Saturday, January 15, 2011

Miss Information

If we booth babes, who according to commenters on various auto blogs and websites are nothing more than window dressing and don't know crap about cars - if we booth babes know the difference between AWD and 4WD, then why doesn't whatever dealer guy who put the AWD sign on the 4WD truck I've been staring at all day?

Seriously, it's driving me crazy. My left eye is literally twitching right now.

Small details like that are extremely important. It goes straight to your credibility. The average laymen may not be able to accurately describe the difference between the two, but there are plenty of people who can and when they catch a mistake like that they lose trust.

While seeing that sort of misprint might not necessarily dissuade me from purchasing a vehicle I had already researched and made my mind up about, it certainly would make me think twice about working with the seller who made the error. I would consider anything else they told me to be questionable.

But what do I know? I'm just a pretty girl in a cute outfit standing next to a car.

(Actually, a couple of times yesterday the dealer sales guys I was working with brought customers with pretty detailed questions over to me to answer because they said I was the expert. It's nice to be recognized for the in-depth knowledge we have instead of just our butts.)

9 comments:

  1. At least he didn't use water cooled muffler bearings as a selling point! ;)

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  2. While no one has any reason to believe this, here it is:

    I'm a PR representative for a one of the manufacturers in Canada. Due to my role, I'm invariably involved with the auto shows.

    Having seen the proceedings on the floor first hand, I'll be the first to admit that the CSRs (booth babes, if that's the term you want to use) we hire really do know their stuff. Hilariously enough, the dealer staff at the show often know the least of anyone in attendance about the product.

    I've been reading this blog for quite some time and can certainly commiserate with Booth Babe for the nonsense she deals with.

    Please know that I appreciate this post and this blog as a whole. I wish you luck during the season. Who knows, maybe we'll anonymously cross paths one day.

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  3. I, like the anonymous person, have witnessed this time and again. Sadly enough, it happens and not just in the automotive industry! I am glad that people appreciate your knowledge about cars. You have proven that there is more to than just your looks. You're blog is great.

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  4. BlondeWithBrains-Shocking!January 27, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    Try having 4 different sized tires on your PLATFORM VEHICLE in Detroit. 12 days of questioned misery. "Why are there different sized tires?" My response: "It was a mistake. They brought a mistake here and put it on a platform. If you have any other questions - let me know." How brutal does that make me look?? You just have to go with the flow sometimes - twitching eyes and all...

    I can't think of much more that is worse than having a dealer present on the floor. You know us "Booth Babes" are more knowledgeable than these dealers when, at certain shows, it is our job to help train these local dealers on vehicles. We are actually asked to come to work early in order to TRAIN these dealers on our vehicles (the ones which they are attempting to sell on a daily basis.) Commission - can I get a piece of that??!

    Now the Haters, they are the worst. Do I come to your work and harass you/question your credibility on your job? No. So back up off of my blonde hair and Supercharged V-8 that I know as much about as you would know about the burgers you flip at your 9 to 5.

    "Wow, you really do know what you're talking about!" My response: "Yea, dude, this IS my JOB. And is that your thing? Is that what you do? Walk around the auto show and ask the Booth Babes questions of which the answers you already know? That is pathetic. I have a college degree, I'm done being tested." Here's hoping this never gets back to my manager ;)

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  5. BlondeWithBrains-Shocking!January 27, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Try having 4 different sized tires on your PLATFORM VEHICLE in Detroit. 12 days of questioned misery. "Why are there different sized tires?" My response: "It was a mistake. They brought a mistake here and put it on a platform. If you have any other questions - let me know." How brutal does that make me look?? You just have to go with the flow sometimes - twitching eyes and all...

    I can't think of much more that is worse than having a dealer present on the floor. You know us "Booth Babes" are more knowledgeable than these dealers when, at certain shows, it is our job to help train these local dealers on vehicles. We are actually asked to come to work early in order to TRAIN these dealers on our vehicles (the ones which they are attempting to sell on a daily basis.) Commission - can I get a piece of that??!

    Now the Haters, they are the worst. Do I come to your work and harass you/question your credibility on your job? No. So back up off of my blonde hair and Supercharged V-8 that I know as much about as you would know about the burgers you flip at your 9 to 5.

    "Wow, you really do know what you're talking about!" My response: "Yea, dude, this IS my JOB. And is that your thing? Is that what you do? Walk around the auto show and ask the Booth Babes questions of which the answers you already know? That is pathetic. I have a college degree, I'm done being tested." Here's hoping this never gets back to my manager ;)

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  6. I'm always amazed when asked: "do you know anything about this car or are you just one of those models?" and then once I reassure them that I'm capable of answering product info (capability proven with informing them I have been a Product Specialist for many years; because a "model" could never come up with the description of "product specialist") they continue to ask me product info.
    First off, I'm not anywhere near to what a model would look like - meaning a statuesque hot chic in a tight dress; just a short hot chic in a tight dress - kidding. But really, the era of attractive women standing next to vehicles without speaking are over - aren't they? Thus I'm always amazed when approached with apprehension by guests that are inquiring about the vehicles. Yes I know the product. My apologies for wearing this tight dress, but just because I have boobs and legs does not mean I don't have a brain.

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  7. Oh come on- even if you are the exception, you have to admit that the vast majority of "booth babes" are simply regurgitating a paragraph put together by the manufacturers marketing departments.

    Now I realize not everyone is fascinated by something so nerdy as the intricacies of the dual-clutch transmission, but I would be floored to meet a female that actually had any interest in the industry beyond what you can read in the sales brochure.

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  8. Oh come on- even if you are the exception, you have to admit that the vast majority of "booth babes" are simply regurgitating a paragraph put together by the manufacturers marketing departments.

    Now I realize not everyone is fascinated by something so nerdy as the intricacies of the dual-clutch transmission, but I would be floored to meet a female that actually had any interest in the industry beyond what you can read in the sales brochure.

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  9. Dear "Trust me i'm a car salesman"
    You're an ass.
    I am an automotive journalist who has worked in this industry for nearly 25 years now. I DO know the difference between AWD and 4WD, understand the nerdy intricacies of a dual-clutch transmission, and am THE person other people in my office come to whenever they have an automotive-based question.
    I have relationships with some of these product specialists, and have even gone to them for information when the media reps were unavailable.
    While I can't say that I personally know who DYCWTC is, she certainly does know me. So get off the floor and understand that the male gender does not own the automotive marketplace. There are plenty of car chicks out there. I am one of them, DYCWTC is one of them, and there are lots of others.

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