26. What is the good guy – bad guy strategy?
Good guy/bad guy is taking the higher authority strategy to the next level. The good guy/bad guy can be obvious or it can be quite subtle. It can be carefully planned in advance, or people can fall into the roles naturally.
When this buying strategy is used, you might not even notice until you have become the victim. The real estate agent and client often use this method. For example, the home seller might play the bad guy, holding out for top dollar. But the seller's agent plays the good guy by showing the bad guy why the price is above market value.
Husband and wife teams often use this method too. The husband is usually the bad guy while the wife is more reasonable and sympathetic to the other side's viewpoint.
Good guy/bad guy occurs when there are two or more buyers and one is easier to get along with, provides more information, or seems more anxious to make a deal, while the other is more difficult.
I recently sold a travel trailer and was amazed at how most husbands and wives fall into these roles. The wife would make the initial call and get all the information before handing the phone over to the husband, the bad guy, to talk about the price.
We have all seen the good guy/bad guy tactics on television. A suspect is caught and interrogated. The first detective puts him under a glaring light, hits him with hard questions and roughs him up.
The tough guy leaves. In comes the nice guy who gives the suspect a cigarette and lets him relax. Soon the suspect spills all he knows.
Car dealerships are known for this. When the sales person says “I will take this to the sales manager and see if I can get this price for you”, they actually make us believe they are on our side!
Here is how it works in a car dealership. Let us assume you and the salesperson have reached a price agreement. The salesperson has to get "approval" from the manager "Bad Guy" to honor his/her agreement with you. However, only the sales manager can accept an offer. The salesperson is a messenger between you and the sales manager.
The next time this is strategy is used on you - try this: tell the sales person that you want to go into the sales managers office together - you want to see how the sales person is going to work for you to get the price you want. They will tell you that is not possible - insist on it.
You can do the same thing when a buyer insists on a lower price. You can call your manager (the bad guy) and report back that the manager was really tough on you, "However, I was able to get the price down a small amount. Not quite what you want, but pretty close." This makes the customer believe you are on their side.
When faced with the "good guy/bad guy" routine do not fall for it! The buyers both have the same goal - to get you to give everything you have.
Another heavy-handed but effective tactic of intimidation is to out-number the other party. You show up alone; the buyer brings in the lawyer, the accountant, the executive vice-president, and so on.
If you think your opponent is using Good Guy/Bad Guy, do one of two things. Let the other side know you have recognized the tactic, or bring in a Bad Guy of your own.
Comments:
I was trained in this venue selling building supplies. When the quote was presented and rejected for too high of a price I would call the sales manager and per script over the phone explain they love the product and really need the product, however it is just a little more than they anticipated. Once told that was the price by my manager I in turn would offer "day of purchase" discounts, specials, and incentives that I could offer to try to earn their business. Just letting the customer know I was doing my very best to earn their business.
Kerry Vandagriff
My first adventure in sales was as a car salesman. Customers who bought a car always wanted several of my business cards so they could give them to all his friends who may be in the market for a new car. Customers were impressed because the first price I came back with (from the sales manager) would have been okay, but I went back and got more off for them! Yes I learned how to play that good guy/bad guy really good. In the last twenty five years I been invited back several times to train the floor reps to sell more cars… my name is still spoken of highly in this dealership.
David Vize
Good Guy/ Bad Guy is a very effective way of putting pressure on people, without confrontation. Counter it by identifying it, people use this tactic on you much more than you might believe. Don’t be concerned that the other side knows what you are doing. In fact, when you are negotiating with someone that understands all of the gambits, it becomes more fun!
Yessie Narvaez
Actually, depending on the good guy/bad guy routine, you can work it to your advantage. For example, I bought a brand new car 2 years ago. I took my brother in law in with me to use his discount (since he's an employee of that car manufacturer). The sales person used the whole bad guy/good guy routine. Payments worked out to 5 years at X dollars per month - but only came with a selected warranty. That was the best price he could give me.
The next day, I go in, sign the papers, and then I'm waiting for the sales person to bring my new purchase around. I was walking around the dealership - and right into the sales manager's office by mistake. I talked to him for a few minutes and told him that I was surprised myself that I bought another car from that manufacturer, considering I had been lied to by the sales person when I bought the car prior to that one (same manufacturer). I went out, and grabbed stuff from my old car.
Before I left the dealership, the sales person called me in - the sales manager came up with a new deal. Payments were then a little lower than X dollars per month, for 4 years, and with a bigger warranty package! The point is to recognize it, and work it to your advantage!
JoAnne Welch
I hate playing games- I don’t like the Good Guy / Bad Guy routine. There is nothing wrong with negotiations; but the bottom line is the bottom line. Sometimes it is better to walk away from business. Not all sales are good. YES you heard me right- sometimes it better to turn down the business. If the customer is playing games now- what will they do in the future? Can they be trusted? Ask a few probing questions and see if the buyer really has to get approval from the “higher authority”. IF not and they are just playing games; ask them to give you a call when they grow up. Just say it nicely!!!!
Truth in Sales,
Teresa Cloninger
Most car repair shops think that when a woman comes in she dose not know anything about cars. Well, I have replaced many things on a car or truck from a fan belt, water pumps, engine gaskets, and all the way down to the UV joints. I don’t claim to be a pro but I do now how to do these things and understand some car repairs are harder than others. I usually get my own parts and then call the different shops to see who has the best price on installation. Some still try to quote me prices that are too high in my opinion, and if they do I bring in my husband to play the part of the bad guy.
Laura Arnett
"Good guy/bad guy occurs when there are two or more buyers and one is easier to get along with, provides more information, or seems more anxious to make a deal, while the other is more difficult."