A quick word first
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Check your baggage
The results are in! I’m speaking of the responses to the survey I posted last week about the apparent bait-and-switch experience my friend Jim had shopping for a special truck he needs for his business. Big thanks to the Jazz readers who shared their differing perspectives!
Taken together, the data reminded me of the importance of testing our assumptions before acting on them. Forty-five percent said it was “Highly Likely” that the salesman deliberately used the tactic to lure Jim into the dealership. But that means that a larger group were somewhat less confident.1 I confess that my first reaction was this was an outright scam, but the fact that a majority of people were less sure of that makes me wonder whether reaction stemmed from sticking up for my friend Jim. Maybe I should dial back my judgment just a bit.
Here’s why it matters: assumptions drive actions. The varying degrees of certainty that people had about “bad faith” strongly correlated with how they thought Jim should respond.
Those who said bad faith was “Highly Likely” also strongly felt that Jim should make a stink at the dealership, complain to upper management, and/or slam the dealership on Yelp. Others who were less certain about the salesman’s intent were more inclined to say that Jim should just “let it go.”
The point is that we all have assumptions, but if we’re not careful, assumptions can have us. After reflecting a bit, we may realize that we’ve been too quick to judge. Likewise if our first thought is more generous, we might ask ourselves if we’re being naïve. Either way, on second thought we may choose a better path.
An ounce (or two) of prevention?
I also asked what Jim might have done when he first called the salesman to prevent this from happening. Some people thought he just had to take the chance that the truck he wanted really was available. Others floated the idea of making some kind of contingent agreement, with a refundable deposit, before heading to the dealership.
Now that I’ve had a chance to think about this, here’s an approach I’d like your comments on. What if in the course of his phone conversation he were to say:
“If we can work out a deal today for this particular truck—no other vehicle—I’ll be a very happy guy. But let me ask you a hypothetical question. If you were in my shoes, as the buyer not the seller, what would you do if you got there and were told that the truck was just sold?
That message is meant to function on several levels. It let’s the salesperson know that the would-be buyer understands how the game is often played. It’s also a request for a little empathy. And finally, it’s a warning—without using any nasty language—that things could get unpleasant if they try to dupe him.
Advising my friend, I’d add that if the salesman answers by waffling or doesn’t volunteer a promise that the truck will be there, he shouldn’t waste his morning making a trip to the showroom.
The other side of the bargaining table
I also asked readers if they had any similar experiences buying a vehicle. One person described a situation which struck me as even more reprehensible than bait-and-switch. He wrote:
I had a similar experience when my daughter was buying a used car through a private dealer. He lined up two prospective buyers to come at the same time.
Basically, the dealer had set up an ambush, an unannounced two-person auction, hoping to create a bidding war. The young woman refused to play and walked out. But she was reluctant to leave a negative review, not wanting to act out of spite. Her father noted, though, her restraint enabled the person “to use the same bad faith negotiating tactic for the next buyer.”
Other Jazz readers described how much they disliked shopping for cars. “Car dealers are the scum of the earth,” one them said. “They should be treated how they treat customers.”
I don’t envy well-meaning salespeople (and I know there are some) who must deal with hostile customers on one side, and pressure from their manager on the other. You can get a feel for this and other aspects of automobile sales from 129 Cars, a fabulous episode on This American Life.
Housekeeping
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Thirty-six percent chose “Likely” and nineteen percent picked “Fifty-fifty.”