The tale of three car dealerships…

Recently I experienced the joys of shopping for a new vehicle. It’s funny how that one statement can elicit so many groans! It should have been a simpler process. I knew what I wanted. My husband and I knew the financial aspects of the deal. So why did it take three dealerships and over three hundred round-trip miles to make it happen? The experiences at three dealerships, all the same brand, were so different that I think it really provides interesting insight to business acumen.

Our local dealer was the first stop. They had a car that was a very late used model and fit the budget. We drove it and it was great. They offered a very good deal on the car but my husband realized that based on current incentives, it made more sense to buy a new model. Unfortunately, the local dealer didn’t have any new models and couldn’t get us one. Our salesman –who we had done business with before – was adamant that there were no new models “in all of America.” Really? ALL of America? Wow, that was a strong statement! Lucky for us, my husband wasn’t buying that line. We went home and hit the internet.

On to dealer #2. This one was about an hour’s drive away. We called and surprise, they had many new models. So much for the local dealer’s statement! So, off we went to dealer #2. Sure, they had the vehicle but they wanted to drastically undervalue my trade-in. Round and round we went. Really, do you think we aren’t prepared and we don’t know the numbers? Lucky for us, I knew of another dealership.

We went to lunch and a called dealer #3. This dealer is almost 2 hours from our home and close to a 3 hour drive from dealer #2. On the phone, this dealer was wonderful. I explained the situation and gave a realistic picture of my trade. They had vehicles, which they explained was because they preordered enough to overcome a projected shortage. This gave me the insight that the local dealer didn’t have the inventory because they didn’t plan correctly. They also gave me different figures which showed just how much dealer #2 was lying. So, we decided to go for it and make the long drive from dealer #2 to dealer #3. Upon hearing this, dealer #2 proclaimed, “There is NO way they will offer you a discount.” Really, now you have magic powers to know what another dealer will offer?

Needless to say, when we arrived at dealer #3, all the pieces fell into place. They used business acumen to plan properly and had the product their customers would be looking for. They also used business acumen in treating us fairly and with respect. There was no need for a test drive so within 30 minutes we were signing the paperwork and giving a deposit. The moral of the tale of three dealerships: In the age of instant communications, your potential customers have options. You have to be at your best so as to be their best and final choice.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”