Here lie three (3) Kryptonite locks with no bikes attached. That’s three bad endings because the bikes were seemingly stolen and the locks serve as a negative remembrance, a monument to sadness if you will.
It doesn’t have to end that way.
Potentially, with forethought and preparation, these three bikes might still be with their original (and intended) owners.
(Fair warning…I’m going to beat the daylights out of this biking metaphor…)
In dealerships, we are in the retail business which means we sell goods and services to the public. It’s not easy because we have to deal with a wide array of people and personalities and circumstances. My friend, Bill Schomburg wisely says, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind.” He’s right.
We should transact our business everyday with enthusiasm and positivity because we are not really in the “car or RV business.” We are in the hospitality business and along with that, comes certain responsibilities.
I was taught treating people with “courtesy and respect” is a cornerstone in our industry. For me, this dates back to 1925 when my grandfather became a Chevrolet dealer. This was his ethos.
But what of the times this courtesy and respect is not reciprocated from customers? What if you find yourself in a very uncomfortable customer situation which makes you jittery, tense, nervous, anxious, or uneasy? That little guy/gal in your head is troubled and tells you a situation is unsafe and you notice you’re jumpy and you should run away? Then what?
Trust Your Gut And Communicate With Others
Many years ago when I was selling cars, I felt this way on a clear, warm Saturday afternoon. I “upped” a guy on the lot who immediately asked to look at a Corvette. He was creepy. The hair on the back of my neck felt like it was dancing when I met him. He had an eye patch. He seemed tense yet was trying to be calm. He was slightly dirty, though he didn’t smell, and looked like a slick-ster. I’m not being pejorative; I’m telling you what I saw and how I felt.
We made small talk for a bit and he landed on a Corvette which he wanted to see. “I’m glad the keys are in the building,” I thought to myself. I really wanted to get away from this guy and fast.
As a good sales agent, I went to “The Desk” to touch base. I told them: “Fire me. I don’t give a #@$&. I’m not going on a test drive with this guy. There’s something not right, there.” I had never said this before and I meant it. “No way and I want one of you to help me with this guy.”
Initially, there was notable tension with the managers as I was there to sell vehicles. When they heard this, clearly and forcefully, the managers decided to back me up.
We got our game plan together and walked back on the lot where he was waiting. We created a story (a pretty good one, I thought), and told him our insurance company would not allow test drives of Corvettes on Saturdays. He left quietly and without incident. We diffused the situation respectfully but safely.
On Monday morning, I was horrified to find the same character I had encountered on Saturday on the front page of the local newspaper. Tragically, he had carjacked a Mustang and killed the driver over the weekend.
At the time, I had the desire to sell a car (and be a star). I knew in my heart, however, I should not be near the (alleged) customer. I trusted my gut instinct and communicated with my managers to create a safety plan not to confront this individual, but to be firm in a non-threatening way. I am alive today because I heeded that inner voice, telling me the situation was not safe.
The missing bicycles (from the picture) may provide insight here, where the front wheel provides direction and the rear wheel provides the drive. Steer your own bike. You do you.
The Wheels of Change:
You Never Know Who You’re Dealing With
A recent Automotive News article was entitled “African coup leader was a Utah car salesmen.”[1]
Christian Malanga, who started a used-car lot in Salt Lake City after moving to the U.S. as a teenager, was killed while trying to overthrow the Congolese government.[2] Malanga, who was born in the African nation when it was known as Zaire, moved to the U.S. as a teenager. [3]
He had started Malanga Auto Sales in Salt Lake City and claimed to be “the first African/Black American in the State of Utah to register as a car dealer.”[4]
A spokesman for the Congo’s presidential palace identified Christian Malanga as the leader of the attack and said authorities had arrested about 50 people who participated in it.[5]
Who was Christian Malanga? Was he crazy? Did he snap and try to overthrow a government? Was he a hero? We don’t really know.
So, what is the take-away here?
Be cautious. Approach every situation with eyes wide open. While Malanga was clearly not violent while he was a dealer and selling cars, and simply providing for his family, he had it inside him to attempt to overthrow a government. Is this someone you would have wanted to have a beer with?
As the author, I want to sensitize you to these select stories. Tread thoughtfully in every circumstance. These kinds of stories may not be mainstream or “normal,” but these incidents did occur.
It’s up to you to navigate around what you perceive as workplace potholes. You control the handlebars and you control the direction of your bike. You can decide who you should and should not engage with. Sounds like this guy was simply trying to provide for his family (of eight children) when he was in the United States. Then, he tried to overthrow the government. Was he a violent guy or just a guy with deep feelings about his country? Either way, with hindsight, if you had a choice, is he someone you would want to deal with? That is the question.
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you have to keep moving forward.
Don’t Be Stupid
A New Orleans car dealership employee responded on a test drive to a bad guy posing as a customer when the “customer” (Reginald Vaughn) said, “This is where you get out or I will shoot you.”[6]
Instead of exiting the vehicle, the employee (unnamed in the article, I guess so he wouldn’t be accused of being a moron), the unnamed genius reportedly, “grabbed onto the arms (of Vaughn) and held them down while accelerating. After a brief scuffle, the employee was able to stop the car, and the two began trading punches.”[7]
Vaughn was caught and charged with first-degree robbery.
The employee now qualifies for a Darwin Award.
This is why the dealership has insurance. Don’t be a moron or try to be hero.
Truly, if life is like riding a bicycle, then this employee must be a flat tire…or at least a broken chain or maybe a piece of his chain is missing…
Conclusion
The military creates drills to create instinct in their soldiers. They prepare and practice until the skill becomes second nature.
If you repeat tasks over and over, your reaction becomes automatic and you know what to do without even thinking about it. This article is meant to be a training exercise for the same reason. I want you to be prepared and approach each situation with a healthy respect.
Final Biking Analogy (I Promise)
When you fall off a bicycle (or a horse), you are supposed to get up and keep going.
What I’m illustrating here is to be careful which bike you are riding on and in which direction you are headed.
I don’t want to see your Kryptonite lock laying abandoned on the ground without your bike.
[1] Automotive News, “African coup leader was a Utah car salesman” by Nick Bunkley, June 4, 2024.
[2] Automotive News, “African coup leader was a Utah car salesman” by Nick Bunkley, June 4, 2024.
[3] Automotive News, “African coup leader was a Utah car salesman” by Nick Bunkley, June 4, 2024.
[4] Automotive News, “African coup leader was a Utah car salesman” by Nick Bunkley, June 4, 2024.
[5] Automotive News, “African coup leader was a Utah car salesman” by Nick Bunkley, June 4, 2024.
[6] Automotive News, “La. Audi worker foils test-drive theft” by Riley Hodder, August 10, 2024.
[7] Automotive News, “La. Audi worker foils test-drive theft” by Riley Hodder, August 10, 2024.
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