A Tale of two suburban car dealers

I've been lax in posting. Frankly, I'm busy and when I'm not busy, I write other things. In other words, it needs to be important to me to post here, important enough to want it available to others even in the absence of others.

I've had a couple of those experiences over the last year. One I'm still processing how to address and make sense of such, apparently contagious, hubris--that one will come later. The other is just merely annoying but goes to the heart of why many business owners look up and can't figure out why things are going the way they are:

Background: I know cars and the car business. I'm in marketing, advertising and PR. Not just cars, but that is one of my favorite verticals. It's a passionate purchase by most people so the ability to get creative (if allowed to develop a great strategy) is just a lot of fun for me. When I shop for cars and when I shop for service, I pretend to be everyone else. I pretend I'm not nearly as well versed on the inner workings of the car itself AND the dealership or service center as I really am.

This week, I needed the 30K mile service on my Acura TSX. (I love my car.) I bought my car from a dealer about 70 miles from my house, passed two other dealers to get there. My family knows the dealer pretty well and it was my second purchase from the store. I'll drive to buy, but generally not for service. That's changed.

I took my car into a "nearer to me" dealer. (I'll let them remain nameless, but trust me, the survey won't be positive and pretty well everyone I know, knows the entire story, names of the guilty included.) Right off the bat, the service advisor asked if I knew who did my last oil change. I played dumb (I knew) and said no. She "advised me" that they'd over-torqued the bolts on the splash pan underneath my car, they would have to rip the pan to change the oil and it's a $300 repair.

In the immortal words of Texans before me, "This ain't my first rodeo." I politely declined and took my car back. The next day, I drove the 70 miles to the dealer from whom I purchased the car. No problems with the splash pan, they completed the 30K service and a $25 oil change for $25! They appreciated me coming in from so far away, discounted my service overall and actually made me feel like a customer they'd like to keep. Gosh, I think they'd like for me to spend $100 a few times a year, for several years, with a purchase every three to four, than to bleed me when my nose hits the door, never to see me again.

Guess what? I'm not any different than any other customer. They WILL continue to see me. Dealer "X" with the $300 oil change? I'll make sure to avoid and keep those I care about from being ripped off. I've already told several people it's worth the drive to my preferred dealer. If one department treats me poorly, another department will never have the chance to do the same.

The best marketing strategy, a perfect media buy, the most clever creative and a flawless execution will NEVER be able to overcome poor service and execution on the floor. Courtesy, respect, doing a good job, making it right when you slip are all part of the mix--in any business. Some get it. Many do not. I'm like everyone else, I'll spend my time and money, both personally and professionally with those that do.