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.