To all bike shops...

[Ixion]

...
I reckon a great number of customer think they are so damn precsious that they are prevented from walking up to a salesman to ask for help, easier to do that than winge about the lack of service I reckon.
I say that tounge in cheek, but from a sales persons perspective I wonder how many times they go up and ask for help to be told "just browsing"
...

So what. That's the salesman's job.

Good salesman won't risk making the customer have to go ask for attention. Cos maybe the customer WON'T go ask. Just stand there , look around, then when he's ignored go walk out the door. Hey mate, that's your commission just walked out the door!

As for the "just browsing" - , again, so what. "Just browsing" = "opportunity" to a half decent salesman. There's a prospect. And the prospect is obviously interested, or he wouldn't be there! So the sales half made. Someone actually WANTS to buy stuff off you. How much easier can it be.

So, the prospect's just browsing. OK, find out (without being pushy) WHY he's browsing, not buying. And removes whatever stands in the way of him buying. Cos he WANTS to buy.

Can't afford it ? Could you spare me just a couple of minutes to run through some of our finance options. It may be a lot more affordable than you think.

Wife/partner will spit the dummy ? Could you bring her along for a coffee and chat ? She won't come? Could I bring the bike round to your place so she can see it ?

Not got the right licence yet? OK, near certain sale in a few months. Can I give you a call around XX when you get your full, let you know what we've got you might like.

Not sure what you need/want ? Lets talk about it.

We don't have what you want ? Can I get something in to show you ? Worst case, refer you elsewhere (you scratch my back, I'll scratch your's)

Won't convert a "just browsing" into a sale every time. But, odds are when the browser IS ready to buy, he'll come back to the place that took notice of him and was interested in what he wanted.

[The_Dover]

I'm with boomer on this, even if he is a slow angry porch monkey.

If I turned up in a miniskirt to view motorbikes I'd expect the same level of service.

[Squeak the Rat]

If I were working a bike shop and a miniskirt wanted to take a 600 for a ride I would see law suit waiting to happen. I would still try to make the sale, but not at the expense of a better prospect.
Hot girl in motorcycle leather with helmet (or wants to negotiate these into the sale) turns up she will have my undivided attention until she makes a decision.

It's simple, if you are going to discriminate between your customers, be prepared for the people that aren't given proper service to tell their friends (the properly dressed male ones) about the experience. Entirely your call as a salesman. Entirely our call to go somewhere else.

[Jantar]

Jantar, just out of couriosity, if you were good friends with the owner of the first shop why didn't you alert him to the way you felt you were treated. He would've appreciated the feedback, taken care of the sale himself, and may have even sweetened the deal. Unless he doesn't care about his business.

I did. But I don't ask friends for special deals, and Ian knows that although he has lost one sale to me I will still go to hime first for any parts and service, and I have already put another couple of potential sales his way, so there are no hard feelings. His new sales manager has had a bit of a talking to.

[Riff Raff]

There you go Riff Raff. It's evidently because you're a chick and you dress funny!

I wouldn't say jeans and my ultra-cool Scared Sheep Squadron t-shirt was dressing funny, but others may disagree.

Then again, I've turned up at a motorbike shop on my bike, in full leathers with Speedie and Cowpoos, and been ignored while the salesman chatted up the lads. Even when Speedie told the guy that I was actually looking at upgrading my bike, it still took him a while to start talking to me seriously.

So I guess what it boils down to is that I'm a chick. Righto, I'm off to get my head shaved, then I'll strap my boobies and stick some socks down my pants. That oughta do it!

[The_Dover]

Righto, I'm off to get my head shaved, then I'll strap my boobies and stick some socks down my pants. That oughta do it!

It'll probably give Trashie the right horn too...

[James Deuce]

What's that?? Shave your boobies and put some pants on your head?

The yoof of today, honestly.

[SARGE]

Take the comments I made earlier re the purchase of the 'Busa.
If the sarge had opened to you the way he opened to me he would probably get slapped.

refresh my memory Dog .. were you the guy i screamed

" EASY ON THE SHOCKS FATASS!" at?

( i did see Riff Raff at RB the one time.. Mark was dealing with her on her first bike .. )

[Riff Raff]

( i did see Riff Raff at RB the one time.. Mark was dealing with her on her first bike .. )

do you have to keep bringing that up. I hadn't ridden a bike for 8 years, so naturally I was a bit rusty!

[SARGE]

do you have to keep bringing that up. I hadn't ridden a bike for 8 years, so naturally I was a bit rusty!

all i said was that i saw you ... i never implied anything else...

[Big Dog]

It's simple, if you are going to discriminate between your customers, be prepared for the people that aren't given proper service to tell their friends (the properly dressed male ones) about the experience. Entirely your call as a salesman. Entirely our call to go somewhere else.

I am no longer a sales person because of this attitude.
Look like a clown, act like a clown, dress like a clown and expect to get your nose squeezed.

All customers in all industries need to accept that if they want to be treated in a particular way they need to behave that way.

Not getting enough attention because you don't fit the target demographic? That is what being an individual is all about.

I do not advocate a sex change just to get better service.

I do say that if you are prepared to let a small thing like the fact that a target demographic will be approached ahead of you without making any effort your self put you off good luck spending your money at a smaller dealership where you will pay more but get a more personal experience.

[The_Dover]

lay off the crack pipe big dog.

the day a customer has to "fit in" to the role of YOUR customer is the day my balls pop thru lack of sex or masturbation.

I hope you are secreted behind a computer with zero human contact, for the sake of your employers business!

[Big Dog]

[QUOTE=SARGE;785447]

refresh my memory Dog .. were you the guy i screamed

" EASY ON THE SHOCKS FATASS!" at?

That was certainly your attitude when I demonstrated to my pillion why we could not have a monster.

Along the lines if I had a mrs like that I would never get out of bed.

[Big Dog]

lay off the crack pipe big dog.

the day a customer has to "fit in" to the role of YOUR customer is the day my balls pop thru lack of sex or masturbation.

I hope you are secreted behind a computer with zero human contact, for the sake of your employers business!

So your telling me with a commision on the line you would go strictly on a first come first served basis?

[Big Dog]

You would never chose to serve one person over another....