A different but effective way to approach dealers

R

Richard Grasa

New member
A friend of mine asked me to come with him to test drive a car, so I did. As we were leaving the dealership I said oh by the way, if you guys ever need any detail work done, don't hesitate to give me a call, and handed him my card. He told me to show up the next day, they had a couple cars needing work. My friend did not buy the car, but I got tons of work from this dealer. This was about a year and a half ago. My friend is now looking for another car, so I'm going to go try to pick up a little winter work at some different dealers.



Just an idea if you want to try a different approach with the dealers. They won't see you as trying to sell them your service and be more relaxed about it. I've found that alot of them really put their guard up when detailers just come looking for work and this approach puts no pressure on them.



Thoughts?
 
I like it but I think you got lucky. Plus, you basically told the dealer you have no interest whatsoever of purchasing a vehicle. Also, if the dealer says they aren't looking for the work, they are still going to hound you with phone calls demanding you come down to the dealership to buy a car. Car salesmen are like attack dogs.
 
Could be I got lucky. I would only go with a friend who is really looking for a car, as it wouldn't be a dishonest approach, just handing them my card without trying to sell them. Plus he'd be the one they'd be calling to hound as he was the one looking for a car. It's a good way to put yourself in the dealer's mind without trying to sell them and if they don't bite at the time, you can always follow up a week later with an actual sales call.
 
I once lost one of my bigger Chevy accounts when a competitor detailing business owner tried leveraging the purchase of his new anniversary Vette in order to take over the detaling business for the dealer. It worked (for a few months), but eventully he lost it because he sucked.
 
David Fermani said:
I once lost one of my bigger Chevy accounts when a competitor detailing business owner tried leveraging the purchase of his new anniversary Vette in order to take over the detaling business for the dealer. It worked (for a few months), but eventully he lost it because he sucked.
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Serves him right. I'd never do anything like that to anyone. Business is business, but karma's a biatch. Just MO.
 
Business is business and I wouldnt feel bad about taking business from someone else. If you suck you suck, but if youre better, then the dealership would be lucky. Besides, this made David look better! Competition is what keeps us on our toes...



Almost forgot to say thats a great idea. I started telling people to take me with them when they buy cars. I also hooked up with my girlfriends cousin in law that just started selling used cars. I also started leaving my card in cars at dealerships, lol.
 
I think this is really a great example of always being in the sales mindset. Obviously if you're just randomly "test driving" cars solely to try and drop a card at the end of the exchange you're going to simply be using a lot of your and their time in an ineffective manner, but in this example, you're just always putting your name out there whether you're on or off the clock so to speak. Same thing as if someone at a gas station struck up conversation about your ride and you left them with a card at the end of some small talk, or at a Cars and Coffee, ect.
 
Quenga said:
Business is business and I wouldnt feel bad about taking business from someone else. If you suck you suck, but if youre better, then the dealership would be lucky. Besides, this made David look better! Competition is what keeps us on our toes...



Almost forgot to say thats a great idea. I started telling people to take me with them when they buy cars. I also hooked up with my girlfriends cousin in law that just started selling used cars. I also started leaving my card in cars at dealerships, lol.
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What I mean is I'd feel bad if I took business from someone else by using a car sale to leverage the deal. I would not feel bad, however taking the business because I'm a better detailer, gave a better price, etc.



David Fermani said:
My example just goes to show you how dealers will sell their sole in exchange for a new car sale....:)
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You're absolutely right. There is no loyalty whatsoever when dealing with dealers, IME. Even when they call you a personal friend, they won't hesitate to go use someone else to save 10 bucks a car even though they suck, or to make a sale. Maybe this isn't true of EVERY dealer, but the ones I have dealt with it is. I'm looking forward to working with a dealer who isn't like that, who can prove me wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
ExplicitDetails said:
What I mean is I'd feel bad if I took business from someone else by using a car sale to leverage the deal.



... they won't hesitate to go use someone else to save 10 bucks a car even though they suck, or to make a sale.
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Leverage is leverage. If you don't have any, you're not winning. Ask Renny Doyle what the number one mistake detailers make when operating a business. Forgetting it's a business.



Also, dealers are in the car sales business, not wash business. New cars are easy to wash/vacuum, no need for much quality there. Used car dealers, they are looking to save money at any cost to make that much more. People buy nasty used cars all the time. Dealers don't see the value in paying $10 more for quality most consumers can't see.



I prefer volume corporate sites over dealer work. You can still find the consistency, but customers are more loyal than dealers. I have no plans on messing with them for any type of volume work or discounts on my services. But, that's me!
 
Quenga said:
Leverage is leverage. If you don't have any, you're not winning. Ask Renny Doyle what the number one mistake detailers make when operating a business. Forgetting it's a business.



Also, dealers are in the car sales business, not wash business. New cars are easy to wash/vacuum, no need for much quality there. Used car dealers, they are looking to save money at any cost to make that much more. People buy nasty used cars all the time. Dealers don't see the value in paying $10 more for quality most consumers can't see.



I prefer volume corporate sites over dealer work. You can still find the consistency, but customers are more loyal than dealers. I have no plans on messing with them for any type of volume work or discounts on my services. But, that's me!
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I def see where you're coming from, but like you said, that's just me. We all have different principles we go by in life. I def never forget this is a business, but I do need to sleep at night and need to follow my own principles. I'd give up my business in a heartbeat if it meant I had to do things that *I* feel are unethical and if it means I will never make a million dollars because of it, then so be it. Just the way I was raised. If you are ok with doing things that *I* feel are not right, then more power to you, it's just not my way of going about things. I take back my comment where I said serves him right, as I see where you're coming from, we all do things our own way. Sometimes I wish I was more of a hardened business person, but then other times I am glad I'm not. No respect lost, just sharing my own beliefs.



But enough about what I believe in, I doubt many people care and I don't blame them. Let's discuss how to get some work to fill in the slow winter months and pay the bills!
 
Ethics is a tough subject and we all have our opinions of what is and isn't ethical. But, every business must take customers from someone else. Business ain't for everybody.
 
Quenga said:
Ethics is a tough subject and we all have our opinions of what is and isn't ethical. But, every business must take customers from someone else. Business ain't for everybody.
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Very true. But business is for me because I don't like to line someone else's pockets with my own hard work, I don't play office politics and I don't kiss *** to get ahead. I can find more than enough business for myself without doing things I feel are unethical. I'll take the business by being honest, hard working and putting out the best product possible and that to me is much more satisfying than telling a dealer that I'll buy a car only if he gives me his business.



This is not the direction I wanted this thread to go but that's the way of forum posting. Though I completely respect yours and anyone else's opinions, whether I agree with them or not.
 
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