Push Survey

Everybody: Having worked as a mechanic at a Toyota dealership for 6 years, I can tell you the game:

The dealership gains certain priveliges, as well as bragging rights, for having the highest customer satisfaction index.

Most dealerships want to maintain or improve their status. If they contact you about this survey, this is an opportunity for you. If they failed to earn your satisfaction the first time around, and they know what's good for them, they will make it up to you: they should apologize, and offer to right the wrong; including offering some free service items in the future.

I also spent time at the service desk, when we had a screw up, I always apologized, and most people were understanding. I once broke the back window out of a Camry Wagon while the customer was waiting for a warranty repair of his rear wiper! Man, did I have to grovel! Fortunately the customer thought it was hilarious, and he kept a light hearted attitude. Of course we gave the guy a rental car, apologized profusely, waived the oil change charge, and gave it a full detail (wash and wax) before he picked it up a few days later. We got a full "Excellent" rating on our survey, and the customer continued to come see us for all of his service.

If a dealership "shops" you for your potential survey responses, they need to be prepared to go the extra mile and make you happy. If they don't, they deserve the poor rating, and believe me, it will hurt them.

Nate

 

I didn't get a phone call, just a survey. I had no trouble, though.

Perhaps they call people first if they express discontent at the dealership at the time of purchase/service, but if everything seemed to go smoothly, they just send out the survey.

 

I never got a survey, even though my dealer knows that I am delighted with the car, and satisfied with the "buying experience."

In re: those telephone polls, they may be using a minimum-wage employee to make the calls, who is given a script and told to stick to it.

I recently got a political begging call from someone so obviously reading a script that I commented that she must get horribly bored reading that script over and over again. That got a laugh out of her. After I said I would not give money because I thought the candidate was a crook, she read some more script and asked if I would give a lesser amount.