[nickjs1984]

Hi, all. It’s been a few years since I said goodbye to my 2012 S60 and I’m eagerly looking forward to getting back in a Volvo in 2020. I was out and about with a friend a few days back and we decided to stop in to Bobby Rahal Volvo in Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs so I could finally stop just comparing the XC40 and V60 Cross Country by way of YouTube videos and actually get some seat time in each. We were there for about 25 minutes, inside and outside the dealership, eyeing window stickers, opening doors and, eventually, sitting in two floor models. There wasn’t really much of anyone around in the way of customers and about 5-7 sales staff in offices chatting, but absolutely no one approached us. As it started approaching a half hour, we decided to just cut our losses and enjoy our day off work elsewhere, but the experience was perplexing to me. Has anyone had a similar experience with a Volvo dealership (or this specific one) in recent times? Is this some new way of interfacing with customers that’s unique to Volvo’s brand now? Should I have rolled in tossing cash into the air or something equally boisterous to draw the sales team’s attention?

 

[Wayne T5]

I have found that's the case with pretty much any dealer of any brand. Sometimes I am approached by a salesman and sometimes I need to approach them - not a big deal in any event. Some stores have a receptionist who can get you to a salesman - I think that works the best.

 

[GRUENDIG]

Hi, all. It’s been a few years since I said goodbye to my 2012 S60 and I’m eagerly looking forward to getting back in a Volvo in 2020. I was out and about with a friend a few days back and we decided to stop in to Bobby Rahal Volvo in Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs so I could finally stop just comparing the XC40 and V60 Cross Country by way of YouTube videos and actually get some seat time in each. We were there for about 25 minutes, inside and outside the dealership, eyeing window stickers, opening doors and, eventually, sitting in two floor models. There wasn’t really much of anyone around in the way of customers and about 5-7 sales staff in offices chatting, but absolutely no one approached us. As it started approaching a half hour, we decided to just cut our losses and enjoy our day off work elsewhere, but the experience was perplexing to me. Has anyone had a similar experience with a Volvo dealership (or this specific one) in recent times? Is this some new way of interfacing with customers that’s unique to Volvo’s brand now? Should I have rolled in tossing cash into the air or something equally boisterous to draw the sales team’s attention?

This is my ideal dealer. If I want to talk to someone I will go and ask. Otherwise, please leave me alone.
This is how our dealer was when we bought our 18' V90CC. Refreshing.

 

[silent-circuit]

If you want to buy, you approach someone and say as much. If you're just looking, you're left to look. I'm sure they would have happily answered any questions you had if you brought them up. (No affiliation, and I'm not in car sales)

As others have said, sounds like the ideal situation to me; plenty of staff, but not overbearing. If you want to get circled by vultures go to a sketchy used lot I guess?

 

[MyVolvoS60]

Hi, all. It’s been a few years since I said goodbye to my 2012 S60 and I’m eagerly looking forward to getting back in a Volvo in 2020. I was out and about with a friend a few days back and we decided to stop in to Bobby Rahal Volvo in Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs so I could finally stop just comparing the XC40 and V60 Cross Country by way of YouTube videos and actually get some seat time in each. We were there for about 25 minutes, inside and outside the dealership, eyeing window stickers, opening doors and, eventually, sitting in two floor models. There wasn’t really much of anyone around in the way of customers and about 5-7 sales staff in offices chatting, but absolutely no one approached us. As it started approaching a half hour, we decided to just cut our losses and enjoy our day off work elsewhere, but the experience was perplexing to me. Has anyone had a similar experience with a Volvo dealership (or this specific one) in recent times? Is this some new way of interfacing with customers that’s unique to Volvo’s brand now? Should I have rolled in tossing cash into the air or something equally boisterous to draw the sales team’s attention?

Perfect experience. Do you want to be bombarded with 10 salesman running your direction, when all you wanted to do was browse and check out vehicles? If there was one you were truly interested in chatting about, it wouldn't be difficult to walk inside, and ask for some assistance.

I'd definitely prefer to be given time to look over vehicles of interest without being pressured.

 

[nickjs1984]

I dunno, a “hello, welcome to our dealership, let us know if you’d like the keys to anything” would have been nice. Not really suggesting I need someone breathing down my neck, but acknowledging we’ve come inside would have been appreciated.

 

[V70 Brad]

Perfect experience. Do you want to be bombarded with 10 salesman running your direction, when all you wanted to do was browse and check out vehicles? If there was one you were truly interested in chatting about, it wouldn't be difficult to walk inside, and ask for some assistance.

I'd definitely prefer to be given time to look over vehicles of interest without being pressured.

I totally agree with this. Have had a problem in the past with being badgered by salesmen when I took my car in for service at my local Volvo dealership It got to the point that I was told by the sales manager that the transmission was out in my car and that I needed to trade immediately! This was 100,000 miles ago on the SAME original transmission I have in the same car NOW.

Trust me, having low key salespeople is a much more fun experience.

 

[Wayne T5]

I dunno, a “hello, welcome to our dealership, let us know if you’d like the keys to anything” would have been nice. Not really suggesting I need someone breathing down my neck, but acknowledging we’ve come inside would have been appreciated.

I get it, that's where a receptionist is helpful.

 

[The Driver]

It's a tough call, as someone in sales, MANY fields/culture are changing. It could be corporate training or it could be just that staff, don't be afraid to approach and ask. Most Sales people don't approach, alot wait for an indicator of sorts. I've had to approach plenty in dealerships, it's strange but not uncomon.

 

[cometguy]

My experience is that most salesmen don't know their cars anyway. The whole dealership experience sucks because they are on commission and need your sale to be able to eat. Tesla (and presumably Polestar) have it right: pay showroom staff salaries, so there's no hassling, no pressure, no need to call me afterwards to ask if I'm still interested, and no haggling of price. MSRP period. When I go to a dealership, there's very little that a salesman knows about a car that I'm looking at that I don't already know, and they usually learn a lot from me about the cars they are selling. I don't need salesmen coming up to me; I'll approach them, and only for purposes of sitting in a car and/or test-driving one. I tell them up front that I'm not buying today or even next week, and tell them no phone calls, and they usually become much easier to deal with right off the bat; they usually let me sit alone in a car, and after the first test-drive (I always do multiple test drives on multiple days at multiple dealerships before buying anything), when I go back a second day they usually let me take the car out alone (dealerships that don't let me take a car out alone on a test drive are ones that I rarely buy from; you cannot seriously test-drive a car with a salesman sitting next to you).

 

[nickjs1984]

Fully agreed. I do not want to have a ride along. I just need someone to actually get me the keys.

My experience is that most salesmen don't know their cars anyway. The whole dealership experience sucks because they are on commission and need your sale to be able to eat. Tesla (and presumably Polestar) have it right: pay showroom staff salaries, so there's no hassling, no pressure, no need to call me afterwards to ask if I'm still interested, and no haggling of price. MSRP period. When I go to a dealership, there's very little that a salesman knows about a car that I'm looking at that I don't already know, and they usually learn a lot from me about the cars they are selling. I don't need salesmen coming up to me; I'll approach them, and only for purposes of sitting in a car and/or test-driving one. I tell them up front that I'm not buying today or even next week, and tell them no phone calls, and they usually become much easier to deal with right off the bat; they usually let me sit alone in a car, and after the first test-drive (I always do multiple test drives on multiple days at multiple dealerships before buying anything), when I go back a second day they usually let me take the car out alone (dealerships that don't let me take a car out alone on a test drive are ones that I rarely buy from; you cannot seriously test-drive a car with a salesman sitting next to you).

 

[zn14]

4 years ago Bobby Rahal had the exact XC60 my wife wanted, we are in Colorado. We negotiated a good price and had it shipped to us.
The salesman was fantastic.