My dealer experience is a tad different but concerning all the same. My dealer of choice is located in the next city over and they've always provided me with the absolute best price and most competent service anywhere. In the last year or so, the service has changed. The service writers are becoming more rude, they are turning away business because they are over selling and don't have the staff to service what the sell in a timely manner. The last two oil changes have been complete disasters with oil being spilled in the engine bay and on the front fender, loose oil filter, the fabric underliner was loose and they did a horrible job on my daughter's Fusion.

Upon receiving the latest customer survey, I deleted it. The customer service person at the dealer called me to ask me why I didn't submit it. I explained to her my issues and that not filling out the survey was more polite than the words that I would have used. Her reply was pretty insulting IMHO. She stated that if she could do anything to further assist me to let her know. Really?!

If I'm the guy in her position, my response would have been: "I'll make you an appointment at your convenience to have your truck fully washed and detailed and the engine cleaned". Then I'll have a couple free oil changes for you for your trouble. This would have at least gotten me back into their store and that may have shown me that I am a valued customer. I guess she expected me to ask for something for free. Well, I ain't doin' it and I ain't goin' back.

 

I am assuming this is like most dealers and each part of the dealership is basically it's own separate company. So why does service care if you bought it there? They don't make any (maybe a little for prep but beside the point) money if you did or didn't buy it there, they do make money for work though.

 

Customer service is everything. If I am happy with the treatment I get my wallet is waaaay more flexible! If customer service is lacking, no matter how great the deal is, I wil bail on the whole deal. Price point is not what makes a great deal IMOP. The whole experience IS.

I know some guys will tolerate poor service to save a few bucks. This only promotes even worse service in the future. Quit doing business with these places and things WILL change! Spend your hard earned cash where it's earned and appreciated and everyone will be happier in the end. Just my opinion.......

 

Words of wisdom right there.

 

The whole experience you want cost money though. No one calls up and says "Hi I'm looking for your best experience". They ask for our best price and assume they'll get the best experience too. Low prices come at a cost of lower service. You can spout all you want about pride and this and that, but the American consumer wants the least expensive experience possible. If it is just minor adjustments than it's not going to get claimed most likely. So it comes out of the service time. If you're a super picky customer, they probably have a lot to lose having you as a customer. Too many people are far to picky about things and because of the survey world we live in, we are getting to a point where I'm turning away sales if I start to get a feeling of a bad survey. Service is the same way. The days of driving up and having someone top off your fluids are long gone. The dollar bills in your pocket have spoken!

All that being said, I wish it weren't so. As a pretty dedicated salesperson I have come in to work 2 hours early just to make sure a customer with a unique service issues is taken care of. When Ford warranty makes someone come back in three times, I have dropped my car at their home, picked up the broken one, and taken it in myself. It doesn't happen often, but it's something I can only do for my local customers. I had a guy buy a dump from me from 3 hours away. He had electric issues. I couldn't really do too much, but the local dealer wasn't helping so I did all the leg work back to the body company. In my mind, this should all have been handled by the service department he was going to. Generally I find a good salesperson is more interested in customer service than most service folks. Still I get plenty of bad surveys and feel I could end up fired because of the way Ford now handles things. Some customers I don't get along with at all, and some of them still do business with me. I wrote a long rant a few months back and I'm glad to say I've been on an upswing of repeat and referral business since then. I can spoil folks and make a living! It's great, but not something I can do if all you want is my best price from 100 miles away. Find your Doug Frantz at a local dealer and you'll have a better day!

 

You are right in so many ways, Frantz. Interesting play on service was the "self service gas station." Most here can hardly remember the advent of the cheaper gas. The signs should have read "No Service." AND now when there are no readers at the pump such as many diesel stations, walk into the store, drop off a credit card with a barely employable clerk, walk back out and pump, walk back in and sign out, quite often after standing in line twice for "no service." But people love the lower price and then complain about the lack of jobs in the country.

Ford dealer I didn't select for my new truck has a senior truck salesman who does an interesting thing by purchasing lunch for the entire service department every Saturday. Pizza, wings, subs, whatever. But he expects his customers to get service beyond the norm. And he gets it. If he gets a legitimate complaint from a customer regarding their service experience the lunches go away for a week. It works for him and in effect, he is the best representative of the service department. Another member here has used this salesman without complaint for years and a couple of other friends have recommended him as well, after I signed with a different dealership with a different marketing plan.

Once again Frantz, thanks for your postings!!

 

I like the idea of lunches. I do treat my clean up department from time to time (and I don't cheap on paying them for clean up like some other sales folks do). Service gets my farm eggs cheap, but maybe I should start giving them away as gifts. I could splurge and buy the team a pizza once a week.

 

As always Frantz, I really appreciate your insight and feedback. I don't always agree with you but I always admire the way you conduct yourself here.

I must add that behind every Ford dealer's name are the letters FORD. IMHO, that alone gives me the right to expect exceptional service no matter how good of a deal I got or if I even did business with the serving dealer at all. I've decided to leave my dealer after 12 years and dozens of referrals due to declining service issues. I've since taken my truck to the nearest dealer to me. They did ask if I bought from them. When I told them no, they stated, this is a golden opportunity to earn your business. That's the right answer and the correct approach.

 

Ever bought a RV from a distant dealer and then took it in locally for service? At the very least they will put you at the end of the line. The RV manufactures tell you to buy locally for this very reason.

 

So if you're pulling your $80K fiver and you experience an issue 2000 miles from home you're just screwed or at best, at the mercy of the nearest dealer?

 

While traveling it's not usually a problem- actually some dealers will even put you ahead of their customers because you are out on the road.
The problem is buying a RV from a dealer 300 miles away to save $1000 and then taking it to your local dealer for service.
When I took my RV in last fall to my local dealer (whom I had purchased it from) I had a 1 month wait. The Service Manager said that if I hadn't of purchased it from them it would be a 3 month wait- and this was during the off season. RV dealers are so busy they don't need to hunt for business.

I like saving a buck as much as the next guy but when it comes to autos, RV's and farm equipment I stick locally. If you get to know the guys in sales, service and parts they are more than likely to take care of you way better than someone that just walked in off of the street.

 

I like saving a buck as much as the next guy but when it comes to autos, RV's and farm equipment I stick locally. If you get to know the guys in sales, service and parts they are more than likely to take care of you way better than someone that just walked in off of the street.

 

[QUOTE=Frantz;16723138]The whole experience you want cost money though. No one calls up and says "Hi I'm looking for your best experience". They ask for our best price and assume they'll get the best experience too. Low prices come at a cost of lower service. You can spout all you want about pride and this and that, but the American consumer wants the least expensive experience possible.......


I disagree...........respectfully. I'm not a car salesman but part of my business is in sales and general principles still apply. I will give my customers the best service no matter what. PERIOD! The sale either happens or it doesn't after that. They will still get the best service possible either way. The notion of service being subpar because you didn't make enough off the deal is bad business.

If low prices come at the cost of lower service your principles are dead wrong. A well managed business can AND WILL provide great customer service no matter what.

I realize you are working for a dealership you can't control but the general overtone is that of frustration being stuck in the middle. Your intentions are great I can tell from your posts. In general, dealing with the public can sour even the best apple.

 

I don't think we are in disagreement on how folks should get serviced. Big picture, should a salesmen (generally the least respected employment position at a dealership in regards to public trust) be responsible for making sure their customers are taken care of in service? Absolutely not! All I meant was to explain, not justify, why bad service happens.

Take Enterprise rentals for example. They have a policy that they will only hire college grads. We deal with them several times a week as our only rental offering, and we get horrible service even though we are one of their biggest customers. Why? Because they REQUIRE college grads. What sorta college grad do you get working at Enterprise? Obviously the kind that can't get a real job. Statistically you'd be better off on the open market looking for anyone for competitive wages. You'll get the best and brightest who are willing to take that wage. Instead, they feel they are getting more quality folks with that sheet of paper. I get better customer service at Sheetz gas stations. That doesn't make it right, it just makes it so. If things only happened that were virtuous, or morally right, we'd live in utopia. I'm an idealist in philosophy, but I keep my head close to ground.

Many industries have shifted away from customer service and you don't bat an eye. Most products say "do not return to the place of purchase". Yes cars and trucks cost more and we have service setups, and you can't just put them in an envelope and send em back. But all the small nice things do add up. As I've said before, every paycheck I give $2 for the coffee club, and that pays for customer coffee as well as for me (and I don't drink all that much). Everything is itemized these days, and you can't put a repair order on good will. So what you say isn't a big deal requires an adviser to take a tech off a job to pull your vehicle into a bay and make some adjustments. Again, I agree it shouldn't matter, but I don't think that's an entirely realistic understanding of the trending future.

 

This trend is everywhere. Look at a statement from and Attorney. Every email is billed. Every copy is billed. Every phone call is billed, even if it is just to say I won't be home on Friday so call on Monday.

Automotive service is just the same. Every washer, nut, ounce of fluid or time in the can has a cost code. Ala Cart billing. And the computer makes it easy. Just put in the task code and the parts and labor spit out itemized. On the other side of the coin the business has to pay the bills, salaries and the periodic modernization dictated by the mother company. It is not cheap so every cost needs to be recovered. And unlike many other industries the sales personnel in the auto business are at the wrong end of the line. Sell an $80K house and the salesman gets 6%. Sell an $80K truck and the salesman gets, would that be $4800!! Not really. But I bet Frantz would vote for that.

And by the way, speaking of Enterprise. Do their reps have a special deal with K Mart or Dollar General to buy their suits and ties? Our Lincoln LS gave us plenty of opportunity to meet their personnel. Just a thought.