It's a typically wet Thursday morning in January and I'm sat waiting for my 'vehicle health check' in a well known German car garage in Derbyshire, the cars are stunning, way out of my price range but sat next to a brand spanking £60,000 car it's certainly having the desired affect, I'm thinking who I could beg, steal or borrow from to get me one of those, leather seats, sat nav, huge alloy wheels and that unmistakable new car smell.
I've been here a number of times, the service is without doubt some of the best I've experienced from my initial enquiry where they even sent me a walk-around video they'd made on a digital camera to show me the ins and outs of the car, to the vehicle health check, of which I'm hoping isn't too terminal today!
The whole place is geared towards excellence, they even wash your car, although I think they do that to soften the blow of telling you you need 'New discs and pads Mr Whittaker, that's all', that's all?
Now enough gawping at £60,000 cars, the reason I decided to post is that the music in the showroom area (where service customers wait) is playing local radio. What's the problem there? I hear you ask, if they're paying their license fee they can play whatever they like, news and presenters with content likely to be relevant to some customers is OK right? Wrong. So far I've heard 3 ads for local car garages for very similar brands advertising offers such as 'Lifetime Warranty', 'Free Servicing for 5 years' and '£1,000 deposit contribution on any vehicle', and those are all playing whilst customers are talking to salesmen at their desks.
Now if I were in the market for a £60,000 car, which sadly I'm not, would I be starting here? Probably, but knowing that I can get a 'Lifetime Warranty' given the amount of problems cars I've had in the past have had I'd certainly take a look at that other aforementioned garage without doubt.
Show-rooming other brands within any one-brand retailer is suicide, why would you open the ears and eyes of your faithful, potentially 'brand loyal' customers to others out there? The only messages they should hear are ones from that brand, for example new models or service packages, I have no idea what deals are at this garage from where I'm sat, there's no POS or banners so the only messaging I notice is that which I can hear.
So remember, what your customers hear is just as important as what they see.
And just when you think you're in the clear with only pads and discs a nice man says 'Er, Mr Whittaker, it's looks like you might need 3 tyres too!' that £60,000 car is going to have to wait.
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