Timeliness of Drop-off Process START ON THE RIGHT FOOT
INTRODUCTION Whether it’s for scheduled maintenance or repair work, bringing their vehicle to the dealership is the last item a customer wants on their “to do” list. Getting customers in and out of the service drive quickly—with all their concerns addressed—is like putting a little extra time back in their day.
BEST PRACTICES •Prior to arrival, review information supplied during the appointment setting and review the vehicle’s servicing and maintenance history (campaigns, capacity, parts availability, PPM, ELW, previously declined repairs and note any repeat repairs (FFV)). •Utilize an appointment log to help gauge the day’s work load, to be better prepared to fully devote attention to each customer. •Notify the customer of their transportation options—pick up customer vehicle and/or return it, courtesy driver, and complimentary loaner vehicles are options. •Prepare the paperwork and have the loaner vehicle ready upon arrival. •Place numbers on the rear-side window of your courtesy vehicles for easy identification. •Utilize TSD to manage and analyze your loaner vehicle fleet and availability. •Install RFID system that identifies the customer as they enter the Dealership, and alerts the service lane and advisor of customer arrival. •Establish a greeter function to greet your customers with a friendly and professional attitude within 30 seconds of entering your busy service lanes. •Management visits the service drive at peak and off-peak hours to observe customer wait times and consistency of greeting customers every week. •Provide all advisors with camera equipped Service Drive Tablets enabling on-the-spot access to customer information, vehicle history and tablet walkaround checklists with VIN scanning to expedite the write-up, and record damage with photos. •Use a checklist that includes explanations for industry terms such as a “walkaround,” work order review, phone or text status update, payment options and pick up options to provide customers transparency to the process. •Make sure seat protection is used and placed on the seat in the presence of the customer. •Ensure write-up can be started even if the scheduled or desired advisor is with another customer (all hands on deck).
50% 40%
COMPETITIVE SET
MERCEDES-BENZ
COMPETITIVE SET
933 927
36%
879
42%
873
828 827
30%
24%
26% 27%
23%
20%
13%
710 675
9%
10% 0% IMMEDIATELY
1-2 MINUTES
3-5 MINUTES
1000 950 900 850 800 750 700 650 600 550 500
Service Intiation Index Score
Mercedes-Benz vs. Competitive Set MERCEDES-BENZ
Fixed Ops Consulting Website TSD VMI Service Drive Tablets RFID Systems
CEI SURVEY IMPACT
Timeliness of drop-off process is 9.02% of the Service Experience score.
MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE STANDARD Customer must be greeted within two (2) minutes of arrival.
Time Waited to Speak to Service Advisor 60%
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Alternate transportation should be secured with five (5) minutes of arrival.
> 5 MINUTES
*2014 JDPA U.S. Customer Service Index Study (Competitive Set is Audi & Lexus)
SURVEY FACT: WHILE MERCEDES-BENZ IMPROVED IN EXECUTION OF IMMEDIATE GREETINGS, WHERE SATISFACTION IS CLEARLY HIGHEST, THIS IS STILL OUR GREATEST OPPORTUNITY VS. COMPETITIVE SET
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Jump Start Guide Topic: Understanding Your Impact on the Timeliness of the Drop-off Process Prep-work: Review your survey scores: Dealership Drop-off Process, Wait Time for Alternative Transportation and Wait Time to Speak to Service Representative. Identify a best practice or new idea to share with your team, or review your current process and expectations with your team. Estimated Time: 10-15 Minutes Target Audience: Service Advisors, BDC personnel, Valets and Greeters Objective: Review dealership drop-off process, opportunities for improvement and individual roles for success.
Engaging Questions: • What is the Mercedes-Benz Standard for how quickly customers should be greeted upon their arrival? (Within two (2) minutes) • What percentage of our customers state they are greeted within two (2) minutes? (Refer to your dealership’s Medallia score) • Why is it important to offer the customer choices in transportation options to and from the dealership? (Shows respect for your customer’s time, is more convenient and allows for personal choice) • What is the Mercedes-Benz Standard for how quickly customers should be provided alternate transportation? (Within five (5) minutes) • What percentage of our customers state they are provided alternate transportation within five (5) minutes? (Refer to your dealership’s Medallia score)
Suggested Talking Points: • Communicate customer feedback from your CEP Medallia tool to ensure your team understands how customers are rating you on this experience and communicate opportunity areas for the team to focus on. • Discuss what key information everyone should review from VMI/CRM prior to the customer’s arrival. • Review if all relevant information is being captured at the appointment setting and used to help expedite the drop-off process, e.g., loaner vehicle needs. • Ask a team member to state your dealership’s standard greeting. Is it consistently used? Do you have one? • Ask a team member to demonstrate a good walkaround that is considerate of the customer’s time. • Discuss what key items should always be considered for transferring into loaner cars to help your customers. • Identify automotive jargon and acronyms frequently used by your team and communicate customer-friendly alternative terminology. • Ask your team members to name something they can start doing TODAY.
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Courtesy and Respect of Your Service Representative START ON THE RIGHT FOOT
INTRODUCTION There is no escaping the impact your front-line employees have on your customers and your store’s bottom line. Being good is generally not enough to delight. Customers expect and deserve a complete and consistent luxury experience at every touch point—no matter your role, strive to delight every customer, every time. Make it easy to do business with you.
BEST PRACTICES •Always provide a warm welcome to everyone you see. Sample choice words: welcome, nice to see you, how can I help you. •Customers should never be greeted with “What’s your last name?” This has the polar opposite effect of making someone feel special and valued. •Be a good host. Always accompany the customer from contact point to contact point. •Practice the “5 Foot Rule”—any customer within five feet of an employee is greeted and offered assistance. Consider having service advisors and service manager in the lane, greeting the customer. •Use the customer’s preferred name at all times to build a relationship that respects personalization and individuality. •Offer the customer refreshments; prepared snack bags (fresh fruit, granola bar, bottle of water) to provide customers in a hurry a small treat. Provide a bottle of water in the loaner vehicle. •Offer to transfer E-ZPass® and other necessary belongings to the loaner vehicle, house keys from keychain. Consider having a luggage cart in the service drive and/or drawstring bags to assist with the transfer of belongings. •Set the HVAC temperature and radio station on loaner to match customer vehicle; move seat and mirror position within approximate range. Offer to preset the GPS to wherever they need to go. •Always ask their preferred method of contact for communicating status updates and be sure to utilize that method. •If difficult situations arise, always take ownership in front of the customer and not place blame on others. •Provide your undivided attention—do not work on your computer, or take any calls while engaging with your customer. Avoid eating in front of your customer or having food out on your desk. •Always find a way to say “yes.” Every employee in your company is in customer service, and each employee should be committed to owning and resolving issues.
Satisfaction with Service Advisor Practices Mercedes-Benz Performance Yes
874
CSI Score
700
870
862
866
800
859 786
743
877
866
872
862
769 717
750
Refreshments CRM Tool RFID Systems eLearning VAK for Fixed Operations Personnel
CEI SURVEY IMPACT
Courtesy and respect of your service representative is 7.91% of the Service Experience score.
MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE STANDARD
758
Alternate transportation should be secured with five (5) minutes of arrival.
677 637 567
600
Fixed Ops Consulting Website
Customer must be greeted within two (2) minutes of arrival.
No
1000 900
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
500 400 Knew vehicle’s service history
Performed walkaround of vehicle
Was focused on you/your needs
Provided helpful advice
*2014 JDPA U.S. Customer Service Index Study
Tried to “sell” unnecessary work
Told when vehicle would be ready
Kept you informed of vehicle status
Reviewed work done on vehicle
Reviewed results of inspection
SURVEY FACT: EXECUTION OF KEY ADVISOR PRACTICES CORRELATES WITH HIGHER SATISFACTION
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Jump Start Guide Topic: Courtesy and Respect Prep-work: Review your survey scores: Courtesy and respect of your service representative scores overall and by service advisor for coaching opportunities. Review Medallia scores for frequency of key Service Advisor practices, such as: Performed walkaround/multi-point inspection, reviewed work to be performed, provided helpful advice, and kept the customer informed on status of vehicle. Identify a best practice or new idea from the previous pages to share with your team. Estimated Time: 10-15 Minutes Target Audience: All Staff Objective: Ensure the team understands the impact actions have on customers’ perception of the courtesy and respect provided to them.
Engaging Questions: • What is the Mercedes-Benz Standard for how quickly customers should be greeted upon their arrival? (Within two (2) minutes) • What percentage of our customers state they are greeted within two (2) minutes? (Refer to your dealership’s Medallia score) • Ask your team to name three things they do to demonstrate courtesy and respect to their customers. • What is the 5 Foot Rule? (Any customer within five feet of an employee is greeted and asked how they can be assisted)
Suggested Talking Points: • JD Power CSI results show that when key Service Advisor practices are done customer satisfaction with their advisor significantly improves. For example, advisors who performed a walkaround scored on average123 points higher and advisors who provided customers with some helpful information scored on average 233 points higher! • What types of helpful information can you provide your customers? How to operate a feature they aren’t familiar with? Tips about servicing their vehicle? • Communicate customer feedback from your CEP Medallia tool to ensure your team understands how customers are rating them. • Identify any key service advisor practices that could be improved based on Medallia scores and discuss what changes can be made. • Solicit ideas from your team on how to improve the customer’s perception of courtesy and respect. • Discuss how your team can ensure all customers are greeted by their name. RFID? If not, what system is in place to ensure a personalized greeting. • Review word tracks you would like your team to use to create a consistent feel for your dealership. • Ask your team members to name something they can start doing TODAY.
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How to Track Your Performance—Courtesy and Respect START ON THE RIGHT FOOT mph
MEDALLIA The Compare reports in Medallia allow you to rank your dealership employees’ performance by category, question, and over various time periods. These reports are great to help you identify training needs and coaching opportunities within your team. This report works for all questions, but for this module we will demonstrate using the Service Representative Index and compare scores among service advisors. ACCESS MEDALLIA PAGE: 1. Click Compare link. 2. Click Advisor.
FEATURES: 1. Set your time period.
2. Select the index category and/or question you wish to compare.
3. Choose either “All Customers” or “Mercedes-Benz” customers on the first customer filter.
4. Select “Run” to generate report.
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How to Track Your Performance—Timeliness of Drop-off START ON THE RIGHT FOOT mph
MEDALLIA The Survey Performance reports in Medallia allow the viewing of all survey question performance over a time period you specify. This report also allows you to benchmark your scores against the nation, region, area or market. In this example, we will look at the drop-off process and review the dealership’s performance over the past three months compared to the national average (all MBUSA dealerships). ACCESS MEDALLIA PAGE:
1. Click Survey Performance. 2. Click Table.
FEATURES: 1. Set your time period.
2. Choose either “All Customers” or “Mercedes-Benz” customers on the first customer filter.
3. Choose the benchmark you wish to compare to.
4. Select “Run” to generate report.
In this example, we can see this dealership has been improving performance in the drop-off process over the past three months; however, still trails the national average for by 1.49 points. What does your performance look like?
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