Three real customer situations. Pick the response that follows the LARR framework and Dyer values. Read the coaching notes either way.
1
The Hard "Too Expensive"
Scenario: You just called Mrs. Park to walk her through the MPI on her 2018 Civic. The recommendation: full brake job, $1,180. She was here for an oil change and a tire rotation.
Mrs. Park: "Eleven hundred? That's insane. I came in for an oil change. I'm not paying that."
Pick your response:
Defensive. You skipped Listen and Acknowledge, and went straight to arguing. Customer feels dismissed. CSI drops. The "competitive prices" claim is also unprovable and sounds smug.
Caved. Customer thinks "if they were okay skipping it, maybe it wasn't important." Trust in every future recommendation drops. Also — you just left a safety issue on the table without giving her the full picture.
Textbook LARR. Listened, acknowledged the number was real, reframed with the breakdown + the math of waiting, recommended a phased option. Calm, honest, respects her time and her wallet.
Coaching Notes
Price objections aren't about price — they're about value clarity and respect for the customer's situation. The phased option ("pads today, rotors next visit") is often what closes the conversation because it shows you're hearing them.
2
"Why Wasn't This Caught Last Time?"
Scenario: Mr. Reyes came in for his oil change. The tech flagged that his rear brakes are at 2mm. You pull his history — he was here 90 days ago and the records show rear pads were at 5mm with no decline noted (it wasn't flagged at all).
Mr. Reyes: "Wait — I was here three months ago. How did nobody mention brakes then?"
Pick your response:
Burned a coworker. The customer doesn't trust you more — they trust the whole dealership less. "If they're willing to bus a coworker, what will they say about me?" Always say "we" not "they."
Half-true at best. Pads going from 5mm to 2mm in 90 days is not normal unless the customer's driving aggressively. This is a deflection, and most customers can smell it. Take ownership instead.
Real ownership. Used "we" not "they." Took responsibility without blaming. Promised to actually advocate with the manager. Offered the video to back up today's finding. This rebuilds trust — done well, it builds it MORE than if the original miss never happened.
Coaching Notes
Recovery moments are trust accelerators when handled right. The advisor who takes ownership and then actually does the work (talks to the manager, gets the discount) earns a customer for life. The advisor who deflects or blames gets a CSI hit and probably loses the customer.
3
The Trade-In Soon
Scenario: Ms. Patel is in for an oil change on her 2017 RAV4. Tech flagged worn front brakes (3mm) and a battery test that came back marginal. Recommended work: $920. She mentions she's trading the car in next week for a new lease.
Ms. Patel: "I'm trading this car in next Friday. Honestly, why would I spend $900 on something I'm getting rid of?"
Pick your response:
Manipulative. "Trades fall through" is trying to manufacture doubt to push the sale. Customer feels it. Trust drops.
Fear-based and partially false. Yes, the trade dealer might lowball — but for $200 off a trade vs $920 spent today, the math favors skipping the work. You're not doing right by the customer.
The trust-builder move. Costs Dyer the $920 today. Earns a customer who will bring the new lease here, tell their family about you, and write a 5-star review. The "skip the work, save your money" recommendation is the strongest trust-builder in this whole module.
Coaching Notes
Track advisors who make the "skip the work" recommendation when it's the right call. It's a signal they've internalized the values — they think long-term about the customer relationship instead of short-term about the RO. Promote those advisors. Train others to think the same way.
Roleplays Complete
Three patterns: price objections (reframe with value, offer phased), trust objections (ownership, "we" not "they"), and vehicle-status objections (honest math, sometimes recommend NOT to buy). Run these in your next service meeting as live partner exercises.