The Basement

Enough with the theory. Today I have a real life brand saga about how one pathetic little man single-handedly brought Volkswagen's multi-million dollar marketing machine to a screeching halt.

I am currently in the market for a new car. I'm trying to stay in the $20K range – preferably lower. I need room for 5 folks including a baby seat. I'd like decent gas mileage. Air conditioning, cruise control and a reasonable stock stereo are all required. Should be enough room to lug around drums when I'm not carrying kids. I like the car to be "cool" – but that's a want, not a need.

Now, I'm obsessive about purchases like this. I spend lots of time researching on the web. I looked at dozens of models and pages of specifications. About three days in, I started thinking about Volkswagen. I've always like Volkswagen, but I thought their cars would be too expensive. But for the sake of being thorough, I popped over to their web site to take a look.

Wow! Incredible site! The kids over at VW must be reading Kathy Sierra as closely as I am because they do everything right.

• Great user interface, intuitive easy to navigate

• They sell t-shirts, key chains, model cars, hats, etc. - a personally connected user is a passionate user

• The have flash animations that teach you the difference between gas and diesel engines and why you want one or the other

• They have links to VW owner events and feedback

• They offer you used certified cars as well as new cars

• They use informal target-market friendly language that spoke to me (personally it seemed)

• Great product information in several formats

• Feature that easily allows you to compare VW models or a VW model against any arbitrary competing product

• And they have a nicely designed "Build Your Car" widget

In an age where auto manufactures are screaming for attention for a 30 second spot during CSI, Volkswagen's got the right idea - interact, teach and inspire with your website.

I spent over 2 hours on the Volkswagen website learning about their products.

At the end of 2 hours, I was sold. I wanted a Jetta Wagon. But not just any Jetta Wagon, I wanted MY Jetta Wagon. The one that I had built on the web site.

It was so cool – it had the GLS trim package which includes an optional leather interior (a must if you have kids). Of course I wanted the famous VW 1.9L TDI diesel engine – I had read all about it and seen animations of how it worked and why it was better than gas – and at 46 mpg, who can complain. My Jetta was "shadow blue" with a black leather interior. I opted to keep the manual transmission - I had read from other owners that they are fun to drive. She was a beauty, I could see her in my driveway. Here's a little picture of My Jetta.

Total price - $23,405 – a little more than I had hoped to spend but with the reliability of a VW and the extra life that you can expect from a diesel, I figured it would work out in the end. (The website alone had upsold me $3,400.) And with the wonderful 4 year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper and 5 year/60,000 mile power train warranties - VW had my back – and my bucks... almost.

My investment: 2 Hours of 100% Focused Customer Attention – 240 times as long at the 30 second spot at 10x the focus = 2400x the typical prime time ad. I was a potential VW zealot.

So I collected my notes and went to my local dealer – Brad Noe in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It turns out to be the only one in a 100 miles radius.

I got out of my car – wearing Birkenstocks no less – and proudly announced to the salesman that approached me that I was here to see the Jetta Wagon.

The sales guy summarily dismissed me. He told me VW didn't make a Jetta Wagon.

I told him I had seen one – mine in fact – on the website 20 minutes earlier. He was old – not just in years but in the negative sense of the word. He was tired, cynical, and irritated at someone – maybe everyone - and he was taking it out on me. I'm not sure he knew what the Internet was – or that VW had a website – or even what a website was – there was no acknowledgment from him either way. I was certain that he was not the guy that Volkswagon had in mind when they though about sales people. Yet, here he was.

"I just saw them on the VW website" I said. "And I'm telling you they don't make one." he snapped.

After some painful prodding, he said that they made them for 2005 but there are none for 2006 and "all the 2005's are gone". I begged to see some other models but he was relatively unresponsive. He offered no sincere alternatives and never offered to try to locate a model that I might like at another dealership. This was tiring. I asked what he had in a diesel – he said nothing and then he proceeded to tell me that they aren't worth the money unless you drive a lot anyway. What?!?!?

I would post his name but he didn't even offer me a business card... and I didn't ask.

Now, I had a hard decision to make. If I wanted a Volkswagen, I'd have to drive 100+ miles. And then if I needed service, I'd have to drive 100+ miles again (presumably in a car that needed service.) Because there was no way in hell I was buying a car or getting a car serviced from Brad Noe after my 4 minute visit on their lot.

Think of it - a 100 miles radius ruined for Volkswagen by one jackass. That's over 30,000 sq. miles.

Here's the visual...

Lesson for marketers – you can do everything right and it's all worthless if the guy standing at the end of the last mile is a jackass.

And since the jackass at Brad Noe told me that "my Jetta Wagon" didn't really exist - I ordered a my Scion xB from Jim Norton Toyota-Scion at 98^th & Memorial. You see I built several cars on several websites. The kids at Jim Norton understood that I was already invested - I was already talking about my Scion xB. They did backflips to help me order it - because the selling was already done. I highly recommend them - they have been awesome. In fact I talked my little brother into coming by the dealership tonight – he was considering a Mazda 3 – but now he's considering a Scion xA. So maybe Brad Noe lost 2 sales for Volkswagen in those 4 short minutes.

Check out Scion here – if you find one you like be sure to buy it here.