Selling a car to Mr Barfield

[Brian Turner]

Well, the ad went in the paper for my old car today - had someone ring up. Mr Barfield.

Only he said he couldn't get over here so could I drive the car over.

I wasn't sure about this - not only did it feel dodgy, but let's just say the area he wanted me to drive it over isn't exactly free of a reputation.

So I asked Mr Barfield for his contact details and said I'd ring him around 3:30-4:00pm about coming over.

I checked with someone for a second opinion and they agreed the first should be able to come over.

So I got back home at 4pm and Mr Barfield rings a few minutes later. He wants to know why he's been left waiting. I told him that I'm too busy to drive over and that he'll have to come around himself.

He protested, lamented the time he has wasted waiting for me, and feeling a scam I told him plainly that if he was really serious about spending a few hundred pounds on a car, then he should be fine to pay £5 for a taxi to have a look at it.

Mr Barfield insisted the money's in his hand (I thought: how much, though?) and that he wasn't coming over. Started telling me that he's a mechanic and wants to see the car running to his house to know it's working and nothing's on the go. I stated if he was a mechnic then he'd be able to see that plainly looking under the bonnet, hearing the engine, and driving a little distance.

Point is, Mr Barfield was pretty aggressive about my coming around, trying to emphasise that if I wanted a sale he had the money and that I should come over. Obviously, he was epxect to hand me far far less than the asking price, and hoping to put some real aggressive person-to-person hard sales to get himself a stupid bargain.

I stated it was my final point that he had to come over to see the car himself, and that if he couldn't be bothered doing that then there was no point talking to him. So Mr Barfield started to move (to put the phone down) and declared that he hoped I wouldn't sell it. To which I quickly replied "tosser!" and cut him off.

I'm not an aggressive person, but neither am I completely naive. When you really start looking into marketing you really learn to look at people's motivations. Genuine buyers tend to have a pattern - and you can usually gauage something of their interest or not in a purchase. When someone becomes aggressive about purchasing your goods and services, alarm bells should go off.

There's a system in business - there's bargaining, there's haggling, and there's a desire for both sides to get the most reasonable deal. Often this can be done easily and placidly (how often do we rail at the checkout girl that we'll only spend 5p on a tin of beans, not 7p?), but sometimes it doesn't, because one person wants a contract for something far more than the other is willing to give.

That's poor business practice, and when you're in business you learn to avoid it. Business runs on complimentary agreements, and the need for amicable partnership.

There are lots of Mr Barfields in this world. They're not interested in setting an amicable business partnership, but instead of forcing their own self-interests against and to the detriment of the other. They want to hold a dominant position and cream an unreasonable deal.

Some people will fall for it - after all, most people don;t like confrontation, and will seek to move themselves away from it. But that's how the Mr Barfield's of this world thrive. They understand that much about human psychology.

So whatever you are doing, whatever you are selling, be aware that although you'd love to sell to anybody who wants your products and services, you just can't please everyone.

And don't be afraid to say no to the Mr Barfield's of this world.

[Gabriel]

It sounds like you may have run across one of my uncles! Not that Barfield is in our family tree. Not that we know of. But the temprement.....

[Brian Turner]

I'm sure you're not the only one with uncles like that.

And welcome to business-talk, Gabriel.

[bizal]

Lol good story and here is the reverse. We were selling an astra 1.4 estate and had a call from a very keen buyer who seemed a bit funny to say the least and kept talking about a fair price. Due to the alarm bells ringing and him being pushy ( please remember Im in sales so dont mind someone trying it on) I told him we would go no lower than 2800 for the car so unless he would pay that amount not to bother.

He then drives 70 ish miles to see it with a pal i.e. in 1 car so its a good clue to him wishing to buy. Slags it off, even though the car was a1 and tells me the colour is called dead blue becuase its so hard to sell that colour of blue car. This was amazing becuase he had seen a picture in auto trader!!! He then keeps going on about a bird in the hand and telling me the other callers from the add will not buy ( how he new this is beyond me) and offers 2400. After a further 30 minutes he is still waving 2400 cash at me in my face and telling me its the best price I would get so not to be stupid. So enough was enough and and I asked him to leave. He then drives around the corner ( my misses went past his car to pick up the wee one from School) and was still there over 45 minutes later when she came back. By then after she had told me this I must admit I was bit agreaved to say the least and wondered what his game was.

A further 15min later he comes back and says 2700, and which point I took a gamble and told him for wasting my time the price was now 2900 (100 extra than I would have taken earlier) or to go away and started to close the door. The amazing thing is though is that he paid the full 2900 in cash!!!

So I am glad I didnt back down and god a fair price even if was the strangest deal I have ever done!!!

[Brian Turner]

That is a pretty excellent story - talk about hard sales - both ways! I'm pretty impressed with your gamble - nice to see it played and bought.

[bizal]

lol have to put in a confession here!!!! Many many years ago I worked selling kitchens!!! and they teach what is called the take away close. I never much liked this before but now I am glad of the training so I can see sales from both sides i.e.e relashionship and repeat sales from one off deal.

Oh the take away close goes on the lines of selling on fear i.e. sorry we have sold out but if I contact our suppliers and find out if there are any at all left but I think its unlikley will you go ahead. Agree call back time with news of availability and make them wait a few hours/ days for an answer and then tell them how hard it was to get tit it. Not many people say no after you have put in that amout of percieved effort and the fact they they think it must be good becuase its the last one left!!!

[Brian Turner]

Now that is indeed clever.

[bizal]

lol but guilt is even better. I was on ( many years ago before I built a respectable carear in IT Sales I might add) selling a kitchen and the woman loved it and wanted it. Problem was that grumpy chops(the hubby with my money) didnt.

Anyway to cut a long story short I asked him if he would have done anything for his wife on thier wedding day. He said yes so I asked him what had changed!!!!! Chicken paid up instead of punching me.

As I said thought this was a long long time ago so please dont thing bad of me.

[Brian Turner]

ROFLMAO!!!

I've never been much of a sales person - in fact, I make a point of stating that immediately when meeting new propsective clients - effectively, asking them to put something of their guard down. I've been told that sincerity can be a great salesman - so that's about the only real sales tactic I use.

But, crikey, seems like you've got some pretty excellent experience.

[DavidM]

I think there is a big problem about traveling yourself to the buyers house. It is risky. Sales people that do offer services or delivery or even support at the residents house or location are extremely exposed to anyone who wants to do bad things to us, you know...

I think about that a lot of times.