Boat show snobbery

[Trevethan]

Went to the show on Saturday -- still crowded but all in all good.

I was particularly impressed by Hanse 341 -- huge headroom in a small boat and also like the Ocean Yachts stand -- the 481 looks to be a excellent boat. I would have liked tio ghacve seen the Hanse 371 but there didn't have one there.

Also went to the Moody stand -- had to book an appointment. Fine -- booked appointment at 11 am for viewing at 5 pm....

Spent the time mooching around buying bits and pieces etc etc and come 5 wander over to Moody's go up and look at the 47.

We had with us assorted chandlery bags etc which the salesman looked at dubioudly.. we dropped it outside and got onboard expecting the salesman to follow us in.

We poked about a bit. Less than impressed by head room -- less than in the Hansa in the salon and much less than the Ocean. Did like the aft cabin though.
Quality of finish was better than than Hansa, but the Ocean was comparable

After 10 mins, still no sign of salesman so we exit. He wasn't there. Felt a bit miffed by this. A brochure at least would have been great so went back to apopointments desk to remonstrate.

Explained we had book apptment and salesmena took one look at swmbo and I and buggered off.

Felt it was pretty shabby really -- maybe I should ahve worn a blazer and cravat with CA logo, but instead had on jeans and old sailing shirt..

There was a well spoken chap at the desk who was terribly apologetic. I told him the salesman looked at us and buggered off... and he apologised saying no offence was intended but it was Saturday and busy... I didn't say to him then why have bloody appments then... but if Hansa and Hunter can spend half an hour chatting with hundred of people climbing on and off, then surely an appointment should get you a few moments... anyway....

He came back with brochuure, asked us what boat we had at the moment etc etc.. and calmed us well me down.. then asked if after the show he could get in touch with us an perhaps go for a test sail. All very nice at the end, but seems to me that I had to create quite a fuss....

Oh and the chap's name was Moody...

Whereas the other guys were helpful to the point where we wanted them to bugger off so we could explore...

Of teh boats I saw, I think the Hansa's were my favourite base on price./quality, followed closely by thw Ocean. They are massivlely built and from the cut away othe show look well finished. and at £200k for a 47 footer, it can't be bad....

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[steve_cronin]

Nothing\'s changed then!

ten years ago when we went actually looking to buy (& we did) a 30ft-ish sailing boat we got similar experience from Moodys. Snobs to a man. The blazered twerp couldn't lift his arse of the chair & come to talk. A friend with us got a glimpse over his shoulder writing in the comments box on the appointment card as we left. Read "Rubbish - time wasters"! Cheeky sod.

Westerley weren't much better. Their 29ft boat was too cramped in te forepeak and it wasted space with a rediculous padder Nav seat a la Scania Truck, however we would have liked a sail. They never did make contact to this day. After very informative and friendly visits to the Fisher, Hunter and Dufour stands we were offered early trial sails Even the Halberg people offeredd a sail but we didn't like the boat (& the price!). We bought the Hunter in the following May.

Ole' Moodys?

Forget 'em!

They live in the past age of pecking orders in yacht clubs, " 'scuse the rig sir?" and blue ensigns. Even the tractor driver at their yard doffs his cap to the torffs.

Their attitudes will take them to their rightful destination.

This year, Saturday too, we were welcomed on Nauticat, Bavaria, Nautor, HR and several others despite not being a boat buyer this year and dressed in scruffs. (Even met a chap from my old prep. school.) However I did spend over £3500 in bit & bobs!

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[VicMallows]

Personally, I would far PREFER to be left alone to have a good poke around. An overpowering saleman will almost certainly drive me quickly awaybefore I've had a chance to properly consider the boat. If I was still seriously interested in the boat I would then follow up away from the glitzy boat show.


We are all different!


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[Lizzie_B]

Why would anyone with a blue ensign buy a Moody???

Nothing's changed. Still some Red Ensign snobs around who can't resist the temptation to slag off people they know nothing about.. (Angry Admiral,Aldeburgh)

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[steve_cronin]

Re: Why would anyone with a blue ensign buy a Moody???

Just painting a picture in words that a lot here will recognise!

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[richardandtracy]

Went on the Nauticat 331 yesterday. Smashing. Like a home from home. I admitted at the time I was only looking for ideas for mine too - and I didn't even get any odd looks when I brought out the tape measure. Can't praise the staff more.


Regards

Richard.


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[Guest]

The worst case of snobbery we experienced was at the SBS a few years ago from Northshore. My wife was quite put off by their attitude. A year later, I returned to receive exactly the same snobbery from the same salesman. My boat is now a Najad but it could have been a Vancouver.

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[jimi]

There are some in the marine industry who are snobbier than proper owners .. sod 'em .. perhaps thats one of the reasons for the decline in the British Marine Industry? Perhaps it was culturally unable to adapt to mass markets or incapable of selling to someone with the "wrong" accent?

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[steve_cronin]

ANND, AND, DID YOU KNOW?>>>>

that one of the ladies on that stand was one of the models for the "2004 Yottie Tottie" calendar!!!

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[Robin]

Its not just boats! We were looking to buy a new BMW and were asked 'is it new or secondhand you are interested in sir?' when I replied 'new' he asked 'which one do you think you can afford sir?' I said 'any that you have in the showroom actually'. We had stopped off to pick up brochure on the way back from the boat and therefore not in best bib and tucker.

I finally bit my tongue, gave him the spec I wanted and colour for del Ist Jan (it was Nov) and pointed to our 2yr old Vauxhall (mint condition top of the range model, 15,000 mls only). He said 'oh, that's a company car, we can't sell those, all we can give is min trade price, and anyway theres a price increase on 1st Jan and we cannot get the model you want by then..'

SWMBO was squeezing my arm hard by then, so I WAS polite (just) when I said 'look, you know what I want, I already know I can get it from a London dealer and get trade for my car unseen, plus a small discount on the new car. So here's my tel number, call me when you have information as to how much and when, I will pay a small premium over the London dealer in order to deal locally in Poole'.

He didn't call back, I called him 3 days later - he hadn't called, there was no point he said since he couldn't get the car I wanted.

We bought a Honda. We have since had 4 more Hondas from the same garage and been very happy with them and Honda service.

What a pity WOODS BMW of Bournemouth weren't interested, by now they could have sold me 5 BMWs like Horizon Motors did Hondas.....AND I have a BIG mouth, all my friends and aquaintances have heard this story many times, only one bought a BMW and that was NOT from WOODS.





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[snowleopard]

yes, it happens everywhere. a colleague of mine was once the director of a finance company and was accompanying a client, the ceo of a large coach operator, around a motor show.

on the stand of a manufacturer they inspected the goods then a salesman apprached them. they said 'how much for 100?' his response was words to the effect of 'p... off and stop wasting my time'. as they left the stand my colleague handed him his card and told him who the client was. he went white.

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[[2068]]

I went though a similar process when I turned up at our local BMW dealer driving a Vectra V6, attempting to buy some sort of 3-series, maybe a 320se.

After about 20 mins, by some process that I still quite haven't got a handle on, (maybe I wasn't dressed correctly, or didn't come across with enough of the required 'BMW Attitude'), the salesman made me feel like a 17 year old tyre kicker. It was explained to me that I needed to specify exactly what I wanted before coming back again, minimum trade value would be given for the Vectra, and no discount would be possible. Hmmm.

Went up the road to the Volvo dealer, a friendly cup of coffee and a couple of test drives later, I signed up for an S60 2.0Tse. It's not quite as to good to drive as the BM, but close enough, and at least the dealership doesn't remind me of my old deputy headmaster...

dave.

 

[richardandtracy]

Re: ANND, AND, DID YOU KNOW?>>>>

No, because I never look at anything titled with the demeaning and degrading subriquet 'tottie'.

Regards

Richard.


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[Robin]

The only problem I've had with Honda is they send out so many 'Are we doing it right surveys'. Maybe BMW would learn a thing or two about some of their dealers if they tried it! We just changed our C-RV for the latest version, top of the range, Satnav, heated leather seats and all, the retained value of the previous one at 3 yrs old was 53% - well done Honda and British built too in Swindon.

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[Mirelle]

Well, this is out of my league...

I don't think owners of old wooden boats can play in this league. Still...

Twenty years ago I approached the Volvo stand for some advice on my MD2. "We used to do a trade in on those, but we've stopped it" was all the help I got. I 've still got the MD2, but, when it dies, the replacement won't be a Volvo!

Much the friendliest new boat stand at any Boat Show I've been to was the Purbrook Rossiter stand when they brought out the Curlew. Jolly nice boat, too. Well built, as opposed to just "well finished" (it was well finished, too).

But, seriously, I've no idea how someone on a stand is meant to tell the serious buyer from the tyre kicker.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Trevethan]

Re: Well, this is out of my league...

Isn't the issue that the salesman should treat everyone the same?

As an aside,

A few years ago my uncle arranged with his bank manager to withdraw about £20k from his account (he had mortgage, current, savings and business acct with them.)

He owns a carpet business and few houses here and there -- he isn't poor.. but anyway he came into the bank after helping one of his lads do a measuring up dressed in old jeans etc.

Went to the clerk and said I want to withdraw 20 grand (proper west country acccent and all) and the lad said. You don't have that kind of money. (This was when £20k would buy a house), before he' d even checked the account.

Mark blew up in his face and told him to get the manager as he was closing his accounts and changing banks. manager came out all grovelling and apologetic but he closed 'em anyway.

Wonder why these jumped up little pricks continue to behave this way -- they work in a shop.. more or less... whether they sell cars. boats or baked beans... so why try and make people who ultimately pay their wages i.e. customers, feel small?






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[Trevethan]

Re: Well, this is out of my league...

Isn't the issue that the salesman should treat everyone the same?

As an aside,

A few years ago my uncle arranged with his bank manager to withdraw about £20k from his account (he had mortgage, current, savings and business acct with them.)

He owns a carpet business and few houses here and there -- he isn't poor.. but anyway he came into the bank after helping one of his lads do a measuring up dressed in old jeans etc.

Went to the clerk and said I want to withdraw 20 grand (proper west country acccent and all) and the lad said. You don't have that kind of money. (This was when £20k would buy a house), before he' d even checked the account.

Mark blew up in his face and told him to get the manager as he was closing his accounts and changing banks. manager came out all grovelling and apologetic but he closed 'em anyway.

Wonder why these jumped up little pricks continue to behave this way -- they work in a shop.. more or less... whether they sell cars. boats or baked beans... so why try and make people who ultimately pay their wages i.e. customers, feel small?






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[Mirelle]

Two possible explanations

A former boss of mine opened an account in a Sussex village with one of the Big 5 clearers by TT'ing half a million pounds from Hong Kong. His account was immediately frozen and he nearly got arrested - this was about fifteen years ago and UK banks had just heard of "money laundering"! What they had not done was look him up. Luckily for them, he thought it was funny.

I can think of two possible explanations for unwise behaviour by sales staff at the Boat Show.

One is that after a few days in the hot, stuffy atmosphere of the Show people get fed up and after two hundred or so punters their initial enthusiasm wears off. They probably expect the serious money to come round on preview day. I'm not excusing it but I can understand it.

The other is that I suspect that some salesmen find that, oddly enough, being extremely snotty can sometimes make a sale. As a student I spent a summer working as a waiter in an old fashioned seaside hotel. It permanently warped my view of human nature! Being courteous, attentive and unobtrusive did not result in tips. Being overbearing, pompous and downright rude produced substantial ones; people would bribe you to escape from your dining room without being humiliated in front of their guests! I don't know whether this applies to all nations, or if only the British are this perverse.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[poggy]

Re: Well, this is out of my league...

Hi,

I have had 6 BMW's and the dealers think you should be grateful you can drive a BMW. Most were company cars so I had no contact for the purchase. The last one was a 525D SE which I bought from Coopers BMW in London (near Vauxhall bridge) from an Australian salesman. Perhaps it was the Australian attitude, but he bent over backwards to get me a good deal and part exchange. They even lent me a car while they prepared the new one and delivered it to Southampton free of charge. I was wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt when we met.

Tried to buy a BMW from Scotthal in Chandlers Ford and all I kept getting was are you prepared to make a decision today. I said I was if they gave me a good deal, in the end we just gave up and went to London. It was a shame as they had serviced all the previous BMW's so they knew I was serious. When we came to change we looked at the X5 and the Volvo XC90. The Volvo dealer (Cambridge - Havant) was excellent and despite the fact they can sell XC90's all day without trying they lent us the petrol version for the day and then the diesel. The salesman then went through the various specs over a coffee and this is despite the fact there is a 18 month waiting list.

It is going to cost some business's if they don't change their attitude.


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[oldgit]

Re: What about snobs who turn their noses up at

a nice little light blue flag with a circle of pretty stars on it.
Pot and kettle perchance./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.