Dealer pet peeves.

"bob and john" (bobandjohn) 09/29/2020 at 11:47 • Filed to: None

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So, I’m speaking to a potential (like not) customer about buying a bike.

guy just came to the country, and wants to get an H2 SX SE+.

with zero insurance experience . (has riding experience , not worries about that)  

And then starts to refer to me as “bro” and ‘my guy” and so on....

I feel very odd about that... I dont know why. Its a bit odd to have a conversion that i would be having with my best friend in a professional setting. Almost makes me not want to sell to him.

IDK, just thought it was weird.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:00

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“ refer to me as “bro” and ‘my guy” and so on....”

You sell motor bikes, isn't that kinda the crowd your after? Like, you gotta put up with casual racism if you wanna sell RAM trucks or tax evasion if you wanna sell Rolls Royce?

DipodomysDeserti > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:07

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It’s probably just how the guy learned English. My grandfather learned English in the Navy and riding trains around the US as a hobo , and his language reflected that.

Chariotoflove > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:07

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What nationality was he? Was he a not native English speaker who thought maybe that’s how Americans talk in  conversations like this?

Future next gen S2000 owner > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:09

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You’ve slipped into his friend zone. Time to strike.

Any chance you can score me a Daytona 765 below 10K USD ? Hook a bro up!

PartyPooper2012 > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:09

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I would say - with all due respect, my  name is partyPooper. Please address me by my name.

(Please use name you prefer instead of partyPooper)

bob and john > Future next gen S2000 owner 09/29/2020 at 12:11

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if i sold triumphs lol.

I dont. sadly. Other wise id have my own 765R

krustywantout > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:11

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I have a friend who is 60 years old and an accountant. He is not looking to add new clients but sometimes does tax returns for the children of his existing clients. So one tax season, my friend is trying to finish a tax return of one the sons of his client (mid 20 year old kid ). He calls the the kid up to ask some questions to finish the tax return and the son says “What’s up bro”. My friend loses it and t ells the kid he should never address him anything other than Mr. Accountant. Some people these days have no respect for people that are older, have more experience, or anyone in sales/service.

I’m sorry you had to deal with that guy. I’m in the hospitality industry and if I didn’t sell to everyone I di dn ’t like, I probably wouldn’t have any customers.

bob and john > Chariotoflove 09/29/2020 at 12:11

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Indian....which, WOW. if anything, they have always been SUPER respectful and by the book. 

bob and john > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/29/2020 at 12:11

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on a GSXR 600 sure. On a H2 SX? errrr. 

bob and john > krustywantout 09/29/2020 at 12:15

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I mean, there is a difference between answering the phone as you normally would (not everyone has caller ID)

but after a short convo...like really? I agree that there is no respect for people in sales. I try to be as I am in t here too , but i admit, the occasional ‘man’ or ‘ buddy’ slips out.

Chariotoflove > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:15

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I have seen Indian men who “bro” it up thinking it’s the thing to be cool. I also experience a lot of Indians speaking English faster than many native speakers, rather than slower, as other non-native speakers often  do. He wasn’t disrespectful, was he?

bob and john > Chariotoflove 09/29/2020 at 12:16

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not really. Bit curt and short, but not super disrespectful.

its just a bit weird and first time i’ve really come across this. 

Chariotoflove > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:19

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It still is kinda weird. Short and curt doesn’t surprise me though, depending on which part of India. It’s a big and diverse country.

krustywantout > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:23

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The kid knew it was my friend. I n general, unless you have been friends or acquaintances for a while, you try to act professionally. You must deal with all sorts so I can understand you have to adjust based on your audience. Sell him the bike and every expensive accessory, warranty, and service plan. Also ask him if you can take a life insurance policy on his life because dude is going to kill himself on that bike. I have ZX14-R and I can’t imagine something that is even more powerful than that .

onlytwowheels > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:25

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Works both ways in sales. I had a poor experience on a test drive with a salesman who lit up a cigarette in the truck I was considering on buying, then has me drive by the house he wants to buy when he gets his accident settlement . Put me off in every way. Left the dealership not knowing if it was the truck that I didn’t like or the salesman just diminished my interest in it. Days later I went to a different dealer and test drove a nearly identical truck, which went far better, and I purchased it.  

Sales positions are tricky. I can imagine you have plenty of people who are fine to deal with, and some that are pure crap.  At the end of the day, the transaction is what brings in the money.  You’re not trying to make a friend, although sometimes that would be nice.  

bob and john > krustywantout 09/29/2020 at 12:29

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100%. It just struck me as a bit weird. 

Maxima Speed > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:29

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How i imagine peter black deals with customers who call him bro.

fintail > krustywantout 09/29/2020 at 12:31

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If someone actually loses it over a spoiled kid calling them “bro”, they should probably sit back and try to mellow out, and not take themselves seriously.  Life is too short, and blood pressure shouldn’t be so high.

Then again, a longtime car salesman I know said the most difficult people to deal with are teachers, engineers, and accountants, as they already know everything and there’s no point trying to tell them something new.

bob and john > onlytwowheels 09/29/2020 at 12:32

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yep. You try to be sociable so that the person doesn’t have second thoughts about handing you potentially 30k....

I try to at least be approachable. not super uptight clothing, but relax and be presentable . I’ve had a few customers who came back for that, and even 2 that became friends. 

fintail > Chariotoflove 09/29/2020 at 12:33

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Yeah, I was going to say (I don’t mean this negatively), sounds like some Indian guys I know.  They are very much into the “bro” thing to the point where one guy I know is constantly shopping Jeeps and Raptors.

bob and john > Maxima Speed 09/29/2020 at 12:33

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LMMAAAOOOO. Wow dude, and you have MET me irl! I feel bad that this is impression you get off of me :(

Maxima Speed > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:36

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He he lol, not for real man. I thought you were really cool and def wanna hang out with you more at some point. Maybe someday i can get my CB350 repaired and do an adventure ride into canada to visit 

krustywantout > fintail 09/29/2020 at 12:38

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You’re right. I think he was upset that he was doing the return as a favor and the kid disrespected him. Also, as someone who has teached , is an engineer and has done accounting, your statement is 100% accurate. I prepare for car buying like I’m preparing to defend a thesis for a phd.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:41

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my 2 cents:

Your job as a sales person is to get someone comfortable enough to treat you like a friend. Th e more relaxed I can get someone, the higher th e chance that they will buy what I’m selling (or renting in my current situation).

If he’s calling you bro, that’s a good thing.

fintail > krustywantout 09/29/2020 at 12:47

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Probably a generational thing, too - today, I wouldn’t look at it as disrespectful if a 20 year old called me “bro”, rather just informal or maybe even friendly. I’m not POTUS or the P ope, and being an office drone (which I am) doesn’t guarantee me reverence . But I know a certain demographic cohort can be as entitled as the ones they complain about.

I’m the same way, I probably put as much thought into a car deal as some do with a house.

bob and john > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 09/29/2020 at 12:52

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fair. IDK why this struck me as odd, but thats the ONLY way he would refer to me, and i’m constantly used to calling others ( clients) sir, madam, boss, etc

oh well. moving on. 

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 12:57

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I mean, no ones saying you have to like it (or the person), you just have to use it to your advantage.

bob and john > fintail 09/29/2020 at 13:01

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I think thats the part of the equation...this dude was like 45....

fintail > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 13:05

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The Indian bros I know are 30-something office drones, I think there’s a cultural thing to it, maybe along with how someone picked up the language.  I find it amusing, friendliest guys you’ll ever meet.

Chariotoflove > fintail 09/29/2020 at 13:22

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I get the feeling that bros are gonna bro no matter where they come from, but if someone is trying to fit in to a new culture, they may exaggerate some mannerisms, thinking that makes them fit better.

DipodomysDeserti > onlytwowheels 09/29/2020 at 13:35

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I’m guessing that salesman had a big payday coming in.

onlytwowheels > DipodomysDeserti 09/29/2020 at 13:40

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My impression was he would blow all the money, whatever the settlement was, like a drunken sailor. Not even certain what it was for, by my impressions of him made me feel he was less than eth ical in many ways.

Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com > bob and john 09/29/2020 at 15:11

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I had a similar experience selling my truck privately. It might be a culture thing for them but I found the conversation was disrespectful when tell ‘ my guy’  5 times I’m not haggling on the phone. Y ou want to haggle? A t least have the respect to come see and drive the truck and determine its value. I knew he was purposely ignoring it and being a jackass.

He was also one of those ‘ ask all the questions’ even though every single one could be answered by looking at my list. That also pisses me off, so I became super curt with ‘my guy’ towards the end.

bob and john > Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com 09/29/2020 at 16:36

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yep. if someone comes in to see the bike, i will haggle.

I dont speak numbers on a phone. because then they will beat you down further in person.

i had a guy try that with me once. (private sale, not work)

we met at a parking lot close to home, and he tried to talk me down more . I told him: this was my number . thats it. you REALLY want to talk more?
“:yea”

okay, you cant afford this bike. Later. Rode the bike home. 10 calls from him later...”i will give the original haggled price”

nope, now its MY original asking because you were a dick and wasted my time. too bad.

weirdly, he DID pay it. so eh?

fintail > Chariotoflove 09/29/2020 at 20:10

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That makes sense - although I think these guys are first generation or moved here as infants, there’s still some desire to fit in, and they both grew up in a brotruck area.