Let’s call it what it is: most car dealers are addicted to the high of the quick close. Bargain-driven tactics might hit a monthly number, but they don’t build anything real, not with your customer, not with your team, and certainly not with your brand. It’s a short game masquerading as a long-term strategy.
And the worst part? Everyone knows it. Customers feel it. Staff internalize it. It becomes the culture.
Bargaining is transactional. Negotiation is relational. And that distinction makes all the difference in an industry that says it wants loyalty but behaves like it wants volume.
Negotiation Over Bargaining
In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara, talks about how he transformed a fine-dining restaurant into the best in the world by creating moments that made guests feel seen. Not served. Seen. He wasn’t in the food business. He was in the experience business. And guess what? So are we.
We just forgot.
Bargaining squeezes. Negotiation opens.
Bargaining tells the customer: “This is a battle. One of us wins.” Negotiation says: “We’re on the same side. Let’s figure it out together.” That’s where trust is built. That’s where loyalty lives.
When you negotiate with integrity, you’re not just moving a unit. You’re laying the groundwork for a customer to come back, refer a friend, and actually enjoy the buying experience. That’s growth. That’s reputation. That’s longevity.
Want to stand out? Go unreasonable.
Build an Intelligent Customer Experience
Guidara didn’t win by doing what was expected. He won by exceeding expectations in ways that felt deeply personal and wildly generous. That’s what customers remember. In the auto world, that could be anything from a hand-delivered vehicle with a customized thank-you note to remembering a past customer’s daughter just got her license and offering to walk them through safety features before they ask.
That’s not fluff. That’s brand equity. That’s emotionally intelligent selling. And it beats chasing rebates and flipping lease returns every day of the week.
Trust is the Real Close
So how do we make the shift?
- Stop playing defense. Don’t just wait for the customer to object and then slash price. Go on offense by listening, building value, and showing up with creative solutions that align with their priorities.
- Train your team on people, not just products. Hospitality isn’t a department. It’s a mindset. One that should be baked into every handoff, every phone call, every delivery.
- Redefine success. It’s not about closing fast. It’s about closing in a way that the customer would want to do it again. That’s how legacies are built.
Bottom line? If we want more than just a spike in sales, we need more than just a sales tactic. We need a culture of unreasonable hospitality, rooted in the discipline of true negotiation. That’s how you stop pushing metal and start building something that lasts. If you’re selling cars, you’re in the Experience Business.
