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#320 What You Don’t Know About Customer Service (Sample Tip)
We think we are experts in customer service in auto repair. If you want to know how much you don’t know, commit to taking all of your personal cars to other shops for service for one year, including comebacks. Do not let your staff check or service your vehicles in any way. You will gain a lot of understanding of experiencing the process from the customer’s point of view. I certainly did.
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5 Replies
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Hmmm, I’ve visited several dealerships while traveling in my Range Rover and the service was really good. I’m not sure I’d do that for a year though. A few visits is good. I’ve brought my Airstream in for warranty work many times over the past 3 years. The service there is pretty bad.
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I couldn’t do it because I am so particular about my vehicle service. My Lincoln is still under warranty and the dealer purchased at does such a mediocre job, I now use a dealer 30 miles away.
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My experience with the dealership’s was they have a hard time with follow up phone calls or texting with updates on the service work being performed. Their big push is after the service is done; they out right ask you to give them a five-star rating. Also, their technicians do not have gold stars on their forehead either. I have had to leave the car still there after service because it was not repaired.
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As an Independent From time to time I either have to run a customer’s vehicle to the dealer for a warranty repair or I pick up parts to get a repair done quicker. I have also visited a few independents whether for training or a personal visit. My experience with dealers is they kind of treat their customers like a number. Quick check-ins, cold & breezy service drives, and everyone seems too busy to take the time to get to really know the customer. Also, as Curt mentioned, their Techs are not any better because they are “dealer” Tech. In my opinion, the Independents do a much better job at slowing it down and taking the time to build relationships. I also find that customer service training of some sort is always ongoing at the Independents I know. Now, there have been some real dumps I have been to as well with a cigarette-smoking Advisor and a customer area that feels greasy and unkept. Those places can really make you feel like you are miles ahead in regard to customer service and overall operation.
I believe we all have a pretty good idea of where we are at and I would personally choose to seek out those shops that I perceive are on our level or do a better job than we do. This is why I think 20 groups and BDGs or so valuable in our business. I always take something away from a good shop visit and bring it back to share with my team.
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Hi Tom,
I am with the others before me. We built our client experience to not be what todays “norm” is. The norm has been the client is a number or a paycheck that is there to serve the business. Not a week goes by that we do not have clients tell us everything the dislike about the OE’s. Chains and even many independents. When we call out clients at the two day follow up /thanks you we ask if they were “Completely satisfied” We also actively look to provide what others do not. It is no longer uncommon for clients to by pass warranty work and opt for our team to do the work for in more than one case to the tune of over a thousands dollars, rather than have to dealer with the dealer. With that said almost everyone has an SRS inflator recall to have done. The dealer we worked with had poor communication (as in none) truck came back with an SRS light that was from “The tech forgot to plug in the new part” and just about a key toss of “here ya go she’s all good now” service. So Yeah, interesting idea but we will stick to providing exceptional service and always be looking and asking for how can we do better. Also with this thought in mind have a females perspective grade your own place, as a place to start in house. Thanks for the topic and keeping over the top service first and foremost. CZ
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