Let’s face it; many people would rather see their dentist than visit a car dealership! To be honest, many dealers offer a pleasant, hassle-free buying experience. But, there will always be a few bad apples that spoil it for everyone else.
When I buy cars, I prefer getting them from private sellers. That’s because all you have to do is concentrate on negotiation. You don’t have to worry about them trying to sell you things you don’t want!
If I’m honest, I tend not to buy from an auto dealership if I can help it. Of course, that’s not to say I will never buy from a car dealer. In fact, the following seven reasons might persuade me to buy from them more often:
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- Sales staff that aren’t “pushy”
The stereotypical view of a car dealership involves getting accosted by pushy salespeople. They just won’t leave you alone, and follow you around like a bad smell! I’d be more inclined to buy from dealerships if they had staff that left you alone to browse in peace.
- Dealers that offer better trade-in prices
The main bugbear (for me) are the low prices I get offered for my cars when I wish to trade them in for newer models. I get that car dealers need to make some money. But, sometimes the offers they come back with are just downright ridiculous!
- A decent after-care service
If you buy from a car dealer, it’s likely you’ll want them to maintain your car. One common mistake many dealers make is to not invest in a decent automotive call center. Instead, they rely on site staff to take calls and pass on messages. The latter, of course, never happens.
- Better websites
It’s no secret that a car dealer’s website is their virtual showroom. Sometimes I just don’t want to spend half an hour browsing cars at a physical location. I’d much rather view the cars online and look at high-quality photos of them. I also want to learn more about the car’s history online too.
- Appointments that ran on time
Car dealers will always have time for you if you want to meet with a salesperson. But, if you want to wait for your vehicle to get repaired, appointments never stay on schedule! I’m a busy person and don’t have time to waste. I’d consider using a dealership for repairs if they fulfilled their end of the deal.
- Exclusive customer offers
If you’ve bought a car from a dealership in the past, you want to feel like a valued customer. In three years’ time, for example, you may want a new car. Dealers should consider offering “exclusive” discounts to loyal customers if they want the business.
- Sales and support teams that took ownership of problems
As with any industry, auto dealers have their fair share of customer issues. What I hate about many dealers is how they seldom take ownership of problems. If there’s nothing in it for them, they are only too happy to “pass the buck.”
So, car dealers, if you’re reading this blog post, be sure to take the above points on board. You’ll find that many of your customers share the same views!
