A few years ago I was asked to develop an article which could help to heighten the reputations of secondhand automobile salesmen. Obviously I’m no miracle worker, but I thought it was possible to create a positive spin.

I was on the job as a journalist at the time, and had a cracking friend whose family had been in the automobile line of work for years. It was his proposition to come in to the company and pass a day or two on the job at the incisive end. There can be no better way of researching something than putting yourself in the actual environment.

I had never before been to the service department where my friend worked, but knew I was close by when I saw a sign at the entry to the mews saying Raffety’s used cars. The showroom was actually very spacious and appeared to go back towards the centre of the railway arch. There were many different makes and models on show.

When I got to the place a little bit later then anticipated, I saw a young person on the forecourt applying some TLC to an old BMW. “Are you looking to Buy a new BMW“, he asked with a hopeful look on his face. I straight off thought he must be on some sort of commission agreement, as he seemed to waste no time in speaking to me.

“No thanks” I replied, “I am hear to see how the business works, and to write an article for the local newspaper.”

HavIng made my introductions, I was positioned near a telephone set and told to be the ‘voice’ of the company. This I enjoyed, as I think that I have a pretty good rapport with the general public. Perhaps the most common question that I was asked was ‘do you know where I can Buy a Renault.’