Snotty sales folk at LIBS anyone?

[wooslehunter]

There was a thread last year about the attitude of the sales folk at boat shows.

i.e. pitch up with lots of cash to spend but dressed "a bit casually" you can forget getting on the boats or decent treatment from the sales folk and only get a frosty reception.

Any stories anyone?

 

[rickp]

I'm usually classed as somewhat sartorially challenged, and I managed to get on all the boats I wanted to see on Saturday (including a couple of the 'By Invitation only' ones). No-one really tried to sell to me though, but I guess thats a blessing in disguise /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Rick

 

[IanPoole2]

I never had a problem on Saturday viewing the boats I wanted to view. Admittedly I only wanted to view the Southerlies, OVNI and Hunter rather than the Oysters of this world.

 

[Sybarite]

Last year at the Paris Show in a quiet moment I had a look at a Locwind 54 (?). Before getting on, I had to fill in a form with contact details. A few months later I was contacted by a salesman and when I replied to the question " What boat do you have at the moment Sir ?" the line went dead at the other end....

I thought it was lousy anyway.

John.

 

[cameronke]

Just wondering

Where does a boat salesman come in socio-economic rating?

Wonder why they are so snooty?

Regards
Cameron

 

[actionoptics]

I was looking to buy my first "big"boat two and bit years ago. Had the cash in the bank ( up to £30K) and received such a poor response from Ancaster that I spent my money at Trafalgar Yacht Sales. Could not have received a more friendly and helpful response. Looking to change boats this year after I have sold the house and guess who I won't by approaching.

 

[davel]

I agree with others about the reception on Saturday. The show was much much quiter than last year and I had no problem seeing any and all of the boats I wanted to look at. No problems with "snotty" sales staff. All were happy to talk.

 

[snowleopard]

[ QUOTE ]
Wonder why they are so snooty?

[/ QUOTE ]

no one is more of a snob than the servants and hangers-on of the 'great & good'

butlers, head waiters, wives & children....

the worst snob i ever met had been 'in service' as a cook.

 

[Captain Haddock]

The thing I can't stand is the "invitation/appointment" only police. When I asked about an appointment at the Hallberg Rassey stand they said come back in 3 hours time.

I really couldn't be a***d coming back to the stand as I have other things to with my time like harass the chap at the NASA stand. I wandered accross to the Ovni stand which I thought offered a good product for a decent price and is certainly at the end of my 3 year plan to make a bundle of cash, spark up a fat cigar with £50 notes and swan around the world with swmbo and the kids laughing into the sunset in a Dr Evil kind of way on my new yacht. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

It could have been you Hallberg.... ah well!


BTW I wasn't impressed with the amount of chandlery at LIBS I think Southampton has a much greater choice of stalls and for some reason a bigger selection of yachts.

 

[rwoofer]

I thought the Oyster guys on the 46 were very snotty.

First of all they would not let me go on board in socks (I had already removed my deck shoes) - I had to put their special foot covers on. They mentioned something about boatshow rules, so I said that no-one else seemed to mind. Their response.....we're Oyster, we're are the best, so we can enforce the rules.

Got onboard and everyone cupboard or access was locked or said "do not open". How are you supposed to find out why Oysters cost so much more than everyone else if you can't look behind the scenes?

 

[Marsupial]

A snooty boat show reptile saved me a packet, he looked me up and down and declared that if I needed to ask the price I obviously couldn’t afford it, yes I was a bit tatty but I had been walking round the Show all day and I dont wear a blazer and flannels to browse - so I got off his tired obviously second hand westerly 33 and bought a new Jeanneau 37 instead - what a surprize Westerly are no more - I wonder why . . . . . ?

ONE day Boat show exhibitors will realise that their customers don’t owe them a living, one day they might get some classical sales training instead of the "foot in the door" hard sell technique favoured by many.

Until then I fear we will have to put up with snotty types with punnets of plums in their mouths who look upon "punters" cynically as a walking wallet.

 

[npf1]

It's interesting to note that all the criticism if of boat vendors and not equipment vendors/manufacturers/distributors. I spent hours there on Sat finding out more about the gear that's on my recently purchased secondhand boat. Everyone I spoke to was very helpful, even when I said that I was't there to buy! The Raymarine guys were particulalry friendly even though I made it clear that I'd buy in the USA!!!

I didn't go to look on any of the boats so perhaps that's why I had a good experience!!

 

[Toutvabien]

I have just got back from LIBS and spent some time on the Oyster 46 where I was made very welcome and encouraged to have a good look at every thing. A very few lockers were off limits. The staff on the boat were knowledgeable and very helpful. Their owners lounge is also very welcoming.

They knew that I was not going to buy an Oyster 46 today but I get the impression that they if they think that you may one day buy one of their boats then it's worth being nice to you. To be fair to the Oyster sales staff their quota of tyre kickers must be quite high.

The show was so quiet this year that I am suprised any of the sales people had the cheek to be snotty. I have been twice, (as it is only 15 minutes drive from my house), and it is the quietest LIBS that I have ever experienced. No crowds no waiting for anything and people seemed keen to do business. I will be interested to hear what the numbers are like, I heard 40% down on last year. The ticket price of £14 probably keeps many of the potential casual attenders away IMHO.

 

[AlexL]

I had exactly the same response from Oyster - very freindly, no prejudging, but like you say, maybe an oyster lies in my future at some point. I've always found Oyster to be the least 'prejudging' of the lot.
It will be very interesting to see if the economic slowdown changes any attitudes. I'm currently selling a house and my first estate agent was a fairly new company who has only known the boom times and was a total 'order taker' - didn't even call back viewers - he wated for them to call him! no concept of how to 'sell' something now the market has collapsed. Maybe most of the boat companies have been able to sit around watching business walk throught the door for the last 10 years - not any more!

 

[rwoofer]

What was interesting was that on the Swan, I declared I wasn't going to buy one, but once the guy understood I already had a boat of similar size, he showed me around all the unusual and innovative features.

What was really interesting was the guy didn't actually work for swan, but was just employed for the boat show.

 

[Sybarite]

[ QUOTE ]

if they think that you may one day buy one of their boats then it's worth being nice to you. .

[/ QUOTE ]

All salesmen should take this point of view.

John

 

[AndCur]

Hi

A mate of mine who owns a very large building company went in a car dealer to buy 10 new jeeps but beacuse he was just of site and covered in mud etc the sales
people did not want to talk to him. Little did they know that later that day he placed 150k order with another dealer. These people should learn not to judge people on what they are wearing or what they think they can afford as often they are very wrong.

Andrew

 

[milltech]

As a youth, first time they gave me a desk in the showroom. Man came in covered in dry concrete, he talked with an Irish accent. He was looking at the cars and with a nod and a wink the senior salesman passed to the next desk and so on to lowly me at number 4.

I walked over to him and he said to me, "I'll have that one". It was as simple as that, brand new Rover 3 ltr sold for cash. This was 41 years ago.

Oh, his name? I'll remember because I could hardly forget. McNicholas. As the years went by I enjoyed seeing ever more "McNicholas Cable and Engineering" trucks appear on the streets. An entrepreneur who got his feet dirty. Never judge a book by the cover.

 

[Robin]

I once went to buy a new BMW, we had pretty well decided on a 3 series Estate and went to the local showroom in Bournemouth in early November to discuss having one for 1st January. We weren't scruffy but stopped off on our way back from the local Makro on a wet day, jeans and sweatshirts I guess. As we entered the hallowed ground of their showroom we were intercepted smartly and asked 'was it a new car or a USED (emphasised) car we were looking for?', Oh 'a new one' I replied, trying not to trip over his nose. 'Which model can you afford?' he said!!!! I told him I could AFFORD any one in the showroom but I wanted a 320 Estate, in white, no frills just a sun roof and alloy wheels, delivery 1st Jan and what was the best deal he could give me. It got worse! Firstly he couldn't guarantee one for 1st Jan, then there was going to be a price increas ON 1st Jan and oh deary me was that a VAUXHALL I wanted to trade in? He offered 'bottom book' for the Vauxhall (it was 3 yrs old, just 21,000 mls, mint condition, top of the range Cavalier CDi with aircon etc) since this was a 'reps' car, not something they could sell themselves. He refused any discount either on the BMW though I told him I had been offered one from a London dealer, discounted and available for 1st Jan. Glutton for punishment, I said 'look around, do your homework and then ring me with your best deal, I will even pay a (small) premium to buy it locally since I will want it serviced locally'. After 3 days with no call, I telephoned him - he 'hadn't called because there was no point, he couldn't get one and couldn't do any deal'.

We bought our first Honda, an Accord Aerodeck and took delivery as required on the first working day in Jan. Since then we have had another Accord Aerodeck and are currently on our second Honda CRV so that is in fact 4 cars Woods BMW of Bournemouth didn't sell me because had we bought one we might well have traded up again and again. Oh and big mouth me that I am I still tell this (true) tale and continue to put off as many as possible from the snooty folks at Woods.

My wife has a saying 'What goes round comes round'. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[BrendanS]

Similar sort of story, wanted to buy a 4x4, and went to Land Rover dealer in Maidenhead to have a look at Range Rovers and Discovery's. 3 sales guys all chatting to each other. Walked up and asked for some info. One sales guy, without looking at me, picked up a brochure and held it out sideways, still without looking at me, and said ' have a look in here, and come back when you've decided which one you can afford'. I let the brochure drop on the floor and walked out.

Went down the A4 to the Jeep Showroom, and bought the most expensive model they had on offer at the time. When the Jeep was delivered, I drove to the Land Rover dealer and asked to speak to the manager, then took him outside and explained how much custom he had lost due to the attitude of his staff, and that I would be actively telling everyone to avoid them.

Glad to say that the dealer subsequently went out of business, though I cannot claim it was due to my word of mouth action against them, I hope it helped