doing this every time a customer no showed helped me get them in the store and I close 75% of them because they felt obligated to me.


I love car sales and the challenges it comes with!

Manny
 
#18
Manny Luna said:
It never bothered me or the team when a customer no showed after confirming the appointment two or three times. The blame goes to the person setting the appointment and who is training them. If you're not giving the customer a reason to come in and giving them to much information (Order Taker) what reason do they have to come in for???

Can you use a gift card? Yes, but isn't every other dealer doing the same? Depending on the customers wants and needs and giving them two or three reasons why they need to come in now is the key.

I had fun with it when a customer no showed. I would call the customer at 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM and ask: if they were still coming in, the reason why is because I was still at the dealership waiting on them and if it was OK for me to go home now:) "I was at home" Doing this every time a customer no showed helped me get them in the store and I close 75% of them because they felt obligated to me.


I love car sales and the challenges it comes with!

Manny
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I did this in my younger days, this worked before I got married. Im on our CRM 24/7 which my wife tolerates. I could only imagine if I was on the phone at 10 or 11 at night with customers what I would hear from that. No offense but time with my family is greater than any sale made
 
#19
sryan said:
I did this in my younger days, this worked before I got married. Im on our CRM 24/7 which my wife tolerates. I could only imagine if I was on the phone at 10 or 11 at night with customers what I would hear from that. No offense but time with my family is greater than any sale made
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Like I said, we did it for fun and it worked, My wife ran the BDC:)

The blame goes to the person setting the appointment and who is training them. If you're not giving the customer a reason to come in and giving them to much information (Order Taker) what reason do they have to come in for???
 
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