BMW Dealers Face The Death Star
Dealerships are a pain in the neck. The salesman tries to convince you that they’re your friend (when you know damn well they want as much money as they can squeeze out of you), getting warranty work out of them is sometimes a nightmare and, if you’re buying used, you don’t know what the car has been through. You can write a letter of complaint, but will that really help*? You may get a discounted service as compensation, but will anything REALLY change? Well, BMW wants to shake the dealership experience up a bit. In the customers’ favor.
Contracthireandleasing.com reports that BMW and Mini dealerships across the UK have launched a new customer service system that allows every customer to rate their dealership experience on a five star scale. The system also includes a facility for the customer to leave feedback comments which are posted on the dealer’s website. OMG, eBay scores for BMW dealers? “We are committed to providing the very best service for our customer and believe that this level of openness and transparency is not only desirable but essential,” said Tim Abbott, Managing Director of BMW UK.
Customers will be given a unique code, specific to a particular sales or service experience and will be invited to assign a star rating (out of five) and make comments. The comments and ratings will stay on the dealer’s website for 90 days and will be available to anybody who visits the site. For a dealer to score five stars, they have to achieve a stellar rating between 95 and 100 per cent satisfaction. One star means satisfaction is below 20 percent. That dealer shouldn’t get a star, he should be handed a gun with one round in the chamber.
The system has been trialed by BMW and Mini since January 2010. “This is a brave decision,” said Tim Abbott, “There is no hiding place in a retail environment displaying this kind of transparency. But I am confident that our dealers truly understand the importance of satisfied customer. For those who are not yet rated with four to five stars it will drive their future performance and deliver a more focused customer culture.” Translation: sloppy dealers will get an arse-kicking.
Incidentally, a system already exists for the United States. In researching this article I found a website which does rate dealers across the country. The problem with those is that ANYBODY can post feedback on there. Even if you’ve never been to the dealership. A bit like the NHTSA database. Or Dontdatehimgirl.com .
More by Cammy Corrigan
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Wow. I'm so impressed. As mentioned, now you will be further pressured and hassled on this stuff. And I'm sure NO BMW/MINI dealer will ever offer little "exchanges" for this stuff. I've heard of free oil changes when you submit your survey, or even things where they want you to fill it out on the spot in front of someone in exchange for a free set of mats, or said oil change (I assume so they can guide your answers for you....or change your answers after you leave). And also, for anonymous, sure have heard a lot of people who end up contacted by their dealer (the irony of a reviewer giving bad scores then being harassed for not giving top marks is pretty funny). Lastly, this is still a system that is open to interpretation, yet treated by BMW as an absolute with zero wiggle room. Ask 10 different people what it takes to get a "perfect" or a "5" and you might get 10 different answers. One might expect $100 on the front seat, another something fixed that the owner hadn't noticed, and another just wants the car done right and washed, while another customer doesn't want his car run through the wash. It really isn't quite right to put so much pressure on a dealer for scoring that is up to the customer to judge. They are dumb systems. I like the comment about the law firm. If people keep coming back with their business, chances are they're satisfied. Doesn't mean you can't improve, but really, that's the best judge. I just know too many dealers with too many service awards that have been wretched all-around. Bad sales, bad service. Its especially the case when there is no other competition in the area. Say a BMW dealer that is 300 miles from the next BMW dealer. they got a monopoly!
At least they're trying