Dealing with dealers.....

[wb57]

Originally Posted by RxZ

All I know, without having ever meet personally Dakez I can say that if I ever want a Harley (or Triumph) I would most likely seriously consider buying from him.

Based on what I've read here, I would as well.

[wb57]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

You did NOT read it correctly.

In life the manner in which people treat others has an effect on how others feel about them. Act the way you like. You are always welcome. A smile is better than a scowl. Laughter better than a sneer.

Treat others well and they will WANT to help you. Treat them poorly and they MAY still help you but you could have done better for both yourself and them.

You should have gone into the store and spoken to him IMHO.

I did. I was in there at least weekly for years. Communicated face-to-face, email, phone, FB PMs, etc. Not going to whine about it here (any more than I may have already) and I realize that the whole situation isn't likely to translate well to pixels.

[wb57]

Originally Posted by rocker59

15% is huge.

Either they guy you bought from was giving the bike away, or they guy you used to buy from wasn't willing to cut any kind of a deal.

How 'bout some numbers and make/model of bike?

End of model year 2011 Kawasaki Versys. Bought it for $6350 OTD. Original dealer wouldn't take less than $7350 OTD. Both dealers within 40-50 miles of me.

And I've picked up bikes from other dealers for this dealer that he didn't have in stock and know that they don't make much on a bike sale when carrying the paperwork back to him. If I had done nothing but screw around shopping bikes over the years, this would have made more sense. Most of the money I spent in there was parts, gear, tires, etc. Typically higher markup stuff. He made plenty of money on me over the years - and he should have. That's how business works. I don't begrudge him that one iota.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by wb57

I did. I was in there at least weekly for years. Communicated face-to-face, email, phone, FB PMs, etc. Not going to whine about it here (any more than I may have already) and I realize that the whole situation isn't likely to translate well to pixels.

So very true. It is hard to clearly convey the whole picture in short posts. That is likely why you misinterpreted what I was trying to say. It's all good.

I am glad you found a bike at a price you were willing to pay. May it bring you MANY MANY miles of smiles.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by wb57

The only favor that was done on the second part is I don't have to waste any loyalty on someone who thinks it only works one way. Kind of a "you give me your money and I'll be happy to take it" arrangement.

AGREE! The store and or its employees should be there after the sale to serve their customers.

I have had stores stay open late for me so I could pick up a part. Or volunteer to come and pick up my bike when it wouldn't start.
Even toss me the keys to another bike and say "see you in a couple days"
when I dropped a bike off for tires. (I had arranged for a ride)

It is things like that that make a loyal customer and it is what I try to emulate. You are there for the customers. The customers are there for you... Be there for THEM. It should be like an infinity circle.



Edit: There are times when people (for any number of reasons) get "Burn Out" ... They lose the passion that they once had. The dealership becomes a "JOB" and it is no longer the happy place it once was. It is sad to watch happen. It goes from "I GET TO" to "I have to". Not saying this is what happened to the old store for you wb57 but it sounds like it might be the case.

[LowInSlo]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

AGREE! The store and or its employees should be there after the sale to serve their customers.

...

It is things like that that make a loyal customer and it is what I try to emulate. You are there for the customers. The customers are there for you... Be there for THEM. It should be like an infinity circle.

Exactly. We run a small retail store, and we stress this all the time. Do the right thing, engage. We love the terminology of Disney, they're Guests, not customers. Good philosophy Dakez.

[LowInSlo]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

AGREE! The store and or its employees should be there after the sale to serve their customers.

I have had stores stay open late for me so I could pick up a part. Or volunteer to come and pick up my bike when it wouldn't start.
Even toss me the keys to another bike and say "see you in a couple days"
when I dropped a bike off for tires. (I had arranged for a ride)

It is things like that that make a loyal customer and it is what I try to emulate. You are there for the customers. The customers are there for you... Be there for THEM. It should be like an infinity circle.

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

AGREE! The store and or its employees should be there after the sale to serve their customers.

...

It is things like that that make a loyal customer and it is what I try to emulate. You are there for the customers. The customers are there for you... Be there for THEM. It should be like an infinity circle.

Exactly. We run a small retail store, and we stress this all the time. Do the right thing, engage. We love the terminology of Disney, they're Guests, not customers. Good philosophy Dakez. You and the boss get an "Atta Boy"

[Josephvman]

Sorry for the novel. I forgot that something like that would take at least a couple of hours for the average guy around here to get through!

Originally Posted by Pantah

Good story, but you can't post a novel on this forum and expect anybody to read it!

I did though.

[Barry]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

In reading some of the first-person anecdotes I can't help but wonder if communication is part of the issue when deals don't seem to get done. From a sales perspective there's a big difference between a customer asking if you can match a price and actually making an offer to buy a bike at a price, and obviously be ready to close the deal. One can be construed as merely "fishing", and often when this is turned around on the buyer we discover that's the case. I've seen dozens of posts through the years on this forum about guys who were throwing numbers around on the floor with a salesman on bikes that they admittedly had no interest in actually buying, incredulous that the salesman didn't drop his pants on price straight away.

That is a good point and one that I did not make when sharing my personal anecdotes... I probably have very good, and very short, negotiations because I do not waste a salesperson's time. If I am ready to buy, I let them know if we reach a price agreeable to both of us, the deal is done, no fuss, no muss.

I know for a fact that people like to "kill time" in dealerships. For some folks that means chitty chat as if you were a customer with sales folks, which makes the sales folks NO money.

Another thing that I will NOT do is try on gear or take the time of parts guys or other sales staff to have them educate me on an item, knowing I will then buy it online. I feel that is a terribly selfish practice. If I know my purchase will be online, I simply do not go to the dealer.

Barry

[xKLR_John]

It's a give and take situation. There's a dealership in my area (likely the one wb is talking about) run by a couple of brothers. They're friendly. I've been in multiple times over the years to kick tires and buy gear. Never quite saw a bike there I wanted to buy until the 20xx Vstrom 650 was coming out in orange. I really liked the color and was set on buying the new bike from them. When it came time to discuss price it was MSRP+setup+taxes. That was their final offer. No t-shirt, no discount on gear purchased at the same time, nada. Not a penny off of MSRP. I didn't buy.

It ticked me off at the time but I still liked the folks. I ended up buying a new DR650 from them a couple years later when they were doing $1000 off on remaining 2009's so all's well that ends well, I guess. A "take it or leave it" price policy doesn't seem friendly but it's their business to run.

Originally Posted by Barry

I know for a fact that people like to "kill time" in dealerships. For some folks that means chitty chat as if you were a customer with sales folks, which makes the sales folks NO money.

Barry

[wb57]

Originally Posted by xKLR_John

It's a give and take situation. There's a dealership in my area (likely the one wb is talking about) run by a couple of brothers.

PM sent. Not naming names publicly.

[cliffy109]

Originally Posted by xKLR_John

It's a give and take situation. There's a dealership in my area (likely the one wb is talking about) run by a couple of brothers. They're friendly. I've been in multiple times over the years to kick tires and buy gear. Never quite saw a bike there I wanted to buy until the 20xx Vstrom 650 was coming out in orange. I really liked the color and was set on buying the new bike from them. When it came time to discuss price it was MSRP+setup+taxes. That was their final offer. No t-shirt, no discount on gear purchased at the same time, nada. Not a penny off of MSRP. I didn't buy.

It ticked me off at the time but I still liked the folks. I ended up buying a new DR650 from them a couple years later when they were doing $1000 off on remaining 2009's so all's well that ends well, I guess. A "take it or leave it" price policy doesn't seem friendly but it's their business to run.

I'm not a big fan of "set-up" fees either, but it sounds like you were not the only guy in the market for an orange Vstrom. When they have a product that many people are willing to pay for, it doesn't make financial sense to discount it. It isn't really a "take it or leave it" in a negative way. It just means that the next guy that came in was able to get his dream bike which would not have been there if they had sold it to you for a lower price. Simple market forces at work here. The attitude is what makes the difference.

[DAKEZ]

Set-up fees are nothing new. Triumph had a suggested set-up fee of $17.50 way back before I was born.

[xKLR_John]

I get it. I was describing how I felt. Feelings aren't rational or necessarily justified.

It's a bit like buying something from friends. Some folks will hook you up and give you a deal. Others will act identically but try and charge you more than they would a stranger.

I completely get the business side of the equation, they're in business to make money.

Originally Posted by cliffy109

I'm not a big fan of "set-up" fees either, but it sounds like you were not the only guy in the market for an orange Vstrom. When they have a product that many people are willing to pay for, it doesn't make financial sense to discount it. It isn't really a "take it or leave it" in a negative way. It just means that the next guy that came in was able to get his dream bike which would not have been there if they had sold it to you for a lower price. Simple market forces at work here. The attitude is what makes the difference.

[250senuf]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

Set-up fees are nothing new. Triumph had a suggested set-up fee of $17.50 way back before I was born.

Just for perspective on those prices, what was a good wage back then, $1/hr ?