Dealership Best Practices (customer service)

[99DECH]

Ok guys, bit of an odd ball thread I know but bare with me. Long story short, I am the owner of a Ford dealership and an avid mustang enthusiast so I take an active interest in various internet forums and mustang events in my area..needless to say we are a "mod friendly" dealership.

I have been meeting with many of my managers lately and we constantly look for ways to bring new customers into our store however we often overlook the fact that more some of our greatest gains can be in better servicing our customers that we already have and looking after them the way they expect and deserve.

That is why I am turning to your folks. Take your car out of the equation, I know when a mustang enthusiast comes through the doors they don't want any Tom, Dick or Harry touching their car..I have that covered, I personally move their vehicles around, road test if need be and watch over the service while it is being completed. More importantly I want to know what you folks (the customer) want and expect from the sales and service end.

Just a few examples:
Booking of service appointments: Online/Over phone, do you want a reminder, do you want calls from a service advisor when your vehicle should come in?
Customer waiting lounge: what do you want/need while you wait? What services would you like to see offered or at your disposal...coffee/food/internet etc.

I truly want my customers to be completely satisfied and I want their stay while under my roof to be a pleasurable one. Every dealership has a different take on customer service and I'm sure each one of you has at one point experienced a unique idea or concept that you thought was pretty cool. I am open to anything from the most common and basic practices to the most off the wall and unique idea's you've seen.

If some of you folks would be kind enough to give your thoughts and input about things you have come across at dealerships that you really liked (or disliked for that matter) I'd truly appreciate it.


Thanks!

 

[RustyRodder]

I'd like getting a reminder of when i have an appointment.

and a few things that places I have been to have had that made it better-

-Wifi
-some basic drinks and snacks
-seating that wasnt next to the service bay so all you heard was the wrenches and machines.

and also, a couple bodyshops around here have something cool- they take a picture daily of your cars progress if it is a multiday thing, or a morning/afternoon shot. one place even took it further and had a webcam streaming so you could watch the service through their website.

 

[harry gilbert]

I'll take a stab at this. Get over to Roy O'Brien Ford in St. Clair Shores Michigan and use THAT as your best practice model. Here's what I as a customer find appealing (so that I bought my last 7 cars there, and took my son there for his last 2 cars).

1. Salesmen are long-time employees. I deal with the same fellow, year after year. He knows me and my family. More importantly, he knows the vehicles. He has talked me OUT of buying certain cars. He calls me when there's something in stock I might be interested in. He knows all the "programs" and options.

2. Service department employees have been there many years. The car porters, service writers, mechanics -- all are long time employees. The fellow I let drive my Cobra is an ex-Marine WWII veteran. I know he won't hot rod my car around the back lot. It's very reassuring to see a low (or nearly zero) turn-over rate.

3. Service manager cares and will make concessions. I brought in my wife's 2002 Mustang GT to get the variable speed resistor on the heater blower motor replaced. Unfortunately, the extended warranty on the vehicle had just expired. He knew how we treated the car, and had never used the warranty, so he just ignored the expired warranty and took care of it. Guess what - I brought in two more cars for complete Spring service - top to bottom front to back care (including wasking and waxing and new batteries). Spent over $1,000 because I had been treated right.

4. Service Writers who "get it". They take my concerns seriously, and follow up on every last question. I get prompt calls to let me know of progress or delays. They all drive Fords and know everything about the cars I bring in. No BS. And when they don't know something - they tell me and go ask the manager or call a mechanic out to discuss it with me. And again, the same faces, year after year, who know me and my car and greet me by name.

5. When somebody makes a mistake - it's made right, no questions asked. I had speakers replaced in a Mustang, and the plastic cover of a door-mounted tweeter was cracked. It was hard to see, and I only discovered it 3 weeks later. I called and there was no hesitation "we'll get the part in and change it for you". I got a call 1 week later, and the part was fixed while I was treated to coffee. No BS excuses. We all know things do break, and I don't hold it against a dealership if it's fixed without fuss.

6. When I buy a new car like the Cobra, my salesman and the prep team ASK me if I want all the plastic covering and factory build sheets left alone. The car is HAND PREPPED. I get it with no more than the mileage when it came off the car carrier.

 

[czwalga00gt]

I'd say tell your sales people not to feed people BS until they know the customer doesn't know any better. The internet has become a huge part of the game in buying a car, especially with the younger generation. The last thing we want is BS fed to us if we know more than the salesmen.

My point being with the internet more younger people know specs etc. about the car they are looking into before walking into the door.

 

[ScareCrow]

I'll take a stab at this. Get over to Roy O'Brien Ford in St. Clair Shores Michigan and use THAT as your bvest practice model.

I might have to give them a shot next time. A little out of the way , but good service like that would be worth it.

 

[harry gilbert]

I might have to give them a shot next time. A little out of the way , but good service like that would be worth it.

Ask for Bob Krause, and tell him Harry referred you. Bob's an NRA Life Member and an upright guy.

 

[Moreboost88]

I might have to give them a shot next time. A little out of the way , but good service like that would be worth it.

I go to Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, its the best customer service I ve ever had they wash my GT500 and fill it with gas when I get my service done there. My family has bought numerous cars there and I've never had a disapointment. I live in Royal Oak to so its an 45min drive but worth the care they do on my car.

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

Matt.. if you treat your customers and thier cars like you say you do, and I don't have any reason to doubt it... I think that just doing what your doing will satisfy a lot of your customers and will bring in more..

(where are you located at BTW)?

 

[ScareCrow]

I go to Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, its the best customer service I ve ever had they wash my GT500 and fill it with gas when I get my service done there. My family has bought numerous cars there and I've never had a disapointment. I live in Royal Oak to so its an 45min drive but worth the care they do on my car.

Im over by Royal Oak. Ever since Royal Oak Ford crashed my car a year or so ago , I've been in the hunt for a new dealership to go to and build up a trust with , so a 30 or 45 min. ride to varsity or obrien is something I wouldnt have a problem with

 

[ScareCrow]

Ask for Bob Krause, and tell him Harry referred you. Bob's an NRA Life Member and an upright guy.

Thanks Harry , appreciated it :beer:

 

[Zinc03Cobra]

I stopped going to the dealership because of these reasons...

1. A rental car is my option to take when dropping my car off. If a rental of EQUAL or Greater value cannot be given to me, no questions asked, I'm out of there.

2. BS... If I have a warranty, and it has absolutely nothing to do with my mods, FIX IT under warranty. Everytime I've gone to some dealerships here, they look for some excuse not to fix it under warranty. I paid for the extended 75,000/7 year... Every penny better be worth it.

3. Every car is different, thus every service provided may be different. There is no routine inspection, but it would be nice to maybe throw in a service or two. Maybe it's been that long since I've been back.. but for example...say I take my car in for an oil change (gasp! I still don't do this), but the Ford techs say "you have about 4k left on your brakes/rotors, your fuel filter is almost due for a change, and you have a slight misalignment on your front wheels" This is helpful information so next time I may have them fix it all at once.

4. I've worked in customer service for 7 years, and dealing with certain individuals can be troublesome. Sometimes you go to the ends of the Earth to please them so they'll stop complaining and even then it's not enough. I want things done on my car right the first time and if I have to come back for the same problem, you can rest assured the management is going to know about it.

Treat others how you would like to be treated. Treat their cars even better. Every detail (for me) never goes unnoticed.

 

[matted2thefloor]

I can attest for the BS thing...I've worked in a dealership for the last 12 years and some of the crap that I hear go out over the service department phone is simply astounding!

Make sure that your people are up to par on your products and services.

When I went to buy my Cobra, I asked the sales person questions he had no idea that even pertained to a car for christ sakes!!!!

People get a bad taste when they get the BS treatment...I know I do!

 

[Riddla]

A free car wash!

 

[Grizzly Adams]

If I'm at a dealership buying a car, it can sometimes take a while to get everything ironed out, I want something to eat and drink that I don't have to buy out of a vending machine. Offer some cookies, sodas, water, etc. Not just some popcorn or peanuts. You don't need to offer me an entire meal, but I don't like having to buy a snack when I'm putting tens of thousands of dollars in the dealers pocket. While the financing is going through, ask if I want to go get something to eat and buy me a sandwich if it's taking a long time.

I don't need a guy with decades of experience, but give me someone that knows at least a smidgeon about the cars that he is selling. I have been to plenty of dealers where I know more about the cars than the guy is trying to sell one to me. It's bad when I have to correct a salesman on incorrect info that he is trying to tell me. I don't care if all he knows is that it has a V6 and a manual trans. Just don't give me a guy that tries to tell me that a RX-8 has a 4-cyl or that can't tell a Ranger from a Tacoma.

If i'm a young guy, give me someone young that I can relate to. I'm not going to be as comfortable with an 80 yr old guy that acts like my grandpa. I don't want to get passed around from one guy to the next either though. I know and am friends with a couple guys my age at some of the local dealers and go to them first.

 

[Common]

Great thread.

Let's start with basics, customer service is your bread and butter despite what you think so try to make it top notch in EVERY department that deals directly with the consumer(which is pretty much all of them)

Free car wash(basic one) is also a nice idea, BMW dealer does it around me and people seem to really like that simple option and brag about the dealer like it's something worth braggin(it's only 10$ wash) but some things have more value than money.

 

[DiZzyBonne]

A free car wash!

Most dealerships offer that already. Nice as it may be though, most people at dealerships DON'T know how to wash cars. I'm a salesman for Sunnyvale Chevrolet, and they just run the cars through the automatic car wash and dry them up with old dirty chamois - is that plural? That's just asking for swirls galore!

Anyway, make sure your sales staff is courteous! One time I went to a Ford store, and long story short, the sales lady cussed me out and was yelling at me, saying she hopes I scratch my car on the way out.

 

[crew_dawg16]

Yeah, I would not want a free wash for my Mustang, NOBODY washed that car except me.

 

[My Cobra]

Things i like:

Every time we take the BMW or the Saturn in for work they wash it and put mints in the car. Its not a lot but nice when they vacume it out and clean it.

Call when the car is ready or call with updates during the day. Makes me feel like the car is being worked on and not sitting there while i am waiting down the road at the mall.

When everybody in the dealership is nice to you no matter what they wear or look like. A young kid could have a rich dad that is going to buy a car for him\her. Have salesmen walk outside to talk to everybody even if wearing clothes that look like they can not afford much.

Cover items under war. that might be on the edge of saying it could be covered. We took the Saturn to the dealer to get a recall done. They replaced what they needed to and the bezel beside the cd player because the paint was chipping off. It was from the womans hand lotions but they still got it fixed and we did not ask them to. I don't like saturn cars but this makes me feel good.


Things i don't like:

People in service that try to push diffrant parts that you don't need. wipers, fuel filters, Air filter, Change all fluids, rotate tires These things don't need to be done every 3k miles. If you tell me this every time then when i really do need it i think you are crying wolf.

Tell me the price of the car. It is what it is. I don't like to walk in and find some off the wall price. You come down 2k and say thats it. I walk out and pull out of the drive you call and beg to take it for 5k less. I just keep driving. Most people know what the cars are going for so why lose a customer because you want to make 500 more?

Bash my car when i bring it in to trade it. Tell me you like it and hopefully you can give it to somebody that takes as good care of it as i do. I know this is pointing out the flaws to get somebody to understand the low ball offer. It makes me mad. Tell it like it is. Your car is nice but we can only offer you XXXX.

Don't tell me that mods on my car make the value go down. They might but when i go to buy one you tell me it has a 5k sound system in it and thats why it is 2k higher than the one down the road.

Don't take things from the car. When a guy trades it in with a nice cd player or mods. Leave it on the car. Don't let the guys at the dealer have them. Ask the guy if he wants them. I have been to a dealer where i got two of my cobras and they always take the floor mats. Always had to leave and go buy some. Small but makes you wonder what else is missing.

 

[SSCOBRA03]

I live in a small town and one of the things that I like is when I drop off my vehicle for service, I have the option of waiting or, if it will take a while, a porter will give me a ride home and then pick me up when my vehicle is ready.

One thing I disliked when I bought my Cobra was the attitude of the person doing the financing. He got aggressive when I told him I didn't want the extended warranty. I had to get a little rude with him over this. I will not return to this dealership because of this incident.

 

[harry gilbert]

I stopped going to the dealership because of these reasons....

Yeah, which is why I appreciated when I took my wife's 2002 Mustang GT in for a Spring service (the car had sat out all Winter on a trickle charger and needed the 30,000 mile service) the dealer did in a very detailed wash and wax -- no charge. Completely detailed the car inside and out. It's like they took as much pleasure and interest in maintaining the car as we did. What did it really cost them - but it sure got them a lot of good will.