The Dealership Dilemma
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 388
From: Racine, WI
No, irony is that despite having a program aimed squarely at improving customer service, GM dealers on the whole are still regarded among the worst at providing customer service.
It's not ironic in the least that they aren't given credit for a program that doesn't seem to be working.
You're obviously proud of the program since you're a part of it. But it sounds liek the typical corporate BS where people meet and processes are put in place yet the end product (or service) is completely unchanged.
It's not ironic in the least that they aren't given credit for a program that doesn't seem to be working.
You're obviously proud of the program since you're a part of it. But it sounds liek the typical corporate BS where people meet and processes are put in place yet the end product (or service) is completely unchanged.
To our dealership the group has influenced: the way we advertise and market our dealership, hiring of a quality control person, renovating our showroom and improving salesperson training. Hardly corporate BS.
Some of you guys need to look at the link Lew posted. Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Pontiac and Chevy brands ALL rated higher for service satisfaction than Honda and Toyota's main brands. JD Power is well respected in the industry. One of GM's weaknesses still is marketing, otherwise more people would know about this. (There are people who could help you, GM). Maybe that is what happens when a division like Buick would rather spend 40% of its entire ad budget promoting one dumb new name (Lucerne).
There are plenty of GM dealerships out there, if one treats you badly, try another. The manufacturers have toll free numbers, let them know about ones that need to improve and why.
Last edited by gtjeff; Jan 24, 2007 at 11:41 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 589
From: Flounderville, MI, USA
I've worked at a couple dealers and generally concentration on CSI is pretty high. All (I think) warrenty customers get surveys mailed to them and randomly (to my knowledge) selected (warrenty and non-warrenty) customers get phone surveys. 100% are a very good thing (you servce writer and possibly the dealer gets a bonus), anything below that is not rewarded.
At the Infiniti dealer I worked at, we had a fleet of loaners (I30s up until the G35s had been out about a year, then all the Is were exchanged for Gs). If you wanted a loaner (anything but an oil change was eligible) you were booked out about 2-3wks, though we also had a driver who's job was to get customer's cars and bring them back to the dealership even for just an oil change (from the Detroit area I know she went as far as Toledo and bay citiy). We had a large white board with each tech's survey results and overall scores. Techs got bonuses for 100%s, gives you that little extra incentive!
Where I work now (Mazda), no loaners but we have both a shuttle van and work with Hertz and depending on circumstances, we pick up the tab for the rental. Unfortunatly, the CSI scores aren't displayed as openly, and no tech bonuses.
Speaking from the 'inside', we try to get each car fixed right first time and any car under warrenty gets covered (unless there is blatant customer abuse that is proveable). I'm shocked to hear that a dealer actually said that b/c you didn't buy it from them, they wouldn't work on it. We'll work on any Mazda that rolls through the door (and the occational Ford). We always try to extend ourselves, though we are human and have bad days too. Even on a bad day, rudeness is never the right way to treat a customer.
Sorry for the long post, just putting out my point of veiw for what its worth.
At the Infiniti dealer I worked at, we had a fleet of loaners (I30s up until the G35s had been out about a year, then all the Is were exchanged for Gs). If you wanted a loaner (anything but an oil change was eligible) you were booked out about 2-3wks, though we also had a driver who's job was to get customer's cars and bring them back to the dealership even for just an oil change (from the Detroit area I know she went as far as Toledo and bay citiy). We had a large white board with each tech's survey results and overall scores. Techs got bonuses for 100%s, gives you that little extra incentive!
Where I work now (Mazda), no loaners but we have both a shuttle van and work with Hertz and depending on circumstances, we pick up the tab for the rental. Unfortunatly, the CSI scores aren't displayed as openly, and no tech bonuses.
Speaking from the 'inside', we try to get each car fixed right first time and any car under warrenty gets covered (unless there is blatant customer abuse that is proveable). I'm shocked to hear that a dealer actually said that b/c you didn't buy it from them, they wouldn't work on it. We'll work on any Mazda that rolls through the door (and the occational Ford). We always try to extend ourselves, though we are human and have bad days too. Even on a bad day, rudeness is never the right way to treat a customer.
Sorry for the long post, just putting out my point of veiw for what its worth.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 388
From: Racine, WI
Here is a link to the JD Power Sales Satisfaction Index
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/16/j...-in-j-d-power/
Same story as the service satisfaction index. All of the GM brands mentioned above rated higher than Honda and Toyota's main brands.
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/16/j...-in-j-d-power/
Same story as the service satisfaction index. All of the GM brands mentioned above rated higher than Honda and Toyota's main brands.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 251
From: Aurora/Valparaiso
This is why we have a Pontiac Torrent and not a Chevy Equinox. Our experience at the Chevy dealer while car shopping sucked...I'm sure it had to do with our age. Unfortunally for them we took our $28k and bought a car across the street because they weren't complete asses there.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 589
From: Flounderville, MI, USA
just remembered a couple things (result of typing while tired last night).
we use Enterprise not hertz
Mazda pulls franchises that don't straigten up their act. One near me got pulled and a lot of the cars coming from there had wrong/poor quality work and little maint work.
so car companies can pull franchises, but I'm sure it's not easy.
we use Enterprise not hertz
Mazda pulls franchises that don't straigten up their act. One near me got pulled and a lot of the cars coming from there had wrong/poor quality work and little maint work.
so car companies can pull franchises, but I'm sure it's not easy.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,449
From: Bentonville, AR
There is a Pontiac dealership literally 2 minutes from where I work. Sadly though, I will NOT go there ever again. I choose to drive 30 minutes the another dealer that treats me great.
Fortunately, there is much closer Chevrolet dealership that I use for the Camaro when it needs work (It is still under warranty too). They have been awesome and never done me wrong.
Fortunately, there is much closer Chevrolet dealership that I use for the Camaro when it needs work (It is still under warranty too). They have been awesome and never done me wrong.
Last edited by Kris93/95Z28; Jan 25, 2007 at 08:50 PM.
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