What do YOU have in mind? Part 4.

(This is a continuation of an allegory. New home sales professionals, those who respect them, those that lead them, and those who employ them may find similarities. The question is, which "dealership" is theirs?)

Dealership # 4


I probably shouldn’t admit it, but I was going to ignore this dealership. But it had a young man in front, who was energetically twirling a sign that asked: “What do you have in mind?”

I decided to pop in and see what that meant.

I was immediately greeted by a very happy young lady. She welcomed me to Maple Leaf Motors and told me she was Danielle. She asked my name and wrote it down in her book. She said that she was privileged to serve me and asked if she could take some notes to be certain that she did so.

Danielle asked if I knew anything about Canuck Motor Corporation, a joint venture of the Government of Canada and a South African industrial conglomerate. She advised that their vehicles were originally designed for high Arctic deployment by the Canadian Armed Forces. They were famous for handling difficult conditions and could withstand the terrain and the climate of the Rockies as well as towing military supplies across the Arctic tundra. The South African side of the company had incorporated the same attributes of its vehicles that were used in the hottest, driest deserts of sub-Saharan Africa.

These were now becoming available to the general public.

Danielle then asked me “What do you have in mind?” Almost exactly what the sign said.

I described the dogs, the size of their carriers, and the size-weight of our trailer.

She asked if it was important that one vehicle had proven itself in the Arctic Circle and on the deserts of Africa. Since this was less demanding than the Colorado, Arizona and California areas we went, the Canuck seemed like a good option.

She asked what else was important to me in selecting an SUV. I said that we’d need to seat another couple of people in front. “Dani” looked up from her notes and asked me how often. I thought about it and replied that really very infrequently, but that sometimes when we were camping, we’d take another couple to town for a restaurant meal. Answering her next question, I said that we brought the dogs to town with us.

She looked up with a curious smile.

“So, just that I have this right, you need an SUV? Because you need room at the very back for Prancer and Lee-Victoria? And room up front for another two adults? The vehicle needs to have plenty of towing capacity for summer and winter travel. Up and down the mountains, right?”

And who is the “we”, she asked. I told her my wife’s name was Patty.

She asked if Patty and I had a budget in mind and I told her what I had budgeted, and that I “was pre-qualified to the max” at another dealership whose name I didn’t know.

She then asked me a most curious question: “Are you sure you need an SUV?”

I stammered. She chuckled and replied:

“Dave, from what you have told me, you and Patty really need a safe reliable way to get up and down the mountains, summer and winter, correct?”

“And it has to be something where the carriers for Prancer and Lee Victoria fit in the back?”

“And your friends up front?”

“What if I had another solution for you and Patty?”

She went on to describe a Canuck crew cab. The back seats fold up and there is enough room resulting that the carriers can fit end to end so the dogs can face each other. The floor of that area is flat, so the dogs wouldn’t be leaning over for long periods. For trips when we take guests, the carriers can go in the pick-up bed to allow passengers in the cab area. When we head from the campground to town, the dogs can ride in the pick-up’s bed, and then we can move the carriers inside the crew cab while we are at dinner.

With a pick-up bed in the back, we could also bring more firewood to the camp area. We could use the truck for more “work” issues. It would be more economical due to the lower weight. And the original cost is less than an SUV.

I was delighted!!

Dani had listened to me. She WAS interested in what I had in mind. I had had a problem and thought of only one possible solution. She developed another by listening to me. She called me by name. She called my wife by name. She called my pets by name. She reiterated that she understood the safety and reliability I needed. That I had to have a vehicle for summer and winter.

Dani helped me select the right Canuck crew cab and took care of all the paperwork with me. In less than an hour, we had everything done.

Because I had arrived in the small car, Dani volunteered to follow home me in the little car as I drove the Canuck.

After we dropped the little car at the house, she helped me load up the dogs, and we took her back to Maple Leaf Motors. As we drove, she asked me again if I had had a good experience. When I said yes, she commented that it would be the biggest compliment to her if I had any referrals of friends who might be interested in a Canuck.

I said I would be happy to recommend her and Canuck. At this, she pulled out her notebook again and asked which of my friends she should contact first. I gave her some names but promised to send others her way whenever they asked me about my car, and my new car-buying experience.

(Next part will be posted tomorrow, Sunday Feb. 17)