DEAN’S ASSIGNMENT 3.4

Here is another Scenario:

A couple comes into your dealership. The woman (Sharon) is interested in looking at a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but her husband (Dean) is less than enthusiastic.

Presenting the Vehicle 2

What would you do?• Ask the couple what vehicle they are drivi

ng now• Ask Dean why he doesn’t like the Grand C

herokee• Ask Sharon what she likes about the Gran

d Cherokee

Presenting the Vehicle

Presenting the vehicle

Correct!

Asking the couple what they are driving now would probably be the best approach. Most married couples share in the purchase decision, so you will want to engage them as a couple (the other two options only address one or the other – and will solicit responses that will only highlight the difference of opinions.

Also, determining what they are currently driving can open up additional avenues to gather information.

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Presenting the vehicle

They’re might be a better way . . .

Asking Dean why he doesn’t like the vehicle will only serve to reiterate that he doesn’t like it. While it is important to uncover his objections, there are better ways to accomplish this goal.

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Presenting the vehicle

They’re might be a better way . . .

While this would be a good way to uncover Sharon’s specific buyer motivations, it will do nothing to address Dean’s (yet unknown) objections.

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So, you ask the couple what they are currently driving, and Sharon responds “A 2006 Ford Explorer”. Dean adds (speaking more to Sharon than to you), “which we love and don’t really need to replace.

What should you do next?• Point out advantages of the Grand Ch

erokee over the Ford explorer• Ask what they like about their Ford E

xplorer• Explain how the Grand Cherokee has

many things in common with the Ford Explorer

Presenting the vehicle

They’re might be a better way . . .

Because you know your products and their competitors so well, you could list the advantages of the grand Cherokee over the explorer, but you have not yet determined which features to focus on – what Sharon and Dean’s buyer motivations are.

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Presenting the vehicle

Correct!

Asking what they like about their current vehicle will help you determine their buyer motivations – what they are looking for in a new vehicle. Most customer will start with their likes, but also mention – one their own accord – those things they dislike about their current vehicle as well.

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This would be premature . . .

You could point out those features and capabilities the Grand Cherokee and Ford explorer share – but you’re not yet sure what they like about it (or even if Sharon likes it at all – we only know Dean does).

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Presenting the Vehicle

You ask Dean and Sharon what they like about their Ford Explorer.

• Dean : “It’s my truck – granted, we both drive it, but I think of it as more of a tool than anything else. It’s got great cargo room and clearance – I can take pretty much anything anywhere. We also like to go camping – and it can’t be beat off road”

• Sharon (mostly directed to Dean): “OK, you do drive it more than I do – but when I drive it, it feels like that old pick-up you had when we were first married. I hated that thing.”

Presenting the Vehicle

What do you do next?• Ask Sharon what she hated about Dean’s Ol

d pickup• Ask Dean what else he likes to do with his “t

ruck”• Ask the two of them what their perfect vehic

le would be like – something they would both be happy to drive

Presenting the vehicle

May not be the best approach . . .

Try to avoid asking about what a customer does not like – especially when it involves something someone else liked (or likes) very much. Asking Sharon what she did not like about Dean’s old truck may provide useful information, but it would also create tension between your two customers.

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Presenting the vehicle

Correct!

This is the best next step. By asking Dean what he liked best about his old truck, you will uncover additional buyer motivations from him. Since he is more likely to raise objections to the Grand Cherokee than Sharon, his buyer motivations are more important to uncover at this point.

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This might be premature . . .

It might be a bit early to ask your customer to “come together” on an ideal vehicle – essentially, you’re asking them to compromise on a vehicle by themselves. A large part of the vehicle presentation process is to find a vehicle that will meet both sets of wants and needs (both Sharon’s and Dean’s). If a gap exists, you will need to bring them together – demonstrate how a vehicle on your lots actually is their ideal vehicle. Don’t ask them to do this for you.

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Scenario would continue from this point through asking for the sale – just

trying enough at this point to give a “feel” for how the second instance of

the problem would proceed.