I purchased my 2020 F-250 Tremor about 2 weeks ago. Short version is that I had a great salesperson but my document signing experience was awful and I completed a post-purchase survey from Ford accordingly. They called me afterwards and said the survey directly impacts the salesperson and they really put effort into making things right. Which makes me wonder, how important is the post-purchase survey and how do those ratings impact the dealer?

Here are all the details;

When we sat down with the finance manager all the forms were on a large screen that laid flat on the desk and the signatures were done with a stylus on that screen. He said he was really busy that day and started blazing through all the pages of the sales and finance contracts, providing brief verbal summaries of what was on those pages, and stopped only at the page I needed to sign. I stopped him right there and told him I was not going to go through this process this way and that if he was too busy we didn't have to do this. He obliged, went back to the beginning and allowed us to read the contract. My partner asked some questions during this process and he said he would answer them once we were done signing. I stopped again and said she needed a response before I would continue. Obviously annoyed, he obliged. Finally, there was a separate set of docs that did not show up on the desk screen that he asked me to sign for on a pad. I refused to sign for something I could not review. He said we could review it after we signed, and I refused. He pulled out a blank hardcopy, left it with us, and then left the room. We did complete the process shortly after, and got a thumbdrive with the signed docs on it.

When we went back out we met the salesperson who was getting the truck prepped for delivery. He was great, showed us the Ford Pass app and how it worked, went over the truck and its features, made sure we were all set. He told us that we would be receiving a survey by email and that it was very important that he get a 5-star review. I told him he was great and I didn't have a problem doing that.

A few days later I get the survey from Ford in my email. The first question was something like 'how was your overall purchase experience?' I gave a 3/5. It went on to ask more about the salesperson, the finance manager, vehicle delivery, etc. I rated everything highly except for the finance manager and the document signing process, and then I submitted it.

Two days later I get a call from the salesperson asking if I was happy with the truck, etc. Then he said they received my survey and he said that the response affects him directly and if I got a follow-up survey if I would be able to provide 5 stars. I told him that working with him was great but being rushed to sign docs was not acceptable and I couldn't just dismiss that. He said he would have a manager follow up with me. About 20min later I got a call from the sales manager I worked with.

The sales manager offered to set aside a time for us to come by, print out all the electronic docs, review them with us, and answer any questions. He also offered to fill up the truck, get it detailed, and apply an interior/exterior protectant. We took him up on the offer and everything turned out great. The docs were fully explained to us, truck was fueled, and it looked amazing when it was done. He reiterated that the review affects the salesperson and he hoped that we would be able to give a 5-star review on the follow-up survey, especially since the salesperson had no involvement in the part of the process we were dissatisfied with. I thanked him, told him they absolutely made things right, and I'd be happy to provide that review.

I'm really thankful they went to this length to make this right, but I'm also really surprised. There has to be something more to the survey than what is on the surface. Anyone know what impacts the post-purchase surveys have on the dealership?

 

I've been in a similar situation and was told by the salesperson that anything less than five stars is a ding against the entire dealership. I'm thinking that since you established a relationship with the salesperson, the manager felt that he / she could appeal to your human side and get a more sympathetic survey from you.