Minutia Costs & Makes Money

Details can make or break a sale
Ignoring a detail cost a very pleasant salesperson a $15,000 transaction a few weeks ago. I spent two or three hours at Carmax and found a Honda Accord. I liked everything about it, and had my husband convinced it was the car for me, until he peered underneath the car. It was obvious to him the car had spent most of its life in the north driving on salted roads. That’s not the detail that cost the dealer the sale. The salesperson remembered the details of why I liked the car, and found a match at another location. She handed me her card and asked me to call later in the week to have the car transferred. It was your typical business card with her office phone and address. At the bottom she had written her cell number.

As instructed, I called later in the week (twice) and left two voice mails on her office phone about transferring the car.

On the day we agreed to see "my new car," I called to make sure the car and the salesperson was there as planned.

Me: “We’re about to head your way and I wanted to make sure the car was transferred.”
Her: “No, you never told me to transfer it.”
Me: “I left you two voice mails.”
Her: “Two?”
Me: “Yes, on your office phone.”
Her: “Oh, we don’t get those messages. You should have called my cell.”

Funny thing: She never gave me that detail. I thanked her for her time and hung up. There’s a fine line between minor and major details. I won’t be buying a car at Carmax.

I hope details aren’t costing you sales. If you suspect that’s the case, get a fresh set of eyes on your processes and procedures. It could mean the difference between black and red ink.