Dealer service survey - fixing the numbers

OK, so yesterday I submitted one of those online surveys to rate the dealer for service. I had a few minor interior bits fixed before the 36K part of the warranty ran out. The scores I gave the dealer weren't bad, but many were in the middle of the range ("somewhat agree", "neither agree nor disagree" etc). They had forgotten to call me when a part came in, so I had to call and keep asking. They were OK to deal with but not particularly friendly. I noted on the survey that I might go back for service there again.

 

Today I get a call from the service manager at the dealer. Subaru contacted him about the scores in the survey, and said that my responses changed their customer service ranking (wtf? from one survey?). He said he would send out a new survey to me, and asked me to resubmit the survey with better scores.

 

I said I wouldn't do it. In response, the service manager says "Do me a favor. Don't bring your car here again. Find another dealer."

 

The dealer shall remain nameless... but was I being a d!ck for not going along with this? It seems to me that if they get a survey response they don't like, maybe they should look to their SERVICE DEPT for the problem. Or just suck it up and deal. Their service ranking is not my problem.

 

Needless to say I'm not filling out any more surveys for Subaru.

i think soa should know about this dealers attitude

I've heard of this happening one other time on here. What's the point of it being a survey, if you are supposed to give them top marks when they don't deserve it?! I thought surveys were supposed to help businesses get a better idea of what they need to work on.

 

It's pretty shady that they called you and asked to give them a better score. Is that legal?

 

It's pretty shady that they called you and asked to give them a better score. Is that legal?

 

that is bad that they called you and went about it like they did. legal, yes as far a Laws and stuff go. does SOA want it to happen that way, no.

 

SOA does have a program where we can issue another survey to customers. it is SUPPOSED to be to those that might have not understood some of the wording, maybe the husband filled it out and the wife is the one that actually came in for service, etc. things like that.

 

the re-issue of a survey is not to make the customer give a better survey because the service manager doesnt like the first one's results. Some places pay a big bonus to be in certain segment scores for surveys. it may have put him back of where his bonus hits which would be why he was upset.

Also each survey is linked to a particular service visit, your answers should only relate to that particular service visit. There are 3 questions that rate the service advisor directly, if those are low the service advisor is in trouble. That's probably why he was requesting your to complete a recovery survey that only has 2 questions. It basically asks if you were contacted by the dealership regarding the bad survey, and how you felt about the dealership after you were contacted.

Yes it is legal to call you about it, but it isn't a manufacturer prefered thing to do. THey technically have the right not to service you car also (again the manufacturer doesn't like it when they do this either). Pretty much the dealer strong armed you when you refused to give them the marks they wanted. Unless they are really a small dealer and don't service that many cars one survey shouldn't sink them. Definately send an email/call to SOA telling them about what that dealer tried.

To the OP, do you mind at least posting the general vicinity of where this dealership is? I used to frequent on in LI, and they were top notch in the service department!

 

X

instead of fixing the issue, they want to be heavy handed and tell you to cheat for them to get better scores. that's the reason their scores are probably crap to begin with, and will never approve if they don't get some personnel with better attitudes.

Yes it is legal to call you about it, but it isn't a manufacturer prefered thing to do. THey technically have the right not to service you car also (again the manufacturer doesn't like it when they do this either). Pretty much the dealer strong armed you when you refused to give them the marks they wanted. Unless they are really a small dealer and don't service that many cars one survey shouldn't sink them. Definately send an email/call to SOA telling them about what that dealer tried.

 

 

one survey could sink them. it isnt really based on how many cars they survey. they can service 1000 cars a month with warranty repairs, but if only 10 people get or turn in surveys, it makes each survey that much more impt.

To the OP, do you mind at least posting the general vicinity of where this dealership is? I used to frequent on in LI, and they were top notch in the service department!

 

X

 

+1.

Honestly, I would have said to him, after he pushed me, sure I will take another survey.

 

Then I would have proceeded to give them a review fitting for that phone call, a even worse review.

 

Sometimes people amaze me and not in a good way.

We always get letters from our dealer requesting that we give them good scores. WTF?

 

I was once treated really poorly by a guy at my local dealership so I called SoA to complain. 10 minutes later the dealer called me and yelled at me for calling Subaru.

that's just a shit load of ****. it makes no sense. as mentioned before, there is no point for them to issue the survey if they will cry over what you rate them to be. if they want better scores, you should get something out of it that isn't something in the lines of "we won't intention screw you over or put a huge dent in your car".

i just recently filled my survey out and didnt' rate the place too well. it was the owner of the dealership that made it bad.

This dealer is north of the Long Island Expressway. I actually started going there based on some positive feedback on these boards.

 

Thanks to all for the feedback. Time to find a different dealer for service...

Wow very interesting. I've never been contacted by my dealer to fill out a survey ever.

Wow that's crazy. I've never had my dealer be so rude about it like that. However, they usually mention that I may get a survey about my visit and ask me to give them a call to discuss any issues before sending it in if I feel like I can't give them a top rating on all the questions.

I have been sent a fiew surveys in the past and filled them all out. I had 1 time that the service was so so, and got a survey from it. I got a call from the service manager the next day asking if I understood all the questions and then asked what they could do to make it right for that service and for future services. The only thing that was wrong on that service was that it took 1 1/2 hours for an oil change. But the they were also remodeling as well, so it wasn't a big deal and didn't have anything going on that day as well. But they made it right for me though and on the next service I got a survey again and everything was steller for the service and gave them the responses they deserved

I say report the incident to SOA//maybe they'll give you some suby bucks or a hat or something

Wow...what a load of BS. Why not tell everyone what dealer it is? They could have at least tried to reason with you and try to make good on it. I say screw them and tell everyone what dealer it is. They just demonstrated why they got a bad survey.

+1

Honestly, I would have said to him, after he pushed me, sure I will take another survey.

 

Then I would have proceeded to give them a review fitting for that phone call, a even worse review.

 

Sometimes people amaze me and not in a good way.

 

I would have done exactly the same thing and photocopied the survey and sent it directly to HQ.

I have filled out surveys for Ford and Mazda dealerships, but never one for Subaru. I've had dealerships call me to ask what they could do to make the experience better, one even offered a free oil change and treated me like the owner's nephew when I came in --- then asked me to do another survey.

 

At least they weren't heavy handed about it, but SOA and other manufacturers should know that these things are heavily manipulated by dealerships. The only way they will get good data is if the manufacturer sends the survey out, but the dealership never gets to see who filled it out - only the aggregate responses... something like "Only 73% of your customers felt extremely satisfied."

 

Linking surveys to particular customers and letting the dealer handle the responses is irresponsible. The last survey I got was from my University (I just graduated in May). They said it was "confidential" and I poured my heart out - good and bad - then at the end they asked me what my dissertation topic was (it's as good as a signature), so I threw the damn thing out... Maybe your service manager went to the same college I did!

Honestly, I would have said to him, after he pushed me, sure I will take another survey.

 

Then I would have proceeded to give them a review fitting for that phone call, a even worse review.

 

Exactly.

 

I would definitely contact SOA to let them know how this dealer operates. It's just stupid, in so many ways, it's mind-boggling.

^YEP

 

Definitely tell SOA. This dealership needs to be reigned in. If a positive survey means so much to them they should be treating every customer in an A+ fashion. I understand things happen and forgetting to call you when your part came in can be an easy thing to miss. But if they want to be remembered for great service they should have offered you a free oil change or discount on the part or something to make up for them dropping the ball.

 

When I bought my car (Gerald Subaru) the salesman and his manager both informed me several times (to the point where it was obnoxious) that I would be receiving a survey and to please score them well because it really matters. When I received the survey I gave them almost all high marks because I really did receive excellent service. I want to say there was a place on the survey that asked if you felt pressured to fill it out or pressured to buy something additional was the only thing I marked down for.

 

In short, I think you did the right thing by sticking to your guns. The dealer should have treated you better if they wanted top marks. Its rude how they strong armed you. I agree though, never return to that dealer again. I wouldnt trust them near my car anymore.

I would have accepted, then put ALL bad then in additional notes, I would tell SOA how the Dealer wanted me to change my answers.