Make It Easy
Make It Easy
Hey auto dealers; Listen up! Women are making most of the car decisions and we aren't happy. A study by The Business Women's Network (bwni.com) reported: Auto dealers need
jump-start in dealing
with customers>> Women influence 85 percent of all car purchases.
>> 67 percent of the women in the United States dislike the car buying process.
>> 81 percent say they are not treated with respect when they purchase cars.
>> 60 percent of all women distrust car salespeople.
>> 65 percent of customers who take vehicles to a repair shop are women.
In "Total Customer Service" by William Davidow and Bro Uttall, auto industry experts JD Power and Ivy Lee Gilbert reported repair woes and car buying preferences are inextricably tied together. A repair process that creates distrust transfers to the next purchase. If a negotiation gets dicey, the buyer remembers repair shop horrors in that dealership and takes their business elsewhere. Conversely, when the repair department is on time, honest and service oriented, buyers will tolerate some uncomfortable tactics in the showroom.
A recent Star-Bulletin story reported that Hawaii's repair shops are less than successful at gaining customer confidence. We all have our share of auto repair horror stories, and we aren't averse to sharing them with everyone we meet.
So, auto dealers and repair shops, want to stay in the game? Try this:
>> Live up to the word you use to describe the repair department: Service. That word creates expectations. We, the humble folks who pay your salary and keep you in business, actually expect to be taken care of.
>> Take care of us. Tell the truth. Use new parts. Call when the repair will take longer than promised. Charge fairly. Actually fix the broken part. Don't break anything that wasn't broken. If you can't fix it, find someone who can or tell us so we can do something.
>> Please don't take our car if you can't get to it within 48 hours. Let us make a choice based on our ability to go without the car.
>> Sales Managers: Go downstairs once in awhile and make sure that "service" is happening in that department. Take care of your customers throughout their life with the car. You will be glad you did.
Beth Terry is president of Pacific Rim Seminars.
This column is excerpted from her upcoming book,
101 Ways to Make Your Life Easier. Send questions
on management, customer service and other issues
to beth@bethterry.com.