DAYMN!

Guess winter is over. Very close lightning strike; flash+BOOM. Lights went out, car alarms went off and surge protectors tripped. I'm not going out in the rain to see where it hit. Very close! Four years ago lightning hit a tree in front of my house and took off big branches. Two doors down a tree came down on a parked car crushing it.

Think it is global warming? Should I sue Al Gore? Or, have an adult beverage?

Control Freaks, Auto Sales Sub Species

Something for the few auto retailers out there that occasionally drop by. For those with no interest in the subject, you may want to stop here.

First, a short back story. The dealer principal who was able to tolerate me for many years, and his family, have become  both a business and personal relationship. Recently, one of his sons has started selling cars. He is also the one this Latter Day Luddite calls for computer tech help. I sometimes mentor him in his sales efforts. This was written with him in mind.

Too many people retailing automobiles are, at their core, weak, insecure, anxious and fearful. They appear to be Type A confident and forceful; it is an act. They are control freaks, and, far to often, bullies. Then they get promoted to management and inflict their insecurities on their staff.

There is a whole sub industry of sales trainers who convince dealers, or manufacturers, to pay them to train the sales forces. Some are excellent (Grant Cardone), and many just tell the trainees what the dealer principals want to hears (as opposed to what they need to hear). What the dealers want to hear is CONTROL! To get one customer (up) on the lot, dealers will  spend hundreds of dollars in advertising and promotions. When that “up” comes on the lot, the dealer considers them an asset and wants to maximize their return. Hence, sales people are trained to “get and keep control”. Sales people know they will be severely berated is they don’t “control” the customer. All this is bullshit. That “up” is a human being, and that is what you need to deal with.

Hear it comes. YEAH, BUT! Look dummy, you always have control because you have the car, not them. At some point, they will cede control to you to get what they want. Your job is to make them feel comfortable, and to build value and desire in the car.

So how do you, neophyte salesperson, sell a car? First, a proper greeting. Welcome them,  introduce yourself, and thank them for coming in. Then SHUT UP. I guarantee that any question you ask at this point will get, “We’re just looking”.  If you keep your pie hole closed, they will tell you what they want. Not always, not immediately, but they will tell you. Have patience, but don’t let them walk the lot alone. It is your house, not theirs. Then find them a car THEY like. At this point it doesn’t matter what it is, only that they like it. Don’t ask them any personal questions. Once they are somewhat comfortable with you, they will start giving you information. If they are worried about their credit, about their trade, etc., they will bring it up,  if you give them the chance.

Once you “land” them on a car, build value. Always, ABC (advantage, benefit, commitment). “This model has a xxx,xxx mile warranty. You won’t have to pay for any repairs for a long time. Is that something important to you?” (If you are going to be successful, you better learn your product. Back in the day, I could come up with thirty or more ABCs on any vehicle on the lot. Rarely lost a walk around contest). You have “landed” them on a car. Now comes the most important step, the test drive. Get them to drive the car. On the test drive, keep you mouth shut unless they ask you a question or you need to keep them on the route you have already established.

Towards the end of the drive, you go for the “baby” commitment.

“Folks, do you like the car? If they answer yes, then you say, “If we make you a great deal, will you drive it home today”? Expect some resistance but, in a polite manner, persist. Once you have a “yes”, take them inside and put it on paper (the write up). At this point, you have done all the heavy lifting. Now, your managers will do their part.

During the write up, the problems come out. Credit, trade, down payment, whatever. They may not be able to buy the car they drove. At this point, the customer has a lot of time and emotion invested. They do not want to go somewhere else and start over. Now, you can direct them to the car they can buy. Now, who has control? Remember, they came to your lot because you have something they want, and you have always been in control. Repeat, they came to the lot to buy a car; let them buy. Don’t fight them.

"But WSF, I don't want to waste my time." Really, what else do you have? Retailing automobiles and efficiency aren't even in the same time zone. Want efficiency? Go to work for UPS.

During my decades retailing vehicles, I kept score. How many ups, how many test drives, how many write ups, how many sales? While not a superstar, I would sell one out of 4.3 ups. The best I personally worked with was Dirty Al, who sold one out of three. The national average, as I recall per NADA, was North of one out of six.

Your biggest obstacle towards success is your manager. Don’t stay in a store with bad managers. That dinosaur brain in the tower is your worse obstacle. If the Finance office is stealing your gross, get out! I was fortunate to have four great managers, including my friend's father.  I stayed with them until they left. Quite possible my worst manager was myself.

Like many people, I got into car sales because I needed a job, and that was all I could find. To my surprise, it allowed me to  earn what I needed to make the other parts of my life (like feeding my kids) work. Prestige? From an early age, I’ve not given a rat’s ass what the world, outside of the family,  thought of me. Your mileage may differ.

Hillary and Benghazi

Bloviating Zeppelin has been putting up some excellent posts on this subject. Thoughtful, well researched, and well documented posts. Please go read them.

http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/archives/8235
http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/archives/8229
http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/archives/8211
http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/archives/8143

Sorry BZ, Hillary will skate. Why? Because her supporters don't care. Please read the blog picture. This is what a whole lot of liberals, especially liberal women, think. In their mind, she is fighting the good fight against male oppression. Facts don't matter. Same mentality holds that criticizing the Lightbringer is racist, because he is black. Winning is the only thing that matters.

The hypocrisy galls me. As long as the "narrative" falls into accepted wants, there is no other standard. If not, look out. Sarah Palin is a strong, accomplished woman. Where is the sisterhood with her? I'm not a big Palin fan, but I do admire what she has accomplished.

Several Progressive women crowed (or should that be cackled?) about how proud they were of Hillary putting the "bullies" in their place when she testified in front of the Senate committee.  Nothing said about her flat out lying.

I would have some respect for her if she had said something along these lines.

"Under my watch, mistakes were made. People died because of these mistakes. I am determined that these mistakes not be repeated."

No, she weaseled. Worse, there is a very good chance she will be out next president.

One Person's Tragedy, Is Another's Job

Ah, Colorado weather. From winter, to the current "Right and Proper Thunderstorm", complete with hail and the NOAA radio alerts sounding. Funnel clouds soon to follow?

My sister, an independent insurance adjuster, will be shifting from ice storm truck wrecks on Interstate 80, to hail damage to roofs, crops, and vehicles in NE Colorado. She is completely  fair and compassionate. Best you don't try a phony claim; she won't be easily fooled.

Cinco de Mayo

Another Cinco de Mayo, and a fond, if not bittersweet memory.

My middle son is so not into cars. All he cares is to turn the key and go. When anything goes wrong, he calls me.  His life revolves around music; performing, jamming, listening, etc. You can find one of his many blog/zines on my sidebar. Warning! If you don’t like extreme black death metal, don’t go there.

In Denver on Cinco de Mayo, Federal Boulevard is blocked off for miles as the cars parade. Somehow, he managed to turn onto Federal one May 5th, and couldn’t get off. It was his normal route home from one of his hangouts (gigs, girlfriend, jam?). So, after five miles of stop and go, his clutch was fried in his Honda Civic.

He told me he tried several times to get off Federal, and the Denver Police wouldn’t let him. I can just visualize the scene. A 6’2”, bearded long hair, whiter than white berzerker,  wearing an inflammatory black T-shirt, in a dirty beat up Honda, in the middle of a Mexican parade! Glad he, and the parade participants,  escaped with just a bad clutch. Could have been a riot.

Another Progressive Wet Dream Rant

With Colorado’s current one party dominance in the State Assembly, and the leftist/Progressive dominance of that party,  the common citizens are getting to pay for more whack job social engineering.

First, we have the “Colorado Model” gun control recently passed. Now, we have Senate Bill 252 sitting on the Governor’s desk. This bill mandates electric co-ops source at least 25% of their power purchases from “renewable sources”. This, despite the “renewable energy” that doesn’t exist in sufficient quantities, doesn’t seem to matter. So we now have our own “Field of Dreams” except, instead of “build it and they will come”, it is “demand it and it will happen”.

About 70% of the state is served by co-ops. Most co-ops get their power from Tri-State Generation, mainly coal and natural gas power plants.

So rates will go up. How much is debatable, but it won’t be just a little. Now, if you live in Douglas County which has a median income of $100,000, a $30 to $50 a month increase might mean one less night out a month. If you live in Costillo County with a median income of $22,000, that increase may make the choice lights or food. It will be a big hit for the farmers, ranchers, and dairy industry. Food costs will go up.

Family obligations keep me tied to Colorado. When those change, I’m getting the hell out.

Found this little snippet which shows the arrogance, and the mentality, of the Progressive mind.

http://beforeitsnews.com/environment/2013/04/colorado-looks-to-raise-renewable-energy-standard-to-25-percent-for-rural-electric-co-ops-2466872.html

For those who might be interested, here are some intelligent back and forth views much better written than my scribbles.

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/apr/23/chuck-mcconnell-costly-rural-colorado/

Fickle Weather

Two days ago, 79 degrees. Today, snowing. Forecast low tonight, 22 degrees.

From my natural gas heating bill.

This year, 43 Therms Used, Average daily temperature 39 degrees.
Last year, 12 Therms Used, Average daily temperature 54 degrees.

Today, studded tires are prohibited. Yeah, bite me!

Seems the jet stream has drifted South.

The good news is the snow is very moist and will ease the drought, for now.