ZWARRIOR
Well-known member
- First Name
- David
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2020
- Threads
- 14
- Messages
- 413
- Reaction score
- 335
- Location
- California
- Vehicles
- 2021 Ford F-150 Lariat 501A 2.7l
- Occupation
- Software Engineer
You had me in the first paragraph not going to lieI joined several F150 forums only a month ago because, having a camping trailer towed by a 2003 Tahoe, I thought that new F150 Hybrid might be a good schizophrenic tow vehicle: Up to handling all the high passes we travel over out west but also serve as our very own utility company once we stopped.
It didn't take but a few days and I started reading posts from an 'Albert' (Schmitz is his last name BTW) with especially appealing (but believable?) pricing from a Ford dealer in little (Pop: 1200) Granger IA. My experience with my local truck dealers were stereotypes that leave many of us comparing car shopping with dental surgery. Granger's claimed pricing (invoice, reduced further by the dealer's 3% holdback) is unlikely to be the whole story, right? And what's the catch, because dealers still need to make a meaningful profit? Well, because I was initially wary and thought others might be too, I thought I'd post this further brief introduction to Albert and Granger.
Yes, the pricing is exactly as advertised. Moreover, the professionalism and service orientation were exemplary for me. But digging a bit further, Granger provides an interesting business case study that any truck or car buff would find pleasing and even a little reassuring. Turns out Zack took over management of both his father's dealerships (FCA and Ford) about 4 years ago. Dad had approached the business in the traditional way, but Zack, Albert and crew thought that maybe things could be done differently, and also better. Out went all print advertising. Granger is just up the road from Des Moines and its 200,000 car buyers, but out went the TV ads and radio spots. The business strategy was simple if challenging: fixed, aggressive pricing, service orientation, virtual outreach beyond its physical location, small revenue streams that don't come from buyers directly but might rival traditional profits if volume increases substantially and - perhaps most importantly - elimination of the zero sum gamesmanship we all know and dislike. Zack's business strategy is four years young now, with truck sales (to speak to our interest) ratcheting up ~30% each year. A recent tally I got from Granger's sales administrator, Brandon, showed ~75% of the trucks sold over the last two months are going to out of state customers. (I'm one example, being a distant 1401 miles from Granger). Ford likes big (BIG) dealerships. Granger used to be a small volume Ford dealer and is striving to grow not just for profit's and jobs' sakes but because their lot volume is throttled by the formulas Ford uses when developing allotments. Granger sells everything it can get, and quickly, and each sale is wrapped up in this style of selling. So we have one of those infrequent examples where, as car buyers, we can have what we want but only if enough of us take advantage of it.
But what about Albert; who's he? He's the special sauce you don't read about in the threads but should consider talking to, no matter where you end up buying your truck. There's much I didn't know about some of the options, the configurator was frustrating me, and I was busy knitting together info and rumor from multiple forums while trying to learn what I thought I should know before ordering. My advice now: Call Albert. He will sell hundreds of trucks just this year and has been doing it for 20 years. Every couple of years he gets his own new Platinum with all the gee dunk, learns what works and what matters (not the same thing), and is willing to share his knowledge without the slightest pinch of sales pressure. He doesn't do paperwork (Brandon does, and very professionally so) and he works from home and at the office. My build sheet went off by email at 8 p.m. and Albert's Preview Order Form was in my inbox before 9. Rebates were quickly but deeply researched since they vary by state of residence. ("Ford's got more money than you do, so let's get your fair share of it.") You know exactly what you want? The call will take 5 mins to get that Preview. You're questioning the stock tires for the conditions in your neck of the woods? He'll share his experience, drawn from truck driving all over. Albert has customers from all over the U.S.; I understand why.
So that's what I learned over the past few days while refining and then placing my order for a Lariat Powerboost. I'm sure there are other great dealers out there, and there are many variables to consider in choosing where to purchase. I hope I just peeled back the curtain a little bit about one such dealer, who seems to be about more than just competitive pricing.
Jack
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