What do you guys and gals think of the dealership surveys?

[weaselz]

What do you guys and gals think of the dealership surveys GM sends out after purchasing a new vehicle? My dealership seems to be obsessed with giving them top marks. Yet I think they've lost the true purpose of good sales and service. Especially service. As I was being walked back to my vehicle I was asked to complete the survey with good marks for the service, although the service wasn't even completed yet. Seems like a lot is riding on these surveys for the dealership, causing the sales and service to decline. just my two cents.

[scooby5121]

I am waiting for atleast a free oil change. Bought 3 new vehicles in one year for wife and kids.

Filled out a dozen surveys. And I get nothing. Salesman told me too his dealership depends on those surveys

[22_AT4]

Same here. They begged me to not only fill out the survey but to give all good remarks. I think the dealers should be reprimanded for asking the customer or in most cases telling the customer how to mark the survey.

[brad519]

Yep. When I bought my truck in September the sales manager and salesman both asked me to do the survey and give them high marks. I said well what if I don't think yall deserve high marks. They just kinda looked at me. I should have said I will mark them all 10 of yall throw in some weather tech floor mats.

[patriot]

Yeah the dealerships really put on the pressure to get good marks. Use it to get everything you can, then tell the truth on the survey.

Edited March 18, 2015 by patriot

[LakeSpeed]

So far, I agree with every comment. I think they are a joke. I know GM puts quite a bit of weight into these were grading dealers. Might be alone here, but when I buy a vehicle, I feel like I am going to war. It's tough for me to feel warm and fuzzy about the interaction with the dealer

[POS VETT]

A lot is riding on that survey. Basically, people working for a dealership could lose their jobs over the survey results. Even the kinds of new vehicle and the amount allowed ride on the survey result.

[Imcrazy]

Its really stupid on GM's part, the surveys should solicit honest feedback, good or bad both are valuable data points but, instead the poor people working at the dealership are so heavily judged on the survey that all they do is push perfect feedback. The dealer I used kinda sucked but, the sales guy was pretty decent and a younger dude starting out in the business so I gave good marks only because I wanted him to get paid.

[ember1205]

The problem with those surveys is that their "intent" is developed by one group, the questions are written by a second, and the answers are interpreted by a third. By the time the results are sent back to the dealership, no one knows what the hell the original question was.

 

At the end of the day, those surveys should not exist the way that they do today. The manufacturer should have a list of Yes/No questions, and not a single one of them should be directly attached to emotion.

 

Did your salesperson pair your bluetooth phone to your vehicle for you? Yes, No, I don't have a BT phone

Did your salesperson introduce you to the Service Manager or the Head Service Writer? Yes No

Were you offered an Extended Warranty? Yes No

 

This is very different from...

 

How happy were you that the salesperson introduced you to the Service Manager? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, They didn't introduce me

 

There is absolutely no point in having survey questions that can be answered as "Positive" or "one of the four variations of negative". If it's a black and white answer they're after, then why do they offer all of those shades of gray and then just call them all "bad"?

 

I sit down with the General Manager and/or the Sales Manager at the end of the delivery process and have an honest talk with them. I tell them what I liked, what I didn't like, what I suggest they consider changing, and what they should definitely never change. Their receptiveness to open, honest feedback determines whether I give them the "passing grade" that they need or not.

Edited March 19, 2015 by ember1205

[weaselz]

I understand the reasoning behind the surveys. And it helps the bean counters make their fancy charts and graphs. It seems like the whole process is so driven by the survey and certain criteria that has to of been met. That makes me feel a little skeptical, and maybe lose a little trust in the dealership. Like in my own situation, I have had the truck in for service after only 3 weeks. And it wasn't a very good experience, and was having an intermittent issue with the lights on my mirrors. I was told to come back when the problem happened more consistently. Yet on my way out the door, the service mngr. says to me that I will be receiving a survey in the mail, please give them a completely satisfied mark. Once again, the survey was the most critical part of our conversation. I got the sense that he truly didn't care what kind of problem I had. Just please fill out the survey.

Edited March 19, 2015 by weaselz

[MikeNH]

The surveys are worth thousands of dollars to the dealer. One bad one can cost a ton of money and kickbacks.

 

And they're not anonymous despite what they may claim.

[Cowpie]

I just filled out the one I got after buying my 2015 2500HD honestly. They got some good marks in many areas, but got stomped on some others. The shop took a real hit from me on the survey. When you can't answer a technical question about my new vehicle, and even when I ask them to check with GM and they don't, and then when they fail to get back with me, then they are going to get the bottom number. But then, dealer shops have a tough hurdle to get over with me anyway. I have grown to loath dealer service departments and refuse to use them except for an obvious warranty issue. But since I haven't had a warranty issue in over 3 decades, that should tell you how many times I have seen a dealer shop outside of when I buy a vehicle.

[MMC]

My dealer actually calls you the day after you visit for any service and tells you to call the service manager directly if you are not completely satisfied. They want you happy before you get the survey from GM. The survey is money from GM and people loose incentive pay and sometimes employment based on the results. I was told a sales manager lost $10k because he pissed off one person.

[ember1205]

My dealer actually calls you the day after you visit for any service and tells you to call the service manager directly if you are not completely satisfied. They want you happy before you get the survey from GM. The survey is money from GM and people loose incentive pay and sometimes employment based on the results. I was told a sales manager lost $10k because he pissed off one person.

 

There are some dealerships that have implemented the right approach. They understand that keeping a customer happy keeps them coming back AND will net them the survey results they want/need.

 

I honestly don't believe that I expect a lot out of my dealer - I expect to be treated fairly, treated with respect, and for my vehicle to be taken care of while under their watch. Mechanics that take their time, use floor mats/gloves/booties/etc. when inside the vehcile, and park your vehicle carefully back on the lot say a LOT about the Service Department. And, let's be honest here... You don't buy a vehicle, a dealership takes your money in the hopes of earning your ongoing service business.

 

While a dealer might make $1500 by selling you the vehice in the first place, they can easily make double that over the life of the vehicle if you bring it to them for maintenance and repairs. I almost ALWAYS feel that I get better pricing on vehicles after I buy the second one from a specific dealer because they realize that I bring them my service dollars as well. And, if I don't bring them service dollars because I don't like the service department, I won't be buying another vehicle from them anyway.

[redwngr]

I want the survey's to also ask me or allow me to comment about GM's part of the sales/order/build/delivery process.