A few days ago, I received a recall notice for the 2005 Nissan I purchased last fall. According to the letter, a bug in the computer could cause the engine to fail while traveling down the highway. If your engine has ever unexpectedly stalled while you were driving, you already know that it’s practically impossible to steer a car that stops running. The thought of my engine killing at 70 miles per hour was all the motivation I needed to schedule the repair…pronto.
My dilemma was, not knowing whom to call to get it fixed. About a month after purchasing the car from Gezon Nissan, they earned a spot on my “Business Blacklist”…(companies I no longer do business with), but that’s another post.
Fox Nissan, was the only remaining dealer (locally) who was authorized to handle the repair. Quite honestly, I was a little worried that Fox Nissan wouldn’t be to excited about doing free recall work on a car I purchased from their competitor. But they surprised me. They were not only willing to do the work, they were happy to have my business, even though I wouldn’t be paying them a dime.
Upon arriving for the appointment I pulled up to what appeared to be a pristine staging garage. Before I knew it, a smiling service advisor was running out to greet me. I knew right away that Paul was different than any other service advisor I’d dealt with in the past. It was the first time in a very long time that a service person made me feel like I was his most important customer of the day. Great energy Paul!
Next, he guided me through some quick paperwork and signature requests, but it was his next question that floored me. “Could we have your approval to wash and vacuum your car when we’re finished?” I think my jaw dropped. Of course, I let them wash and vacuum my car.
From there, Paul toured me through the customer lounge. Along the way, he pointed out a small room equipped with two desktop computers with internet access. The lounge area actually reminded me of an over sized family room/kitchen combination. And yes, it’s a free WiFi hotspot, in case you bring your own laptop.
The kitchen area was decked out with snack bar seating, fresh baked cookies, warm popcorn, and a refrigerator full of cold drinks. The central focus of the family room area was the giant flat screen digital TV. It was also stocked with plenty of reading material and even a few toys for the kids.
My car was finished in about an hour, just as I was promised. Paul came out and knelt down beside me to handle the final paperwork. Five minutes later, I was on my way.
What went well?
In this instance, pretty much everything! The facility is designed to accommodate sales AND service. They seem to have a well thought out customer experience strategy. And their “special touches” set them apart from their competitors. My first impression is, they care and it shows.
What could have gone better?
Not really anything significant in this visit. I suppose if I wanted to be really fussy I’d say, they could have dried my freshly washed car, rather than sending me on my way dripping wet. But quite honestly, a free car wash an auto dealership is a first for me…and I appreciate it!
Now, we all know that results are measured over time, and not just one experience. But, I’m a customer with fairly high expectations, and obviously, I think Fox Nissan knows how to make a great first impression. Thanks Fox, and thank you Paul, for creating a great customer experience.
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