11:38 am, October 14, 2024
Setting customer expectations at a reasonable level in a ‘world of perfection’ is a major challenge for dealers selling budget cars.
That is the verdict of motor trader Tim Smith, who believes the issue is among the most difficult aspects of his job.
Smith, who works for independent dealer The Auto Business in Bristol, is the latest industry guest to appear on the Car Dealer Podcast.
Speaking with hosts Jon Reay and James Baggott, Smith – who also works as a corporate driver for Dick Lovett – explained why it is important to be for dealers to be realistic about what they can provide at the lower end of the market.
He said: ‘I think the really difficult bit is being able to set an expectation with the customer. Because we operate at the cheaper end of the market, the product isn’t always perfect.
‘Setting that expectation means working with the customer to make sure that they understand it’s going to have a couple of bruises on it, or maybe it’s got one key, that kind of stuff – especially if you’re spending £1,500 pounds on a car.
‘We live in a world of expectation and perfection and I want the car to be as good for them as possible.
‘I want it to take care of them, I want it to be safe, I want it to pass all of its inspections but sometimes, with the best will in the world, on a £1,500 pound car, we’re not necessarily going to replace an entire air conditioning system.
‘Those kinds of expectations need to be set which is the more challenging side of the trade.
‘Having worked for BMW where everything has to be perfect, it’s easy walk through with a clean idea of what should be right. Whereas at this end, it’s more difficult to set that expectation.’
Despite the challenges, Smith also opened up on just why he continues to love the motor trade.
‘I love the cut and the thrust. I love the product. I love the ducking and diving. I love all of the characters that we get to meet,’ he said.
‘What I really like about BMW is the sense of camaraderie, because you’re in aa big professional team and they don’t mess around at Dick Lovett. They’re a really great outfit for that kind of thing.
‘I also really like returning to the world of the cut and the thrust and calling each other obscene words a lot so that as well. It’s horses for courses, I guess!’
The Car Dealer Podcast, sponsored by Carwow, sees an industry guest join our hosts to discuss the motor trade’s biggest headlines of every week.
A full list of the stories discussed on this week’s episode can be found here.
You can listen to all episodes of the Car Dealer Podcast on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
