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Imagine walking into a Mercedes-Benz dealer, spending 45 minutes walking through the showroom, expecting someone to talk to you, and no one helps you.
That’s what happened to Philippe (@broskisavageg30), who went to a TikTok clip to share his story. You’d think that Mercedes-Benz and BMW dealers would give excellent customer service to a potential buyer, but the opposite was true for Philippe, a Haitian man.
He says, “I own a BMW 540i and a Mercedes-Benz AMG C63. I walked past four salespeople, and they saw me and didn’t want to talk to me. Not even a hello.”
In his TikTok clip, Philippe records himself walking into the Mercedes-Benz dealer in Delray Beach, Florida, to show his followers the cars he is checking out. However, he is astounded and says, “I’ve been walking around this dealership for about 45 minutes and no one helped me,” he says with disbelief.
“I was the only customer in the entire showroom. What should I do next?” He says, “I prefer BMW anyway,” as he gets into his BMW and leaves.
Philippe has an idea.
Philippe owns a BMW 540i, costing $60,000 for a 2025 model. So, in a follow-up TikTok clip, he wants to find out what will happen if he goes to the BMW dealer in Delray Beach, Florida. Will he get better customer service there? Or will they ignore him like they did at the Mercedes-Benz dealer?
Next, he says, “I’m going to the BMW dealership to see if anyone approaches me.”
Philippe parks his black BMW 540i away from the sight of the showroom floor, so they can’t see that he already owns a BMW. So, now he opens the door and walks into the BMW showroom full of new cars.
There are no other customers in the dealer’s showroom, so Philippe expects someone to approach him and ask if he needs help.
He walks past someone sitting at a desk, and she glances at him and keeps working at the computer. He walks directly in front of another person sitting at the front desk, and she sees him and doesn’t say a word.
He walked near the parts department and the customer waiting area, and then back up front, the two people were working. He holds up two fingers, showing that he’s walked past two people now, and no one has acknowledged him.
“I’ll keep going,” he says.
Now, he walks directly to the front area where the salespeople sit. He sees three sales associates who can see him. They do not say anything to him.
As he keeps moving through the showroom, he walks into what appears to be the finance area and the manager’s office. Again, no one says anything to him.
Philippe takes another route into the sales area, where he walks past another salesperson, who looks up from his computer, looks directly at him, and keeps working.
Philippe walks out of the BMW dealership in shock.
His disbelief turned into disappointment. He had hoped for a better experience at the BMW dealership, but it was just a repeat of his Mercedes-Benz visit.
“I walked past four salesmen,” he says, holding four fingers up. “They are just sitting on their (expletive). They see me and ignore me. That’s ok. I didn’t want to take it to them,” he says sarcastically.
Philippe, in a state of disbelief with his experience at the two dealerships, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, where he was utterly ignored, leaving him in utter shock.
Would This Happen To Anyone Else?
At most car dealerships, salespeople are eager to help customers who enter the showroom. The new car dealer does not pay the salespeople a salary; they are paid on commission. You don’t make money unless you sell a car.
In a typical car dealer, the more cars you sell, the higher the commission rate. So, the best salespeople are go-getters and jump at the chance when they see a potential buyer walk through the front door.
In most new car dealerships, you are accosted before reaching the front door. There are often multiple salespeople looking for a new customer and watching so they can be the first to approach them in the lot.
What kind of customer service would you expect at a Mercedes-Benz or BMW Dealer?
When walking into a Mercedes-Benz or BMW dealership showroom, you would expect a professional and well-organized environment. Sales staff should be courteous, knowledgeable, and eager to help.
However, based on Philippe’s appearance, he was ignored.
He couldn’t help but wonder if his race played a role in the poor service he received at both dealerships.
It’s More Common Than You Think
According to a report from Justine Petersen, a Mercedes-Benz dealership fueled an atmosphere of unfairness and discrimination towards people of color.
Dorothy Robinson and Denise Ligon worked at a St. Louis Mercedes-Benz dealership for over three years.
What they witnessed and experienced led them to sue the dealership’s owner, Tristar Imports, for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Their lawsuit, which detailed numerous instances of discrimination, brought to light the systemic issues at the dealership.
“When I had an African American client, it was more difficult to get the deal approved,” Robinson told Christine Byers and Greg Miller of KSDK, an NBC affiliate television station based in St. Louis, Missouri.
“I witnessed that they treated Black customers differently,” Ligon said.
There were allegations that Black customers were racially profiled. A manager would go online, see a Black prospective car buyer’s address, and say, “Oh, he can’t afford that car,’ based on where he lived and the fact that he was Black.”
“And these are people who are buying Mercedes-Benz cars. So, assuming that people who had come to a dealership to buy a Mercedes-Benz automobile were not people of means is a classic stereotype.”
“It’s so much bigger than what people know,” Robinson added.
Tri-Star Imports, the owner of Mercedes-Benz of Saint Louis, was ordered to pay $1.8 million to the two former women employees who alleged the dealership discriminated against Black customers, regardless of credit worthiness or their wealth status.
According to Miller, Black people in the U.S. spend more than $50 billion on new cars every year. He said African Americans spend more money on cars than houses, yet face discriminatory practices in buying vehicles.
A McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility report says Black consumers’ automotive spending is projected to grow, and companies have opportunities to create more equitable experiences.
“For many Black Americans, cars are still a form of self-expression, especially when customization is part of the conversation. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, our research shows that many Black Americans will spend more on private vehicles, with many looking to purchase electric cars,” the report says.
McKinsey analysis suggests that Black consumer spending on automotive products will reach $190 billion by 2030.
Conclusion
Customers like Philippe have discretionary income and have the money to purchase a Mercedes-Benz and a BMW automobile. Luxury car dealers have an opportunity to earn the attention and loyalty of Black consumers.
The report says, “Thirty-five percent of Black survey respondents said they are not loyal to a particular auto brand, and our analysis suggests that up to $14 billion (15 percent) of Black consumer spending in the automotive sector will be up for grabs.”
“I would expect being ignored in a Ferrari or Lamborghini dealer, but BMW and Mercedes, this is crazy. “BMW dealer, count your (expletive) days,” he says as he gets into his car and drives away.
It’s Your Turn
If you were ignored at a car dealership, how would you react? Click the red Add New Comment link below and tell us about your experience.
Check out my incredible BMW story from Erika: My Expensive BMW SUV Is Collecting Dust In My Driveway Because I Can’t Drive It, Because The Dealer Refuses To Give Me a Title
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you’ll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Philippe @broskisavageg30
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Source: torquenews.com
