“Pre-owned sedan.”
“How much?”
“Twenty-three thousand.”
“And?”
“And I treated them like they were buying two Imperials.”
Walter smiled.
“Good answer.”
Emma lowered her voice.
“They were teachers. Newly married. Their old car died.”
“Did they seem happy?”
“Yes.”
“Then that sale matters.”
She nodded.
Walter looked around.
The atmosphere felt different.
Not dramatically.
Businesses rarely changed dramatically.
They changed in small behaviors.
A salesperson sat beside an elderly woman showing her how to adjust seat height.
Another helped a young man in a sweatshirt compare financing terms.
At the coffee counter, a mechanic in uniform spoke with a customer while waiting for paperwork.
No one looked invisible.
Claire came out of her office.
“You checking up on us?”
“Always.”
“I figured.”
She handed him a report.
Customer satisfaction among non-buyers had improved significantly.
Complaints had dropped.
Walk-in conversions had also increased.
Walter looked at the figures.
“Interesting.”
Claire smiled.
“Apparently treating everyone like a customer creates more customers.”
“Revolutionary.”
“There’s more.”
She pointed to a line on the report.
“Referrals are up.”
Walter nodded slowly.
“That matters.”
“A woman came in yesterday because her sister had visited two weeks ago. Her sister didn’t buy anything. She just test-drove a sedan.”
“But she felt well treated.”
“Yes.”
Walter handed back the report.
“That is how reputation works.”
They walked toward the service department.
Through a glass wall, Walter’s old pickup sat on a lift.
Claire stopped.
“You finally brought it in.”
“Transmission noise.”
“I thought you said it was indestructible.”
“I said I loved it. That’s different.”
A technician waved at him.
Walter waved back.
Near the service counter stood a man Walter recognized.
Harold Jensen.
The retired electrician Tyler had dismissed months earlier.
Walter walked over.
“Harold.”
Harold turned.
“Well, look who finally decided to show his face.”
Walter smiled.
“I heard you bought from the competition.”
“I did.”
“Traitor.”
“They answered my questions.”
Walter nodded.
“I deserved that.”
Harold laughed.
Walter gestured toward the coffee area.
“Let me buy you coffee.”
“It’s free.”
“Then I’m feeling generous.”
They sat down.
Harold studied him.
“I heard what happened.”