Geraldf

This happened at my BMW dealer, but I'm sure it's true everywhere ...<p>I had gone in for some recall work, they were really nice and helpful, and as I lounged around I saw a notice in each service writer's cubicle. It said: "BMW will call you after your visit. If you say I was excellent, I pass. If you say I was very good or good, I fail." Obviously this sign was intended for customers to read and heed.<p>I couldn't believe this so I asked them about it. Sure enough, the quality follow-up call only gives the dealership and the service person credit if you say that they were "excellent." "Very good" and "good" are basically the same as saying "bad"!<p>Now I don't use the word excellent much in everyday conversation. It's like a teacher not giving every student an "A," even though they may be very good students. If I'm happy with the service someone has provided, and I say that service was very good, I consider that high praise. Not to the marketing folks, though. And the writer said that this policy was true at the Infiniti dealership where she used to work as well.<p>So ... if you are happy with your dealership experience and don't want them to be penalized (because I'm sure there is money at stake), you must remember to use the word "excellent." This dealership even prints this reminder on the customer's paperwork! However, if you are not happy and don't mind the possibility of repercussions on your next visit, you can say the service was "good" and you'll be hurting them. What a crazy system. It's designed to fail!

Eric E

This system is apparently prone to corruption from two directions--the dealers are politely urging the customers to say their service was excellent, since we wouldn't want the nice dealer to "fail," and on the other hand, there's the threat of repercussions if we don't call the service excellent, so we'll give them high praise out of fear.<p>It's really too bad that this is happening. Customer satisfaction surveys have lost all meaning.

klidge

Everyone is put in an awkward situation. Obviously we, as customers who depend on the dealers for good future service, are pressured to say "excellent" when we might only think "good" or even less than good.. And imagine the position the dealers, for whom I normally feel no sympathy, are in. Surely they don't feel comfortable begging us to answer the survey with superlatives.<br>

JIM H.

Audi's survey:Excellent=100%,Very Good=50%,etc.It is EXTREMELY difficult for a service advisor or sales rep. to score above 90% for a month or a quarter-even quality people-and that's where the money starts.nt

Jon C

when I picked up my A4 my salesman, whom I knew previously and was truly "excellent", told me that only "excellent" counts and even "fantastic", "superb", "could not be better", all don't get marked as "excellent." What idiocy. <p>Ironically, a number in my phone number was transposed on the paperwork for my sale (I called to correct it later) and as a result, I never got a followup call from/re: customer service, so they missed an "excellent" from me...

tHe uNaBimMeR

aRe yoU ReAdY tO DeAl?<p>BTW,,,,Happy '99 to You, Jimbo!

JIM H.

aNsWeR tHe QuEsTiOnS cOrReCtLy Or ThE gIrL gEtS iT!...nt

igor

Jeez, what a useless system!

Eugene

I recieved a call from Infiniti on behalf of my dealer last night. They wanted to know how I felt about a service recently undertaken. The last two questions they asked were: <p>(1) Did the dealer tell you that we would be following up with a phone call?<p>(2) Were you pressured into giving them an excellent rating?<p>Just seems kinda strange. A local Toyota/Nissan dealer offers a free gas tank fill-up if you give them the survey to fill out.<br>