TrueDelta: Consumer Satisfaction Surveys Are a Fraud

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

TTAC pricing provider TrueDelta recently surveyed its consumer panel (join via our home page) on car dealers' customer satisfaction surveys. For anyone who's ever been "pre-prepared" for a post-sale or service survey by "helpful" dealer staff, the results confirm that the fix is in. Automotive News [AN sub] summarizes Mr. Karesh's findings: "Nearly half of the respondents in the TrueDelta poll said the dealership tried to influence their survey responses. More than one in four said they were overtly pressured by dealership employees to provide perfect scores. About one in eight admitted inflating their scores in response to such pressure." AN named three names as the worst offenders: BMW, Hyundai and Nissan. And get this: two percent of respondents said dealer staff asked to watch them complete the forms, asked to complete the forms for the customer and/or offered them a bribe for perfect score. How great is that? [NB: While this website has dealt with this subject before, it's great to see the truth hit the mainstream media.]

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • GUBBA12762 GUBBA12762 on Aug 27, 2007

    RE:dean: Here is a novel idea: treat the customer well and with respect, and you will get good ratings...... As a Service Advisor at one of the largest Chevy dealerships in the Southwest, I can tell you that even when you do treat people respect, you still get people who come in with a chip on thier shoulder and seem to get a thrill by grinding on the lowly Service Advisor. I have found that many people who have bitten off more than they can chew in regards to thier car payments are looking for ways to get out of the loan. ie lemon laws. Mind you, I also know of some Advisors that don't treat thier customer with the respect that they deserve also. It truly goes both ways. Hint: An Advisor has a certain amount of pull and when customers come in looking for assistance, a good Advisor is someone you want on your side.

  • Redbarchetta Redbarchetta on Aug 27, 2007

    Here is a novel idea don't waste your time with surveys and just give the manufacturer a call. I got the "please give us a perfect" when we bought our Subaru last year but they deserved it. The best car buying experience I have ever had, and I would like to go back and buy another car from Justin except I moved 3 states away :( Now I am stuck with a totally incompetent and corrupt dealership down the block from me and the next nearest one is 65 miles away and just as bad. I have already called Subaru twice about the crap I have had to go through and told them flat out this will be my last Subaru if this ownership experience doesn't improve, dispite the fact I love the company. We shall see if things improve or if my next car will be an Accord or even better '82 Alfa GTV6.

  • Kurt B Kurt B on Aug 27, 2007

    When I bought my Mazda 3 I had a terrible experience with the dealership. The salesman was ok but the sales manager was a real old-school scumbag who ended up costing me $$ out of pocket while waiting for them to deliver the car they promised they would have on site weeks earlier because there were "several in town". Anyhoo, I get the car and they have a- forgotten to add some items I purchased b- missed a large scratch on the door and streaking on the hood during their $1400 PDI/delivery inspection I then had to listen to the delivery specialist read through the manualand make several mistakes in what he was saying. I was then given the satisfaction survey to fill out and pushed to give all high ratings. I was asked to fill it out right in front of the manager. I was totally honest on the survey and handed it right to hin with several low scores where deserved. I then received a letter fro mthe dealership thaning me for the survey..the envelope also contained a breoken pen... Never set foot there since...

  • Rpn453 Rpn453 on Aug 28, 2007

    My last salesman also requested that I give him perfect marks. He didn't give me any special deal and annoyed me by trying hard to sell me fabric protection, undercoating, paint protection, etc. He was just an average salesman, and I rated him as such.

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