pg.6 Kelley Blue Book and Autonation Article Comment

February 19, 2008 www.internetresearchpro.com

..."Consumers know and trust Kelley Blue Book values more than any other valuation source," Marcotte added. "By utilizing Kelley Blue Book values on our sites, we're providing shoppers what they want and need and keeping them on our sites longer."...
..."Having Kelley Blue Book values on our Web sites and on our lots helps bridge the trust gap between our dealers and car shoppers," said Gary Marcotte, senior vice president of marketing and e-commerce for AutoNation."...


Very true BUT hold on a minute and think about...I completely agree that it helps establish validity with regard to pricing but what it DOES NOT DO is start the selling process because you can't price a vehicle "low" enough ever to make that happen.

It takes interaction between a customer and a sales representative so when one wonders why the rep has to go back and forth price cutting while working with management, here is the answer...

Because they are selling a price and not the vehicle if the customer has never been given a product presentation henceforth establishing VALUE in that pre-owned vehicle or new car model.

Pricing may help generate inquiries but it's a slippery slope because customers demand open market pricing upfront.

So your damned if you do give pricing and damned if you don't but forgiveness can be had if you repent from the old school ways by giving that online customer respect for their time, distance traveled and trust in providing valid information BEFORE you ask the question "what day is good for you?, morning or afternoon? and blah blah blah" and so on. Huh, they didn't show up. Go figure, something must of "happened"...dog sick, somebody died, leaky roof etc.

Crap customers are created through bad service and not born that way. So you gave them a price and your upset they didn't have respect for your time price cutting?
Get over it. Information trumps price in making sales. The better you can deliver it the more you sell.

While your here think about this...Why does a customer ask you for more static pictures when you have posted 20 zillion of them online? Obvious answers, they look terrible, too small or way too slow loading because your website builder got cute and thought it would be cool to make them load in flash.

What is the customer really asking you for? Your help and the desire in building a relationship pursuant to buying a vehicle, get it? If they ask for ANY information the unspoken words are still the same with one exception when they inquire "do you still have the car, I'll buy for the price advertised and here is my credit card" done deal, ya right, happens that way all the time. LOL!!!

Anybody want to bet on whether my company's service is the future?

Call me direct anytime and anyplace and bet your commissions on it. Well maybe not because you have to sell something first, so cash will do.

Pete Latsoudis, 1-800-Autocam