“Robby,” said Granddad as we sat on the bench seeking a breeze to beat the
sweltering heat, “If you’re any kind of trader you ought to be able to skin the other
fella. But don’t do it. Always leave goodie in the deal for the other guy.”
Anthropologists studying the Mediterranean area 10,000 BC showed that virtually
everyone was connected with a tribe, or family that stayed together and looked after
one another. This was necessary for survival. The studies cite two types of negotiators,
those who negotiated BETWEEN tribes, and those who negotiated WITHIN the tribe.
Those negotiating between tribes were expected to go for the throat. Lying and cheating were allowed and even cheered and respected. But those that negotiated within the tribe were, on the other hand, expected to be honest, fair and accommodating.
Since Granddad had to quit school after fourth grade, I doubt that he got a chance to study anthropology, but he was wise enough to figure out which negotiation method was right for the situation. Granddad recognized the fact that in this small community of Claremore, dealing with
family and neighbors, he was going to be doing business with the same people over and over again. Going for the throat, always grinding for the last dollar of the deal was actually counterproductive! Trust and confidence were far more important!
Car dealerships today are under more pressure than ever to be profitable. And if you’ve been to one lately, you can feel that pressure! Even honest car salesmen make the mistake of trying to get the best of every negotiation. They may make more on the deal, but, in a small town, what goes around comes around. Those tactics that work fine in the big city fall flat in a small town.
And that’s why we do things differently. As hokey as it seems, our family is still in the store the old man started. And we’re still a part of the same Tribe that he was a part of almost 80 years ago. Claremore’s our tribe. YOU are our tribe. And the best way we know how to look after our tribe, is to offer the very best prices around on the most important parts of your vehicle. Like $19.46 oil changes.
–Melton CDJR – Home of the 19.46 oil change
