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Old 03-23-2015, 12:19 PM   #12
XDCX
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 14,869
Default So, what's the real problem....?

I was thinking about this thread over the weekend and started to ponder all of the possible reasons why FCA scored so poorly in the J.D. Powers Customer Service Index.

While the obvious answer for many people would be that it's the dealers' fault that's not necessarily the correct vantage point to take if FCA really wants to address the problem.

While having FCA get tough with their dealers would likely be a solution that appeals to the masses, anyone with an inside perspective will remember how Auburn Hills had to abandon their Dealer Standards program because the corporation was paying incentives for a program that didn't generate measurable results. Dealer Standards proved, in my opinion, that Micro-management and secret shoppers did nothing but waste resources.

So, what is the real problem?

First, it could be the dealers. Maybe FCA's sales success has resulted in too many customers for the available service stalls or the dealers have become complacent because there's so much service business available?

Second, maybe it's a vehicle quality issue. While skeptics will point to the fact this J.D. Powers index is intended to rate Dealership satisfaction, I'd contend it's often difficult for customers to separate the two issues. It's no different than going to a restaurant for a meal - poor wait staff service reflects poorly on the kitchen and vise versa.

Third, maybe it's a vehicle design issue. Not every customer complaint can be fixed - sometimes the customer's concern is just the nature of the beast and the dealership can't do anything to repair the vehicle. In my opinion the CVT transmission Chrysler used in the old Dodge Caliber is a great example. Some customers hated the way that transmission shifted but there was nothing a Service Advisor could do to address the customer's concern.

Fourth, maybe it's a parts availability issue. No matter how attentive and kind a Service Advisor is, customers don't like to return to have the same item repaired twice. Does FCA have sufficient inventory in the depots to prevent back order problems, are the dealer left with stale inventory that doesn't meet their current needs?

Fifth, maybe it's a demographic issue. It's no secret that two of the reasons for Chrysler's sales success are large rebates and subvented/deep buying financing. In my experience, customers who were super-excited to squeak by and qualify for a loan on a new car can quickly turn to hate that car when they can't afford the payments.

In a perfect world, FCA will examine all five issues (and perhaps others) as they look to take corrective actions.

In an imperfect world, FCA will blame the dealers and the SGS team will be reassembled and it will be 2010 all over again...
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