That “helpful” friend at the dealership may be making your car-buying experience worse.
People are scared to death of car salespeople.
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They think the minute they set foot on a car lot, somebody’s gonna throw a net over ’em, drag ’em into a back room, shove some paperwork under their noses, and the next thing they know they’re saddled up in a brand new Zorch for two grand a month for the rest of their lives.
(I wish it was that easy!)
That Tough Act? Salespeople Know the Real Reason
That fear manifests itself in many ways. One way is a gruff, aggressive attitude. Whenever a customer walks into the showroom with a chip on their shoulder, a seasoned car salesperson sees what’s behind the tough facade: fear. Fear of being taken advantage of. Fear of being tricked into paying too much or buying a lemon.
Have we in the car biz earned our reputation? Yes, we have. It used to be worse back in the ’60s and ’70s, but it still happens, even today.
A classic way fear manifests itself is when a customer brings a friend or relative to the dealership to help them buy a car. In sales we call this friend the “third base coach.” If you’re unfamiliar with baseball, a third base coach is a coach who stands near the third base line, telling players when it’s time to run for home or hold tight at third. They aren’t a player, but they use hand signals to tell the players what to do. (These folks are also called “car attorneys” in some places.)
Whatever you call them, from the customer’s point of view, they’re there to make sure they don’t get screwed. From the salesperson’s point of view, they’re there to kill car deals.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with bringing a friend along for moral support. The problem is, most of the time, these coaches don’t really help the customer. They mean well, but they usually end up doing more harm than good.