Comments on: Chrysler Standalone Service Centers by 2010. Maybe.

By: davey49

davey49 — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:46:36 +0000

Honda makes some of the best product in the industry AND they have some of the busiest service businesses you’ll ever see. The professional looking and acting personnel make people want to bring their cars in for service there.

By: jthorner

jthorner — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:11:59 +0000

It seems to me that the problem of oversaturated dealerships means that dealer A and dealer B are in relatively close proximity and that combining the operations, perhaps in a new facility located midway between the old A & B makes sense. Chysler argued that the problem was “enough bays” and didn’t make a convenience argument. If you really want to improve customer convenience, improve the (&*)&*)(& product to reduce the need for repairs!

The micro-showroom idea is a non-starter because you need selection and a good PROFESSIONAL sales staff to really make it work. Which brings up another point, the generally low quality of salespeople. Why the industry spends so much money on advertising to get potential customers in the door and then unleashes a herd of largely rotten salespeople on them has long mystified me.

By: Landcrusher

Landcrusher — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:27:58 +0000

I would think the best thing about these shops would be to make dealerships less attractive to keep open. If you are trying your best to get those guys to close their doors, taking away the service dollars could really speed up the process.

By: seabrjim

seabrjim — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:50:38 +0000

Does this include warranty work? Cause we all know chrysler loves to deny warranty coverage for a plethora of reasons. Would kinda make the shops pointless.

By: windswords

windswords — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:11:19 +0000

This idea is beign considered since many of the dealers are going to consolidate into Chryler/Jeep/Dodge dealers (project Genesis). But that will mean less service outlets for the customers. And the convenient location of the dealer to do warranty and other repairs is important to many.

The answer to not having the chance to go in for service but come out with a new car is simple. Have a very small showroom with a few select models and info for the customers. Provide them with all the contact info they need to whatever the closest dealer is. With WiFi access many customers could set up an appointment for a test drive or even negotiate the price and place an order while they wait.

By: jthorner

jthorner — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:25:41 +0000

‘You need to have the right number of stalls.’

And if the products are Chryslers you need a lot of them! Remote service only locations have been tried from time to time by dealers, but they are a bad idea for two reasons:

1) Efficiency. Now you need two parts inventories, two sets of rarely used equipment and special tools, two sets of managers and so on. You also tie up extra real estate and end up keeping one or two vehicles and drivers on the road every day shuttling back and forth between the locations.

2) Lack of sales opportunities. You want the customers who are in for service and repairs to be exposed to the opportunity to buy something newer. When my dad was a car salesman years ago he very often would sell cars to service customers who were waiting to pick up their car and/or just discovered that the cost of fixing the old one were more than they wanted to spend on it.

By: Matthew Danda

Matthew Danda — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:24:41 +0000

I would easily put up with a sub-standard car if I could trust the manufacturers service department. Even the local Toyota dealers haven’t won my trust. So if Chrysler can implement a strategy to radically improve service, then by golly they might actually sell some cars.