Dealer's treat for a good survey
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
If the dealer gave me good service I gave a good rating. If not I would not. My feedback is not for sale it is earned. The MB dealer I used was probably had the best service dept of any brand vehicle I have bought in the past 40 yrs. I wish others would follow their example. They did however earn my positive feedback.
Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 216
Likes: 3
From: South East
2017 CLS550, 2016 HD Roadglide (120ST), 1972 Super Beetle
If the dealer gave me good service I gave a good rating. If not I would not. My feedback is not for sale it is earned. The MB dealer I used was probably had the best service dept of any brand vehicle I have bought in the past 40 yrs. I wish others would follow their example. They did however earn my positive feedback.
MBWorld God!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 3,916
From: on my way
2012 CLS63
sketch...........they're all sketchy........
so many motives that we do not know........to make as much money as they can..........
yes, it's the American way, but I'd rather make a living in a different way.......not to mention working 12 hour days would suck!
so many motives that we do not know........to make as much money as they can..........
yes, it's the American way, but I'd rather make a living in a different way.......not to mention working 12 hour days would suck!
Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 216
Likes: 3
From: South East
2017 CLS550, 2016 HD Roadglide (120ST), 1972 Super Beetle
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 320
Likes: 6
From: DFW
2 2001 E320s, 2005 E320 4Matic
Dealers offer perks because if a customer survey is not straight 10's it is a failing survey. Regardless of service, pre delivery etc, this comes back on the salesman, and the dealership looses money from the manufacturer.
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 342
Likes: 83
From: SOUTHWEST OHIO
2016 E350 2015 ML250 2002 Z06 CORVETTE
Auto manufacturers, Mercedes included, usually have a number of programs that equal dollars where CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) is a qualifying factor. I have seen programs where literally hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake for a high volume dealer.
Satisfied customers are far less likely to respond to surveys than unsatisfied customers. When a customer experiences a product problem in the first thirty days of ownership, regardless of how well the dealer responds, a negative survey most likely follows. To off-set a negative survey, a large number of positive ones need to be generated. As a result, dealers often resort to "bribery" to prod the satisfied customer to actually take the time to respond to surveys.
From experience, I can assure you that no matter how good a sales and service experience the dealer delivers, some form of survey management will result in a higher CSI score.
Satisfied customers are far less likely to respond to surveys than unsatisfied customers. When a customer experiences a product problem in the first thirty days of ownership, regardless of how well the dealer responds, a negative survey most likely follows. To off-set a negative survey, a large number of positive ones need to be generated. As a result, dealers often resort to "bribery" to prod the satisfied customer to actually take the time to respond to surveys.
From experience, I can assure you that no matter how good a sales and service experience the dealer delivers, some form of survey management will result in a higher CSI score.
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Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, FL
2014 E250 BlueTec
While I agree dealers soliciting "good reviews" is somewhat tacky, because good reviews should be earned not bought, the problem is almost anyone who has any dissatisfaction with the car or the dealer service almost always makes a point or goes out of their way to register their dissatisfaction. Those who are happy with the product and the service are less likely to respond to surveys.
If the dealer does not get enough good surveys to offset those who are unhappy, the tally may not reflect the true picture. Remember that old saying, something about "one happy customer will tell others, but an unhappy one will tell hundreds".
If a dealer sells 40 cars a month, there is a good chance 20 of the customers will not even bother with the surveys, UNLESS they are unhappy. Out of the remaining 20 customers if two people are unhappy because the dealer dropped the ball or failed to meet the customer expectations you can be rest assured they will send in their surveys. The dealer needs at least two good surveys to neutralize the two unhappy ones. Never mind the fact the 38 of the 40 customers are relatively happy with everything. So what do the dealers do? They go begging for or incentivizing happy customers to send in a favorable survey.
I am no longer in the business, so this is not self serving as it may have been some years back.
One thing we can all do is, if you are happy with your dealer and your service department please send in your surveys and respond to the email or phone inquiries however redundant they may appear. Your dealer needs your help if you are going to be part of weeding out the bad dealers and rewarding the good ones.
If the dealer does not get enough good surveys to offset those who are unhappy, the tally may not reflect the true picture. Remember that old saying, something about "one happy customer will tell others, but an unhappy one will tell hundreds".
If a dealer sells 40 cars a month, there is a good chance 20 of the customers will not even bother with the surveys, UNLESS they are unhappy. Out of the remaining 20 customers if two people are unhappy because the dealer dropped the ball or failed to meet the customer expectations you can be rest assured they will send in their surveys. The dealer needs at least two good surveys to neutralize the two unhappy ones. Never mind the fact the 38 of the 40 customers are relatively happy with everything. So what do the dealers do? They go begging for or incentivizing happy customers to send in a favorable survey.
I am no longer in the business, so this is not self serving as it may have been some years back.
One thing we can all do is, if you are happy with your dealer and your service department please send in your surveys and respond to the email or phone inquiries however redundant they may appear. Your dealer needs your help if you are going to be part of weeding out the bad dealers and rewarding the good ones.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,677
Likes: 3
From: California
i535
For board members who have kids at school. A student gets A if he/she did all assignments just right. So how to earn A+? Do something above, some extra. So my question is exactly like that, you give a dealer A, and dealer wants A+, so what dealer does to earn it?
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, FL
2014 E250 BlueTec
I think most dealers will be happy getting an A as long as the teacher remembers to grade the kid.
If the teacher(s) only report the kid's failures, we will never know what the child is doing in school. If anything.
I hope my point wasn't lost. As long as customers who think their dealers did a good job are as diligent in reporting that are those customers are reporting a dealer doing below par job most dealers can live with that. That would be a fair representation of the dealers overall performance. If only those who are unhappy responded to the surveys, the dealer will look far worse than he/she maybe.
Just like an election. You know when you are standing in line to cast your vote, there is someone in front of you or behind you who WILL cancel your vote.
I do agree. The dealers who simply do their job, or do a good job do not deserve an A PLus. Only those dealers who "meet and exceed the expectations" are worth of that lofty score.
If the teacher(s) only report the kid's failures, we will never know what the child is doing in school. If anything.
I hope my point wasn't lost. As long as customers who think their dealers did a good job are as diligent in reporting that are those customers are reporting a dealer doing below par job most dealers can live with that. That would be a fair representation of the dealers overall performance. If only those who are unhappy responded to the surveys, the dealer will look far worse than he/she maybe.
Just like an election. You know when you are standing in line to cast your vote, there is someone in front of you or behind you who WILL cancel your vote.
I do agree. The dealers who simply do their job, or do a good job do not deserve an A PLus. Only those dealers who "meet and exceed the expectations" are worth of that lofty score.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 160
From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Sometimes
One reason why I am looking at a competive make for my next vehicle.
Completed a survey on a national lawn maintenance company a couple of months ago. Gave the local company ZERO's and franchise owner called me in 15 minutes and came to house next day to check out lawn. Only contact with him in six years.
