As a follow up to yesterday’s post about being prepared, comes today’s rant about the ignorance of some people. Many car dealerships up here in the great white north don’t have the benefit of a full blown drive through. As a result, the service advisor must head out to the parking lot to get the current mileage off each customer’s car, unless the customer has brought it in with them.
This morning, while dealing with a lineup of customers myself (due to a sick employee) someone commented as I walked past to go get a customer’s mileage that “I don’t understand why they need the mileage, it takes too long”. Of course when it was her turn to be served, not only did she not have an appointment, she didn’t know her mileage. No surprise there. Beatch!
End Rant.
There are several reasons that your chosen service center needs your correct mileage. Of course we need it to correctly advise you as to what service your vehicle is due for. Correct in and out mileage is also needed for warranty documentation if you are servicing at a dealer. The other, less obvious reason is for the protection of the dealership and the customer from unwarranted “road tests”. Let’s face it, on occasion we do come across less than honest individuals on both sides of the counter. I’ve seen employees (managers even) take customers cars for lunch, or even over the weekend. This is inexcusable and having correct mileages protects you from it happening to you. On the other hand, I’ve also had customers come in after a service and blow up because their car had been driven 1000 km since they dropped it off an hour ago. Right! Fast car huh? In that case, Fortunately I had recorded the in & out mileage personally.
Help yourself get good service, record your mileage on the way in and save the service advisor a trip. He will appreciate it & a happy service advisor is much more likely to be on your side.
AHHHH,
I still cannot believe this attitude.
Attention all service customers. Yes, your Service Advisor needs this information so if you feel inclined to, go ahead and bring it in to your advisor. Keep in mind though it’s not your job, it’s the Service Advisors job.
As for the Service Advisor, YOU ARE THERE TO SERVICE THE CLIENT!! Not the other way around. So what if it’s raining, would you rather your client get soaked. Right now its 112 degree’s in southern California and the Advisor’s here have to go out into the weather as well. They don’t want their clients melting do they? Earlier on this blog I read about how Service Departments have gotten a bad reputation. This attitude by Service Advisors toward their clients of “what are you going to do for me” is not helping.
As an Advisor it is your job to service the client. This means going out to the car and getting information off of it, performing a walk-around to identify any pre-existing damage (protects your dealership and your client, and might even turn into an additional sale), and to educate your client as to their needs and how the process works. If that means going out into the rain, snow, heat, whatever that’s what you need to do. Get off your butt and start being a Service Advisor instead of just sitting in your office and being an order taker.
Hopefully the client that made you do your job doesn’t read this blog, I hate to think what calling the source of your paycheck a “Beatch†will do to your CSI.
hey Joe…you’re preaching to the converted man! i agree with you 100% that all of this is an advisor’s job. what i’m actually trying to convey with this series is that the consumer can help themselves get great service. should we as consumer have to do any of this stuff? of course not, but if the consumer works helps out, the advisor will notice. is it correct? no, but it is human nature.