LBS sales skills

[Guest]

At the show yesterday, there was an amazing range of sales skills on show, as well as products.

In the yacht dealer category I would award Opal Marine with top marks - staff who knew their products inside out, and sales skills the right side of pushy. Top marks, and as soon as Ive sold my boat, I'll be ordering a Bav 32 or 35 (new 34 out v.soon)

Worst must have been Hanse. No product knowledge, and even got told off for opening a locker too aggressively. Hmm - maybe they don't want my £60k.

What are other posters' best and worst?

 

[Mirelle]

The lady on the Blakes Lavac Taylors stand who sold me atube of seacock grease despite my saying that I already had two....or maybe the lady who signed me up for a YM subscription!

 

[rogerroger]

yes, you'd have thought the Hanse salesman might at least know the warranty period of the boat!! Laughable...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Before you order think why they can afford to give such good patter Then try Chris Hawes at Yacht Fractions save youself £5000 - £10000 on a new boat. No involment with the Co only a satified customer .Bob T

Bob T

 

[david_e]

Probably accounts for why they sold 120 boats so far Jeremy, I have just posted on the show but looking at it from this angle I am certain that the salespeople have a key role to play. What I found myself thinking as I went from boat to boat was how similar so many of the boats looked in the show when all grouped together. A good salesperson would capitalise on this and make price a feature, which is what the marketing people at Opal have done. For me the best person I came into contact with was Angus Scott on the Jeanneau stand. He is a Director at EuroYachts in Glasgow and gave some honest and meaningful advice to me. In general, if you look at the sales skills in detail, most would be found in lacking in the overall scheme of things. Whilst good product knowledge is a pre-requisite, after that there is little evaluation of a buyers status and their buying position, a few simple searching questions would sort the wheat from the chaff and probably make life easier for them. But as I mention in my post, most were pleasant and knowledgeable, I did sqeam when my local B******* dealer explained the shaft drive system in detail when in fact it was a saildrive on that boat, one we have both spoken about many times!

 

[Guest]

I was told by a Bavaria salesman at the show that you can order the Bav 36 for exactly the same price as the 34. The only difference being the cosmetic layout of the interior which is more like the new 32.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Last year when I did the rounds , I found Opal Marine staff very helpful and knowledgeable. Easily the worse was Hanse. There's an old adage - Never trust a salesman with white shoes. This guy had brand new white sailing shoes. I wouldn't have bought a box of matches from him. David mentions Angus Scott from Euroyachts. I bought my last boat from Euroyachts when they were at the Hamble. Angus and his company were a pleasure to deal with.