Did I or did I not just blog that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. Group Vice President and Lexus General Manager Mark Templin wants his customers to "hang out" down at the dealership? I did. WardsAuto now reports that the self-same suit says his dealers should learn from its Scion brand's customer relations– and give their customers the bum's rush a time-efficient service. "What Scion buyers want – and future Lexus customers will desire, as well – is a quicker purchasing and no-fuss service experience." Lexus' new goal is to make sure "customers who do come into the showroom to buy can get in and out fast, providing around-the-clock service facilities or offering pickup and delivery of vehicles needing maintenance." Templin sees no contradiction in these goals; the in-and-outers are young money, while the let-me-tell-you-about-my-hernia customers are old money. Can Lexus be all things to all demographics? No, but it can try. Oh, and we love that crack about the Newport Beach dealership “where each of the palm trees cost $100,000 apiece." Is that God's way of telling a Lexus dealer he's making too much money?
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I take it ther plans for internet cafes in every dealership are now on indefinite hold?
I’ll certainly never know.
Is Lexus stealing this idea from Harley? Just from my limited experience, when I want to check out new Buells, which unfortunately means going to a Harley dealer, I had to wade through 20 to 50 gray-haired fat guys chomping stogies and posing in their leathers on thier $25,000 softtails. Did I bump into a rally? No, it’s like that every Saturday (and no one is around to offer me a test ride on a Buell). I guess that’s one thing to do with your bike. Other than say, ride it, or trailer it to 50 miles outside Sturgis. But I digress.
How does that translate to Lexus? I guess opening up a espresso and sashimi counter is an obvious start…but the idea was already floated—really Lexus should go much more into aftermarket cross-branding, like Coach branded interiors, or Louis Vuiton interiors. (My limited imagination and pedestrain tastes are letting me down here.) The same people who go for Lexus because it’s Lexus will just eat that stuff up and ask for seconds. And have a day spa for customers while they wait for thier upgrades. Just make the Lexus dealership a mall for your car, sit back, and watch the dough roll in. Some more.
One of the toughest things about being an on the road salesman is knowing where all the best bathrooms are located. Thanks to the trend in upscale car dealerships, finding the most luxurious locations to take a dump has never been easier.
Personally, I prefer the new Audi dealerships that feature a wonderful 3-ply, closely followed by BMW in Toronto that regularly plays Wagner through two flush-mount B&W speakers above the urinals.
Oh, and we love that crack about the Newport Beach dealership “where each of the palm trees cost $100,000 apiece.” Is that God’s way of telling a Lexus dealer he’s making too much money?
LOL! Priceless. Only on TTAC. Thanks, Farago!
I don’t see the contradiction. Basically, he’s saying that the Lexus sales staff should be attentive to the preferences of the customer. If the customer wants to buy a car as quickly as possible, the dealership should let him/her buy a car with minimum hassle and paperwork. If the customer wants a slow, leisurely pace, slow down the sales pitch and walk them through it. Giving the customer what they want. Damn, that’s sounds so crazy, it just might work!
A good salesperson knows their customer. Some customers don’t want to spend all day at the dealer while purchasing a car(like me). Give me the bottom line price, have the papers and car ready when I get there.
Other dealers also have this policy, my local Honda and surprisingly VW dealers adapt very well to customers needs. Of course this is only when purchasing the car after is another story.
I guess I’ll test this strategy when I get my 350IS.
As an owner of a Saab, I think that the Saab dealers should be listening… they have the “atmosphere” right, but the people that work there and the level of service is no better than any other GM dealership, which is to say it is CRAP.
This one works well if you turn the tables on the dealer. Since I quickly realized that each visit to a stealership was a 30 minute nut, when I was ready to buy, I allocated the whole day.
I had my cell phone, with my work calls forwarded to me, so I wasn’t missing any clients. The fact that I politely excused myself to “do business” also made me look more substantial at the same time I made THEM the lower priority.
I sat there. I did not get excited, even tho I’d decided on the particular car. I sat, I sat, and I sat (sorta like Horton on the egg).
Eventually, they realized they could not “hook” me, and the price dropped to my level. Only then did I look for a pen.
If you expect to sit, spend the time, and act bored (but remain polite), you can turn this side of the game to your benefit.
Each dealership has its own strategies on how to engage and retain their customers. My brother owns an ES350 and during his last service visit, while waiting for his car in the Lexus “media room” some guy was walking around talking about the football game the night before, engaging customers.
My brother assumed he was just another customer. In reality he discovered, Lexus was literally paying for this guy to walk around the service area and engage customers in light hearted conversation.