5 Things that Would Make the Dealership Experience Even Better
By Jeffrey Bausch

 

Perhaps there is a lot of variability among Lexus dealerships, but the one in Portland Oregon already has these characteristics. Luxurious, dignified, transparent, professional, PLUS munchies. I don't know if there is a separate playroom for toddlers. I also don't see the need for "entertainment." Folks there can watch the news on a bigscreen TV, but frankly everyone I saw was doing work on laptops or reading their tablets/phones/newspapers.

 

I agree on the entertainment issue. Many toddlers are already in day care or pre-school, and probably won't be at the dealership.

My single biggest complaint, though, with most dealerships (and, IMO, the area where they need the most improvement) is the (seeming) lack of information and connection that they have, as a franchise, with their own manufacturers. Their advance knowledge about upcoming products, vehicle-cancellations, vehicle specs, TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins), product recall information, is, too often, nowhere near where it should be. People at these dealerships sell and service their vehicles for a living....their livelihood depends on it, yet many of us, right here on Car Chat, (who talk about cars as an interest, but don't earn our livelihood from it) often know far more about these vehicles at the dealership than the dealer-staff does. Of course, there are exceptions.....and I'm not trying to sound like a know-it-all (which I'm not). I sometimes need help myself from the reps or sales people while trying to figure out some complex electronic features on the vehicles I review. But my point is that, besides just helping out with touch-screens and complex dash-controls, IMO these people should know much more information from the manufacturers, much sooner in advance, then they do now. Perhaps it is not all their fault......often the manufacturers themselves hold on to vehicle-information too long, when they should be releasing it months before they actually do. Honda, in my experience, has been a particularly difficult manufacturer to get advance information from, or explain changes in the marketing/line-up....their organization seems to operate like a military-style chain of command.

 

So says someone who does not have children, especially young, active children. What about parents who take their children to the dealership for a service or maintenance appointment? This may be more likely to occur on weekends but may also occur during the weekday. Why do most waiting rooms these days include at least some toys for children? It is to keep children occupied and out of trouble while their parents are there to get something done.

Regarding "entertainment" for adults, all dealerships I know of these days have televisions, and with Wi-Fi available for employees, it can easily be made available to waiting customers also.

 

No, not all kids are in day-care or school. But many dealerships close down their service bays on Sundays, even if they keep the sales-department open, and kids these days aren't like they were in my day.......I see some of them using cell-phones even before they get out of kindergarten.

True, but riredale also has a point about many people today just being continually absorbed on their PCs or cellphones. Their "entertainment" is held in their hands.

 

#5 is the most important thing. The lies and games are a dealer's biggest downfall. The rest I could care less about. I'm not going to the dealer to be entertained. I'm going to buy a car. And if you don't like the process, stay home and don't be a part of the trip.

 

Well-said. You get your second formal thanks.

I'd still say, though, that, just as important, in several areas, dealerships need to be more connected to the actual manufacturers....and that's just as much of a problem in the national HQ level as it is at the local franchise-level.

 

Again remember this is a luxury car, and they are charging a huge amount for service as a premium. There has to be some justification for that service cost. Dealership amenities and customer service is one of those justifications.

If "you're just going to buy or service a car" do it at the Ford dealer. Why pay so much more for an experience that has no value to you?

As for areas for customers with children. Why not leave the suggestions as to what's helpful to customers with children to customers who have children

A play area is a huge benefit.

 

I'll agree from a parental-point of view...but so many kids today spend their time on cell-phones. It's amazing, just from what I see almost every day at the Fitness Center (where I swim year-around) with parents and their kids......little kids, just barely older than toddlers, plying away endlessly on smart-phones, tablets, and even textures.

 

But that doesn't mean having a play area isn't of value, and not all parents allow their kids access to technology like that.

 

Count me in the group who appreciates a child's play area in the dealer.

Our daughter was 2 when we bought the RX. We were there for quite some time, and while working through negotiations and paperwork, we were trying to keep her entertained. We'd take turns taking her out for walks, playing with stickers, coloring, etc. Had our dealer made a play area available, one of us could have taken here there while the other did the work and it would have made for a much easier experience. I'm not about to let my 2 year old loose with my phone while I buy a car.

I've taken her with me for a service appointment as well. That was shorter, so much easier. I brought lots of books to read and a few toys to play with, so we made it through relatively unscathed, but again, a play room would have made for a much better experience for us, and probably for the others waiting in the waiting area while we were there.

My daughter is now 5, and my boy is 2. I would not attempt similar dealer visits with my boy, as he is much more physical and would need a play area. Books won't suffice with him.

That's really the only thing I think my dealer is lacking. Otherwise they have a very nice waiting area with a fireplace, television, desks, comfy leather chairs, and plenty of drinks and snacks.

 

1) Food/Drinks. My local dealership removed this like 10 years ago. They used to put out fresh pastries, have a soda machine, and also some sort of coffee/hot drink machine. Now, all I see are cheap japanese rice crackers and water.

2) Loaner vehicles! I dont want them to look at me like im crazy when I ask if one is available.

 

My dealer went from fountain sodas to canned sodas in a little fridge which is kind of a bummer.

Plenty of loaner cars though

 

Good point. I had forgotten about that. Some people definitely need them, though.

I usually stay at the dealership as long as it takes (sometimes doing a review or test-drive while I'm there). But, of course, I don't have kids that need to get somewhere else that day, and what my car needs can usually be done in just a few hours or less.

 

My wife and I have experience with a number of Toyota, Lexus and Honda dealerships, and we appreciate the ones that have a children's play area. We limit the screen time that our son has, both on the advice of pediatricians and because we know the mood and restless behaviour he can get into after some screen time, so we appreciate a children's play area where our son can play and stay out of the way of the dealership staff.

The Toyota dealership I used for many years had a dual-level children's play structure. Our son just loved to climb up the steps to the upper level and just sit and play with the cars there.

The Honda dealership where my wife goes to service her Accord has a plastic play structure for children to crawl on and through. Our son loves to crawl in and out of it; he has so much fun, he refuses to leave.

The Honda dealership where my wife took her old Civic did not have a children's play area. Being an active and curious boy, our son likes to run, and crawl in and around whatever obstacles he can find. If there is no play structure, he will start climbing into the cars. My wife and I do not like that, afraid that he will catch a finger in a door or trunklid or hatch, or just afraid that the dealership staff will not like a little kid climbing into the new cars and getting in the way of people who are seriously looking at the cars and minivans.

The Lexus dealership I now use also does not have a children's play area; it is too high-class for something as mundane as a children's play structure. So, of course, the few times that my son has been there, he is climbing in and out of the display vehicles. Needless to say, I do not take him there anymore.