RE: New car discounts??

["James M. De Arras" <jmd@westlab.com>]

I suspect some salesmen are buying that $600 fixed cost per customer myth,
and not "wasting" time on anyone not worthy.  

But the reality is, that number came from a count of customers divided by
the fixed and variable overhead of a dealership.  The formula does not work
backwards, i.e., one adding a customer does not increase overhead by $600.
Instead, it is more a step function, where you can add "X" additional
walk-ins at a minimal to no added cost, then suddenly you need more room,
salesmen, or whatever, which causes a step jump in the overhead for "one"
added customer.

Basically, I see no excuse for salesmen to be huddled in groups discussing
sports scores, while a potential customer (me) wanders around trying to
force answers out of anyone who will listen.  I can see on a busy day, where
the customers outnumber the salesmen, that a salesman might get picky in who
he spends time with, based on looks, even, but never on a slow day!  You
will never convince me it costs a dime extra to talk to me, as opposed to
talking to each other.

Jim