Automobile Dealer Sales Experience Survey Survey: Results

No, there's not a typo in the title.

Back in late March, 2007, TrueDelta posted a blog entry on corruption in dealer sales satisfaction surveys. All auto manufacturers survey customers about their sales experience, and in many cases the dealer and salesperson only receive a large bonus if the customer gives them all perfect scores. In response, car salespeople often ask or even beg for perfect scores. Some go so far as to offer gifts--an oil change, a tank of gas, a restaurant gift certificate--if the customer will fill the survey out in the sales manager's office. In at least one case, a customer who gave the dealer poor scores was subsequently told they were no longer wanted as a customer. (These surveys are usually not anonymous, so dealers learn which customers were naughty and which were nice.)

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skoobasam - 8/27/2007 4:18:26 PM

-1 Boost

haha, I do it all the time~

CBR2200 - 8/27/2007 4:24:46 PM

+1 Boost

Audi does their surveys over the phone, very annoying, even though I am completely happy with my dealership. I would much rather fill out a scantron thingy.

EnnNorak - 8/28/2007 8:47:31 AM

+1 Boost

That is eactly how I feel. I hate those Audi surveys that follow every visit to the dealer for Audi service. I have an excellent dealer -- two to be exact -- one in the East and one in the West. I want all surveys to be in writing and done by Audi directly and not by some third party survey company that doeas not know how to ask proper questions. I want to be able to address product issues as well as dealer issues.

GLover - 8/27/2007 10:01:34 PM

+3 Boost

I worked at a Nissan dealership for 2.5yrs, and that is how I kept my score at 100%. I offered free gas for a perect score and guess what customers were happy to assist. Work the system don't let it work you.

EnnNorak - 8/28/2007 8:51:53 AM

+1 Boost

Good for you GLover -- if a system is so flawed as to render it useless, then use every trick in the book to beat it. The most ridiculous survey experience I ever had was when I was driving Ford products. I received a survey questionnaire asking me how well I think they did on a recent survey I suffered through.

kart1 - 8/28/2007 1:03:11 AM

+1 Boost

In my past experience I have visited about six dealerships (One dealership 3 times) in about 2-3 years and since then all of them did have surveys for the sales and finance (I only bought twice the others were for people I knew who wanted me to accompany them). Here are the brands for the dealership Acura, Dodge, Honda, Mazda, and Toyota. I had purchased a Toyota and an Acura. The Toyota was the one were I went three times before and after my own purchase (I went to another Toyota dealership, but the results from both were the same). All four times the finance and sales guys asked us to give them perfect scores and if there was a problem contact them rather than Toyota itself. Well the service was good so the perfect scores were given I guess (at least during my time). I will go over the Acura later. The Dodge dealer was also very much like the Toyota and repeated about the survey several times and the Sales guy even said to give him a good score so he could get a bonus. The Honda dealer was less aggressive and only explained the survey once (by the finance manager). The Mazda dealer also was less aggressive and only mentioned the survey once by the finance and sales guys. Now the Acura, this was the least pressure environment I have ever been in. The sales guy gave me test drive and then asked me whether I would like to discuss numbers or think about the car and possibly come back later, with no pressure. During the purchase the survey was not mentioned at all by the sales or finance guys. Also to point out that this was the fastest finance transaction as well.

I guess some dealerships worry about good ratings while others worry about good customer service. I will definitely visit the dealership if I like the new TSX.

EnnNorak - 8/28/2007 8:57:01 AM

+1 Boost

I suspect that dealers worry about good ratings because the factory offers franchise owners who win a quality contest a free trip to Europe or something. I too have been pressured by the dealer to make sure I treat the dealerhip well when I get surveyed.

These surveys are the equivalent of SPAM in the computer world. They waste your precious time. There is no greater thief than one who steals your time.