Rude buyer towards sales person - seeing the other side

jmtandem wrote:

BUT, you were not there..
I really wish the OP would give more info here cause it sounds like you were the customer in his story since you are so adamant that the dealer was all wrong here!

In your first post you said this to the OP.

"Sounds to me like you watched a shrewd buyer..
And.. It was a good lesson for you..."

Really?

And this from above..
"And lastly the dealer will not have to 'floor' a new unit and saves that monthly cost to a bank if they can make a deal."

Now he has to floor the $55,000 on the trade at a likely higher rate!
and if the wholesale is only $25,000 t0 $35,000 now what? That money has to come from somewhere.

You sound like an intelligent person but not sure if you "really" understand the business side of this?
And as I said in my first post, if you heard the story first hand you may have posted similar to the OP..
Anyhow, that's just MHO, have a great evening all.

You are correct, perhaps the OP should offer more to the story and that might change some responses. I have yet to see anything about the buyer being rude but maybe he was shouting and insulting the dealer. We don't know. Not enough was shared. If the buyer was really rude, then that might change trying to work with him, but the OP has not verified or described any rudeness.

But I do know this. The sales manager blew off the potential buyer since that was shared by the OP; instead of responding with some numbers. And the OP did say the buyer had his numbers with him
(So when a customer brings in "HIS" numbers, the dealer should just use them? That won't happen. Sorry)

and shared them with the dealer. So, yea, not being there all we know is that the dealer let the buyer walk and that is never good for a dealer. Try to make the sale and only let somebody walk if things get to a huge impass. I suspect this 'genius' sales manager could have saved the sale and made the deal with offering counter numbers and working with the trade value, consignment, suggesting the buyer sell it himself or some combination of strategies.

I have been in sales, you never let a potential customer
(Seems dealer determined this was "NOT" a potential customer)

walk if you can do anything at all to save the deal. And in this case the potential buyer was accustomed to purchasing fairly expensive RV's, and apparently fairly often. That is far better for a dealer than somebody that doesn't have the money to spend for anything but bottom of the line used stuff or the person that keeps something twenty years. If the sales manager looked a little ahead he could possibly see several nice fairly expensive purchases from this person and all kinds of referrals by trying for a deal conclusion instead of blowing the guy off.

In sales, there are sales people and 'order takers'. Maybe the sales manager was an order taker and did not know how to really sell something. Maybe the OP will fill us in more about all this as we only have what he shared so far to base our assumptions on.

Unless there is more shared by the OP, my nod goes to the buyer as winner and dealer as huge loser. Maybe you can convince me to change my mind, othewise it is my opinion of what happened.

(No winner or loser here. Its just business. That buyer will end up with a different RV and that RV will end up with a different owner! Plus, I have no desire to get you to change your mind.. :W)

From the posts it seems that virtually all of us have been subjected to indifferent sales forces at RV dealers and shows. They often don't know their product; want to know if you will buy today before getting into any specifics of whatever deal there would be; can't find brochures; don't tell customers about the costs for PDI, starter kit, or even driver license endorsements that might be needed to use the RV; some will tell the customer their tow vehicle will be capable when in fact it may not be. Buying an RV is truly buyer beware terrority. Maybe not in all cases or all places, but certainly in many.

I don't see this potential buyer as wasting time or a just looking person. He came to the table wanting to make a deal and had his numbers. The dealer apparently did not care at least according to the OP. Makes me wonder if the OP heard the entire conversation or only a part of it. Every dealer I have met knows all to well how to play the trade- in numbers game to give the buyer the impression that they are getting far more than the actual value. Did the OP overhear the dealer trying to make a deal work?

If there is some part of me not understanding the business side of all this please tell me specifically what I don't understand so I can learn. Don't just say that I come across as intelligent but "don't really understand the business". That is not fair. You will not hurt my feelings, bring it on!!!!
(Really don't want to hurt your feelings. I am trying to be fair. :B )

Listen, I am not saying you are wrong.
You may be 100% correct that this dealer is the dumbest guy in the business.
I am trying to say that unless you were there, you can not make the assumptions you are!!!

Again---Why would the OP post this unless in his opinion, the customer was rude?
Body language, tone of voice, choice of words, volume of voice, invading personal space, all can indicate rudeness..
I don't know, have never met, have never communicated with the OP.

BUT, I fully believe he thought in this case the customer was rude.
Why would he even post.
Most posts are like, "I overheard a deal and you won't believe what an a$$ the salesguy was" this time was obviously different.
You don't believe the OP was right.
So we differ.
That's OK.
You think the OP and the sales guys were wrong.
I think the customer was.
We will never know for sure will we. :h


By the way.
I made my first retail sale in 1968. It was a Polaris snowmobile. Last sale-- Oct 2013 as I retired. Finally.. :W
I probably have spent 1000 hours at "shows" dealing with crowds of people. You have to sort them out to separate the "potential" buyers from the "know it alls" Can't always be correct but over time you learn. :B The rude ones don't get much time

I agree, it is impossible to know, without being there and knowing the whole story. Sales manager may have blown off a potential good customer. Or buyer may have had unreal expectations and been pretty obnoxious. Would be nice to hear more from the OP

2000 Ford E-350 (150,500 miles); 2011 Nash 27T (6335 miles)

How does the van tow the Nash 27? Is your van the extended 15 passenger model with the hitch a significant distance behind the axle?

WyoTraveler wrote:
That is why I call in my offer on the phone.

This is the only sale I did that I felt I did well on my part of the negotiation. This was before the Internet went big, I had done my homework, and knew exactly what I wanted. I called gave them all the numbers they needed for all the extras I wanted to put on the vehicle and gave them my figure. They called back shortly, and my wife and I met them in the sales room. That was back in 1999, purchasing my 2000 Ford E-350, which is in my signature. Never had as good a sense I got a good deal since then. When we walked out the salesperson asked what I do for a living.

winnietrey wrote:
Very often a business will actually charge a rude, pushy customer more, than someone they feel will be easier to deal with. Simply because the business feels if they have to put up with Mr jerk, they need to be compensated for it.

It is called the (well I won't say it out loud) But every business person knows what that factor is called.

The Jerk Tax.


Sometimes, it's difficult not to take it personal when you're trying to be up front, honest and hard working while the other party is being a clown, wasting your time. It doesn't matter which side of the table you represent.
On my last attempt at trading in a truck, one offer was so ridiculous, I told the salesman, "That's like a kick in the..." and immediately walked out. I'll never go back and I haven't forgot who they are, if anyone asks. I also remember the dealer I purchased from and would be happy to share their name, too, with much enthusiasm. They treated me with respect, didn't insult my intelligence and understood I don't have all day to dicker around. In the Op, the sales-guy might have decided to nip it in the bud, Andy, and move on to lower hanging fruit.

BUT, you were not there..
I really wish the OP would give more info here cause it sounds like you were the customer in his story since you are so adamant that the dealer was all wrong here!

In your first post you said this to the OP.

"Sounds to me like you watched a shrewd buyer..
And.. It was a good lesson for you..."

Really?

And this from above..
"And lastly the dealer will not have to 'floor' a new unit and saves that monthly cost to a bank if they can make a deal."

Now he has to floor the $55,000 on the trade at a likely higher rate!
and if the wholesale is only $25,000 t0 $35,000 now what? That money has to come from somewhere.

You sound like an intelligent person but not sure if you "really" understand the business side of this?
And as I said in my first post, if you heard the story first hand you may have posted similar to the OP..
Anyhow, that's just MHO, have a great evening all.

You are correct, perhaps the OP should offer more to the story and that might change some responses. I have yet to see anything about the buyer being rude but maybe he was shouting and insulting the dealer. We don't know. Not enough was shared. If the buyer was really rude, then that might change trying to work with him, but the OP has not verified or described any rudeness.

But I do know this. The sales manager blew off the potential buyer since that was shared by the OP; instead of responding with some numbers. And the OP did say the buyer had his numbers with him and shared them with the dealer. So, yea, not being there all we know is that the dealer let the buyer walk and that is never good for a dealer. Try to make the sale and only let somebody walk if things get to a huge impass. I suspect this 'genius' sales manager could have saved the sale and made the deal with offering counter numbers and working with the trade value, consignment, suggesting the buyer sell it himself or some combination of strategies.

I have been in sales, you never let a potential customer walk if you can do anything at all to save the deal. And in this case the potential buyer was accustomed to purchasing fairly expensive RV's, and apparently fairly often. That is far better for a dealer than somebody that doesn't have the money to spend for anything but bottom of the line used stuff or the person that keeps something twenty years. If the sales manager looked a little ahead he could possibly see several nice fairly expensive purchases from this person and all kinds of referrals by trying for a deal conclusion instead of blowing the guy off.

In sales, there are sales people and 'order takers'. Maybe the sales manager was an order taker and did not know how to really sell something. Maybe the OP will fill us in more about all this as we only have what he shared so far to base our assumptions on.

Unless there is more shared by the OP, my nod goes to the buyer as winner and dealer as huge loser. Maybe you can convince me to change my mind, othewise it is my opinion of what happened. From the posts it seems that virtually all of us have been subjected to indifferent sales forces at RV dealers and shows. They often don't know their product; want to know if you will buy today before getting into any specifics of whatever deal there would be; can't find brochures; don't tell customers about the costs for PDI, starter kit, or even driver license endorsements that might be needed to use the RV; some will tell the customer their tow vehicle will be capable when in fact it may not be. Buying an RV is truly buyer beware terrority. Maybe not in all cases or all places, but certainly in many.

I don't see this potential buyer as wasting time or a just looking person. He came to the table wanting to make a deal and had his numbers. The dealer apparently did not care at least according to the OP. Makes me wonder if the OP heard the entire conversation or only a part of it. Every dealer I have met knows all to well how to play the trade- in numbers game to give the buyer the impression that they are getting far more than the actual value. Did the OP overhear the dealer trying to make a deal work?

If there is some part of me not understanding the business side of all this please tell me specifically what I don't understand so I can learn. Don't just say that I come across as intelligent but "don't really understand the business". That is not fair. You will not hurt my feelings, bring it on!!!!

I may not get the "best" deal, but I never get one that I am not happy about.

As I have said previously, the posters here are the "best" negotiators and they always find the best deals. If you don't believe me, ask them. :Z

And if the sales manager from experience, feels that there just is no way to make this customer happy and sell him a rig. He is far better off to say good bye nicely, and move on to someone he feels he can work with.

That makes him a smart sales manager, not a dumb one.

jmtandem wrote:

You can negotiate, a very good price on the correct unit. That said the dealer is not in business to loose money. They may loose money just to get rid of a last year hold over, heading to being two years old, but it will not have a great floor plan or be a top of the line unit.

The sales manager at this dealership was not smart. The dealer makes money on the sale of the new unit, on the financing (if financed), on the aftermarket sales in the parts dept, on the paid for by the buyer maintenance after the warranty, on charging the buyer for the PDI (some dealers), on the $50 'starter kit' they sell for $250, on buyers referrals of others to this dealership, and if the unit was manufactured by a major manufacturer on incentivies at the end of the year for selling more not less RV's. Also, the dealer makes money on the potential buyers trade-in when re-selling it. And lastly the dealer will not have to 'floor' a new unit and saves that monthly cost to a bank if they can make a deal. Now tell me why can't a smart sales manager find a number to give the potenital buyer to counter his numbers and keep the sales negotiation going? Instead this 'genius' of a sales manager basically told the buyer to come back when he is ready to pay the dealer's prices. It is never smart to let a potential buyer walk. Never!

..........and the buyer goes and buys what he wants someplace else. And refers his friends to that other 'better' dealership.

BUT, you were not there.. :h
I really wish the OP would give more info here cause it sounds like you were the customer in his story since you are so adamant that the dealer was all wrong here!

In your first post you said this to the OP.

"Sounds to me like you watched a shrewd buyer..
And.. It was a good lesson for you..."

Really? :?

And this from above..
"And lastly the dealer will not have to 'floor' a new unit and saves that monthly cost to a bank if they can make a deal."

Now he has to floor the $55,000 on the trade at a likely higher rate!
and if the wholesale is only $25,000 t0 $35,000 now what? That money has to come from somewhere.

You sound like an intelligent person but not sure if you "really" understand the business side of this?
And as I said in my first post, if you heard the story first hand you may have posted similar to the OP..
Anyhow, that's just MHO, have a great evening all. :B