Embarrassed at local (AZ) dealer today

Greetings, I usually post in a couple of other forums, but have just signed up here as well.  Most of my topics are fun and uplifting when I post, but I had something happen to me today that I'm having a hard time walking away from.  Here's what happened:

Last night my wife noticed an "RV Show" at a local AZ dealer, Beaudry RV.  I have seen them off the highway and decided it might be a fun way to spend the morning.  We headed over this morning and were greeted by a nice salesman named Bill.  He was very professional and didn't mind us touring ourselves around at the indoor showroom.  They had many nice Class A coaches, but we recently purchased a TT and are not in the market for anything new right now.  After touring the MHs we thought we would go outside and look at some of the towables.  Once again Bill offered to have someone show us around if we were interested, but we declined.  He told us where everything was and we headed off on our tour.

While we were popping into the second TT, a salesman (can't remember name) sped up on a golf cart.  We said we were just looking and chatted briefly,

and he said to me:  "Well OK, just don't steal any knobs or anything"

What kind of comment is that for a salesman to make to a prospective future customer?  While we were not in the market today, who knows where we will be in a year or two?  We are both professionals in our mid-forties and this comment really upset me.  I tried to blow it off, but after thinking about it a couple more minutes I cut our visit short.  I mentioned the incident to Bill and he notified the GM who apologized, but I am still upset. 

Should I just drop it and move on, or should I put Beaudry RV on my "Black List" (that's where they are right now).  I am a Sales/Marketing professional at a very large semiconductor company and if I pulled something like this with a prospective customer I would be on the street.

Thanks for letting me vent ;-)

Tom

onasafari said:

and he said to me:  "Well OK, just don't steal any knobs or anything"

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Tom,

My take on it is that the saleman has an odd sense of humor for dealing with the public.  I can see that kind of comment meant as a light hearted attempt at making a joke. I may have perceived it as meaning..." ok have fun looking around and browsing and I want  you to have a humerous experience with me so I tell you not to steal anything."  I'll bet it was meant tongue in cheek.  I would let it go and not let the experience keep me from Beaudry. May you have a better experience next time.
Betty

It might be as Betty mentioned just a off base sense of Humor.  Having said that the outfit you mentioned is on our blacklist and has been for several years.  Will not go into details.

Thanks Betty and Ron.  I appreciate the responses.  If the sales guy was a real young guy/a greenhorn, I would have more easily dismissed the comment, but being in his mid-40s like me (I'm 46) I think he should have known better.  That said, I have said my peace and will move on.  There are plenty of dealers out there when I'm ready to buy a new unit.

Thanks again, Tom

My take on it is that the last TT the salesman showed to some folks (or at least a recent one, or perhaps 3 or 3) some folks had helped themselves to some replacement knobs or things......

Likely he'd just had a very bad day of it.

Alas, You may be (And likely are) honest but there is that vast majority who feel

"What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too"

Beaudry RV has been on our blacklist since 1999. Was warned by a friend in 1996 to stay away from them but I didn't listen. Stupid me. Keep them on your blacklist Tom.

""and he said to me:  "Well OK, just don't steal any knobs or anything""



My response would have been: Nah, I wouldn't do that, but am scouting for a new refrigerator.

End of story. 

carson FL.

Hello all:
Having been the man hired to travel from Home depot, Lowe's, Sears, and other such stores to clean and assist with DISPLAYS, as well as LISTENING to get product feed back, replacing missing knobs and other parts for a major OutDoor Grill Manufacturer, I have personal experience with the public and steeling. THEY DO IT!
Therefore, I can understand a frustrated, and self righteous salesperson wanting to mention people stealing knobs.... But, to say it is wrong.
Tom..., I believe you did the correct thing to mention to management.

But..... (again) that would hardly be grounds to BLACK LIST a dealer. Why I'm sticking up for this dealer can only be attributed to having spent 4 hours with a very nice salesman whom I almost traded in my trailer for another while traveling thru State. It was an effort on my part to see the bottom line on a particular trailer, nothing more, but almost signed up. I did the same thing to another Salesperson in another dealership in Phoenix, "Little Dealer Little prices", as I traveled west, and got a better price, signed papers to buy Trailer they said was on another lot. Waited in area over weekend and when trailer on premises reviewed papers to discovered price wasn't as originally discussed, they "Baited and Switched". That is a BLACK LIST offense. I asked for owner, explained what happen and walked out after assurances my down payment (visa) would be credited to my account.  It cost me time and gas money to travel back from Flagstaff where I spent weekend. Still have original trailer so saved lots more and have lived with perceived deficiency's of this trailer.
Buyers Beware!
Thanks for letting ME rant Tom!

 

carson said:

My response would have been: Nah, I wouldn't do that, but am scouting for a new refrigerator.

End of story. 

carson FL.

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Carson.. Thanks for the best laugh I've had so far today...  That would have been a good comeback.