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Old 25th January 2022, 11:57   #46
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

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Originally Posted by car love View Post
These instances are indicative of not just bad manners by the showroom staff but also deeper social/cultural problems that we have.
Unfortunate, but true regarding every sphere and layer of society. There is discrimination based on occupation, language, place of residence, dress sense and so on. It is there in small towns as well as in big cities.

Having said that, there are some people who have risen above it, again from all spheres and layers of society.
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Old 25th January 2022, 12:03   #47
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

In India, its more about the uniform.

One line which hit me hard from the movie '3 idiots' is that you only need an uniform.

I have experienced this while I had been to one of the superbike showrooms earlier.
Back in 2015, there was a Honda superbike showroom in Andheri, I had visited there in an auto, and the treatment was horrible. It was quite literally like 'arey garib bahar nikal'.

Come 2021, I visited the Honda Bigwing in my car, and honestly the car was the first thing they also noticed. When I entered the showroom after parking the car in the basement parking, the SA did ask me if it was me in that specific car. Nevertheless, I took the CB500x for a long test ride and was even offered the Africa twin for a ride.

This was just one such incident of many that I have noticed. Not just with the automobile market, but its also very much prominent with the property market and hotel industry. You are treated the way you dress, so always have your uniform ready.
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Old 25th January 2022, 14:25   #48
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

I am reminded of the story of a guy in Bangalore who was refused service by the RTO because he was wearing shorts.
Also reminded me of our dear member Sam Kapasi who I have read purposefully dressed down and bought a luxury car in mumbai (cant remember the exact story or thread)
This is pathetic but I think the TV channel also hyped it up a notch more than it actually was.
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Old 25th January 2022, 15:44   #49
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Maybe slightly different way to look at it.

I usually am under dressed when I go to buy anything big. This helps in avoiding the attention and helps me in making decisions at my own pace.

I don't get the attention some other "well dressed" people get, but that is exactly what I want. I am not relying on the sales people explaining me the details of a product. I would have done all the research upfront.

Most of the attention from the sales people is fake and in our effort to be well received, we actually end up paying more because we are trying to impress someone. . They will laugh all the way to the bank at our expense for our enthusiasm trying to impress someone who doesn't give two hoots to us.

So the best thing in my opinion is to do everything to under represent myself to people who are trying to sell me something. If they don't bother selling me, I have my money with me.

There is no point in spending money to impress someone who doesn't care.
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Old 25th January 2022, 16:27   #50
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Although the fact is deplorable, the story seems to be hyped up much, possibly, to reach Anand Mahindra and receive a 'Free Bolero'.
I doubt if the dealership would have authorisation to sell a vehicle in Cash above 10 Lacs.. If so, it could be a big loophole to dump Black Money.
I seriously doubt if anyone can move around a city in 1 Hour. Leave aside collecting large amount of money and reach dealership.

Last edited by Amrik Singh : 25th January 2022 at 16:31.
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Old 25th January 2022, 17:08   #51
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Just want to share my thoughts as someone from the Learning & Development field. Unfortunately people do tend to judge people based on the dress they wear. I faced a similar scenario that I would like to share here.

I bank with a famous private sector bank and one day I had gone inside wearing a shorts, t-shirt and rubber slippers. The response I got was just pathetic. I was made to wait despite very few customers in the branch.

Another day coming back from a training session, I went inside - formally dressed, the level of response was totally opposite. I was immediately asked to take a seat and my query was answered. And at the end of the conversation, I told that particular young guy of my experience the last time I had come wearing shorts. He went a narrated this to the branch manager and the manager came and apologized about it.

The point I am trying to make here is that in the banking sector, the frontline staff do respond according to the person's dress. Have heard a lot of experiences these staff had shared during my training sessions.

And one last experience was at a hotel in Thoothukudi, where one of the employees refused to let in my maternal uncle who was wearing a dhothi. The issue was escalated to the GM and he apologised for the staff's mistake.
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Old 25th January 2022, 17:14   #52
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

This is a phenomenon I sadly come across very often.

The reason this happens according to me is 'people doing a job not because they love to do it, but because their circumstances force them to do it'

Even today, I went to H.D.F.C Bank to get a demand draft, all dis-interested employees there, they look at you with disdain because you dared to interrupt whatever they were happy doing! They gave me the run around and wanted to know my address and landmark, I told them the address and then stressed 'its the corner house where my BMW is parked in front'. Their whole attitude changed. Till then they were judging me by my clothes etc.

I always remember this quote, don't know from whom 'Happy is the man who finds out what he loves doing, for such a man will not work a single day of his life'

Someone told me this is a Sales mantra 'selling by insulting' make the customer feel inferior and challenge the customer to buy your product, most of the customers bite and buy the product for the quoted price. This is for direct-selling, leaving the sales man chuckling behind the customer's back
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Old 25th January 2022, 17:59   #53
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero-screenshot_20220125175754.jpg
Mahindra has issued an official response.
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Old 25th January 2022, 18:58   #54
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

A salesperson is not a company employee. A salesperson is an employee of the dealership/ASC/ franchise owner and reports to the respective owner of the particular dealership/ ASC. Hence, dragging the manufacturer Mahindra and Anand Mahindra into the whole episode seems to outstretch the whole incident of misdemeanour of that particular employee, a salesperson.

Rightfully, Mahindra and its CEO have the moral authority and say in decision making over all its dealerships/ ASC's. They also have the onerous responsibility of imparting training by their company to all the important categories of employees, including those in sales and service. Those in the dealerships/ ASC's service department are company trained, no doubt, but for those in the sales and marketing department the dealerships/ASC's needs to take much, much more efforts as they are the face of the company for its customers, as frontline workers. The Manager and CEO of the showroom are ensconced in their respective chambers. Any prospective customer visiting, first of all interacts with the salesperson who needs to be properly groomed. And in most cases if the "prospective", he or she turns into a customer, the salesperson happens to be the one who takes the deal to its logical conclusion. Automakers need to provide proper training commensurate with their standing and also offer refresher courses for their sales personnel. This matters as of now as the competition is tough and properly groomed salespersons could help an automaker sell more automobiles.

Lee Iacocca, creator of the Ford Mustang (1964) became the President of Ford and later CEO, Chrysler, having started his career in a Ford showroom sales and marketing department as assistant manager. He started his career in 1946 as an engineer in a Philadelphia dist Ford showroom and soon moved to sales and marketing.

Coming to the Indian Maharajah's Rolls Royce showroom experience in London which has been a part of our automobile history, I would like to quote car historian and automobilist Mr Gautam Sen from his book, " The Automobile- An Indian Love Affair" (Penguin (2021)). He has no doubt quoted the incident but has said that it lacks clinching evidence. The google links are flooded with this particular Maharajah versus Rolls Royce story but these words coming from a person who has done good research need to be taken into account:-

From Chapter 1 "A Love Affair Begins" that has a lot of documented information about the Indian Royalty:-

Quote:

One story that has become part of the folklore of India was about the maharaja from Eastern India who was visiting London sometime in the 1920's. The man being an follower and admirer of Mahatma Gandhi believed in dressing simply. Perhaps not as simply as the 'half naked fakir', in the words of Winston Churchill, but simple enough in a long white kurta and a plain white dhoti, in a length, which was 'decently' longer than what the Mahatma preferred to be in. Like many of his kind he decided to pay a visit to one of the London showroom's of Rolls Royce, a marque whose cars he traditionally patronised.

Unfortunately, the elegantly attired salesperson at the showroom did not take the Indian very seriously and decided to show him the door instead. Furious at the insult, the maharaja sent his (presumably better dressed) minister to that same Rolls Royce showroom to order three cars and arrange for them to be shipped to India, sans coachwork. On their arrival in Calcutta, these three cars were converted into garbage trucks and gifted to Calcutta Corporation, the city's municipality. Rolls had no option but to buy back these three vehicles, have them rebodied and then sold off (at a hefty discount, no doubt) to other royalty in India. Of course, this maharaja never bought another Rolls Royce for the rest of his life.

This is how the legend goes. In all likelihood, it is just a legend, not necessarily true, as no clinching evidence has been ever unearthed.
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Old 25th January 2022, 23:37   #55
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Some very interesting and diverse view points on the incident by our fellow members which make this thread a good read.

Also this reminds me of a similar incident, but in a good way, that I had with a Maruti dealership in Ranchi in the year 1999 or 2000; don’t remember the exact year.
I was barely in class 11th and my dad was planning to get a new car. Back then, there were not much choices apart from Maruti. So, In a way one can think that Maruti did not have much competition back then. So what happened is that one fine afternoon me and my friend walked into a Maruti dealership (Sushila Automobiles) to enquire about the Maruti 800. Now I am sure that we did not look anything more than two over enthusiastic teenagers going window-shopping. Far from a real buyers and even a child could tell that this sale is not going to materialise.
So just when we were enquiring about the 800 with the sales guy, the showroom general manager saw us. He called us to his cabin and we both were offered tea and the general manager himself explained all the features of the car and the different variants. And then he went on to tell us that just in a few days they will be getting the new 800 with multipoint fuel injection technology and that we should come and check that out. Our actual purchase did not turn out until 2 to 3 years later (and that too from a different dealership) and I am not Maruti fan boy but probably stuff like this made Maruti what Maruti is today.
It is just an anecdote which I got reminded reading this thread and thought of sharing it with you all.

Last edited by saket77 : 25th January 2022 at 23:40.
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Old 26th January 2022, 05:20   #56
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

I don't much about Katnataka, but in Pune I have not felt this issue in the recent years at least. In fact sales personnel are very easily able to identify and cater to people of all socio-economic backgrounds. Most of the sales staff usually have their roots from the semi urban or hinterland,so dealing with those customers is not a problem. For ones who are beyond their 2nd or 3rd car, the senior staffers are usually deployed. During my most recent purchase, I dealt with the GM of the dealership directly( not at my insistence) but because I was ready with my choice of car, variant , paperwork and vitamin M. There wasn't anything for a "sales" person to say or do.
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Old 26th January 2022, 06:17   #57
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

The customer's experience starts from the first point/person of contact in the premises which is rarely focussed on.

Sharing a couple of other anecdotes :

- Had gone to a NEXA showroom last year as a friend was on the lookout and wanted to check certain things on the S-Cross before I could suggest a TD. They have their own premises and parked the scooter next to some other two wheelers on the side. The security guard came rushing out and said you can't park here, I told him that I was going inside the showroom but he said you can't park here go out and park in one of the alleys. Didn't like his tone, didn't want to reason further and respecting their right of access on their private property I turned around and rode off for good.
Don't know how well mannered the SRs would've been but as a customer my first point of contact matters.

Don't think I was shabbily dressed but that's debatable and probably my experience would've been different had I got off from a "car", even better if it would've been a "big car/SUV", probably red carpeted if it was a well recognised "luxury car"

IMO the chances of someone purchasing a car would be highest if they came on a two wheeler but probably they assume that why would someone in a car waste their time in a showroom if they aren't serious while the two wheeler riders apparently have a lot of time to waste but no money.

- Some years ago IGI T3 had a Volvo V40 Cross Country on display near the Costa Coffee outlet and another stall had some Land/Range Rover. I was in my usual crumpled shirt and jeans, loitering around the terminal since an hour at least either returning from or heading on to a red eye flight (can't recall).
I didn't go to the Land/Range Rover because they looked too busy with themselves or maybe they weren't courteous to someone before me(can't recall) so was standing next to the Volvo(a company I admired) and reading the specs when one of the two SR came down (important point) from the display pedestal and asked me to check the car from inside. I told him that I was just checking the specs out of curiosity and I am neither looking to buy any car nor can I ever afford a Volvo and politely declined the offer. To this he said please check the car out, we're here to show the car, buying or not doesn't matter.
I went up with him and he opened the driver side door for me and sat in the passenger seat. He went on to explain the specs and more importantly how the cross country was a practical choice in our driving conditions with a higher GC and some other stuff that I don't remember now. We had a good discussion over the car and then he asked how did I find the car to which I spoke my mind "If I could afford it I would've bought it". Not just because of the experience but because the car had everything that I wanted from a versatile tourer which wasn't a SUV and compact (relatively).
He said "Sir it's just 38 lakhs on road Delhi and I hope to see you driving it one day". That got me thinking and the 38 lakhs on road didn't seem unreasonable.
I thanked him and he thanked me for my time and I left for my gate.

Point to note that I wasn't the only one he was attending to. There were a couple of other folks and he was guiding his colleague on some official stuff at the same time.
Back to today, I still can't afford a 38 lakhs car but the words Volvo and Volvo V40 Cross Country are permanently etched in my mind in high esteem.

If life had gone in a different trajectory I would've been driving one today, a lot of it due this fabulous introduction to the brand by that unknown SR who did his job well

Thank You for your time.

Last edited by Chetan_Rao : 26th January 2022 at 11:33. Reason: As requested.
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Old 26th January 2022, 07:57   #58
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

I shall narrate my experience with skoda dealer for potential purchase of skoda rapid over phone.This happened in somewhere in Sept.2020 over call.
Earlier, i had shown interest in skoda website to buy the car.
Skoda Dealer: Sir, you have seen interest to buy rapid, may i know which variant are you looking to buy.
Me: Rapid rider, since it suits my requirement.
Skoda Dealer: Sir, available with waiting of 2 months.
Me: Ok, i also wanted to exchange my existing ride; wagon r, can you facilitate exchange price along with purchase price.
Skoda Dealer: [his voice seems changed now], we have to check sir, we will come on it and call you..

Post that, i never received any call or feedback from skoda dealer, but purchasing of car. leave alone a TD.
Sometimes, i,am wondering how will people upgrade, if they treat potential customers just on face value. I always have goosebumps about buying skoda vehicles. No Customer orientation. Frankly, i lost all interest even ever to buy any skoda vehicle. God forbid, how will be customer response once money is exchanged.

By the way, above incident in bangalore PPS skoda dealer near silk board. It seems now he is not there anymore.
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Old 26th January 2022, 08:09   #59
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

I had vastly differing experiences in the same company's dealers - Hyundai's once. I wore my usual attire of t-shirt, board shorts and floaters and went to check out the new i20 (it had just been launched at that time). I had also gone in my old battered i10 as well.

One dealer in Bangalore saw this happen and the first thing the Service Advisor said was to harp on where I parked. I was asked to move my car so as to not obstruct the new cars being delivered. Immediately after I moved my car, there was a BMW 3 series that parked exactly where I did and then nobody said anything. And guess what, they also came to check out the same i20. Needless to say, I lost much of my interest upon seeing this. My mind went all: These grapes are too sour.

I moved on to check out another Hyundai dealer around 10 kms away and the experience was quite different. There was even lesser parking space but I was offered valet parking for even my i10 with no snobbish behaviour displayed at all. The valet even chatted about my toy cat hanging from the rearview mirror inside. The SA was great as well, as he shared as many details as he knew, and asked his senior to pitch in for the stuff he didn't. He even asked about my family members and gave me a suggestion that the Venue might suit the family more than the i20, based of ease of ingress/egress.

Now, I did not end up buying the i20. But still I remember the dealer and their staff who were more polite and made me feel welcomed. And if I ever buy a Hyundai in Bangalore, I'll most probably go back to that particular dealer (Trident Hyundai).

These experiences stick to your mind for a long time. As a whole, I feel that Hyundai probably trains their dealers better than a few other brands. I had a very dull and uninvolved experience with a specific Tata dealer in Bangalore while checking out the Tata Altroz iTurbo.

Last edited by Small Bot : 26th January 2022 at 08:10. Reason: Spelling
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Old 26th January 2022, 10:26   #60
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Re: Mahindra showroom mocks a farmer and he turns up with ready cash to buy a Bolero

Most of the posts in this thread are around being perceived as below the expected levels - mostly in the attire aspect.

Just curious about the opposite end of this - being perceived as too well-dressed for a place. For example, a small restaurant. Do not include establishments that are close to IT offices, the staff there are used to well-dressed people walking in.

Ever walked in to any establishment and felt being ignored or had a delay in receiving attention because of being better dressed in general? It has happened to me at times.
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