Buying a car is a major purchase, for most people probably second only to buying a property in significance. And just as buying a house and getting a mortgage can be a complex process, so too buying a car brings many variables and intricacies with it.
All of this means that the customer service around making a purchase is critically important. Good service can make the experience smooth and satisfying; poor service can make it frustrating and confusing – and turn a would-be buyer away.
I had experience of this myself at first-hand recently when I decided to trade in my current car and buy a new (used) vehicle in its place. I visited perhaps half a dozen main dealers selling different brands of car. Even as a seasoned customer service professional, I was surprised by the variation in the quality of the experience I received.
Uneven performance
To start at the positive end of the spectrum, some of the dealers I went to were excellent. The sales representatives were friendly and knowledgeable. The cars they showed me were spotlessly clean. They were very happy to let me take as long a test drive as I wanted. They explained the terms of the deal clearly and transparently. They didn’t try to pressure me into a snap decision, but were happy for me to take some time to reflect.
However, at more than one dealership I went to the experience was very different. At one dealer – a distributor for a premium brand of car – it was particularly bad. The sales representative was offhand and unengaged. The car I was shown had not been fully cleaned. I was informed I could only go on a short test drive ‘round the block and back’. By the time we came to discussing the financials of the deal, I had lost interest: the sales representative’s attitude, and the overall sales experience, had already deterred me from buying.
Lessons to be drawn
A number of other key insights arose through my experience. Firstly, the closer the apparent relationship between the car manufacturer and the dealer, the better the experience was. It’s a reminder that the ultimate brand owner – the manufacturer – is or should be actively interested in and take responsibility for the quality of the customer experience when interacting with their brand. Organisations that are serious about customer service will ensure that there is consistency and quality of experience across every touchpoint including all along their distributor networks and supply chains. It is similar in principle to the point I made last month when writing about cyber security and how it is essential for brands to maintain good, trusted relationships with their supply base. How businesses treat their supply chains matters. Those that make it their business to foster good relationships and ensure that consistent standards are applied right across the value chain will reap the benefits.
My experience also underlined the truth that the quality of the customer experience can almost become the deal-breaker in itself. Brands underestimate the importance of service at their peril. In truth, there wasn’t much difference between the makes and models of cars I looked at. They were all of good quality and similar price. The contractual terms were similar. It was the service and the experience I had when interacting with the dealerships that was the main point of difference.
My eventual purchasing decision was made through a combination of the quality of the car, the price and the service I received. But that service wasn’t just a minor part of the process – it really steered me (if you’ll forgive the pun) in a certain direction. Not only that, but it was in the back of my mind that the service I received through the buying process may well reflect the service I would be likely to receive in the future when getting the car serviced or needing to bring it in for repair.
So, another key lesson for organisations is to remember that how they show up for the customer at one point in the journey will influence the customer’s perception of them across the whole end-to-end relationship. Every part of the process matters.
The link between service and price
Finally, one might imagine that the higher the purchase value, the more important price becomes at the expense of service. But in fact, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it is precisely when the purchase price is high that customers really value excellent service to guide them and reassure. This is borne out in our UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) where 31% of customers said they would be willing to pay a little more for excellent service – but relating to automotive in particular, the percentage was even higher (34%). I certainly felt that myself. When you’re about to make a significant financial outlay or commitment, good service gives you confidence in the buying decision you’re making. You also want to feel valued and appreciated as a customer in return for the money you’re spending – something that good customer service inherently implies.
I am now the proud owner of a new vehicle. A good end-to-end customer experience was one of the key factors in my decision, steering me like good signage down the right road!
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