Like most people, I loathe the car-buying experience. I have purchased a handful of automobiles in my life and while I’ve never enjoyed the process, the frustration my wife and I endured buying our first “family car” (a minivan) in 2008 took things to a whole other level. Unfortunately, our interactions with the dealership have increased in frequency in the subsequent years because of repeated issues with the car. Their gross incompetence, poor customer service, and rude behavior never cease to amaze.
As I sat in the service area today awaiting a loaner car after dropping off my car to have the failed electrical system repaired for the third time in 3 weeks, I couldn’t help but chuckle when I spotted the following sign:
I was hardly surprised to discover that they were merely using their Facebook page, Twitter account and self-proclaimed “blog” as new mediums through which canned sales promotions could be force-fed to the public. While driving home I suddenly flashed back to the now infamous “United Breaks Guitars” YouTube video from 2009. I was tempted to produce my own variation of the video, entitled “Chrysler Dealer Breaks my Spirit,” as I couldn’t even muster up the energy to ask for a manager and voice my complaints for the umpteenth time. However, I then remembered that I don’t have much of a voice and taping the car’s electrical system failure while driving was probably not the best idea. I therefore settled for the significantly less creative and time consuming approach of sending the following two tweets:
http://twitter.com/#!/CutlerDave/status/75631971228856320
http://twitter.com/#!/CutlerDave/status/75632307331022848
Having vented all of that, I’d like to use this as a teachable moment by illustrating how those two tweets created an opportunity that Clark & White’s competitors could capitalize on fairly easily. A quick search informs me that two Chrysler dealerships within a 10 mile radius of my house (@lawlesscjd & @BrighamGillCJD) are on Twitter. By monitoring any mentions of their closest competitors, these dealerships could unearth unsatisfied customers such as myself that are ripe for the picking with minimal effort. Given the unrelenting aggravation I’ve experienced in my dealings with Clark & White, the slightest hint of customer service and friendliness from a competitor would result in me joyfully jumping ship without looking back.
Do you have a social media-based customer service or sales experience to share? I’d love to hear from you.
Dave, I feel your pain. The tweets from yesterday regarding your latest setback brought back all sorts of memories of bad auto ailments I had over the years. It was ironic you had these issues when you did…because my current dealer (who has proven to be very capable overall) was simultaneously sending me a voice mail message singing happy birthday to me! The owner of the dealership actually sang happy birthday. Admittedly it was a) not live and b) not personalized but somewhere someone has the date in their database and I got an auto-generated well wishes message as a result. You opened my eyes as to the potential of Twitter and social media in general as to competitors being able to monitor negative feedback. That old saying of no one ever spreads the word you’re good but if you mess up 25 people will hear about it…our various forms of communication have made it much, much easier to both praise and punish. Hope things go better with the auto! Bruce aka sportsattitudes
Bruce,
Thanks for the response. I like the effort by your dealership’s owner. It humanizes them if nothing else.
At this point I’d settle for one that actually returned my phone calls, didn’t lie to me and showed a modicum of kindness….
Dave
Dave, I’m in the process of doing a post on my lifeattitudes site which you might find enjoyable and “relevant.” Please check it out in an hour or so…would also like you to follow me on Twitter at @lifeattitudestw. My site there can use some fans – non-sports stuff…real life/not games. Thanks, Bruce
Bruce,
Done and done.
Thanks,
Dave