Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

I think it is a very interesting concept but it all depends on the preference of the shopper.

There are shoppers (like me) who don't want to be bothered initially by a salesperson, especially one who can't answer my basic questions about specs etc.

But then there are shoppers that really just want someone to tell them everything because they are too lazy to read the specs for themselves. (your button to request a salesperson is perfect here so long as the salesperson arrives within 20 seconds :)) ).

I actually enjoy being sold to if the sales person is good but if not, then it is very frustrating.

The best way to find out if it works is to try it :))

Good luck.

Matthew

Why not take this to the next level, and provide the information to the consumer - from their home computer. Once they see what they like, they could click to schedule a test drive/appointment.

Hard to say. There are probably some who would like it and some who wouldn't. We've all been trained so well to expect the personal sales approach when shopping for a car that this might be too jarring. On the other hand, that's the way we felt about bank tellers, library check-out, self-serve check-outs at the supermarket, and a bunch of other things.

You will probably have to try it to really find out the answer. I'm not sure there's a good way to get people to imagine how they'd respond, so it will be difficult to research the appeal of the concept.

P.S. What we think doesn't much matter ... unless you're selling to a bunch of marketing folks scattered all over the globe. The people who count are your customers and prospective customers. And the answer might vary based on the local culture.

Dear Chad,

Hateful experience, buying a car. Awful. That is, until you deal with the right sales person. My wife and I found two last year. One of whom actually asked "What can I do to earn your business today?"

Imagine that? Someone who knows about asking for the sale. Shocking!

The trouble with car sales people is that unlike the two people we found, they (often) don't come across as genuine or sincere. But when they DO come across as such, my word. I don't care how many iPod or virtual presentations there are on offer, there's nothing to beat the human connection.

Could your idea work? Of course it could, and I hope the thing blossoms for you, really I do.

But let's say you introduce this gadget. What makes you different? What does your box of tricks do or offer that www.cars.com do not offer or cannot do?

Will buyers actually want to wander around a forecourt or a car lot with an iPod? Have you asked them if they'd like it? And if not, why not?

It really is a great idea.

But what if it's raining? Do you charge potential customers if your little box of tricks gets wet, or if customers break it? What if someone drops one of your gadgets? Or runs off with it? Or isn't comfortable pressing buttons or is totally clueless about scroll wheels?

How easy is it to read the screen on a sunny day? Will people have to leave their credit card number? What about audio? Video? Larger type for people with bifocals? And on and on.

I'm not asking these questions to be a smarty-pants. I'm asking them because they're the kinds of questions you might wind up having to answer.

How are these machines dished out? A dispenser? A clueless flunky on minimum wage? Or the sales person? If it's the latter, why not just have them talk to customers?

One of my main gripes about car sales people is that, when you actually WANT help, you can never bloody well find someone capable, qualified, or interested in showing your makes and models (a point my one of my local Mazda dealers needs to take special note of!).

And when you are just looking? Well, the sales people are normally circling like bleedin' vultures! The whiff of blood and all that.

I say again, your idea is simply brilliant. I'd use it. But before you push on, think things through a little more. Ask lots of questions. Then regroup. There may well be dealers that would bite your hand off to franchise this idea, so if I were you, I'd patent it.

And soon.

Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA