Customer Service-Going the Extra ½ Inch

There are lots of businesses that tout superior customer service as part of their brand. I don’t know about you but most of the time I am disappointed when I have the opportunity to experience their “superior customer service”. What the upper echelon of management believes as their mantra doesn’t seem to filter down to the employees that their customers interact with. So it is my pleasure to share with you an account of superb customer service that I encountered recently at the local Kuni Lexus automobile dealership.

I had decided to purchase a previously owned vehicle and had searched via internet to narrow down the choices. I needed to find a vehicle that would fit my needs for my business including a trunk large enough to hold a For Sale sign. I went to some of the largest dealerships in the city and met frustration head on. Most of the sales persons were more interested in selling me a car instead of listening to my wants and needs. I really felt I was nothing more than a dollar sign in their eyes and that they weren’t really interested in my needs. I didn’t feel I could recommend any of the dealerships I had visited.

I was just about resigned to give up my search when I decided to pull into the Lexus dealership. From the moment the salesman introduced himself to me, my experience changed dramatically. The salesman asked me questions and then listened as I answered his questions. He suggested a few vehicles within the dollar limit I had set. He was definitely knowledgeable about his product but he also seemed very interested in knowing more about me, what I would be using the car for and what I liked about the vehicle I was currently driving. It wasn’t long before I felt comfortable around him and began to trust his suggestions.

The salesman showed me a car that had just come on to the lot that he thought might work perfect for me. He went to get the key and pulled the car around the front of the dealership so I could take a good look at it. I was definitely impressed with the car but I asked if I could put my real estate sign in the trunk. I held my breath as we maneuvered the sign into the trunk. It was just about a half-inch too long. The salesman excused himself and soon came back with the owner of the dealership. The owner suggested that if I liked the car enough to purchase it, he would solve the problem by cutting a half-inch off my sign frames. All 25 of them!

The salesman had listened to my needs, established a relationship with me so that I would feel comfortable and trust him and then became my problem solver. There was no question-I purchased the car!

The service didn’t end there. The salesman took me around the dealership introducing me to the receptionist, the service manager, and the parts manager. Each person I came in contact with asked questions about my purchase and consistently validated that I had made an excellent choice. They knew their product and spoke highly of it. Each person thanked me for the purchase and shared that I could contact them if I ever needed anything. The message was consistent everywhere I went in the dealership. We value your business and we are here to serve you.

I have been back to the Lexus dealership since I purchased the car and I have yet to be disappointed. The employees from the car wash technician to the service department employees have all been a delight to work with. The message is consistent and appears sincere- “the customer is valued and appreciated”. It doesn’t take much to make a customer feel valued. In my case it was a half inch. Every time you interact with a customer keep your message consistent and sincere from the person that answers the telephone all the way to the top management. And remember, it may be something as little as a half inch that can win a client for life!

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