Defenestrating Thoughts from the Bivouac

Despite having my new car for just over 10 months, it just had its first oil change. Apparently, I don’t drive that much: 5000 miles in 10 months, means I drive 500 miles per month. I guess that’s the advantage of having a short commute. :-)

So I needed to get the oil changed and decided to go to the closet dealer, Kirkland Honda, to get the service. Normally, we take our cars to the trusty Goodyear close by, but while not required, it’s better to get the new car service done at the dealer in case there are warranty issues down the road.

The downside of this is that a simple oil change costs twice as much. The only difference is that Kirkland Honda washes the car while Goodyear doesn’t. Oh well, you can’t win all battles, I can just deal with the higher price.

So I go to pick up my car and discover, that it’s not only just unwashed, but somehow dirtier than when I dropped it off (despite only half a mile more on the odometer). I’m slightly annoyed and since I’m not in a rush, I ask them if they forgot to wash it and if they could run it through real quick.

The guy helping me seems confused and checks lots of clipboards to see what was signed off for and by whom. Finally, he apologizes halfheartedly and says he’ll have it ready in 10 minutes. I watch him fill out a bunch of paperwork and then attach some paper to the keychain and hang up the keychain on the wall.

I go and sit down. Twenty minutes later, he hands me the keys and apologizes. I go to the car to discover that the sides and back are washed, but the hood and roof clearly are not. I decide it’s not worth it and drive home.

So… Crissy’s going to get a new car by the end of the year. You know we’re going to buy a Honda; and I can tell where we’re not buying it from: Kirkland Honda!

I’m not upset, but mostly amused. Kirkland Honda had a opportunity to make me a happy customer. When I asked for my car to be washed the following things should have happened:

1. The salesman doesn’t waste time checking the clipboard. Whether someone signed the paper is irrelevant, the car is dirty. Just take my keys apologize, and get it done.
2. Don’t fill out paperwork and hang the key up for someone to get. Hand deliver the key to the guy that drives the car to the car wash.
3. When the car is back, at least glance at it to make sure what was necessary got done.

And for bonus points, make up for the inconvenience to the customer. It would have cost the dealer very little to wax the car, vacuum the interior, or give me a small dollar off coupon for my next visit.

Contrast this to my experience with Enterprise Rent a Car. Last year, I needed to extend my car rental by a few days. When I returned it, I realized the total bill would have been cheaper if I was billed per week instead of the per day from the original reservation. I stopped by the counter and asked if there was a way to fix this. It wasn’t that big of a deal; something like a $30 difference and it was completely my fault.

The sales rep at the counter said he couldn’t change it since the transaction had been closed out. He was very polite and apologetic. I thanked him and started to leave when he stopped me and wrote out a “25% off next rental, plus 2 free upgrades” coupon for my next rental. That was really good customer service. Enterprise won a loyal customer and even honored the deal after I lost my coupon!

It’s a wonder that more business don’t treat customers well. If you treat someone well on a small deal, like an oil change, you will get their business in the future, like buying a new car. And in the long run, you come out way ahead.