can anyone assist with new ideas how to satisfy customers within a mercedes benz service franchise workshop

Peter,

I think the usual things apply (e.g. be curteous, polite, respectful, etc) but also I think that the luxury car owner is a fairly discerning breed. Mercedes owners are not just buying a Mercedes, they are buying into a piece of exclusivity, and so they will expect a little bit of the 'red carpet' treatment from the service centre.

Does Mercedes not provide guidelines as to levels of service to the franchise? I would have thought that they would seek to retain that 'exclusivity' and feeling of 'family' by ensuring that all customers are treated a little above the norm.

Is there any one particular area your SC is deemed to be 'underperforming' in, or are you just looking to be the best SC in your region?

John

do you do the normal things like providing your customers with a complimentary valet for their cars, or free interim checkups (eg. oil, water, tyres and so on)- these are things that the quality dealer could offer to make the customer service to the Mercedes owner that bit better.

Jim

Hi Peter

Whilst the guys are spot on in general, John hit on the one thing that is underplayed and it's this business about being discerning and the red carpet treatment.

Just as the Merc advertising is 'attempting' to do, please ensurethat you treat every one of the people that are your customers as a UNIQUE individual. Do NOT do the same things for all of them and do NOT approach them all in the same way. What you MUST do is look upon each of them as the individuals they are and treat them appropriately and accordingly differently (lots of ly's there!)

What exactly do I mean here? Lets take something as 'simple' as the way people are addressed. Do you KNOW (not suspect or have an idea but KNOW) how each of your customers like to be addressed? I order to fully differentiate yourself you have to offer a personalised service and a crucial part of that 'service' is the building of relationships and knowing what is individually appropriate.

The people who are your customers need to feel that the service you deliver them (individually) is unavailable elsewhere because you have taken the time and trouble to find out about them as people and are not only recognising their individuality but embracing it - i.e. doing something about it.

This is where you will get your advocacy from, but it does have to be based on at least consistently doing what you say you will do and when etc, and at best doing VERY OCCASIONALLY something 'extra' that is appropriate. For example noticing that one person always has classical music in his CD rack. So, you wrap up a nice CD the type of which he likes and leave it in the car after a big service. Its personalised and hopefully he'll feel touched as it very personalised.

Hope this helps

Regards

David

Hi Peter,

My point of view (on long term results)
I agree to the point that every customer has to be treated as an individual, with respect but..... the first thing a customer wants is not to be found in the policy of free gifts, complimentary valets or free check -ups (I dont say its bad...its nice but its an old story and every customer is used to that policy. Maybe it attracks new customers but its not a guarantee for their loyalty to your company)
To my opinion the main thing a customer wants is that his COMPLAINTS, his comments and remarks are to be handled and solved in a CORRECT, EFFICIENT and QUICK way.Customers dont get angry because there is a problem (better not but it can always happen) but thet get angry and turn away when they are not helped in a right and fast manner.
In other words, guarantee your customers a 200% efficient complaint management and they will buy a car with their mind set at rest.More, they will return for sure to buy again with a peaceful mind.
Weare not allowed to speak seriously about CRM if we do not first respect the complaints of our customers. Listening what customers have to say and handling their questions, comments and complaints effectively is the best way of investing in customers loyalty. After all,'recruting' new customers costs money, but keeping your existing customers means keeping your turnover and furthermore they make good publicity to attract new customers.

Good luck whatever policy you choose for

mr.Ann J.Higuet

Productmanager Smile Software b.v.

a.higuet@smilesoftware.nl
http://www.smilesoftware.nl

Hi Peter,

Welcome to CCV.This is a better place to have your queries answered and well managed. Credit goes to John and team for keeping it simple and informative.

One way to make the other person feel is declare a day of the year as "Customer Day" and that day make each of your team to take an oath to serve your customers better. Send bouquet of flowers to each of your customer with a nice card thanking him for his support. Spend on customers feelings promotion rather than other freebies... It is the time tested way to make the other person know that you care....

Vedula

Being the simple (but provotactive) chap I am, if I were a customer reading this post, what I would see is a focus on me (the customer) for just 1 out of 365 days... so please be aware of the alternate side to 'special' days.

If you don't believe this is possible, try this as a true story. Some years ago I got involved with a product that saved energy by reducing line voltage to lights etc. One of the companies I was selling to asked if it could be used on power circuits too. As they had lots of computers (IBMs) I rang IBM and asked whether their computers could be run at a constant 200v. Their reply was a catogoric NO. My engineering background however disagreed and I couldn't see why not. So I rang again. This time the question was different and I asked, "I'm thinking of shipping IBMs to Africa and I understand the supply voltage fluctuates constantly and often sits at just 200v for weeks. How woul dthis affect the PCs?" The reply was, "No problem sir. Our PCs will work very happily as long as the supply voltage is 190v or above..."

In terms of taking oaths, one might well ask what peoiple are doing in a team if they do not understand that their security is inexorably tied to their making customers feel special.

Forgive me Vedula but the time tested way of people making feel you care is to deliver consistently and do things atht are individyually appropriate. Sending flowers to someone wh0o suffers with bad hayfever is not empathetic.

David

Having said that, what is it you are going to do just one day a year that Lets do something radical here.

David I knew you would react the same way.Look at what we do every year.Celebrate one fathers day, mothers day, independence day and all those days and forget rest of the year.Sending bouquet or cards work for a sick man and not for customers.Is it not apparent that our way of celebrating milestones and historic events is flawed?

I sent the post with a genuine reason.If not throughout the year at least one day probably the enterprise may remember the person responsible for its survival.

David, is it not true taht each and every organization starts a call centre not to improve customer satisfaction but to reduce costs?It is the same everytime...cost reduction and profitability the only two terms decision makers and bankers understand. Tell the bank that I have not improved on my profits but have increased satisfaction levels and hence increase my credit limit.Well, the banker will reject you.

Somehow we are all doing the same mistake again and again. We will learn our lessons when the customer does defect.We fail to put in place measures which ensure that satisfaction and profitability go hand in hand,instead we cut costs, bring in automation and create havoc by ignoring the ONLY TRUE BUSINESS ASSET- THE CUSTOMER.
Vedula
ps:David, you did not reply to my earlier request to you on my website.

I do not believe humanitie's method of celebrating milestones and historic events is flawed at all! There is a HUGE difference between what is a single annual event and one we should be paying attention to every minute of every day because our sucurity and happiness depend upon it. It is all about appropriateness - once again!

Vedulas you are right. There are indeed some people who set up call centres with the specific aim of trying to improve service. However, every one of them ALSO seesit as an opportunity to improve service levels AND reduce costs. I have yet to see that utilising conventional management KPIs.

Regarding you premis about improving satisfaction levels but not sales. Quite simply you are wrong dear chap. I know where you are coming from and it is based on what I term STANDARD customer satisfaction models which, as you by now fully know, CANNOT actually measure satisfaction.

By improving TRUE satisfaction levels you WILL improve profitability.

We, the Customer Experience Company, are so sure of this that we give a cast iron MONEY BACK guarantee ... We haven't paid back a single penny yet which must prove something GRIN

My friend I agree wholeheartedly with your last comment. Business is stuck with a particular 'satisfaction' paradigm that has the same people running around in the same frustrated frenzy every year doing exactly the same as they did last year but desperately hoping something will have changed...

If they would just give us a call their life would be forever positively changed ...

David

David doesnt believe humanitie's method of celebrating milestones and historic events is flawed !
Is there a difference between what is a single annual event and one we should be paying attention to !!!!"every minute of every day because our sucurity and happiness depends upon it"!!!!!.

But are we aware what we are talking about here...only about 32 % of the American and European population knows there is a special international AIDS or UNICEF day in a year...
what would be the rating for the Day of Customers ? Maybe 68 % of the customers wouldnt know its their happy C -day or worse they are not interested?!!

Maybe pretty provocative....I read you soon

ann

Hi Ann,

The only way I can reply to you is "If Knowledge is expensive then try ignorance". A customer is not bothered whether you care for him or not is somewhat difficult to digest. As long as the "EXPERIENCE" remains in his memory he will certainly bother.

Vedula

Ann

I am sorry if you took my comments personally, they were certainly not meant that way.

I do take your point but please try to see mine. This is a forum for business, and business exists to maximise profitability - even in the case of charities; otherwise they could not maximise their giving to their chosen causes...

What I refer to here is the need to acknowledge Maslow's security issue. Whilst I whole heartedly agree with you that the issues you raise are very important in the wider context, they do not have the same level of urgency for individuals who are busy try to survive right now!

Survival is a basic human trait and a biological necessity, individual security comes first, collective survival much later and collective enhancement even later still.

With very few exceptions (and I'm proud to say Jo my partner is one) this means we each look after ourselves before looking out for others.

Your stats of 32% etc seem to bear out my thesis. My guess is that, if you assessed people's individual feelings of security you'd probably get approx 30% of respondants in the countries you mention answering that they felt secure.

In terms of the celebration of historic events etc I'm sure you'll agree that what we have to do is put these things into perspective. Whilst the past in incredibly invaluable, it is past, it has gone. Our obligation is to ensure we learn from the past and not dwell upon it. Remember, it's only the future we can do anything about.

Kind regards

David

Dear David and Vedula,

David hits the target by stating "individual security comes first, collective survival much later and collective enhancement even later still".

That is just my point.....every individual customer is not interestedin something special to honour " the Group Customers". For the individual customer the GROUP "Customers" remains abstract. So the only correct way is indeed ideed by treating every individual customer as unique...but we knew that allready :)

And David, dont worry i didnt take your comments personally, I just only tried to provoke an asnwer.

Best regards from The Netherlands,

ann

Ann wrote:

"the only correct way is indeed ideed by treating every individual customer as unique...but we knew that allready :)"

A great maxim to operate by, but alas rare inthis business. If only every company were willing and able to do business with that as their 'mission statement'.

I think a lot of the problems associated with this industry is the underlying feeling in most customers that the whole point of the use of call centres is to remove such individualistic 'traits' from the customer contact 'front lines'. To be treated as a 'press 1 for this, 2 for that' drone is a big step backwards from the concept of a personal and individual service from a customer service agent who cares.

John

I read a story which really inspired me way back in 1990 and I decided that Customer Services was going to be my career. I think it is very relevant to you, Peter, and it clearly demonstrates the ROI of well planned and delivered Customer Service.

If it works for you, then you owe me a spin in one of the new models the next time I am in your part of the world. Not very likely, since you have not visited this site since last summer.

For all the rest of you on this page, the link is http://www.inc.com/incmagazine/archives/09900491-print.html.