Dealers and report cards

[Voltmeister]

I just filled out the survey form for the trifecta of recent customer satisfaction campaigns. My first attempt to get this done (at the dealer's insistence) was a failure. They did not know anything about me or the car until 15 minutes after I drove up, they did not have the parts, wanted to keep the car for the 3 days it was going to take to get the parts, UGH! We then agreed I would keep the car and they would order the parts and call me in the 3 days it was going to take to get them.
It actually took a week and half to get the parts. I spoke with my Volt advisor several times and apparently she spoke with the service writer several times as well, because the next time I brought the car in, the visit went very quickly, I got a 2011 Malibu from Enterprise (what a piece of 80’s horror!) and 36 hours later our Volt was enhanced, washed and as perfect as it had been when I left it.

For the survey, I did not say I was astounded by the visit, because I was not. I was wary and that continued through picking up the car. I rated them on how I felt, and that was somewhat less than delighted. My experience was tempered by two visits and whenever I was asked how satisfied I was, I answered less than 100%. They did well the second time but the first was a fiasco. I think they will do as well as they did this second time for future visits for two reasons. They know me and the car and my Advisor will be involved. I'll rate them accordingly when the survey comes around.

I’d suggest you rate them they way you feel after the service you’ve had. If that ends up less then 100% on the score card for them, they can always ask you about it.

[vdiv]

It's a conspiracy! The dealerships do not want us driving our Volts!

How many of you would rather deal with GM directly? How many of you have, after being unsatisfied with a dealership?

To be fair many dealerships, managers, service advisers, and mechanics are excellent at their work and would turn the world over to make their customers happy. They are resourceful, persistent, proactive and experts in their work. Unfortunately, they seem to be so few and far in between. In many places they are so overworked even with their best intentions things fall through the cracks. I know, when it happens to us we are upset, disillusioned, sometimes angry and vengeful. The avalanche of surveys we are bombarded with seems like an easy outlet to get our angst out.

I would say be patient and be persistent the same way we expect people at the service department to be. Give them a chance to get it right. As some wise folks here have advised, you will be glad at the end that you did.

[Voripteth]

We had an interesting experience with the salesman at our local dealership. He handed us a survey to sign which was already filled out with the maximum rating in every category. He said "It's not the real one, you 'll get that one later in the mail. You just need to sign this one saying I showed it to you."

We later talked talked to the general manager who turned very pale and said that WAS the real survey. He then commented that he was surprised since the salesman got good customer reviews. I asked if those reviews come from surveys. The manager was speechless.... o.O