Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
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V IE W P OINT S DOES YOUR DEALERSHIP USE NO-HAGGLE PRICING? IF SO, DOES YOUR STAFF STILL FIND THEMSELVES NEGOTIATING ONCE THE CUSTOMER ARRIVES TO THE SHOWROOM? IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN NO-HAGGLE, WHY NOT? A: It's exactly what every customer wants. Te funny thing is that most people still do not believe our no-haggle price. If you are using the no-haggle pricing concept, you really do have to hold to your price. If you don't, then you lose the concept and credibility. I managed a nohaggle, no-hassle Chrysler dealership in the early '90s. I found that we still had to negotiate, but it was not about the price. It was about our no-haggle way of selling cars. No matter what we do, the customers will never believe us. So let's just negotiate. Forget the nohaggle; it's actually a hassle. Darin George Head Trainer Automotive Sales College Toronto MAILBAG "NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THE CUSTOMERS WILL NEVER BELIEVE US. SO LET'S JUST NEGOTIATE. FORGET THE NOHAGGLE; IT'S ACTUALLY A HASSLE." A: I do believe in no-haggle. I think it's time the auto industry to stand up for what we do. We sell a high-ticket item but never for what the sticker says. Te customers know everything about the f nancial end of our business and tell us what they want to pay. Imagine going to Macy's and asking to buy a $450 suit for $100. Tey would throw you out in a minute. Manufacturers have given access to our pricing to various websites and know that their proft won't be afected by selling at cost or below rebates. Dealer cash takes care of that, but it is the sales professional whose income has steadily declined. I have been in this industry for 30 years and have watched us be taken advantage of because dealers won't unite and stand together to make more money. T ink about it: If we all insisted on the sticker pice, where else can they buy the car? It's not like some new manufacturer would suddenly appear. James Smith Sales Consultant Lash Volkswagen White Plains, N.Y. TO BRITTANY-MARIE SWANSON: I liked your online news story about how a Virginia court ruled that Yelp must identify reviewers who defamed a carpet-cleaning business and might not even be actual customers ("Court Rules Yelp Must Release Identities of 7 Reviewers," Jan. 14, 2014). Make no mistake, Yelp is not fghting to protect people's First Amendment rights. Tey are fghting to cover their butts. At the same time, they likely have a tech team desperately trying to come up with the identities of real customers of the carpet company to replace the fake ones they used to post terrible reviews. My personal experience has been that Yelp intentionally manipulates your "fltered" reviews within 48 hours of you declining their "marketing" ofers. Tey do it so blatantly that it is impossible for them to really even deny it. We lost a huge chunk of our 90-plus reviews and a full "star" the day afer we declined to pay them their blood money. Te second time we said "No," they took us down to 13 unfltered of 103 total reviews. Personally, I'm rooting for Hadeed Carpet. Hopefully it opens the door to disassembling Yelp completely. Scott Creason Special Finance Director Ford of Kirkland (Wash.) -DARIN GEORGE LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! To appear in March's Viewpoints, please answer the following question: Do you believe the OEMs should do away with the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP)? If so, how would the absence of a suggested price affect your business? If not, what purpose does the MSRP serve for dealers? Submit your answer and a photo to Editorial Director Gregory Arroyo at gregory.arroyo@bobit.com. The magazine also welcomes any comments or questions about any of the articles appearing in this issue. — Auto Dealer Monthly 6 AUTO DE ALE R MONTHLY • FE BRUARY 2014