[JustChris]

Originally Posted by nicholls_dean

I signed up for this forum a few months ago, but it's the first time I have actually signed in, read/quoted anything, nice to meet you Chris, I have been a BMW Genius since June 2013, currently moving dealerships (to be closer to home), so will be in Tring.

Aha I see. Cool, I guess you know your stuff well, seems not every dealership has a true genius. I'd love that role actually, my hobby becomes my job! I bet it loses it sparkle day in day out. Welcome to Bimmerpost then!

[nicholls_dean]

Originally Posted by Manbnda

The sales people should be the geniuses. There is no other way around.

If you want to juggle learning different option dependencies, customer service Skills, FCA legislation, sales process, enquiry management, database cleansing, follow-ups, appointments, handovers, prospecting, standard spec, optional equipment, technical details, how different components work, how to not make a customer feel like they have to buy a car, then by all means, make the salesman a genius, there aren't enough hours in the day for sales people to stay up to date with the ever changing technology in BMW's vehicles... Not to mention the various models available and each trim level, engine option and equipment available on all of them.

I am a BMW Genius, I work 51 hours a week (same as the sales execs) I am an integral part of the sales team, I get on well with my colleagues and customers alike.

The buying culture is changing in the car industry and like ring at the forefront of technology, BMW are also at the forefront of adding value to the customer experience, customers don't like to feel like they are going to be pressured into buying something they didn't ask for, want or need, this is where the Genius steps in, another point of contact to speak to when information is required, a test drive is carried out, no pressure to buy, the genius is not making commission so does not need to "lie" or blag the customer.

Sorry it's long winded but you have no clue what we do and the power we have to influence the up sell of options through better informed customers or the value we add to the sales process, I carry out a comprehensive handover of controls on all the vehicles I am booked in for, so the salesman can complete your paperwork, so your finance schedule, insurance products etc can be completed, processed and sent out quicker, then they can see their next customer.

[nicholls_dean]

Originally Posted by M Car Chris

Aha I see. Cool, I guess you know your stuff well, seems not every dealership has a true genius. I'd love that role actually, my hobby becomes my job! I bet it loses it sparkle day in day out. Welcome to Bimmerpost then!

Thank you Chris, not ALL BMW Geniuses are going to be as clued up as me or some other geniuses that I know from other dealerships, but on the whole, we are a good knowledgeable bunch lol.

You just need to look at my last quote to see how passionate about the role I am.

If you have any questions that the forum hasn't been able to answer yet, I will be happy to discuss/help, as you see I know my stuff lol

[nicholls_dean]

Originally Posted by nike001

You're incredible. Why is our time as valuable as yours? Because we have other customers that would like ours assistance. The last thing I want to be doing is being secretly quizzed by some "enthusiast" to see if/when I mess up when I could be assisting an actual customer with actual questions they'd like answers to. Other customer's time is as valuable as yours, therefore my time is valuable.

If you ask me what BMW's "twin scroll" turbo means, I'll basically tell you it's like having two turbo's in one. Why? Because frankly, nobody cares. To the average buyer, that answer is good enough and they get the picture. To an "enthusiast", the last thing I want is a "Ha! No it's not!" Can I explain that half of the engine's exhaust goes in one side and the other goes in the other side, thus making for much less turbo lag and better efficiency? Yes. Can I also go in depth about how BMW's electric turbo's have flaps that move dependent on throttle input & turbo need? Yes. Does anybody really care? No. I mean, sure people care, and every once in a while I meet somebody who likes to learn about that stuff, but to the average buyer.. they don't really want to know how every mechanical item works.

Here here

A fellow Genius, I would also advise that rather than having a big single air intake, it has 2 smaller air intakes which pressurise the air quicker, spinning the turbo earlier, making the power available at lower rpm and creating less turbo lag

[Kristalov]

Originally Posted by nicholls_dean

The manuals are generic, so if you don't have an option that is mentioned in the manual, you will no doubt expect your car to do what it says in the manual and bombard/demand the dealer because you don't know the difference in functionality between the Business and Professional Media Package, which we have in the UK, I am a BMW Genius in the UK and I am passionate about the brand, the products and the people I meet on a daily basis, my knowledge has been complimented on countless ocassions, my Manager believes me to be the most knowledgeable person in our dealership, no I don't know everything, but I am positive that I can show you more on your car than a manual can attempt to explain, there is a difference between walking the path and knowing the path.

To quote the famous band Nirvana... All Apologies. You sound like you know your stuff so take no offense in my comments directed to those that do not. Keep up the good work.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by nicholls_dean

there is a difference between walking the path and knowing the path.

Bonus points for using a line from The Matrix.

[nicholls_dean]

Originally Posted by Kristalov

To quote the famous band Nirvana... All Apologies. You sound like you know your stuff so take no offense in my comments directed to those that do not. Keep up the good work.

None taken Kristalov thank you for not tarring all of us with the same brush lol

[SouthPaw718]

As a BMW Genius, I'd get a little bit more involved in this thread.... but I'm too busy making money doing something I love to do. What exactly is that you say? Well, helping those who need it of course...I point them in the right direction of a new vehicle purchase or answer a few questions regarding their previous or current car. It's not rocket science.

We're there as support. We're not replacing anything or anyone. The way you purchase a new vehicle is changing and the sooner you accept that, the faster we can put all of this behind us. The BMW Genius is like a client advisor...except they don't negotiate pricing (that would be the CA). Instead, we just talk about the fun stuff, the vehicle. What you need...what you don't need... Why should I get this option? How does this benefit me? We'll take you out on a test drive... We'll give you MSRP pricing just so that you have an idea of affordability. We'll help you build a better vehicle suited to your needs...

What does this do for the CA? Well it gives them more time to work with their existing customers while we educate clients new to the brand. By the time the client sees the CA, the client has a better understanding of what they want...thus speeding up the negotiation process.

Now, that's only a small part of our pre-sale involvement. Some centers have delivery coordinators that show you how to use your vehicle post-sale. For the centers who don't have DCs, they'll use their BMW Genius to fill the roll....and for the few centers that have neither...well they must rely on the CA to deliver the car. (If the CA is delivering cars, they're not selling cars...+1 for the Genius) I'm speaking this way because in order to understand the role of the BMW Genius, you must first understand how the dealership (or our centers) work.

We're not there to waste your time, only help . We'll even help those who are actually there to waste our time, only because we're polite.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

In the new role as a BMW Genius you’ll be the figurehead of BMW’s ‘Modern Retailing’ initiative. As an expert you will promote our largest ever model range and transfer your enthusiasm for the BMW brand to our customers by providing exceptional customer service. Thereby you will strengthen our customers’ trust in the BMW brand and give them a feeling of being treated uniquely.

Responsibilities will include:
• Informing customers on product specifications of all BMW products and features
• Conducting the need analysis together with the customer
• Keeping the product knowledge within the dealership at level
• Managing the test drive process
• Supporting the Sales Advisor during the sales consultation
• Being the main point of contact for the customer to answer questions about products including usage/functions

About you
Highly motivated with strong enthusiasm for BMW as well as a high affinity for technology, you enjoy going the extra mile for your customers. You will be a product and technology expert who enjoys learning about innovative technologies. To complement your extraordinary product knowledge, you will also need the people skills to be able to communicate everything you know to customers who might have very little understanding in the things you're so passionate about. With your strong interpersonal skills and your confident manner you will create a positive experience for your customers when visiting the dealership.
Desired Skills and Experience
Specific Skills
• Excellent interpersonal/customer skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Self-motivated and driven
• Ability to work well with others
• 3-5 years of experience representing a luxury/prestige brand OR product/marketing (nice to have but not mandatory)
• Experience in retail strongly preferred but not mandatory
• Bachelor degree strongly preferred but not mandatory

other than not really needing a college degree, did i miss anything?

Yes, if a genius is going to do all that work, they might as well get paid the commission on the car deal.

[_Mbition]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

Yes, if a genius is going to do all that work, they might as well get paid the commission on the car deal.

EXACTLY. Or better yet, lets just make wdeerfield a genius, or petition for him to be one. Since he knows so much about the pros and cons of the position.

Some people forget that This is an initiative to help out the pre/post sale process for the dealership and the client. Hence its handle... Future Retail.
Most people here have also acknowledged the obvious, that the technology in these cars, plus the fact that the lineup is being so expanded and each model is growing insanely, what CA (or even SA) is going to have time to study ALL these new changes, AND master the negotiation/finance process of the actual deal, IF/WHEN it even goes through?
Hey who knows, maybe down the line the Genius WILL become the CA, or maybe we will keep our jobs and help facilitate the question and answer aspect of one of the most important parts of the transaction... the product!!
We're human, not all geniuses are the smartest at their jobs, and damn sure NOT all are enthusiasts either. BMW trains Geniuses, but does not hire them to their specific centers.
Most of us Geniuses, like my colleague SouthPaw718 said, LOVE our jobs, and love the product. Especially as enthusiasts. We're there to help every aspect of the client's visit to the dealership, Pre, and Post sale.
AND btw Mr. Deerfield, (And anyone else who feels they had an unfulfilled experience with the Geniuses or at their respective centers), its technically your due diligence to let your center, or SA or a manager know that your delivery wasn't satisfactory. You're not hurting anybody by doing that.
I will say though, you lost everyone by saying the duty of a Genius being non productive and being hated by franchise owners... um, The franchise hired them for a reason, LOL Geniuses weren't forced on them.
And as you know, every Center is different with the way they run their business. If your experience was Average or less, (by even just ONE person in the entire center, namely the SA/CA or Genius you dealt with), You could have taken your business elsewhere. Not hard at all. You didn't pay for the Genius to show you your car, You paid for the car. You had every right to turn down the delivery if you knew all about the car before you bought it.

[Alumac]

Originally Posted by _Mbition

EXACTLY. Or better yet, lets just make wdeerfield a genius, or petition for him to be one. Since he knows so much about the pros and cons of the position.

Some people forget that This is an initiative to help out the pre/post sale process for the dealership and the client. Hence its handle... Future Retail.
Most people here have also acknowledged the obvious, that the technology in these cars, plus the fact that the lineup is being so expanded and each model is growing insanely, what CA (or even SA) is going to have time to study ALL these new changes, AND master the negotiation/finance process of the actual deal, IF/WHEN it even goes through?
Hey who knows, maybe down the line the Genius WILL become the CA, or maybe we will keep our jobs and help facilitate the question and answer aspect of one of the most important parts of the transaction... the product!!
We're human, not all geniuses are the smartest at their jobs, and damn sure NOT all are enthusiasts either. BMW trains Geniuses, but does not hire them to their specific centers.
Most of us Geniuses, like my colleague SouthPaw718 said, LOVE our jobs, and love the product. Especially as enthusiasts. We're there to help every aspect of the client's visit to the dealership, Pre, and Post sale.
AND btw Mr. Deerfield, (And anyone else who feels they had an unfulfilled experience with the Geniuses or at their respective centers), its technically your due diligence to let your center, or SA or a manager know that your delivery wasn't satisfactory. You're not hurting anybody by doing that.
I will say though, you lost everyone by saying the duty of a Genius being non productive and being hated by franchise owners... um, The franchise hired them for a reason, LOL Geniuses weren't forced on them.
And as you know, every Center is different with the way they run their business. If your experience was Average or less, (by even just ONE person in the entire center, namely the SA/CA or Genius you dealt with), You could have taken your business elsewhere. Not hard at all. You didn't pay for the Genius to show you your car, You paid for the car. You had every right to turn down the delivery if you knew all about the car before you bought it.

If a genius is creating and maintaining the client relationship, should I expect a car at invoice with no bullshit? What am I paying the CA for? He/she doesn't have to waste time while I drive around and fiddle with knobs, potentially missing a walk in sale. If no commission geniuses are the future, I welcome it! I expect that if I decide to buy, I won't have to spend much time negotiating, because the dealership didn't spend much more than $20/hour to get me to the table.

Somehow, I doubt this will be the case. But I'd love to be wrong!

[Amirsm3]

Originally Posted by Alumac

If a genius is creating and maintaining the client relationship, should I expect a car at invoice with no bullshit? What am I paying the CA for? He/she doesn't have to waste time while I drive around and fiddle with knobs, potentially missing a walk in sale. If no commission geniuses are the future, I welcome it! I expect that if I decide to buy, I won't have to spend much time negotiating, because the dealership didn't spend much more than $20/hour to get me to the table.

Somehow, I doubt this will be the case. But I'd love to be wrong!

Maybe I'm a little archaic, but I enjoy the negotiation process

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by Amirsm3

Maybe I'm a little archaic, but I enjoy the negotiation process

I do too, but what's the point if the dealer environment isn't about building value in the sale, or the relationship after the sale.

[Amirsm3]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

I do too, but what's the point if the dealer environment isn't about building value in the sale, or the relationship after the sale.

:shrug: I have a pretty positive relationship with my dealership. Salesman sends me cards during the holidays and for my birthday lol.

[wdeerfield]

Originally Posted by _Mbition

EXACTLY. Or better yet, lets just make wdeerfield a genius, or petition for him to be one. Since he knows so much about the pros and cons of the position.

Some people forget that This is an initiative to help out the pre/post sale process for the dealership and the client. Hence its handle... Future Retail.
Most people here have also acknowledged the obvious, that the technology in these cars, plus the fact that the lineup is being so expanded and each model is growing insanely, what CA (or even SA) is going to have time to study ALL these new changes, AND master the negotiation/finance process of the actual deal, IF/WHEN it even goes through?
Hey who knows, maybe down the line the Genius WILL become the CA, or maybe we will keep our jobs and help facilitate the question and answer aspect of one of the most important parts of the transaction... the product!!
We're human, not all geniuses are the smartest at their jobs, and damn sure NOT all are enthusiasts either. BMW trains Geniuses, but does not hire them to their specific centers.
Most of us Geniuses, like my colleague SouthPaw718 said, LOVE our jobs, and love the product. Especially as enthusiasts. We're there to help every aspect of the client's visit to the dealership, Pre, and Post sale.
AND btw Mr. Deerfield, (And anyone else who feels they had an unfulfilled experience with the Geniuses or at their respective centers), its technically your due diligence to let your center, or SA or a manager know that your delivery wasn't satisfactory. You're not hurting anybody by doing that.
I will say though, you lost everyone by saying the duty of a Genius being non productive and being hated by franchise owners... um, The franchise hired them for a reason, LOL Geniuses weren't forced on them.
And as you know, every Center is different with the way they run their business. If your experience was Average or less, (by even just ONE person in the entire center, namely the SA/CA or Genius you dealt with), You could have taken your business elsewhere. Not hard at all. You didn't pay for the Genius to show you your car, You paid for the car. You had every right to turn down the delivery if you knew all about the car before you bought it.

That still doesnt make it a commission position and the F&I manager, sales manager do not have to take less of a cut because there is now another hand out called the "genius".

I'll think ill keep the jobs I have as i really dont want to spend my days explaining how to pair a cellphone or use the back up camera just to make 30k a year.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

Yes, if a genius is going to do all that work, they might as well get paid the commission on the car deal.

Or just pay them a higher base salary. This way, if they aren't on a commission plan, people new to the brand won't feel pressured since the Genius really has no economic incentive to sell you a car. Provided the consumer knows the Genius isn't paid on commission.

[_Mbition]

Originally Posted by Alumac

If a genius is creating and maintaining the client relationship, should I expect a car at invoice with no bullshit? What am I paying the CA for? He/she doesn't have to waste time while I drive around and fiddle with knobs, potentially missing a walk in sale. If no commission geniuses are the future, I welcome it! I expect that if I decide to buy, I won't have to spend much time negotiating, because the dealership didn't spend much more than $20/hour to get me to the table.

Somehow, I doubt this will be the case. But I'd love to be wrong!

You're not the basic run of the mill BMW customer. You're tech savvy, your time is your money, and you don't have time for the full "dealership experience" when purchasing. Again as i said, people walk through the doors from ALL walks of life, some know exactly what they want or what to expect, some don't.
We'll see what happens down the line with the role, its still a fairly new system.

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

That still doesnt make it a commission position and the F&I manager, sales manager do not have to take less of a cut because there is now another hand out called the "genius".

I'll think ill keep the jobs I have as i really dont want to spend my days explaining how to pair a cellphone or use the back up camera just to make 30k a year.

Edited for special effect.

Hand out. LOL. Did something else happen during that delivery of yours you didn't like so much that has you so up in arms about the position? Again, you are (and were) allowed by all means to not deal with any of us. (Unless it was forced on you of course).
You're never going to get it, or appreciate it. Which is totally fine. You're entitled to your opinion about it all. Stick with your superb Genius free buying experience at your center, but there's no need to shoot down the whole Genius program as a failure just because YOU aren't a fan and your delivery was sub par.
Hope your cars are treating you fairly well .

Originally Posted by fecurtis

Or just pay them a higher base salary. This way, if they aren't on a commission plan, people new to the brand won't feel pressured since the Genius really has no economic incentive to sell you a car. Provided the consumer knows the Genius isn't paid on commission.

Only way that's going to happen is if Centers (or even BMW-NA) pre-screen their candidates a lot better than the aforementioned copy n pasted "requirements" in previous posts.
In my own experience (and the other Geniuses i work with), not just anyone can become a Genius, well, at least at our own Center. Having a bit of background in the automotive industry (especially with BMW) would help. A LOT.

[Tisaksen]

Originally Posted by Devin.RS

Hey man,
I see you're a BMW genius so I hope you didn't take anything I said personally, maybe I'm looking at this wrong and you can clarify some misconceptions that I may have.

It's my understanding the BMW Geniuses are not sales people, they're only hired to answer peoples questions, once you decide to commit to purchasing a vehicle they will hand you off to a salesperson. Is this correct?

When I do decide to purchase a car, be it from a genius or from a traditional salesperson, will the same tried and true tactics of car sales apply, meaning is there a chance if my wife goes in and negotiates a car, she can end up paying $6,000-7,000 dollars more than me, for the same exact car, simply for not knowing how or wanting to negotiate?


What are your thoughts on the methods Tesla has been using to sell cars?
cheers

On the negotiation side of things. I deal with men and women daily and i never treat them differently. Its not my style. But there are way too many online aids that can advise people as to what they should pay for a car to make me look stupid.

The genius can help anywhere along the way. Whether its answer preliminary questions, or help you upon delivery. There are under-educated people in every branch of retail unfortunately, and then some get titles that denote that they know more or should know the most. Most of the people on this forum probably wouldnt benefit from the genius program, while more casual buyers will definitely appreciate having someone that can educate them on their new car.

That being said. I don't have patience for people who don't make an effort to know their product. There are genius' at my dealership that don't know their stuff, but thats because they dont belong in that position. While and enthusiast should hold that position, not everyone with a passion for BMW's wants to work in the industry.

Just my two cents

[LDSM]

I agree, a car is one of the largest purchase most people will make, and if you're going to be spending that amount of money you should do your homework.

My point about BMW geniuses was, while they are adding value to the product by educating customers on features of the car, the actual car buying process is still the same.

A genius is not looking over finance paperwork and telling the customer,
" pssst...the standard money factor on this lease is .0013, and they're charging you .0020, I suggest you say something" or
"ask for $300 above invoice price they'll do it, you don't have to pay MSRP " or
"that $250 in dealer fees isn't really necessary"

Since geniuses aren't giving this kind of buying advice, the car buying process still has, what I think, are the same flaws that will allow a dealer to take advantage of a customer on the financial details behind buying a car.

personally, I benefit from the way car buying is done now, since I'm an educated customer and know how to get good deals, the car buying process is in my favor....but I can recognize and call out flaws in the process while still realizing I have an advantage. And I've been in sales too and can completely understand why salespeople and dealerships prefer the current method of car sales as well, if people will pay that price then so be it.

It's easy to say, "well the customer should've known better, it's not our fault" but is that really the best way to do business? to exploit peoples financial ignorance to the fullest extent? Is that the best way to build brand loyalty, or dealership loyalty? Is it fair for one customer to pay $x,xxx more than another simply because they don't like or can't negotiate?

Looking at the process as a whole, and speaking from the point of view of an average consumer, you don't want people walking away from a dealership feeling pressured or frustrated. I'm not saying a genius isn't a valuable position, I'm saying the areas of car buying that people dislike the most, are not being addressed properly. A genius isn't negotiating a deal for a customer and they aren't guaranteeing a customer is paying a fair price and those are exactly the areas that cause people to HATE car buying.


autoblog.com/2014/06/03/americans-hate-car-shopping-so-rather-give-up-sex-do-taxes/


But what does it matter, at the end of the day I'm just here to look at pics of cars

Originally Posted by Tisaksen

...
That being said. I don't have patience for people who don't make an effort to know their product.

Originally Posted by nike001

Yes, you basically have the gist of it. Although our services aren't only for sales. I'm always in the service department of my dealership helping answer questions that service customers have.

[fecurtis]

I still don't get why all the hate towards something that I think is a good idea.

Think about it. The Genius serves as the medium between not only the consumer and the CA, but the SA and the CA as well.

Aside from what's been discussed here, let's say you have an individual taking their 2002 3 Series in for service and it's high in miles and the service tech notices that there's a lot of work that needs to be done. You have a good upsell opportunity here and most consumers taking their car in for service probably won't want to talk to a CA because the don't feel like being pressured potentially into making a purchase. Well now the SA can just refer them to an available Genius to just walk them through, no pressure and answer any questions regarding newer BMW's.

On the other side, the Genius is a lot more likely to give you the same level of service regardless of whether or not they know you're interested in buying or just curious. A CA may not provide the same level of service if he or she knows you likely aren't interested. Also from a consumer perspective, just KNOWING that the person you're talking to isn't annoyed that you may not buy, probably works wonders for overall comfort level and BMW showroom experience.

BMW is perceived as a luxury brand, ideas like this help differentiate the car buying experience from other auto manufacturers.

[Tomahawk]

As a CA who was an enthusiast way before a salesperson, I wasn't that thrilled when the Genius program was announced. I felt that it was my job to do all the things that the genius is there to do. I believed I was falling short. The truth is, it was so difficult to keep up with everything that was required that I realized the importance of the genius. You also have to have a genius who knows his stuff. The funny thing is, I was the guy everyone else was coming to, including the genius (in the beginning).

I will say, even with my "enthusiast" knowledge, BMW does not do the best job of training. They teach enough to throw some random comparisons against classic competition. It doesn't help that every package it different on every single model.

I think some forum users forget that we are the minority of buyers. BMW is selling more cars, in record numbers, to people who have never owned a BMW. This makes post sale issues much more important.

Just like the guy said earlier, people could care less what "twin scroll" means. They want to know why they should buy the 5er over the GS/Eclass. But after they buy, they want to know all the cool things the car can do.

There is also a very inconsistent use of the Genius program. The way we use it is , IMHO, the best way. To help answer questions post sale or in the event the CA doesnt know, and help with client over flow.

It also seems, my dealership isnt ran like the ones most of you seem to deal with(one reason why i work here) as its a pretty simple buying process. I feel like, we the customer, make it more difficult to to the conditioning society has created regarding buying a car. I know some dealers suck. I have worked for them. But not all do.

I know this post was somewhat "all over the place" but bottom line: the genius program can be a great thing. It just depends on how the dealer networks utilize it.

[jeffro535]

Looks like there's a variety of experiences here. Just bought an X1 for the significant other, pretty basic, no iDrive, the CA set the Genius appt for about a week after we bought it. To his credit, the CA did run through the basics and paired the phone before we left.
So being out of town, I call back and ask how the Genius thing went. "Ok, nice guy, but he didn't really show me anything other that what you did and what I figured out on my own."
That said, I think there some value in the concept, but it sounds like they need to do some serious people-to-job matching and technical training.

Same deal at Apple. I've had folks that could barely operate an iPhone themselves and I've had ones that troubleshot better than the tech support folks.