| ake your car in for service. The service office is | | | | manufacturers and dealerships have done thousands |
| immaculately clean and resembles a hotel lobby. The | | | | of studies on the impact that driving a new car has on |
| smell of freshly brewed coffee is in the air, and you | | | | future purchases. |
| ask yourself “How come I cannot smell any | | | | 3. Upon your arrival, the car is cleaned for you inside |
| car fumes?” The service manager greets you, | | | | and out. In a time poor society we sometimes find it |
| is well dressed in a neatly pressed shirt and tie, with a | | | | difficult to clean our cars, and the dealership again has |
| name badge. You give him the keys, and he asks you | | | | saved you time and money. |
| “Do, you mind if I go through our 12 Point | | | | 4. When you collect your car, the service manager |
| Service Guarantee?” He then places the form | | | | goes through another script with you of explaining all |
| in front of you, and points his pen next to each of the | | | | the service points that were done to your car. This is |
| guarantees as he explains each one to you. | | | | again to reduce the fear in your mind, that you have |
| You then drive off in the courtesy car. The car is the | | | | received what you paid for. |
| latest model, and it drives fantastically. As you are | | | | 5. The follow up phone call is to gain customer |
| driving it, you say to yourself that this will be your next | | | | feedback on the service. The dealership records all of |
| car. You are phoned later in the day by the service | | | | the information, and discusses it in team meetings. Any |
| manager to tell you the car is ready for pick up. On | | | | issues that are raised are quickly dealt with. |
| you arrival, your car is waiting at the front of the office, | | | | The systems that have been developed by the |
| and has been cleaned inside and out. Before you are | | | | dealership have been well thought out. The systems |
| about to pay, the service manager, goes through all of | | | | have always focused on the customer first, prior to |
| service points that were carried out. You do not even | | | | the needs of the business first. This is always a |
| care about how much the service was because it | | | | challenge for many businesses, as we try to make our |
| was so good. | | | | life easier, instead of the customers, and in doing so, |
| A couple of days later, Suzie, from the customer care | | | | lose a lot of business because we have created |
| department of the dealership gives you a courtesy call. | | | | barriers to make the purchase easier. |
| She asks you a few non-intrusive questions about | | | | Most of the time, these barriers are called |
| your thoughts on the service, the performance of the | | | | ‘procedures’, and these procedures |
| car, or any questions that you may have about the | | | | need to be defined separately from systems. |
| whole experience. The car is working perfectly, and | | | | Procedures are designed to reduce or eliminate any |
| you are totally satisfied by the experience, and you | | | | losses to the business, such as theft, fraud, or anything |
| love the fact that the dealership wanted to know your | | | | to do with the processing of financial transactions or |
| thoughts. | | | | inventory management. Systems are designed to |
| Here is an example of a perfect link between what | | | | either; |
| the dealership had in mind as they were creating the | | | | • Increase sales and profit |
| vision, mission, values, and unique selling proposition for | | | | • Save time |
| their business, and what the customer wants from any | | | | • Improve the quality of service that is given to |
| engagement. Can you see how the dealership has built | | | | the customer |
| a system? | | | | ACTIVATION |
| 1. On your arrival the service staff had uniforms and | | | | 1. Write down one common engagement that you |
| name badges so that you could identify them with | | | | have with a customer that you would like to create a |
| ease. Before they serviced your car, they go though | | | | system for e.g. customer purchase, a refund, a |
| another script – the 12 Point Service Guarantee. | | | | customer complaint, a phone enquiry etc. |
| From all the current affair shows that exposed dodgy | | | | 2. What are the customer’s expectations from |
| car services, consumers have a general fear of being | | | | that engagement? |
| cheated on what they have paid for. This 12 Point | | | | 3. Close your eyes for a moment? Can you visualise |
| Service Guarantee reduces the fear in the purchase, in | | | | how that engagement is carried out? Now write it |
| highlighting that the dealership will deliver on their | | | | down. |
| promise. | | | | 4. Write down step-by-step how the engagement is |
| 2. The courtesy car, that is provided, is also a system. | | | | carried out? List all of the functions of the business |
| It is a marketing system that is designed to get you | | | | that is involved in this system e.g. |
| hooked on the latest model of cars. Car | | | | |