10 years of brand loyalty eroded in 90 minutes…

Last week I was reminded of something I think Steve Jobs once said (I’m paraphrasing):

“We focus our efforts building amazing products and customer experiences – do that and the brand looks after itself”.

I was reminded of this on Monday when I took my car into the dealer after a dreaded engine light appeared. A bit unexpected since the car left the dealer just 14 days earlier with a clean bill of health following scheduled maintenance, new tires, and a state inspection. That’s ok, cars go wrong. I get it.

The engine light fault code was quickly identified as a failing exhaust sensor. So, I book the car in, and returned four days later for the scheduled repair. I checked in at the agreed time, briefly browsed the showroom, took a seat, and did some work.

90 minutes later the service advisor finally returned. I was presented with a list of issues (including the faulty sensor), a huge bill, and informed it’ll be another 5-6 hours. Definitely not what I wanted to hear. Not to mention, I had to point out one item on their list – the supposedly severely failing water pump – was replaced by them just 8 months ago. They confirmed it was, and it would be replaced under warranty.

We debate why diagnostics takes 90 minutes, how and why a nearly new water pump could fail with seemingly no symptoms, and generally how miraculously so many things went gone wrong in the past 14 days – all it should be said – completely unrelated to the engine light issue.

I arranged to be picked up, return to collect the car at the end of the day, only to be told the part that caused the pesky engine light was not in stock! So, instead they just cleaned the existing faulty exhaust sensor. Er, ok.

I enquire if the belt was changed as part of the warranty water pump replacement but am told ‘no sir we inspected the belt, and it looked fine’. I am a big believer in preventative maintenance – a small investment now to avoid surprises and headaches downstream is always worthwhile – a rule I apply to cars, work, and life! I suggest the belt wasn’t replaced during this repair because it wouldn’t incur any additional labor charges. I get no response, but definitely get a ‘look’. I try injecting some humor to lighten the mood, mine included, but I'm winning no fans.

Even considering the no-cost warranty repair, the final bill is less than half the original quote. Not unwelcome, but this was a day where nothing was adding up. I’m left feeling I’ve been somewhat unsuccessfully used to bolster short-term service revenue goals, instead of receiving value-infused advice to help keep me and my ride on the road in the most cost and time efficient way possible.

Upon further inspection, I cannot say with any certainty that the water pump supposedly replaced under warranty looks new – it suspiciously looks about 8 months old to me.?I do hope it's not.

Now, I’ve had three cars from this manufacturer since 2013, and have referred and advocated for the brand to my network over the years. The end result? Sadly, once I replace this one, I will never return to the dealer, or the brand again. The loyalty, the trust, is gone. For good. In basically 90 minutes.

For a brand that has moved ‘up-market’ in recent years, it’s clear their franchise dealers, service levels, and customer experience have not kept pace with the product ambitions, or their competitors. If I’m feeling disgruntled as the owner of a six-year-old car worth maybe $23k – imagine how the owner who buys the $113,000 car in the showroom is going to feel? Good luck acquiring and retaining that customer!

The lesson here? Whether SaaS or cars – the value and experience across the entire customer lifecycle and at every touch point is everything. You are only as good as your weakest link. In this model, a franchised indirect model, where the product is sold and serviced through a network of dealers – these dealers are custodians and an extension of the master brand. What the ecosystem of dealers does, how they act, the customer service and experience they deliver, reflects on them and the master brand – the good, and the bad.

?

As for me, do I blame the dealer? No, not really. Well not completely. I believe the car manufacturer is at least as responsible. Maybe more so. While the manufacturer has clearly continued to move their product line up-market, they have failed to provide the support their dealer network needs to successfully meet the quality, experience, and service levels that customers in this segment will expect. There is no shortage of choice and competitors waiting to capitalize. ?

?

Some of my experience could have been bad luck, folks having a bad day, bad communication, it was a Friday, any number of excuses and reasons. I did take the time to provide some constructive feedback when presented with the survey. Hopefully the change that is so desperately needed doesn’t come too late.

?

Over time, will I soften my stance and return to the brand? Sadly, I doubt it. The damage is done, the trust is gone, and there are just too many compelling alternatives.

?

The really sad part is I doubt I’ll be the last. Anyone out there with a similar experience?