I originally became involved in the world of motorcycling because I was obsessed by the vehicles. I loved riding the bikes, talking about them and working at powersports dealerships. I taught motorcycle safety for 10 years. I eventually bought a dealership that I could run the way I believed it should be. I always tried to hire motorcyclists to work for me. I always was enthusiastic about new models coming out and was always learning how to get my shop to run better and more efficiently. Being in the powersports industry is incredibly interesting, and a lot of fun — or at least it should be.
We all know customers who turn selling a motorcycle into a real chore. They look at negotiation as a blood sport and take no prisoners — the people who we would rather hold a red-hot header pipe in our hand than deal with them. I call these people leeches.
They suck the enjoyment right out of the whole process. I’m not talking about those who make stupid offers — those clients can be fun; it’s all in how your sales guys handle them. I’m talking about the ones who think that if they make the same low offer with different sales people, at some point, management will finally accept the deal. The ones who ask for your “best price.” The ones who walk into the manager’s office and demand an even better price. The ones who make a deal, then continue shopping your deal at other dealerships. The ones who turn the process into one long, painful encounter.
How do you deal with clients like this? Sometimes, it’s a client who has purchased from you before and thinks he deserves special treatment because of that. Hopefully, you’ve established a rapport with him, and he’ll back down once you talk to him.
Sometimes, it’s just because he or she is not comfortable in the negotiation process. Then, it’s all about the salesperson creating a comfortable environment for the customer and working with the customer and not being antagonistic. Creating an atmosphere where that person can relax. Maybe the last dealership he or she went to was not listening? Maybe this person’s cat just died? Those people are much easier to help out.
Then, there are those who want to wrestle the deal until there is nothing left in it — for anyone. Every step of the way is a huge battle. Your salespeople become exhausted. As do the sales managers. As often do the accessories and service people who may give out quote after quote for accessories and the installation of them, because the leech keeps asking for more and different quotes.
You often get into the deal before you realize the battle it’s going to be. Then it’s too late — you’re already on the roadway to perdition. It sometimes happens that these clients are far easier to deal with the second time around, as you (hopefully) have built up some trust.
There are several ways to deal with these customers. One is to carry the battle to the bitter end. Get the deal done, and go have a cry behind the desk in the fetal position. It involves a lot of back and forth and swearing, but it gets done.
The biggest problem with these people is the time they take up. Time that your staff could use to deal with other clients that are actually reasonable, having fun and are ready to make a deal. Of course, if it’s mid-November and you haven’t had a sale in two days, then you may have the ability to spend the time.
But, if it’s mid-May and you have an avalanche of people to deal with, what’s the solution? Draw a line in the sand; tell him or her the bottom price, whatever that may be. Whether it’s been in stock for too long or it’s a hot seller, decide whether there is a deal to be had, or you want full price — tell the salesman the number, and give him or her the option to let the customer go if that person won’t pay it.
Let them go and release them into the wild to be caught by someone else. Hopefully they will get some education and return. If they don’t, you’ve really lost nothing.
Some salespeople will deal with clients like this until the last bitter moment. It’s usually not worth it in the end. Everyone gets frustrated, and it destroys energy that you can use selling someone else a motorcycle, ATV or sled.
Just move on to the next one … and don’t look back!
