Of course it's my choice. I wouldn't have realized that without your reminder!
Believe me, smart gets a TON of free publicity from me. I am more than happy to answer questions, and I've met many nice people doing so.
However, I think they should provide an incentive of sorts for people we might refer to a dealership. Providing a card and telling me I can "print as many as" I want isn't it. Surely, they can do better than that.
Of course, you can agree with this or not . . . your choice!
I've said that from the beginning and been met with NOTHING but resistance!
I believe that for every card we hand out with our name on it, and the person turns that card in and reserves, we should get a free oil change. Worst case scenario the reference cancels their reservation. Then they are out what..... $15 in parts (cost max) and a half hour of labor?
I have done more for the smart brand by being an enthusiastic owner than they have by having a showroom on 96th St. I MOVE....they don't. I reach more people and I'm not in it just to make a buck......
Dealerships could make their OWN decisions to reward early adopters....but so far I see them motivated by greed alone. (Mostly.)
Providing a $15 gift for everyone that reserves would just be more hassle than it's worth. They'd put a bounty on reservations and skew the refundable $99 reservation system with a few people who want their free goodies. How many other dealers give out incentive for an owner to tell people they love their car? There may actually be some, but I don't see any. The fact is, the smart sells itself. Without trying, I've gotten at least 200 people seriously interested in the car. If I told them, "oh, and here's a code you give them... go to this website, and make sure you tell them I sent you..." then that smacks of multi-level marketing or something pushy, and would actually backfire.
Word of mouth advertising is and should be free.
The card offered on the forums is not their way of cheaping out and making you print on your own ink. They can afford ink and paper. Go to a dealer in a few weeks, and you'll see these cards there. The salesperson might tell you that you have the choice to download it as well, in case you don't want to spend half a buck to mail their pre-printed copy to a friend.
Riverside Smart dealer gave me a handful of color, half-fold, cards. WOW, its nice not to have to answer the same questions over and over and over.....Of course if she's cute I don't really mind.
All I can say is what a truly nice guy. He took time out of his day to call me to try to
get me out of a bind. We had a pleasant conversation. I got the sense that the huge
number of orders for these cars took them by surprise. Especially the Germans are marveling at the demand.
Meaux
My .02, if you happen to have him on the phone again:
Smart policy should dictate that Orphans be offered to reservation holders first--then to the general public. Many of us have studied the proposed introduction of the car into the US market, ordered in early '07, and followed the rules by waiting our turn in production.
As cars arrived stateside, Orphans suddenly were sold to people who were not on a reservation list, to folks who had made tardy reservations, or to customers with no reservations. Early enthusiast customers--dutifully abiding by the reservation process-- were simply skipped-over.
Personally, I'm PO'd about that. It irks me when scavengers jump in line and are allowed to bend the rules by coughing up extra cash, or by schmoozing/harassing their local dealer. It's simply an unfair process that Smart has allowed to continue for too long.
The problem has now swelled with the issue of dealer "add-ons". Certain potential customers feel they are somehow entitled to by-pass reservation holders, whine about dealer packs, and argue that they should buy their cars at MSRP.
This process is simply insulting to the customers who ordered and played by Smart's "rules".
Wow. You mean, we get to use our own paper and ink to provide free advertising for smart?
Sign me up.
They are also available at your dealership. The card answers all the questions that people who stop you ask you. If you are in a hurry and do not have time to answer questions, you have the choice of offering a flyer instead. I had already printed up my own fliers from one that JWIGHT had made. They come in handy. If you own a smart, you are already providing free advertising for smart.
Meaux
Last edited by meaux61; 07-05-2008 at 04:21 AM.
Reason: typo
My .02, if you happen to have him on the phone again:
Smart policy should dictate that Orphans be offered to reservation holders first--then to the general public. Many of us have studied the proposed introduction of the car into the US market, ordered in early '07, and followed the rules by waiting our turn in production.
As cars arrived stateside, Orphans suddenly were sold to people who were not on a reservation list, to folks who had made tardy reservations, or to customers with no reservations. Early enthusiast customers--dutifully abiding by the reservation process-- were simply skipped-over.
Personally, I'm PO'd about that. It irks me when scavengers jump in line and are allowed to bend the rules by coughing up extra cash, or by schmoozing/harassing their local dealer. It's simply an unfair process that Smart has allowed to continue for too long.
The problem has now swelled with the issue of dealer "add-ons". Certain potential customers feel they are somehow entitled to by-pass reservation holders, whine about dealer packs, and argue that they should buy their cars at MSRP.
This process is simply insulting to the customers who ordered and played by Smart's "rules".
EdwardDennis,
As an early reservee who suffered from early smart policies (faulty configurator-lost alarm and foglamp options, no choice of dealership), I think that you have valid points. However, I have to say that that would not be on the top of my list to talk to Dave Schembri about. I understand completely that it is on the top of your list. I suggest that you do what I did and write him a letter. You can also go to his blog on the smartusainsider.com website and post a comment. He reads and answers the comments.
I asked Max Akram personally at smartcenterindianapolis if they add anything to thier orphans. He said that they add nothing. The orphan buyers get them as they are. SCI also makes anyone who comes in for an orphan first reserve a smart online. The problem is that they have had very few orphans. Smartcenterseattle is probably the best smart dealership in the country from what I have read here. They are also very fair with thier orphans and offer them to reservation holders first. If smartusa can find out what SCS is doing, and request that all dealerships follow thier policy that would be great. I do not know that smartusa has the power to force dealerships to do that. That is the point at which you do your research and shop at the dealerships that are doing the right thing.
Mr. Dave Schembri, President
Smart USA
1765 S. Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
..." Smartcenterseattle is probably the best smart dealership in the country from what I have read here. They are also very fair with thier orphans and offer them to reservation holders first."...
As they should-- as all US Smart dealers should.
I appreciate your comments, Meaux, but it changes nothing in my personal order and purchase experience with Smart USA. I own a Passion coupe which was delivered 12 months from my date of reservation. I studied, reserved, waited in line, responded promptly when notified of delivery, and promptly paid for the car.
I ordered a second Passion coupe within a couple of weeks of receiving my car. I dutifully plunked down another $99.00 and will stand in line again. During my next 12 to 18 month wait, I expect to be bumped again by folks who made late or no reservations
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