Thanks for returning. You're a very smart person.
I have been undergoing a lifestyle (re)design that last two months.
The past five years have been too much work, not enough play and far too much abuse of my pay - I’m not complaining - it was a great journey, but it is time for a change. One of the last things on my list of adjustments in none other than one of my greatest sources of enjoyment - my car. There’s nothing wrong with the car I have - it is in great shape, runs like the day I first got it and is quite the head turner. The problem? I want to downgrade and divert some of the funds to other pursuits - like traveling or a vacation.
Last Sunday, I kept being bombarded by ads for the new Hyundai Genesis. Wow. The car has everything - including a reasonable price tag. Excited, I followed the ads instructions and headed over to the Genesis’s offical website. Alright I need one. Time to find a dealer.
After combing Google, I finally found the websites of four Hyundai dealerships. I also found something else out.
Buffalo car dealerships must not be hurting for business.
Why’s that?
Well, according to everything I read, hear and see, consumer spending is down, a recession has started and everyone is downsizing, yet here I am money in hand, excited to buy and I have yet to get ONE SINGLE RESPONSE from any of the dealerships. It has been five days and I haven’t heard one peep from anyone. This coming from those within an industry that is always touting tough times and near extinction. No wonder you are hurting - you can’t be bothered to responded back to potential customers.
Guess what?
I don’t think I am even interested anymore. If a dealership (or any company) can’t get back to me within five days when I have money to spend, what can I expect when I need to service, support or repairs?
The moral of this story, VoIP companies, is now is NOT the time to be lazy and or stupid. Focus on the little things that make a difference. Give a little more - work a little harder. Every opportunity needs to be seized - whatever the size - because as consumers become more discerning with their spend, they will have less patience for laziness and stupidity on your part. So please, don’t be like a Buffalo area Hyundai dealership - pick-up the phone, return emails and capitalize on every opportunity to gain new and keep existing customers - because you don’t know how long they will be around for.
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Funny - I have had the exact same experience. I have found that car dealers are the most un-tech savvy businesses that exist. I emailed many dealerships as well, and not 1!!! returned my email or called to follow up. It is a broken sales system, and I am not sure how you would repair it. The dealerships are notorious for providing basically no support for stuff like this to salespeople, many don’t have an email address.
The one dealership that was outstanding (any by outstanding I mean phone rang 2 minutes after I sent an email to sales), ended up getting my business. I love my Acura and the acura.com personalized portal that emails me with service recommendations, special offers and contests. and is a one stop shop for my cars manuals, specs etc.. it is pretty impressive.
Hey -
I just bought a new car this weekend. I had similar experiences with a few dealers and I have uncovered some problems:
1. If you say “lease” they won’t return your call or email because they cannot offer a price you can swallow. Financing is so bad, they can’t offer competitive leases.
2. If you say”SUV” and “lease” in the same sentence, it’s worse. Residual values are so low on SUVs that they there is no interest from financing companies at all.
3. Dealerships are hurting so much, they are firing sales staff left and right and your email is probably sitting in the inbox of a sales guy that was let go this morning.
There are major deals to be had. You just have to go to a dealership prepared to buy on the spot.
And btw, we at are doing better than ever. I can’t say our recent success is due to any change in our avoidance of laziness or stupidity!
did I see you reading the Timonthy Ferris book? I picked up the Audiobook. Interesting, motivating.. not exactly probable.
As for savings on automobiles, I hear ya on that . I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee and was spending $100/wk on gas in that 15mpg pig. The wife and I picked up a 2008 Mazda 5 for her and I was downgraded to the 2005 Honda Civic that she had. It averages 37mpg and is paid for.. so the money saved is GREAT.
but man, do I miss my Jeep.
@ andrew
Well, at least I am not alone. Seems sort of counter intuitive, though, to run an operation in that manner.
@Rob
Glad to hear the Junction Networks team is doing well - and responding to customers!
Thanks for the tips - I’ll remember to use them when I figure out what I want to buy…
@Mike
Yeah, I picked up the book and have read some of it. I like a lot of it and fortunately for me, I have a better chance of being successful implementing portions of the “system” as I am single and work in a field that doesn’t require me to be in the office during standard hours - so technically, if I wanted it bad enough I could probably make it happen.
However, the biggest impact that it has had on me (the book) is that it gives me a different perspective (or lens) from which to view the world - wherein I used to be a lets work until my eyes bleed kind of guy, I have found that it doesn’t have to be this way and that as long as my overall performance doesn’t slip I don’t have to work as many hours.
In a nutshell - think smarter, don’t work harder.
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