"Selling" is not the same as "Talking"

My wife and I have spent the past couple of weekends shopping for a car. For most couples this would have been a moment to look forward to but for us it’s far from being impressionable. We would rather be trekking up some hill in this beautiful monsoon rather than going for boring test drives. But first a confession: we are not auto enthusiasts. For us an automobile is just a little more than a machine that takes us from place A to B.

We had Amaze on our mind when we started off. But we also drove Xcent, Duster, Sunny, Etios, City, Mobillio and Verna over two weekends. I agree these brands span at least three segments of cars but this blog is not about what we end up buying. It’s about the experience of buying a car.

So let me start with Honda which was the first showroom we visited. This was the weekend before Mobillio was launched. There were a few customers and a teddy bear kind of cute plump guy was our ‘consultant’. He asked us questions like which car were we driving currently and what was our daily run but did not bother knowing our weekend activities, who will be driving the car or if our budget could be stretched. When we walked out, we informed him that we will be coming to see the Mobillio the following weekend. But he never called back.

Honda was not the exception here. The Hyundai salesman did not asked most of the relevant questions. He seemed more confident though but was not talking specifics of Xcent. When we asked if we could test drive the Verna as well on the Id day, he said that he wasn’t working on that day. He never called back either. Toyota showroom, except the cheerful watchman, was way too somnolent. The salesman had to be woken up from slumber to respond to questions.  

The Duster was true to its name – like a Duster. The seats had stains and felt very unhygienic. The Nissan team when called for a Sunny test drive was most responsive. When they said someone would call back in 10 minutes, someone indeed did. But the car he got was not the one they sell – it was the old version which is now out of production!

Anyways, I was under the impression that these MNCs that have been selling cars for decades now had a code of conduct and some set norms for their salesmen that would be used when people walk in to buy a car. But most were sloppy and missed out on critical information that could be used to sell better or even up-sell. I didn't find the language skills of any salespeople satisfactory. It is fine if one is not fluent in English. As long as you can communicate the features of the car along with its benefits really well, Hindi or even Marathi is fine. May be the companies cannot pay well – in which case they should clearly have a change in policy. Most cars need ‘selling’. There are so many options today that just having a great product may not be enough. You need good salesmanship as well. I am no Joe Girard but here are seven basic rules/questions that should be asked: 

1)       Know thy competition: Which other cars have you test driven so far or are planning to test drive? (No one asked us this question – I am still amazed) Sir Verna is a great car with amazing features but its engine will never last or perform like City’s. So while City does not spend on frills, your money is spent in areas such as engine durability, safety, suspension blah blah. It’s a wife that cooks well, takes great care of your parents and brings up your kids well. Verna is the pretty looking wife who does good salsa and may not be alongside you when you grey.

2)       Know thy usage: What is your daily running and which route do you take? Sir in the route you take, my guestimate is that the car will give you a mileage of xx kmpl. Ask about his office, work, working hours etc.

3)       Know thy user: Who all drive the car? Mam can use the seat height adjuster to increase the height by as much as 50mm. Sir for cars that are driven by drivers, mileage is important.

4)      

Know thy habits, passions: Do you do weekend drives regularly? In which case our boot space is largest in the category – can also fit your child’s bicycle! Are you fond of Music? Classical? Let me play that for you while we drive. (Everyone played FM!!! No music to showcase the music system)

5)       Showcase your product with love and passion: Sir Can I show you the bonnet? Show him the different parts etc so that he is involved. Throw some jargons so that he realises he is buying a better product. (No one showed us the bonnet!!!)

6)       Engage in conversation – small talk. To the child – her name, school, what she likes about this car, if papa takes it which colour will she prefer – show her the colour options. To wife – so madam when do you drive? What is the most important feature for you? General – Is you car kept in open or in a garage? Which car are you driving currently and what is the reason you want to change?

7)       Call back. Ask your client how was the experience. Tell him you want to take him again for a test drive if you were busy that day and were unable to spend time.