Mohammed and Me

I didn’t want to buy a car. I was happy driving my twenty-year-old Infiniti. Then ice happened in Raleigh, and I had a little slip and slide on the interstate. I wasn’t injured. Damaged beyond repair, my twenty-year-old J-30 was history.

Hello Carmax, Hello, Mohammed

I walked into a local CarMax. A giant of a man named Mohammed greeted me. He was, at least, six foot five and had a beautiful smile that was as wide as Nebraska. He stuck out his ginormous hand and said hello in a gentle and calming voice.

I knew the types of cars I’d look for and had bought a car for one of my daughter’s many years ago at CarMax. I recall having a very pleasant experience and especially appreciated that unlike most dealers or used car outlets, they put a price on the car and offered no haggling. They give you the best possible price. Of course, I did my homework to confirm the value and found that the car prices were reasonable.

Buying a car today gives you so many opportunities to come prepared before you turn the key (or touch the button) to start the vehicle. The web allows you to look at features, colors, ratings and reviews. So much information is available that you can do more than eighty percent of the research beforehand.

But the experience was made so personable and human by Mohammed. He was attentive to my requests. He carefully listened when I asked for specific information. He didn’t push but demonstrated remarkable patience. He made me feel comfortable at a typically stressful time after an accident.

Mohammed speaks four languages. He is an educated man who wears his heart on his sleeve. Most of all, Mohammed wanted to provide me with the service I needed and made things easy for me. He didn’t try and upsell or push me toward any extra features.

To Sell is Human

In introducing me to his boss, Abdul, I met another CarMax employee who impressed me. He told me about a book he recently got out of the library called To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink. It is one of my favorite books on marketing and customer service. Abdul, like Mohammed, was so interested in learning about the work I do and expressed his interest in marketing. He said that the Daniel Pink book was so helpful in guiding him and his team to understand that they weren’t selling cars, they were helping people realize their dreams and needs.

When it came time to doing the paperwork, an effusive MaryLouise became my next CarMax friend. Vivacious and bubbly, she told me that she bought a car from Mohammed before she came to work at CarMax. He told her of a job they were looking to fill, and she has been there for many years since that first connection with him. She told me that some folks at the store called him The Great Mohammed. As he started to blush, Mohammed walked away because he felt uncomfortable with the compliment. It was a sweet moment.

Marketing is about helping brands to be remarkable. When you remember how much of marketing is in the small, personal interaction of people – one on one, you begin to know why marketing matters. It is the quiet engagement of people, doing just one more little thing to make you happy, meet your need and help you achieve your dreams and goals. It is about letting the customer tell the story they want not the message your brand wants to show.

If you live in the North Carolina in North Carolina near Raleigh and need a car, I’d like to introduce you to my new friend Mohammed Diatta. He is the tall guy in the photo.

His smile will make your day.