Last month I became a member of a somewhat exclusive club which is unusual for me since I have avoided joining anything for most of my life. You name it – frats, the Elks, Shriners, Freemasons, religions, community groups – no matter the club; I was not your man.
After thinking about it for years, I took the plunge and leased a Mercedes-Benz. I went to my local dealer on President’s Day weekend dressed like a slob and was clearly only interested in the cheapest model they produce – the C300. However, from the minute I walked into the dealer, I was treated with respect and like I was someone important. The sales manager greeted me warmly and made sure I was with a sales person as quickly as possible. He kept apologizing for the wait which was no more than five minutes.
I purchased 6 cars before this one and each transaction was confrontational and unpleasant. It was the same drill we have all been through – the pressure to buy today – and the old “What is going to take to for you to buy a car today”. And of course, the Oz-like sales manager/business manager who is kept in back office and is in charge of closing and the final price. His purpose is to intimate you into buying now. The whole experience is usually horrible and you never want to go back. My father-in-law once punched a guy who would not give him back the keys to the car he was considering trading in.
The people at my dealership worked hard with me to come up with a deal that worked for me. My sales person patiently explored all options with me in terms of down payment, mileage etc. I took a test drive and was incredibly impressed with the car and the knowledge of my sales person, who happened to be German – how cool is that. The business manager was also helpful and closed the deal by giving me a credit for the two payments I had on my existing lease. At no point did I feel pressured or harassed into buying
What I found interesting was in the sales pitch and all the conversations there was a subtle but strong theme. From the moment I walked into the dealership they viewed me as a possible life time customer, not a one time deal to make a monthly quota. There was a lot of talk about “joining the club” how I have earned this car/status symbol. Part of being in the club means I can come by any time for a free car wash, or call for a Mercedes service call anywhere in the US.
After I signed my agreement, the sales manager who first greeted me came over, shook my hand and put his arm around my shoulder to welcome me and offer his congratulation for “arriving”. It all sounds corny, but it worked for this cynical guy.
When you think about it there is no difference between a Kia and Mercedes in the respect they both get you from point A to B. To sell a premium price car you must sell more than basic transportation. Additionally, the high price point means there is a limited amount of buyers and lots of competition for their dollars. All the expensive broadcast and print ads in the world can’t duplicate the experience I received when buying my car. Your next best customer is always your current customer. Check back with me in three years, but the odds are high I’ll be staying in the club.
