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The Service department can make or break a car, or a powersports dealer.
I had a 2003 VW Passat four-wheel drive wagon. It was my wife’s car, and it had given us fairly good service. That is until we needed service.
I live in New Mexico which is usually very dry. Our Monsoon season usually brings a few inches of rain. This year, that few inches turned into a few feet. There was wide-spread flooding. I happened to get caught in one of those floods.
I got pulled out and all seemed to be OK. Then I noticed that the fog lights were filled with water. The owner’s manual said that the light bulbs cannot be replaced by the owner and the car must be brought in for that service. The reason? Replacing the fog lights requires some disassembly of the front end of the vehicle. I also noticed a small puddle of oil under the car. I called the VW dealer (University Volkswagen) in Albuquerque and said I’d like to bring the car in to have it serviced. Their reply: “Well, I can get you in here in about three weeks,” the voice of the dealerships service department told me. “And in the meantime, I suppose I should not drive the car?” I asked. “Well, that’s up to you, but it would probably be best if you didn’t drive it.”
There was no arguing. There was no priority service available based on urgency or emergency. That’s just the way it was. “Why such a long wait?” I asked. “We’ve sold so many cars that we can’t service them all. We only have 14 techs,” was the answer. This, by the way, was the only VW dealer in Albuquerque. So, I called the dealer in Santa Fe, which is about a half hour drive from my home. I explained my situation and asked when I could bring in the car. “We’re backed up and won’t be able to take it in for at least four weeks,” I was told.
I got on the web and contacted VW directly. They have a “customer service” button on their site where an owner can tell his/her story and ask for assistance. It worked! About two days later I received a call from a lady at VW’s home office. She had a very pleasant voice. I told her my story. She was most helpful, and said that if I’d hang on she would call the dealer herself and get right back to me. She agreed that a three week wait was excessive. I hung on. About 10 minutes later she came back on line and told me the dealership was really overbooked and there was nothing she could do. I suggested that perhaps they needed a second VW dealer in town. After all there are several Ford, Chrysler, Chevy and Dodge dealers in Albuquerque. She said that “perhaps we ought to look into that at some time in the future.” That was assuring.
I drove to the nearest Subaru dealer. There are two of those in Albuquerque. We made a deal, and I drove off in a new Subaru Legacy wagon which had just about all the features and accessories as the VW. The owner’s manual showed how all the bulbs could be replaced by the owner, and there was no disassembly required. I asked about the service schedule. “Just come in without an appointment for oil changes,” the salesman told me. “OK, what about a more serious problem?” I asked. “As for any other problems just come in and we’ll give you a loaner. We can usually get the car back to you within 48 hours.” What a difference! By the way, this dealer has been in business in Albuquerque since 1905 and has a very good reputation.
I’ve had many different brands of cars over the years, from Chevys to Mercedes. One car which I’ll never own again is a VW. Does VW care? I doubt it. I’m just one remote customer in a town that no one can spell unless they live here.
So, what’s the moral to this story? First, it was my fault for avoiding due-diligence when I bought the VW. I should have asked about service. But my experience with every other car I’d owned led me to believe that I could just call on one day, and bring the car in on the next.
I’ve heard similar stories about motorcycle dealerships whose service departments are understaffed, and whose parts departments lack appropriate inventory. Keep in mind that automobiles do not require the same level of service as motorcycles. Motorcycles require much more.
The reputation of the dealer, as well as the reputation of the brand, are in jeopardy if routine service cannot be achieved quickly and efficiently. Keep in mind that it is five times more expensive to find a new customer than to maintain an existing one
Feel free to contact me via e-mail (jwconsulting@comcast.net). I respond to all my e-mail messages, even from those I don’t really like. |
