Meeting The Customer Where They’re At: My Experience

“Meeting the customer where they’re at” is a trendy topic that sounds great in theory, but what does it mean in practice? I’ll tell you what it means to me.  

Having a baby brings on a whole host of firsts, and I added buying a car to the list. That’s right, after a lifetime in the retail car business, I was going car shopping for the first time. This provoked many of the same feelings that first-time motherhood did — anxiety, trepidation, but also excitement! I was in the transaction’s driver’s seat for the first time, and it was an interesting ride!  

Of the several dealers I reached out to, only a handful returned my lead with a personal, non-generic communication. Of that handful, only two responded in the manner I had mentioned I would like to be contacted, via text. In some of the responses I was told that no one would honor my friends and family pricing, and to get into the vehicle I had my eye on, I would need pay $10,000 over sticker. “If I didn’t want it, someone else would.” Keep in mind, I was buying a “mom” car, not a sporty two-seater that I could consider an investment. My mind was blown, and my passion for elevated customer service in this industry further ignited.  

My business ultimately went to a young salesman who did exactly what I asked of him. He texted me all the details, stayed in contact and wrote a fair deal. I ended up negotiating the final numbers in the hospital during my 30-hour labor — safe to say, I had some time to kill. He was kind enough to check in on the baby after delivery and proceeded to bring the vehicle to me at home. Even outside the dealership setting, I still purchased every backend product available (tire and wheel always, no question!) traded in my current lease, and signed all the paperwork in my driveway as my baby napped. 

Had I been forced to go through the “traditional car buying experience,” I’d still be in my previous vehicle. I am a working mom with a newborn and two bonus sons that keep me going 24/7. I’m proof that we need to meet our customers where they’re at, but have we thought about how this applies to dealership training?  

The dealers that retain their employees, maintain gross profit and earn excellent CSI have one thing in common — a robust training program like what we offer at Quantum⁵. At Quantum⁵, we practice what we preach. We teach our dealership partners to meet their clients where they’re at, while training them in a manner that makes sense to them. Do you learn better in person or virtually? Condensed curriculum or short snackable content? Game-like atmosphere or more of a bullet-point breakdown? We aim to train ALL learners how they learn best, so ALL of your clients receive the same level of top-notch service. 

How do we do it? I’d love to show you. Book a meeting with me here for more info.