Two weeks ago Dmitry and I took a day and headed down to the outskirts of Cleveland (about 150 miles away) to pick up a brand new car that was made about 70 miles from our home. The car had to pass by our home to get to the dealership in Cleveland. Ironic, right?
We were educated buyers. We knew what we wanted. We had the benefit of being able to pay the GM Employee and Family rate so there was nothing to negotiate. We just wanted a new 2008 vehicle, configured the way we wanted it. We did not want to special order and wait.
We spent a couple of hours sitting across a desk from a dealer in nearby Troy. He did a search on the computer and told us the car was not available within 50 miles. Apparently his dealership only trades cars 50 miles away. Too bad for them. They lost the sale.
A few nights later I went on AutoTrader.com. I found exactly the car I wanted. I clicked on a button and inquired about it. The sales manager, Steve, answered all of my questions quickly. We passed back and forth 10 or so emails and decided to buy the car.
I really wish that I could have bought it locally. It would have been easier for me, of course. Though next time Steve says he will bring the car to me, so he has eliminated that barrier.
Steve’s dealership was simple and the opposite of ‘glitzy.’ But I got the service I wanted: quick, honest responses to my questions. Steve, like me, is attached to a Blackberry so that he can answer his client emails as they come in.
How does this apply to my real estate practice? Of course, as we have long known, the Internet is empowering buyers. We know that is important to have our listings broadly syndicated so that buyers can find them wherever they are looking. Buyers still want service too, even when they “find” the house.
As a buyer I was looking for someone to supply me with the car I wanted. The guy in Troy couldn’t do that. The guy in Cleveland figured out how to let me know what he had, and he gave me the answers I wanted when I asked.
I find the car buying process overwhelming. I don’t know much about cars and, honestly, I don’t care to know much about them. My basic questions are: what color is it? And, does it have heated seats? I like that my car came with OnStar, and XM radio but they did not influence my decision. I think I might feel like a lot of home buyers feel when they begin the home buying process. It is intimidating. A hugely expensive purchase. I hope that as a Realtor I am able to take out some of the intimidation factor for buyers.
Oh, and by the way, if anyone might be interested in a well priced, loaded 2002 Cadillac Seville STS with less than 54K miles on it, give Dmitry a call at 248.961.0802.
Written by Maureen Francis
SKBK Sotheby's International Realty, 248.430.4450
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
monika 08.17.08 at 9:49 am
I hope you like your new car.
last year I helped my parents buy a new car and it really opened my eyes to service or just how bad some so called service can be.
No reason for it to be so complicated or for people to try and take advantage of others.
Maureen Francis 08.21.08 at 11:06 pm
Moni, I love my new car. I don’t like the process though. I think there is a good case to be made for business models like Saturn’s where there is no negotiating.