Yo, You don't sell cars!

There's a really interesting (and spirited) debate going on right now at DealerRefresh about whether the "product" of a dealership is the vehicles or the actual dealership brand itself. I'd like to chime in like many of my marketing cohorts and join the "dealership is the product" camp.

You can go anywhere to get a car, and yes, price will always be King when it comes to choosing an individual dealership, but with all other things being equal, I'm going to buy from the dealership that gets it. So what does it take, IMHO, to "get it? Let's take an example from a different industry - Banking.  (BTW - Jeff Kershner brought up many good brand examples in his Dealerrefresh comment thread- be sure to check it out.)

Umpqua Bank in particular. Umpqua could have taken the path of least resistance and made themselves into any other bank and I'm sure they would have done okay. But instead, they added big screen TVs, a "Starbucks" feel to their lobby with Wi-Fi lounges, stuffed chairs and free coffee. They give complimentary bags of coffee (The Umpqua blend, of course) when a new person signs up and follow it up with a hand-written thank you letter (and in some neighborhoods an actual "houseplant" on your doorstep!). In fact, they're so friendly, you can often see a free Umpqua icecream truck making its way through local neighborhoods.

Is all this enough to switch people from their current bank?  The last time I had to change banks due to a move, Umpqua was at the top of my list. And NOT because they know how to handle a deposit. (Maybe it was the coffee? It IS damn good coffee.)

What do you think of the debate? Do you sell vehicles or your brand?