An awkward AD Story you may enjoy... (or despair!)

[jameshe]

Hi guys.

As some of you on here may be aware, i recently got myself a job at a UK AD on a part time basis to give me a little sales experience doing something i am enthusiastic (to say the least!) about alongside my final year Uni studies.

For one reason or another (and Rolex being Rolex) we are an authorised dealer of Rolex as a group, but we dont have them in the window of the particular outlet in which I work (we have people coming in all the time asking whether we have them!) The main brands are Breitling, Omega, Tag and Oris/Rado.

So, yesterday I am at work, a particularly good day for the store sales-wise, and I am with my customer who has come in to look at some of the two tone breitling chrono's (around 6,090 gbp). We had sat and talked dial options, pro's and cons etc for a good 20 mins or so, and he was at the stage to order and pay right there and then (we didnt have the white dial version he wanted in the window). It was a beautiful combo, and I could tell that this was for him - I went away to get the order book and check availability after getting a price and lead times at his request.

When I came back, he mentioned the 'R' word... R-O-L-E-X. I of course love getting involved and talking about the product lines after what we discuss on here, and am always willing to get the catalogue out even though we dont have them to try on in the window (which isn't the best sales approach for the store, but hey, im a TRF member!)

He was adamant that he wanted a TT watch, in YG/SS. However, his budget was 6k, the price of the breitling being tops for him. I showed him the entire range of Rolex, and then the price lists, and he understood that he would not be in budget for a TT (Daytona as he liked the look of) - even if he could obtain one. I tried to explain everything to him as he was illuding to the 'Daytona' and 'DateADjusts' - which of course are completely different types in the range. (i.e. £9,000 40mm oyster sports chrono vs £5,500 ish jubilee/oyster 36mm dress - not much like the breitling)

Fair enough - i was impartial either way as i would rather have the guy make the right decision for him, and if it were to be Rolex, then all the better as we are all the same here.

Halfway through the discussions I had noticed something under his left sleeve (a wire!!.. no ) ... a daytona - WTH!? I immediately spotted the black arabic dial with the red sub indices that is exclusive to the solid WG daytona (as we are all familiar with here). It didnt look WG to me, and I would be surprised if it was.

I didnt mention it immediately. 5 mins later I commented on his current watch, pretending that i hadnt seen what he had ('do you own any other watches' kind of thing). He pulled up his sleeve and said - "only this one, my son gave me it as a gift..." Hmmm

I replied with "wow, very nice - daytona? is that one of the steel models?"

He pointed out that it was stainless steel, not white gold, and I mentioned that the dial was unusual (had he had an unnofficial aftermarket change? - he didnt know as his son gave him it) and infact exclusive to only the WG version (which he reiterated it was not). This raised suspicions, it didnt look like WG to me, nor SS as the PCL's didnt look right, and the bracelet was coming away from the lugs at 12... like... a replica

Ok, personal decision, I continued on with the sales discussion around the breitling. His wife was sporting (i am sure legit!) TT lady datejust, and was aware of dial changes with plans to get a diamond dot dial soon for a pending anniversary. They must have each been approaching 50 ish, and were very well spoken and apparently well off individuals.

So this is where the twist comes in (to my immense frustration)...

I lost the sale at the end of the discussion, as the gentleman said that he wanted to 'compare against a rolex chronograph [daytona] for size'. I had explained it is 40mm rolex sports vs 43.7mm breitling chrono case size. He was adament he wanted to check it out, so I advised him of another store nearby where they may have one to try on (bear in mind that it HAD to be TT, and his budget was 6k... so it would be out of the question regardless )

Now many of you probably thought HANG ON A MINUTE reading the last paragraph... and you were right... it all but confirmed my doubts...

He was already wearing a 40mm case 'daytona' (whether it be fake/legit), but he clearly didnt realise that was what he had on his wrist already! He could have compared right there and then!
I didnt bring it up until after he had left so as not to embarrass/patronise him about the fact that he was wearing the model he was wanting to try on to compare the breitling he wanted against.
I should have pointed out earlier that when I was showing him the Rolex catalogue with the Daytona section open, I dwelled over the image of the WG/black arabic dial that he was already wearing... mustn't have twigged!

Anyhow, the upshot of it was that I lost the sale, but came out with a very bemusing tale to share on here with you... Let me know what you make of this confusion


(also, I handed in my notice yesterday after only 1 month on the job as it was going to be too much alongside my final year studies... I loved the job, but was too much of a commitment of my time. This story was my parting gift I suppose!)