Since most of my career has been spent in the Retail business, I have some idea of what makes up good customer service. The most important element of any seller-buyer relationship is communication...and since the seller is trying to sell and the buyer doesn't have to buy, the most important thing a seller can do is listen! And once they have listened, it is up to the seller to, at least, address the concerns and needs of the buyer/customer. Lately, I have found that the art of customer service is, for the most part, dead.
Sure, there are exceptions to this. I have run across retailers, like Nordstrom's, that generally treat the customer with respect and honesty - they seem to embrace the concept of the customer always being right. Others?? Not so much..... There are retailers that think every customer is trying to rip them off and treat them that way...there are service companies that don't timely keep their appointments and there are restaurants that have no clue how to treat a customer. I have had people make business appointments with me and just not show up - no calls, no excuses...just rudeness!
So, why do I feel compelled to write this now? I have just come from shopping for an auto lease...and with the exception of one dealer (my friend), was constantly treated as if I am a total idiot and literally told that I needed to do business THEIR way! I started off each session with the same instructions: 1. I know what I want. 2. I don't want to drive the car 3. I want to deal with the Sales Manager directly, because I don't have the patience nor the time to "play the game." 4. Do you have the car or can you get it and 5.What are the costs and terms for a 3 year lease? I also tell them they have one shot at me, so make it there best shot. I don't think I am being unreasonable, just thrifty with my time.
It amazes me that 3 of the dealers refused to even acknowledge what I laid out for them and started the meeting with "Let's go for a test drive." When I refused, one of them told me that he couldn't quote me then! Another one kept running back and forth to their manager and left me sitting at a desk for 30 minutes. The third one kind of got what I was saying but said his sales manager wouldn't let him vary from their standard operating procedure....and until I got insistant would not even ask the sales manager to speak with me....and when he did finally come over to me, was rude and out of line. Oh, and did I mention that the first one was the dealer I had leased the last car from and had been calling me daily to get me to come in for a new car?
I think a no hassle, let's do it the customer's way dealer would be a smash hit in just about any market. I know that I would go out of my way to give him my business and recommend him to everybody! Since the lease on the old car is up next week, I still need to do something.....My options come down to getting a car from my friend in West Palm Beach - which would be great if he sold the models Connie wants or get the car from a family member's dealership in Miami or give Connie my car and just start walking or bicycling everywhere! Even that would be better than having to deal with this any longer!
And The Journey continues.......
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