12/03/2009


I took two cars in for service this week. Simple stuff, snow tires and an oil change with a check of all fluid levels.

I got nice snow tires and an unexpected bonus: a real lesson in customer service.

Unfortunately, the lesson was about how not to do customer service.

Let me start by saying that the service center did nothing wrong. It is just that they did not do it very well, either.

I have had to make three trips back to the center for really minor things that anyone could have overlooked.

The power steering fluid on both cars was low and was not "topped off" and one tire was missing a lot of air pressure.

I tried to imagine the worker, changing the tires on the wheels, hands cold, forgetting to double check the tire pressure. He probably had other cars waiting and a manager hurrying him along. An honest mistake.

The center fixed everything without a charge, of course. However, as a once faithful customer, I am now wondering if there is a place to put the tires back on in the spring that won't cause me to have to inspect, check and correct their work. Now I have to be knowledgeable about all the things they could forget to do well.

The managers must think that tire swapping and oil change is a low profit business, so why do it well? Ah, but if I don't go to their center next spring, I may miss their shiny new cars and buy another car from another dealer. So that low tire pressure may cost them a car sale.

But here is the lesson: They missed an opportunity to make me a really happy customer. Instead of being pleased I am disappointed. I may shop somewhere else. They will wonder where I went. They will hire marketing experts to help figure out how to get new customers in the door. All the while existing customers are leaving out the back door.

Leaving silently, really silently.