What makes a good showroom?

[Pinkypink]

I realised there are many new showrooms being built or existing showrooms being refurbished.

 

For example, VW expanded showroom in July, BMW M showroom opened at Teban Gardens in July, Malayan Motors spent more than $3 million to convert part of its Leng Kee showroom for joint representation of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands in May, Mazda opened their Alexandra showroom in Feb, etc. etc.

 

Just wondering if all this investment is worth it.. as in, will sprucing up the showrooms and offering more services within the showroom appeal more to a customer and increase sales?

 

What features of a showroom appeals to you most? Or what other services should showrooms have?

 

Your thoughts?

 

(Maybe they should start having Nintendo Wii stations in all showrooms, haha just kidding!)

[Tohto]

All the money spend on refurbish the showroom will be added on to the car price and paid by customer.

The most important is car sell CHEAP CHEAP. At the end I only go to the showroom room once or twice, I don't need a luxury showroom.

[D3badge]

Why not Singaporean are getting richer more people have priority banking account too thus car show room want sales also need to impress mah.

 

example the Geely distributor mention something in 2006 or 2007 like in 10 years time 50% of Singapore cars will be Made in China!!!

 

I straight away laugh off my pants!!! the distributor maybe rich but think he lost touch of the real world!

 

we are in a generation of WEALTH!!! not longer like our parents ERA where food on table is 1st priority. now many Singaporean got lotsa excess $$$$ thus lifestyle and quality of life come in. when buying cars, people look at many many factors now just costing...

 

example Honda dun market their Honda Cub motorcycle in Singapore but do in Vietnam cause different market segment.

 

thus is a no brainer why last few week Straits Times got articles say China Cars dying. COE just as excuse of failure.

 

COE so high, car showroom still good business cause our Nation Wealth as a whole is Up Up and Up

 

thus summarise revamp carshow room is just a market force

[Nf0rc3r]

All the money spend on refurbish the showroom will be added on to the car price and paid by customer.

The most important is car sell CHEAP CHEAP. At the end I only go to the showroom room once or twice, I don't need a luxury showroom.

 

Ur so wrong. Send you to a dealer with wooden shed for showroom u dare to buy? Save 5k so?

U also scared dealer run away with deposit.

 

A good showroom is a show of stability and long term dealer who will honor their warranty telling u they are here for the long haul.

[Dreamer143]

In a good showroom customer satisfaction is guaranteed

 

where they love the customer not the car

[Tansrb]

a good showroom contains good cars, and good salesmen. not cocky ones. many a times i was interested in viewing a particular model only to be turned off by their f--ked up salesmen

[Benarsenal]

Cars are displayed prominently and properly (not messy and all over the place).

Service is important (cannot emphasise enough)

Look neat and organised

Easy to walk around. Can access cars easily (not tucked away in one corner out of sight)

Enough spacing between cars such that can open all doors easily and won't knock into others.

 

At the end of the day, aesthetics only go so far. Service quality still plays a very, very important part.

[Alheych]

must have 'seh' large pieces of glass probably 2 storeys high. floor must be shiny. high ceilings help.

[Davidklt]

Most people dont care about showroom. They just care about price.

[macrosszero]

If people don't care about the showroom, why don't you see Sin Tien Seng's showroom at Teban Gardens Crescent packed full of customers, and the roads full of Daihatsu cars?

 

Their car lineup is actually pretty good, the Terios, Materia and Sirion, they all are well-priced and well-specified cars compared to their competitors, is cheaper than them and is made in Japan to top it off.

[Beei]

<br />All the money spend on refurbish the showroom will be added on to the car price and paid by customer.<br />The most important is car sell CHEAP CHEAP. At the end I only go to the showroom room once or twice, I don't need a luxury showroom.<br />

 

Even been to a certain China make car showroom somewhere in Jurong Kechil?

Edited October 13, 2010 by Beei

[Toapayohkid]

good service most important. other than that, basics lor, got aircon, bright and spacious, got coffee machine make people walk around browse cars open close doors and boots while holding coffee and hopefully dun spill onto the seats.

[Watwheels]

A good showroom says it all. It not just gives customers confidence but to the car manufacturer as well. It shows that the dealer's putting in effort in making the car brand sell. As long as the business is doing some kinda sales regardless whether it's cars or not. The shop's front is most important. If any shop that's shabby and looks uninviting, I will think twice about stepping in.

 

A good example is Ferrari's previous dealer who recently lost its rights as the main distributor. When I see their showroom and WS I also sian 1/2. Where's the exclusivity? We are talking about Ferrari here. And I read in the papers the dealer cited bad business and they were making a loss. He did mentioned about investing a few million into their showroom but in my mind the showroom is also shared by other car brands which is hardly what I call investment. I think the Ferrari representative who saw the showroom also lost confidence when they were here to decide on the local dealership. No exclusivity.

 

Image and branding on cars are not like doing cheap retail sales whereby you can put up several brands of clothing for sales. You will never see that happen on any luxury brand. IMO there are several dealers who make the mistake of sharing showroom & WS with the several car brands they are holding. I mean cars are luxury items. This kinda marketing strategy is the very conservative and "neow" Chinese businessman style.

 

As I said earlier, a good showroom (& workshop) says it all. It not just improve on image, the customers who own the car also feel proud. It also motivated others to want to buy the brand. I believe this is part of the marketing strategy.

[Expertz]

when my dad bought his merc a few years back, the showroom was a mini museum

you get to see the very first mercedes sports car, the very first merc car, merc's fine heritage on a timeline

there was a lounge area where you can get free drinks and salads

the sales people don't disturb you but when you call them they are attentive and listening

and there wasn't any crowd

 

last year i decided to get a car for myself

i walked into kia, mitsi, hyundai, vw and the showrooms were packed, they were cramped and squeezy and the salespeople constantly went

oh COE bidding again tomorrow, most probably going up, better book now, tomorrow price increase, BUY NOW LA OK!

 

the only difference was honda, they were not packed and the salespeople were friendly

but i ended up buying 2nd hand la, cause i'm a new driver :)

 

[D3badge]

A good showroom says it all. It not just gives customers confidence but to the car manufacturer as well. It shows that the dealer's putting in effort in making the car brand sell. As long as the business is doing some kinda sales regardless whether it's cars or not. The shop's front is most important. If any shop that's shabby and looks uninviting, I will think twice about stepping in.

 

A good example is Ferrari's previous dealer who recently lost its rights as the main distributor. When I see their showroom and WS I also sian 1/2. Where's the exclusivity? We are talking about Ferrari here. And I read in the papers the dealer cited bad business and they were making a loss. He did mentioned about investing a few million into their showroom but in my mind the showroom is also shared by other car brands which is hardly what I call investment. I think the Ferrari representative who saw the showroom also lost confidence when they were here to decide on the local dealership. No exclusivity.

 

Image and branding on cars are not like doing cheap retail sales whereby you can put up several brands of clothing for sales. You will never see that happen on any luxury brand. IMO there are several dealers who make the mistake of sharing showroom & WS with the several car brands they are holding. I mean cars are luxury items. This kinda marketing strategy is the very conservative and "neow" Chinese businessman style.

 

As I said earlier, a good showroom (& workshop) says it all. It not just improve on image, the customers who own the car also feel proud. It also motivated others to want to buy the brand. I believe this is part of the marketing strategy.

 

very much agree especially the average income of people today is very much more compare to 10-15 years ago.

 

more $$$ equal to quality of life and everything comes into play, $$$ not enough normally best bang for buck rank 1st

 

[Jamesc]

Hunks who flirt with the tai tai to get them to give them a big cheque

- for the car I mean.

 

Chio ex SIA stewardess for the Chee Koh Pek uncles to take out the wallets.

 

Friendly salesman that give a big discount for poor buyers like me.

[Mockngbrd]

free ice cream...preferably magnum

[Watwheels]

when my dad bought his merc a few years back, the showroom was a mini museum

you get to see the very first mercedes sports car, the very first merc car, merc's fine heritage on a timeline

there was a lounge area where you can get free drinks and salads

the sales people don't disturb you but when you call them they are attentive and listening

and there wasn't any crowd

 

last year i decided to get a car for myself

i walked into kia, mitsi, hyundai, vw and the showrooms were packed, they were cramped and squeezy and the salespeople constantly went

oh COE bidding again tomorrow, most probably going up, better book now, tomorrow price increase, BUY NOW LA OK!

 

the only difference was honda, they were not packed and the salespeople were friendly

but i ended up buying 2nd hand la, cause i'm a new driver :)

It's like buying durian. Lai ah! Leh Long! Leh Long ah!

 

This really "cheapens" the image. Sometimes I wonder where these sales & marketing ppl get their training from.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Watwheels