Did you see The Apprentice on Wednesday? If not it's repeated on Saturday and also next Tuesday if I'm not mistaken. I mentioned the episode which was filmed at a Car Supermarket (well known for it's import-cars) earlier in the week and it threw up some great scenarios worth a mention in A Day In The Life.
The first involves a part-exchange. Interested in a New MINI Convertible a customer offered a 99T Reg Ford Explorer 4×4 4.0 Petrol in part-exchange. From the comfort of my armchair I valued it at £2500 and he was offered £3000. This fell short of the £6000! he wanted for it.. I got the impression that he had been railroaded into the showroom to close a deal without a proper presentation and test-drive of the New MINI. Since he hadn't test-driven the car and enjoyed all the features and performance associated with the brand there was no desire to own the MINI. So, no matter how cheap the car was (and I'm sure it was cheap compared to a MINI main agent) he was stuck on the value of his own gas guzzler, probably also due an MOT anytime too, as well as a new tax disc at the new 4×4 rates! The insight here was also into the attitude of the Sales Manager, who to comfort the Apprentice candidate, put the non-sale down to "You always get a few like that". Well, you might get a few less if you actually demonstrate the product and show a potential customer the features and benefits of driving one! We all want the best price for our part-exchanges, but it's all about the difference to change amount. A value I'm sure they were sitting pretty on and something probably reinforced by investigating just how much similar 4×4 Ford Eco Killers were advertised for in Exchange & Mart!
The second insight involved selling Car Protection Kits and Warranties. Again, in this rushed environment the key appeared to be dripping Ribena on a sample treated and untreated patch of cloth to convince would-be purchasers of the value of their £350 kit. I am a huge fan of Supagard type treatments to interior and exteriors, but it's really more about the long-term ownership, appearance and potential enhanced resale value (when they really do pay for themselves.) I'm always seriously impressed when I buy a treated car. A small sticker is usually the giveaway, which precedes a quick jet-wash and leather off leaving the car as shiny as the day it was purchased. If the 'Scotchguard' style interior spray has been applied to the seats properly there's usually a pleasant surprise inside too. Mats are always a great buy for the long term, carpets with ingrained grass, grit, ash and debris never clean up as well as those covered up from day one – and for how much? About £25 gets you a good set of tailored mats. So, how could those tyros have done better selling the Car Car Kits? Probably by showing them a magnified cross section diagram of a treated body surface, which shows all the peaks and troughs filled by the transparent polymer, creating a glass-like surface – then have them wash and leather a treated demo-car to a good as new appearance. Some real learned enthusiasm for the product may have earned their team that extra few pounds and kept them out of the boardroom fighting for their Apprenticeship existence!
If you have good reason to extol the virtues of SupaGard or PermaGard paint protection, leave a testemonial in the comments box – a good friend (who is also a blogger) and car sales exec is building up a list of testemonials from satisfied purchasers. I've no doubt to help him convince his own customers too!
Next week, our would-be entrpreneurs are working the Rag Trade in Topshop. Let's see how they get on and who is on the receiving end of "You're Fired!"
Here's a link to a great article about becoming self-employed and deploying your entrepreneurial talents.
Here's a link to my used car stock – cars that you're welcome to see, touch and drive before we sit down with an order pad!
