The Lies is in Truth

They are all in league.

Deception is everywhere and phonies are scattered all over the land. Maybe the biblical doomsday is near. Till then, one should be very cautious therefore in decision making and transactions. As this practice is conversant in every other field, it is in automobile industry to stay. Though most of the auto dealers are honest, not all religious leaders are to be trusted, understand?

Challenge honesty and integrity, a survey has shown that the auto industry is riddled with liars and crooks. You know, if you could define politicians, telemarketers and insurance agents (talking of the insurance agents too, is an issue next week), you can find a matching platform to put the auto dealers. They are all in league.

Although names would not be mentioned, I would try as much as possible to get you informed of their shady practices for you to recognize the feel of the devil’s touch, even in the dark.

Marketing is almost always anchored on deception, which is an activity most people identify with a grain of salt. According to them, life is a sales game and to win it over, every strategy must be deployed – whether it is good, tolerable or awful. Several profit oriented companies make profits by promoting their products and services as better than their rivals, regardless of their truthfulness.

According to an analyst, dealership owners usually keep these eccentric salespersons because they are usually seated atop the sales charts. Although reputation is one significant thing, as they say, business is business. And unless the situation would generate a legal action, most businessmen will not avoid a goose that lays golden eggs.

Among the most common sins include price topping, which involves an agreement between the salesman and a purchaser on a particular price. Afterwards, he tops the final bills with additional hundreds of naira by including finance charges to a few more naira per month than what is required. And bill-padder or the excessive labour fees in regard to pre-delivery work like those involving audio system upgrades, larger wheels, and other options. This is easily disguised by adding several folds of naira per month to the final charge. They also engage in what I term language play which involves the use of grammar and technical languages to aggravate the importance of the product, and before you realize the harm that’s done, you’ve started nodding in agreement. They are all lies.

Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Ltd

Despite Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Ltd philosophical exposition on the fact that criminality does not sell car, the industry still has its slice of shady characters, same with other industries. However, various industries are swarmed by different types of people – people of character, integrity, faith and those belonging to the d-doers.

According to some dealers, it is quite unfair to dub them all as liars, crooks, or fraudulent doers when they are engaged in honest businesses. They added that selling cars is a great way of earning honest income. “Profit,” said an auto dealer, “is not an option, but an objective in any business and that holds true in my industry. It is as fair for an auto dealership and an auto salesperson to make a profit as it is fair to make a profit in any other form of business. There are good people in the auto industry and I am one of them!”

Anyway, regardless of what I think, at the end of all these, you still get the car you always wanted. And that is the truth.

BETWEEN THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT AND AUTO DEALERS

In another bid to foster a better relationship with all facets of the society and the private sector, the Lagos State government has concluded plan to partner with automobile players in the State. This revelation was made by the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Bamidele Badejo, through his representative, Director of Dealership Licensing Authority, Lagos, Mr. H. B. Sarumi at the National Automobile Marketing Conference held last week in Lagos.

He also stated that the state government frowns at the spate at which car sales are being displayed on the road walks, advising that dealers should have standard automart to showcase their products. In his words, “Lagos State is not happy seeing car sales on the road walks, but implores our dealers to have an automart through which you could display your cars.”

While answering questions from the participants at the event pertaining to the minimum age of a second hand vehicle permitted on Nigerian roads, Sarumi said the minimum year required of a second hand vehicle is 5years.

“If you will recall that about 7 years ago, most of these cars hardly have MOT. The number of years has been reduced from seven to five years. But Lagos State tries looking at the multipliers effect in buying a second hand cars and spare parts, therefore sensitising the people in order to reduce the number of lives lost due to road unworthiness for such vehicles.”

The Director stated, however, that, “with private partnership, the government wishes to ensure that car sale is streamlined, but should be noted that it is not the intention of the government to put anyone out of business.

And in order to ease the problem of vehicle registration by the dealers, 13 zonal offices have been created by the government in strategic locations around Lagos.”

With a note of warning imploring the public to do what is right and obey all traffic laws, he stated that the issue of traffic management is on the front burner of the state government. He stressed that the current slogan being carried in the ministries is ‘If you see your leader doing his job, then you must do your job’.

The one day event, tagged A Day Out With Auto Legends of Our Time enjoyed the presence of the representatives of notable auto dealers in the Nigerian auto world like Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, Mr. Sanni Dauda, Mr. William Anumudu. Mr. Olusola Dada and Oka Obono were chairman and guest speaker respectively.

NCAM: A DAY OUT WITH AUTO SALES LEGENDS OF OUR TIME IN NIGERIA

Even though there is no business existence without its challenges, there is one particular line of business in this country that takes lots of guts and down to finger pushing to get it off the ground. It is even more stringent due to the saturation of the market, even though some players belief otherwise.

The business of auto dealing is one of the most lucrative businesses that is gaining attention in the Nigeria corporate terrain. Although most auto dealers try engaging in popular brands to boost sales and recuperate the investments in the short run, it still needs the ability of a good marketing team to devise creative strategies in getting even an unwilling customer to order for the whole company!

To this end, a forum on the happenings in the auto world, tagged National Conference on Automobile Marketing, where the legends in auto sales and marketing in Nigeria would be gathered to bare out their minds, and share their success stories with budding and up coming auto marketers.

The one day event, holding at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos on the 26^th of November 2008, will feature a platform to chat with the big shots in the industry, interactive session and a paper lecture titled ‘the Magic of Volume Sales’.

The get together which commands the presence of the likes of Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Ltd; Chief Molade Okoya Thomas, Chairman, CFAO Group; Alhaji (Dr.) Sanni Dauda, Chairman, Peugeot Automobile Nig Limited; Chief Williams Anumudu, Chairman, Globe Motors, Dr.(Mrs) Diezani Allison-Madueke and Prof Bamidele Badejo to mention few, is primarily targeted at auto marketers, banks and insurance companies.

With full support from the federal and Lagos state governments, the event promises to be an epoch making one.