Is The Customer Always Right?
It’s an age-old quandary and the subject of much debate, but the obvious answer may surprise you…
…. – It doesn’t matter.
Ultimately, customers are never wrong, even when their assertions are factually inaccurate, because they know how they feel, and that sentiment is all that matters to your business.
Customer satisfaction with the dealership service experience, for example, has been declining for years, according to several studies including the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Aftermarket Service Index (ASI) Study,SM released this week.
However many of the issues with the greatest negative impact on customer satisfaction focused on simple conveniences that customers may or may not be right to expect, but that dealerships should not neglect in their effort to improve customer satisfaction
“The three amenities that have the largest effect on satisfaction are offered less than 15% of the time. Service facility satisfaction is 825 when complimentary snacks/beverages are offered, a 91-point increase vs. when they are not (734). Similarly, facility satisfaction is 81 points higher when providers make a device charging station available than when this amenity is not offered (735). Giving customers a workspace to plug in computers is another easy way to boost satisfaction yet is currently provided only 7% of the time.” **
John Traver, CEO of Traver Connect, said the following after mystery-shopping 1,800 dealerships, chain stores and independent repair shops.
“bad communication is at the root of many misconceptions. ….””Dealers are treating everyone as if they are identical. They need to tailor the service experience to the person,” .Improving the service experience is a window of opportunity for every dealership, “This is one area in automotive where you would have a hard time overspending,”
At BDC United, we invest heavily in our ability to set and meet customer expectations and to ensure clear, thoughtful, trust building communication from the very first moment of contact, Schedule a demo for a demonstration of how we can ensure that your customers will always feel like they are being treated right – even when they’re wrong.
https://www.autonews.com/service-and-parts/dealership-service-gets-low-marks-customers