ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702100003
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: TOM ANBLEBERGER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
For car dealerships in the competitive New River Valley market, "customer service" is more than a buzzword.
Increasingly, it has become the main focus of their business - a way to win repeat customers and gain an edge over their automotive rivals.
"Customer service means more than the deal sometimes," says Ken Martin, president of New River Pontiac-GMC Truck-Nissan in Christiansburg. "You've got to have repeat business. You've got to go the extra mile."
Dealerships are finding that not only do customers expect that extra mile, but so do the manufacturers.
Many manufacturers are using a Customer Satisfaction Index to chart exactly what the customers thought of their experience at a specific dealership. The manufacturer and the dealership both pay close attention to the survey results.
"When a customer is unhappy, we hear about it almost immediately," says Gary Smith, the automotive customer representative at Shelor in Christiansburg, the largest auto dealership in the valley. The manufacturer not only makes the dealership aware of any problem, it follows up to make sure that problem has been solved.
The dealership considers customer service so important that Smith's salary is partly based on its customer survey results. Creating a special customer service department was expensive for Shelor, but it was worth it to keep customers loyal, says Smith, who does everything from helping customers with paperwork to delivering cars to people's homes - even in North Carolina.
With many families owning three or more cars, repeat business is increasingly important to both manufacturers and dealerships who would like the family to buy all three cars from them.
At Thompson Chrysler-Plymouth in Radford, all employees have gone through special corporate training called "CustomerOne."
It appears to be working, says corporate secretary Angela Jones. Based on surveys from sales and service customers, Chrysler awarded the dealership a five-star rating.
"We are now more customer-oriented," says Jones. "From getting [the customer] a cup of coffee in the morning to making sure their car is done right the first time."
While a cup of coffee or pleasant smile are highly visible signs of customer service, there are a lot of things the customer may never notice.
Gerald Duncan, manager of Holiday Ford-Mazda on the busy U.S. 460 Bypass, says everything from new computer systems to extended evening hours is part of keeping customers happy.
Computer technology has been advancing rapidly, both at the dealership and at the manufacturer. Duncan says that now technicians at Ford plants can help local dealerships fix cars quickly and correctly by using diagnostic software over a computer network.
The computer network also helps speed up repairs by pinpointing replacement parts. When the car's serial number is typed into the network, the computer can tell the technician exactly which parts were installed on that car in the factory.
"They've really come up with some good computer systems," says parts clerk Scott Janney. He says the ability to pinpoint the exact part needed makes repairs faster and more accurate. Janney also says computer networks allow for faster communication of news from Ford.
"The factories seem to care a lot more than they used to," says Duncan. "They're doing a lot more for the customer." However, a lot of the task of keeping the customer happy still falls to the local dealership.
Like some other dealerships, Holiday Ford's service department uses service advisers. These employees are a link between the customer and the technician. Customers are scheduled to arrive at intervals so the adviser can take time to listen to the customer's concerns.
"If a customer has a problem, we want them to show us the problem," says Parts and Service Director Glenn McGhee. He says the service adviser can take the time to look at the car with the customer and verify the problem.
Then the service adviser can help the technician make sure the problem gets fixed.
"He [the service adviser] follows that thing through until the customer picks [it] up," says McGee, adding that the service adviser will also help if the customer has any concerns about his bill.
Duncan says that many other things fit into the customer service picture. For example, new paint booths in the body shop save time, improved warranties on some repairs and parts save money and extended hours make getting the car in and out of the shop more convenient for customers who work from 9 to 5.
All these things have added up for Holiday Ford, which received a Dealer Achievement Award for customer service from Ford in June. The award is based on a combination of customer surveys, manufacturer's requirements and employee certification.
"It all comes down to this," says Duncan. "The sales department sells the first car, but the service department sells all the rest."
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM STAFF. 1. Glen McGhee, parts and serviceby CNBdirector at Holiday Ford-Mazda in Blacksburg, uses service adivsers
as a link between the customer and the technicians. "If a customer
has a problem, we want them to show us the problem," said McGhee.
color.