Lexus4ya

Hello everyone,

I need your help!! I have been in the car business for a long time and I have my first opportunity to have input on amenities in a dealership. Lexus is the cream of the crop when it comes to service so all of your opinions would really get me ahead of the game.

No wrong answers and take practicality out of the equation. What services or amenities would you have in the perfect Lexus dealership?

S2000toIS350

A mega shop recently opened near here by Bob Rohrman, claiming to be the physically largest in the US.

Indoor inventory, indoor golf, spa services.

Some have a real barista, which is a nice touch.

The thing my local Infiniti dealer does that is nice is they have a chef on site for free hot breakfast or lunch if you are having a service done.

SW17LS

Interesting opportunity. I've been a Lexus owner for a long time and have used multiple dealerships in that time. To me this is what I appreciate:

From a service perspective:

1. Attractive indoor dropoff/pickup space. Most newer dealers have this now. Its nice to be able to pull into an attractive indoor, decorated space to drop off and pick up the vehicle. Mine has nice lighting, multiple lanes, Lexus logo'd doormats next to where you stop the cars, etc. Nice music playing.

2. Multiple waiting room spaces, including a nice space that looks out over the bright, pristine service bays so you can watch the service being done.

3. Desk spaces, I've seen dealers that have rooms with private little desk cubicles with computers or wifi for laptops, phones to call out from, very nice.

4. Free hot breakfast or lunch.

5. A nice parts department with nice displays of Lexus polos, shirts, license frames, etc.

6. A nice, well maintained fleet of FREE loaner cars. Ideally a loaner should be available for any service.

7. A QUALITY car wash. Most big dealers have a tunnel wash now, but the one at my dealer is crappy, they don't use any soap, don't dry the cars after. Cars come back dirtier than when they went in. Its not too much to ask that every car that comes back from service is wiped down, detailed a little, has dressing on the tires, etc. Doesn't take that much time.

8. Indoor, safe parking for customer cars when the dealers have them overnight.

From a sales perspective:

1. I like a big showroom, big enough to showcase every model. It always annoys me when a dealer has a showroom so small that I can't sit in everything they have to offer (not every package, but at least one LS, one ES, one GS so on and so forth). So you have to find a salesman and find a car on the hot or cold lot just to sit in. My dealer's showroom is too small, the local BMW dealer is perfect, room for 15 or so cars which is great.

2. I like indoor inventory.

Lexus4ya

This is great!! Keep it coming and as I suspected these are all very easy to do very reasonable request.

When you say indoor inventory do you want a parking garage structure or would you prefer someone pulled the specific vehicles you were interested in to a indoor bay and demonstrate it?

SW17LS

I like how in some dealers the inventory is all indoors, and they can get out with their salesperson in a golf cart or something and see all the cars without interference from weather, etc.

gyrase321

A dedicated test drive track would be nice. Lexus of Naperville IL - while a very posh dealership - doesn't have one, and we test drove the vehicles on public roads. Which is fine, as that would test the car in actual road conditions. But having a private test track circuit would be nice too. Acura of Naperville has one.

rxonmymind

The one here in Sacramento is in need of an update. Sales booths crammed onto the showroom floor with a corner 8 pocket of seating to the side for customers as an afterthought. Hell, the two cars on the showroom take up more room than the guest seating. Just a really cramped indoor showroom. It's about using the space a bit more intelligently.

Mike728

I thought all the dealers were allowed to use that test track.

I just looked it up. They are. LINK

gyrase321

Sounds good. I wonder why the Lexus sales guy didn't direct me to that track. The Acura guy made it sound like it was Acura's track. LOL.. When I test drove a BMW X5 later in the day, I asked the sales guy if we could use the track and he said no, since the BMW dealership didn't own the track.

Regardless, that track is a great perk for dealerships to offer to would-be buyers.

CEOEngr

A Lexus customer since the day first Lexus was marketed in US but left the brand in 2010 because of lackadaisical service. I agree with just about all of the above comments. Lexus has to step up the amenities. The only other suggestion I would like to add is please visit the four dealerships in the Houston metropolitan area and take back the most important things i.e. "what you shouldn't be doing".

Lexus4ya

I asked for help and you all came thru for sure! I have some great suggestions and a solid starting point. Thank you so much and please continue to post I am sure I am not the only one that is learning about what is important to customers from this.

JDR76

While I do appreciate the amenities my dealer offers (great coffee bar, work cubes, comfortable seating, warm atmosphere, etc.) what I appreciate the most is the personal side of it. I like that when I pull into the service area I am personally greeted by a service advisor, walked into the service area, and the work and processes to be performed are explained in detail. Then, even though I know where it is, I am walked into the waiting area, asked if I need anything, etc. It all just makes me feel more appreciated.

Lexus4ya

JDR76 That is a great point especially in the Luxury world you deserve a personal touch every time you arrive at the store. That does not cost any dealership anything but makes you as a customer feel like you matter and your time is respected. Great great point.

Sulu

The last time I was there, about 5 or 6 weeks ago, my dealership was undergoing renovations, to increase the showroom and waiting area space, but this has pushed out the service area to another, remote building. There will not be a possibility of watching our cars being serviced as we wait.

1. We still drop off vehicles for service in the drive-through bays. I do not know of any dealership that does not have this feature now. The secret, I think, is to keep it bright and airy, clean, and floors dry.
2. I like a bright, airy, comfortable waiting area. I would like to see more seating options in the waiting area -- not just couches and television, but tables where families can sit around to snack, drink coffee, read the provided newspapers. An office area with study carrels (like in libraries) and 110V and USB power outlets for electronic gear would be nice.
3. A play area for kids would be nice also. My Lexus dealership did not have this but I am hoping they will in the newly-renovated space.
4. A greater choice of snacks would be nice. My old Toyota dealership used to offer fresh cookies but cut that back. My Lexus dealership's choice of food is not very good.
5. A waiting area that shares some space with the showroom is nice and it would be great to see a wide variety of vehicles in the showroom but this may not be possible where space is limited.
6. A more careful and more detailed car wash would be nice. My dealership washes the outside, vacuums inside and washes the rubber (winter) mats (including after-market ones), but does not wipe around the door sill area so it is a little disconcerting to walk up to a clean car, notice the clean footwells but see that the dirt tracked in and left on the bare metal of the door openings and sills is still there.
7. Truly friendly, courteous staff always helps. A concierge on staff who can answer (or get answers for) questions would be nice.

blacksun

The perfect dealership in my mind has no sales people. LOL! But seriously, people buy a Lexus because they DON'T want to spend time at the dealership. With that said forget the golf/spa, they're a waste of space & money IMO. I've found the following amenities most useful and/or desired:

• Free Wi-Fi
• Loaners and/or shuttle service
• Desks with electrical outlets so people can work while waiting
• Android / iPhone chargers (remember to tie them down - lol)
• Free coffee, tea, water (A barista would be nice plus, but not if it means the coffee wouldn't be free)
• Light-snacks (A few well-stocked snack & soda machines may also be fine, just make sure they take credit cards)
• Cable/satellite TVs (make the remotes available to your guests)
• Big comfortable couches

Someone else mentioned having a big indoor showroom that can hold at least one of every model. I think that is a GREAT idea.