Engagement or Estrangement: You Pay the Price for Staff Blunders

It’s interesting how often the television series Men of a Certain Age — currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Max — comes up in conversations with auto dealers.

For them, it’s almost like their own version of the cult mockumentary comedy This is Spinal Tap. A lot of the show focuses on a family-owned Chevrolet dealership. Dealers I know can’t help but chuckle at scenes where salespeople kick off their shoes during test drives, ask customers to run errands, or fumble through dealing with difficult customers.

But maybe it’s time to stop laughing.

If you read our recent article from Urban Science, you know the usual suspects behind declining vehicle sales — affordability, gas prices, service costs and insurance rates. But here’s another factor I’d add to the list: ignoring the customer.

It’s surprising how many dealers spend thousands on software and training yet overlook the simple step of employing a mystery shopper to find out what customers really experience when management isn’t around.

The Usual Visit

When I visit dealerships in my role as WardsAuto retail editor, I’m usually dressed in business casual, ready to meet with general managers, service directors and other key team members. Almost always, a well-dressed employee (shirt and tie for men or career-style slacks and blouses for women) greets me with a smile and a handshake.

I’m sure you’ve had similar visits to your stores, whether from media, consultants, trainers or franchise reps. The experience is typically polished: beverages are offered, introductions are made, and the dealership’s wins are highlighted.

But I haven’t done a “mystery shopping” visit in a while. That’s when I go in unannounced, check out the cars on the showroom floor, chat with customers and even spend time in the service waiting area.

On this occasion, I decided to visit eight dealerships from two medium-sized Arizona groups I’d never stopped by before (and no, I won’t name them). I dressed casually but nicely, greeted everyone with a smile and spent at least 30 minutes at each store.

With my dad’s background in the car business, I know Saturdays are prime time for dealerships, so I chose a late-morning, early-afternoon slot.

One Saturday Afternoon

To get straight to the point: even though I made sure to smile and chat with everyone I saw, I felt invisible. At one dealership, a hurried employee briefly slowed his gallop to ask if I needed help. He seemed relieved when I said, “No, thanks.”

If you think this isn’t happening at your dealership, you may want to take a closer look.

I visited both mass-market and luxury dealers and got pretty much the same treatment across the board.

The one exception? A VW dealership. “Welcome!” said a cheerful young man, sitting on a folding chair in the 104-degree heat. “Would you like some water?” He handed me a bottle, and when I said I was just waiting for a friend, he opened the showroom door and invited me to come in and stay cool.

Observations and Suggestions

Here’s what I found at the other stores, along with some simple suggestions you may want to consider to improve the customer experience —

Problem: Customers were grumbling by the vending machines. One said, “You pay $40,000 for a car, and they can’t even give you a cold drink.”

Possible Fix: While you may not want to offer unlimited free drinks, you could reserve a stash of cold beverages for actual customers. One employee should be responsible for them during each shift, and they can account for them like petty cash.

Problem: Some stores had greeters, but they didn’t greet me. At one, the greeter was busy scrolling through his mobile phone and didn’t acknowledge me until I’d stood at the desk for a while. I asked him if the dealership had WiFi for customers. He said he didn’t know and returned to his phone.

Possible Fix: Greeters often have downtime. Give them small responsibilities, like managing those cold drinks mentioned above or promoting special events. I noticed event flyers around the store; why not put some on the greeter’s desk and encourage them to mention upcoming promotions? They can also ensure any WiFi or other customer courtesies are available and/or operational.

Problem: No one approached me, even as I browsed each vehicle in the respective showrooms.

Possible Fix: This seems obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing: make sure at least one person speaks to anyone who shows interest in a vehicle. A simple “Are you familiar with this brand?” or “Can I share some of this model’s key features with you?” can make a big difference.

Problem: A phone in a service department rang endlessly while employees ate donuts and chatted.

Possible Fix: You know this one.

Problem: One dealership had a large sign-up with a QR (quick response) code. The code did not work. When I explained that to a service advisor, he looked at me, said, “Thanks,” and continued eating a donut.

Possible Fix: You know this one, too.