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I am simply curious at this point, and looking for information or clarification.
I was recently told that most large auto dealership service advisors and service managers are actually “salesmen” first and are compensated on a commission basis. Their goal is to oversell or upsell maintenance services and repair work. Also, I am told that few, if any, are actually technicians who are qualified to diagnose repair issues. Obviously, the more services they sell, the larger their paycheck.
Is this generally true, or generally not true?
What’s your take on this? Feel free to correct me if I am wrong on this.
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Zapper wrote:It is unfortunate that this forum has turned into Dealership bashing. We all know that EVERY industry has some bad apples out there. Not all dealerships operate the way they do in New York and Manhatten. A lot of us strive to provide great customer service. We may not always be perfect, but we gain nothing by being dishonest and unethical.
STORMEASTON, No worries, we’re good. Everyone has heard some type of horror story from a dealer. That is the first time I have ever heard of “banking minutes” in all the time I have been in the Auto business. There are definitly dishonest dealers/repair shops out there.
No one said every stealership was like this, just most of them :whistle:
I watched the video, and as far as scheduled maintenance goes, it will not be listed in the service manual, its listed in the owners manual. The information is also available from your service tools like Shopkey, Mitchell, Motor, SI for the GM Dealers, or Identifix. These are items that both dealerships and independent repair shops can purchase for technical information.
When it comes to maintenance intervals, I RECOMMEND the services to my customer, not force them into a purchase. In this business, one has to keep in mind that every customer’s budget is different, and allow them to perform maintenance and repairs on their terms. Dealership Service Dept personnel will ‘strong arm’ customers into service and maintenance for there own financial benefit.
Maybe I’m weird because I put my customer’s needs ahead of my own financial gain, I don’t know. But I don’t believe in selling someone a repair they don’t need or cannot afford. I’m also not a finance company and do not finance repairs for customers, thats what a credit card is for. Building a positive relationship with your customers is top priority, that way they know they will be treated right at every visit, will get an honest answer regarding the needed repairs, and that the repairs will be done correctly.
As far as what a dealership/Independent shop charges for an hourly rate, its different everywhere you go. Dealerships tend to stay close to one another in the Madison area, but Indy’s are anywhere from $50 to $110/hr. Just remember you get what you pay for at an Indy, but that’s not the case with the dealership.
Just my two wooden nickles since I spent half my life in the dealership environment.
“It is unfortunate that this forum has turned into Dealership bashing. We all know that EVERY industry has some bad apples out there. Not all dealerships operate the way they do in New York and Manhatten. A lot of us strive to provide great customer service. We may not always be perfect, but we gain nothing by being dishonest and unethical.”
I respectfully disagree. This thread has not turned into a dealership bashing. This is information that is out there that all consumers, especially car people, should know about and be aware of.
MMRJR
Zapper wrote:
“It is unfortunate that this forum has turned into Dealership bashing. We all know that EVERY industry has some bad apples out there. Not all dealerships operate the way they do in New York and Manhatten. A lot of us strive to provide great customer service. We may not always be perfect, but we gain nothing by being dishonest and unethical.”I respectfully disagree. This thread has not turned into a dealership bashing. This is information that is out there that all consumers, especially car people, should know about and be aware of.
If anything, this thread has done you and other dealership rep’s a service by putting you on notice that msnbc is broadcasting these investigative reports on network TV as recently as this morning. Sorry, if you took this personal as it certainly was not directed at you or any dealership in particular.
MMRJR
I agree with that, Point taken. I hope that the other car guys/gals reading this forum always know to ask many questions regarding their vehicle repairs, whether it is in a independent shop or a dealership. The more you ask, the more you know,and the better you will feel about making the correct decision about the repair recommended, or needed, on your vehicle. Tomorrow is a new day….. Can’t wait for a day in the garage working on the Camaro, thinking about spring……..
Oh, and I will be sharing the video from today with all my techs, just as a reminder on how WE do business, compared to other stores put there…….
MMRJR: No hard feelings, it is a good topic…. I just take it too personally sometimes….
Zapper,
Well done! I am pleased that we can close this thread on good terms and move on to the next topic. I can clearly see that you are a class act and I look forward to your future postings on the forum.
I would also suggest that you find and view the follow up investigative report from msnbc regarding the small, independent shops (Pep Boys, Meineke, Midas Muffler, etc.) and how well they appear to be doing at diagnosing and repairing for less money.
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