Q. Smith writes:

We have had a car dealership in our family for generations.  Recently though, my new business partner and I have been experiencing significantly lower sales not only in comparison to last year’s sales but also in comparison to other dealerships in our vicinity despite that our cars are priced slightly lower than those of our rivals.  Can you help us to make sense of this?

A. Dear Smith, 

After doing a quick web search on your company, we found that a few of your customers have voiced concerns publicly about your dealership “lacking transparency”. One of these customers alleged that as they finalized the purchase of their dream car, they were told that their car had been in a major accident some years earlier but with payment already having been made, they didn’t feel that they could reconsider the purchase and wish they had been told this important piece of information prior to the signing of the contract and to making the payment.

Experts agree that although it may cost more, transparency does pay off down the road, which I would suggest is most certainly the case here. I think that you and your new partner should not only change your approach to doing business and be more transparent, but also take real accountability and contact the owners of any vehicles that you know were sold under untruthful pretenses and offer to make it right in whatever way is required.  Trust me, your reputation will eventually skyrocket, as will as your sales.