[Mymatemarmite]

Whilst at work on Monday, an all too familiar situation occured. I'm not ageist, but it does involve old people. They come into the dealership, start looking around some cars...I approach in a friendly manner, and we start to dicuss needs, wants etc....general qualification. Then the old dears loose all track and start telling me how the dealership used to be so different, how the brand is not what it used to be, etc etc. When I inform them of the time I have served at the dealer, and how I don't know what they are on about, they look at me with a confused look on their faces.....and ask...."which cars do you sell then?.....isn't this the Mazda......Ford.......Peugeot garage??
No it bloody isn't!! The daft old sods have just walked past various signs with BIG chevrons on them.....they have been gazing at the number plate on the showroom car that says, in bold letters, Citroen C3..........yet the bloody fools STILL don't know which showroom they are in !!! In my experience, the sales process is well out of the door by this stage, and they have simply wasted my time. Then they bid their goodbyes and have to rush off to a hospital appointment or something along those lines. I really hope I never get like that. Old people........open your eyes :rant:

 

[K9d]

So you don't sell VWs then





:lol:

 

[Mymatemarmite]

So you don't sell VWs then





:lol:

...........and how old are you, exactly...?:lol:

 

[v6hughes]

old people

drive to slow
walk to slow
get confused with everything
go on how in their day everything was cheaper better easier

just shoot them

 

[K9d]

...........and how old are you, exactly...?:lol:

Erm, now is that a trick question young man ? :lol:

 

[Icheb]

old people

drive to slow
walk to slow
get confused with everything
go on how in their day everything was cheaper better easier

just shoot them

When AO is 60 years old, we'll remember this quote :lol:

 

[Toronto Spider]

old people

drive to slow
walk to slow
get confused with everything

Get confused with their grammar and spelling. :lol:

 

[tyrerc]

my personal favourite are the following -

1) Why do old people do their shopping on the weekend when i do mine.... WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN THE WEEK WHEN IM IN WORK??? SWIMMING?? FEEDING THEIR OLD DOG??? PLAYING SCRABBLE!!!!
2) I go the bank in my lunch hour.... WHY ARE THEY IN THERE??? WHY!!! what have they been doing all morning?

 

[v6hughes]

what have they been doing all morning?

cleaning their ****** soaked bed sheets

 

[v6hughes]

When AO is 60 years old, we'll remember this quote :lol:

i'll be pushin' daisys by then

Get confused with their grammar and spelling. :lol:

i'm not on trial here

 

[Scudetto]

Whilst at work on Monday, an all too familiar situation occured. I'm not ageist, but it does involve old people. They come into the dealership, start looking around some cars...I approach in a friendly manner, and we start to dicuss needs, wants etc....general qualification. Then the old dears loose all track and start telling me how the dealership used to be so different, how the brand is not what it used to be, etc etc. When I inform them of the time I have served at the dealer, and how I don't know what they are on about, they look at me with a confused look on their faces.....and ask...."which cars do you sell then?.....isn't this the Mazda......Ford.......Peugeot garage??
No it bloody isn't!! The daft old sods have just walked past various signs with BIG chevrons on them.....they have been gazing at the number plate on the showroom car that says, in bold letters, Citroen C3..........yet the bloody fools STILL don't know which showroom they are in !!! In my experience, the sales process is well out of the door by this stage, and they have simply wasted my time. Then they bid their goodbyes and have to rush off to a hospital appointment or something along those lines. I really hope I never get like that. Old people........open your eyes :rant:

but to none car fans, years ago when they had their faculties intact, it probably was a Ford dealer. They remember the site, not the concept that it may have passed through several hands/brands over time. And as for not being able to tell one car from the next, I can hardly blame them; even I, a car fan, is so bored to death with most of the mainstream stuff, even I can't tell most cars apart.

As for 'shooting' old people; my folks are retired, I don't want them shot cheers very much. If my mum can't tell the difference between a Mazda 3 and a Kia Cee'd, maybe it's their 'youthful' designers with their identikit samey ideas, that need shooting?

 

[pompey bigears]

but to none car fans, years ago when they had their faculties intact, it probably was a Ford dealer. They remember the site, not the concept that it may have passed through several hands/brands over time. And as for not being able to tell one car from the next, I can hardly blame them; even I, a car fan, is so bored to death with most of the mainstream stuff, even I can't tell most cars apart.

As for 'shooting' old people; my folks are retired, I don't want them shot cheers very much. If my mum can't tell the difference between a Mazda 3 and a Kia Cee'd, maybe it's their 'youthful' designers with their identikit samey ideas, that need shooting?

Well said!!! I'm not ageist but....bo**ox you aren't:tut:

 

[rgwm]

So they were wasting your time, were they?.......and how many other eager buyers were you fighting off at the time.......? Or did you have an urgent appointment with some computer game like most car salesmen I've seen?

The prime qualification, to my mind, for a salesman is to be able to engage with the customer, not treat them as an interuption to their work.

Richard - pushing 60, and in the motor trade!

 

[Toronto Spider]

i'm not on trial here

Nope. You're just complaining about people who are getting mixed up/confused/forgetful. Of course it's only old people who get this way. Younger folks are always perfect and never get anything wrong, never make typos or never confuse grammatical rules. They're all perfect.

I'm firmly in Scudetto's camp. The dealership the original poster is working in may very well have housed a different franchise at one time. The customers' memories may be accurate.

Also, depending on geographical factors (including where the dealership is located, how many other dealerships are nearby, whether the elderly customers have to travel a distance to get to the dealership or whether they live in a different town, etc.) it may be very easy to confuse one dealership with another.

Heck if you asked me where the [insert name here] dealership was in the next city over, I may or may not give you the correct answer. It would all depend on how well I know that particular dealership, the last time I visited that specific city (and that particular area within that specific city), whether there had been any changes to the ownership or dealer network since the last time I paid any attention to that dealership, and so on.

Look at it this way: those old people were interested in buying a car. Maybe they weren't interested in the brand of car the original poster was selling, but a good salesman shouldn't pass up the opportunity to sell them his product. All the original poster had to do was ask a simple question: "what type of [competitor's make] car are you looking for, and and since you're here anyways, would you care to look at the model we offer? It's cheaper, it gets better fuel mileage, and it scores higher on customer satisfaction surveys" (or whatever criteria you have for recommending the car).

Sure they may have been old and doddering and in need of a bit of assistance. That doesn't mean their money isn't worth as much or that they don't deserve to be treated as potential customers. Let's fact it, they're probably more likely to actually want to make a car purchase (even if it takes a few visits to get them completely comfortable with the car and with the deal) than some young punk who is just looking to test drive cars that are way beyond his budget. (Not that I'd ever say "ignore young buyers" either. Doing so means the dealership or the marque may be losing a customer for life.)
--Toronto

 

[Hamster]

Whilst at work on Monday, an all too familiar situation occured. I'm not ageist, but it does involve old people. They come into the dealership, start looking around some cars...I approach in a friendly manner, and we start to dicuss needs, wants etc....general qualification. Then the old dears loose all track and start telling me how the dealership used to be so different, how the brand is not what it used to be, etc etc. When I inform them of the time I have served at the dealer, and how I don't know what they are on about, they look at me with a confused look on their faces.....and ask...."which cars do you sell then?.....isn't this the Mazda......Ford.......Peugeot garage??
No it bloody isn't!! The daft old sods have just walked past various signs with BIG chevrons on them.....they have been gazing at the number plate on the showroom car that says, in bold letters, Citroen C3..........yet the bloody fools STILL don't know which showroom they are in !!! In my experience, the sales process is well out of the door by this stage, and they have simply wasted my time. Then they bid their goodbyes and have to rush off to a hospital appointment or something along those lines. I really hope I never get like that. Old people........open your eyes :rant:

So you don't sell VWs then





:lol:

But it's just like a Golf.





:lol:

 

[v6hughes]

Nope. You're just complaining about people who are getting mixed up/confused/forgetful. Of course it's only old people who get this way. Younger folks are always perfect and never get anything wrong, never make typos or never confuse grammatical rules. They're all perfect.

I'm firmly in Scudetto's camp. The dealership the original poster is working in may very well have housed a different franchise at one time. The customers' memories may be accurate.

Also, depending on geographical factors (including where the dealership is located, how many other dealerships are nearby, whether the elderly customers have to travel a distance to get to the dealership or whether they live in a different town, etc.) it may be very easy to confuse one dealership with another.

Heck if you asked me where the [insert name here] dealership was in the next city over, I may or may not give you the correct answer. It would all depend on how well I know that particular dealership, the last time I visited that specific city (and that particular area within that specific city), whether there had been any changes to the ownership or dealer network since the last time I paid any attention to that dealership, and so on.

Look at it this way: those old people were interested in buying a car. Maybe they weren't interested in the brand of car the original poster was selling, but a good salesman shouldn't pass up the opportunity to sell them his product. All the original poster had to do was ask a simple question: "what type of [competitor's make] car are you looking for, and and since you're here anyways, would you care to look at the model we offer? It's cheaper, it gets better fuel mileage, and it scores higher on customer satisfaction surveys" (or whatever criteria you have for recommending the car).

Sure they may have been old and doddering and in need of a bit of assistance. That doesn't mean their money isn't worth as much or that they don't deserve to be treated as potential customers. Let's fact it, they're probably more likely to actually want to make a car purchase (even if it takes a few visits to get them completely comfortable with the car and with the deal) than some young punk who is just looking to test drive cars that are way beyond his budget. (Not that I'd ever say "ignore young buyers" either. Doing so means the dealership or the marque may be losing a customer for life.)
--Toronto

whatever

 

[ludite]

Hi,Sparkywills1,

Ref;~"Old people open you eyes"

I find it sad, when told too open my old eyes
for I wonder,what sights they will see
`will they differ from the eyes of the young such as thee?'
For these old eyes have seen the light of many a day
and even darker night
they have helped many a youngster in sad plight
on both mountain side
lost in mist,and also laying on city street P#####.
So I ask you young man,"Please open your heart".
for your life has just began
whereas I`m due to depart.


John the Luddite.

 

[zulu ferret]

Nice one JtheL.: And please don't shoot me folks, as I have only just acquired my bus pass.

 

[Alfa-Red]

Nope. You're just complaining about people who are getting mixed up/confused/forgetful. Of course it's only old people who get this way. Younger folks are always perfect and never get anything wrong, never make typos or never confuse grammatical rules. They're all perfect.

I'm firmly in Scudetto's camp. The dealership the original poster is working in may very well have housed a different franchise at one time. The customers' memories may be accurate.

Also, depending on geographical factors (including where the dealership is located, how many other dealerships are nearby, whether the elderly customers have to travel a distance to get to the dealership or whether they live in a different town, etc.) it may be very easy to confuse one dealership with another.

Heck if you asked me where the [insert name here] dealership was in the next city over, I may or may not give you the correct answer. It would all depend on how well I know that particular dealership, the last time I visited that specific city (and that particular area within that specific city), whether there had been any changes to the ownership or dealer network since the last time I paid any attention to that dealership, and so on.

Look at it this way: those old people were interested in buying a car. Maybe they weren't interested in the brand of car the original poster was selling, but a good salesman shouldn't pass up the opportunity to sell them his product. All the original poster had to do was ask a simple question: "what type of [competitor's make] car are you looking for, and and since you're here anyways, would you care to look at the model we offer? It's cheaper, it gets better fuel mileage, and it scores higher on customer satisfaction surveys" (or whatever criteria you have for recommending the car).

Sure they may have been old and doddering and in need of a bit of assistance. That doesn't mean their money isn't worth as much or that they don't deserve to be treated as potential customers. Let's fact it, they're probably more likely to actually want to make a car purchase (even if it takes a few visits to get them completely comfortable with the car and with the deal) than some young punk who is just looking to test drive cars that are way beyond his budget. (Not that I'd ever say "ignore young buyers" either. Doing so means the dealership or the marque may be losing a customer for life.)
--Toronto

its not hard to read a number plate in the dealership that says what the car is in BIG letters, the BIG RED sign above the door no doubt, telling them what they sell.

they wernt potential customers anyway they were after a different make of car, they obviously walked into the dealership knowing what they wanted, yet failed to notice the countless signs, telling them otherwise.

my dad was 70 when he died, and up to 69, was never like that. so its not all old people:lol:

 

[Scudetto]

just to redress the balance a bit.

At a motorshow some years back, I wandered around the Audi stand looking for a specific car. As I couldn't see it, I asked one of the sales peeps the question 'do you have an Audi 200 here this year?'

She gave me a look that I've got used to over the years; it's a look that says 'that is such a dumb question'.

'Sir', she explained, 'we stopped making that car years ago'.

Feeling that big, I mumbled 'Oh. Have you... [struggling for words now] got a car that [yep, let's compound this mess]... looks like a 200?'

Her glare stayed with me a loooooong time.

(so it's not just old people who sometimes get things wrong or muddled )