I'm an ol' fogey 'cuz...

This week I've been looking on the websites of local (Memphis) new/used car dealers...even tho I probably won't buy, just yet. And the latest "wrinkle" in the selling experience seems to be the availability of CHATting / IMing with the dealership. I guess it's just me, but I'd prefer a prompt response to my (occasional) e-mails. This past month I e-mailed a Ford dealership about 100 miles away to ask if a truck they had listed on Forddirect.com was still available. No response, so I suspect the truck is NOT available...and they could not bother to remove it from the listing.

I guess besides an e-mail response, I'd really appreciate it if dealerships put ALL vehicles in inventory "online" and not just the ones they think will sell quickly, and not go to the trouble to add another layer of folks to talk to when I do want info.

But getting you to talk to someone or better yet in the store increases the likelyhood of a sale. Getting customers thru the doors is the best and hardest thing to do. Once you are there the salesweasels get to wear you out.

I agree with everything your saying, and I'm only 20. However, I will very rarely give out my email to a dealership, and for that matter, my phone number. Usually I'll just call them using *67. Seems to work best for me.

*67

Thank you.

Yeah, screw that IM and CHATing. If you can't bother to return my calls or e-mails then my money isn't that important to you. I will do research to find your strongest competitor and buy the car/product/service there.

A year or so ago, when the price of domestic pick-ups was basically "please please please make them go away" and all the radio ads were touting $10,000 off, I used the Dodge.com "request a quote" button to find out what the local dealer wanted for a truck. After a day or two, a salesman emailed me with the MSRP price. Yeah, great, thanks. If he can't be bothered to tell me the same information that's being played on the radio, I can't be bothered to walk into his showroom to play his stupid pricing games. If he'd provided me just a little bit of info, I would have dropped by for a visit.

Being young is an excellent reason to communicate with a dealership via email or phone. They'll often just blow you off in person. Or, in the case of my local Dodge dealership, they'll blow off everyone via email.

I had just the opposite experience last year when we bought the Fit. I did the whole thing via email, except the final test-drive with the wife & paperwork, even though my office is only 1/2-mile away.

The salesman was a really low-key/low-pressure guy, was prompt to respond to my questions, and when we finally came in to do the deal, had everything ready & waiting for us. Unbelievable, really...

Keith wrote: Being young is an excellent reason to communicate with a dealership via email or phone. They'll often just blow you off in person.

Yep... In the few cases I've had test driving cars on my own, I find its easier to make an appointment over the phone to test drive a car. Drives me nuts when they won't let me test drive a car.

integraguy wrote: This week I've been looking on the websites of local (Memphis) new/used car dealers...even tho I probably won't buy, just yet. And the latest "wrinkle" in the selling experience seems to be the availability of CHATting / IMing with the dealership. I guess it's just me, but I'd prefer a prompt response to my (occasional) e-mails. This past month I e-mailed a Ford dealership about 100 miles away to ask if a truck they had listed on Forddirect.com was still available. No response, so I suspect the truck is NOT available...and they could not bother to remove it from the listing. I guess besides an e-mail response, I'd really appreciate it if dealerships put ALL vehicles in inventory "online" and not just the ones they think will sell quickly, and not go to the trouble to add another layer of folks to talk to when I do want info.

You have a brain. They aren't catering to you.

petegossett:

I have gotten my name on Honda's mailing list and whenever there is any kind of sale or "news" item involving Hondas, I get an e-mail. I suspect my experiences would be similar to yours in that Honda dealers (in this area, anyway) would respond to an e-mail request right away.

My experience with a Ford dealership that is no longer in business (gee, I wonder why?)is similar to Keith's in that when I e-mailed them for a price quote and explained which rebates I was eligible for....the "sales manager" still tried to get me to buy at the MSRP.

My point is...WHY PRETEND TO BE INTERNET SAVVY/YOUNG AND HIP when you are going to still do business in the same old pathetic pre-computer manner?