Going Above and Beyond
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,975
Likes: 6,035
From: SE Michigan
Going Above and Beyond
Lots of posts on any forum, including this one, about problems - that's why people use the internets, to complain anonymously. I wanted to post about the other extreme - a dealership that goes above and beyond. I'm not going to mention the dealership because it's not important, what's important is that like any business there are those that go above and beyond.
A few weeks back our late 90s Ford car (used to be my father in-law's) died 30 miles from home with my son driving it. Starter went bad. In a store parking lot, so we spent a few hours fiddling until we finally gave up knowing it was a starter that was likely original and wouldn't come off in a parking lot. Got it towed to a dealer 25 miles from home that we've never been to. New starter a day later, and off we go.
Fast forward less than a week. Pouring buckets. On the way to the pickup my aged relatives in this big old car because they can get in and out easier than our Fusion (forget the F-150, they can't climb into it) to take them to visit another aged relative that was in the hospital after a bad fall, in a coma. Came off highway, car started to go (slow wipers,...). Pulled into a parking lot, coasted to a dead stop. Determined now alternator had gone and we had been running on battery and we were done.
I called this dealership that had done 1 repair job for us, and didn't owe us anything. Asked for a manager, none were around (lunch time). Explained situation to the receptionist - we HAD to get to the hospital before this relative was no longer alive (they passed away 4 days later). She said "I will have someone get back to you in 10 minutes or less".
She got a manager within 10 minutes who called us and said "I have two cars on the way to you. One is a Flex for you to drive, the other is to bring our driver back. We want to get you on your way as fast as possible." I had already called a tow truck, they were hours from coming due to the weather. Got handed paperwork, signed my name, and off we went. Saw no rate on the paperwork, didn't really care anyway. Had to get there, and we did - 90 minutes later than intended but still fine.
The next day the car was fixed. Filled the Flex with gas, drove to the dealership, and said "here's the mileage number so you don't have to go outside". The person said "I don't need that, there is no charge.". I thanked her, and went looking for the manager who did this for us (I had already emailed the GM and told him about the manager and the receptionist). I thanked him profusely.
So - some dealers are lousy. Some people are lousy (including some that use forums
).
But then there are the human beings that make this a great place to live, and make all of us think that there is hope for us as a society (although it often seems like there is not, especially with the idiots running for public office - kept that general enough to not be a political statement...).
Please - no "sorry about your relative". Wasn't posting for that reason. They lived a very long life, their way, and passed quickly. Nothing to be sad about. I posted this so you can step back and say "hey, there are good people in the world" and maybe take a different outlook on life.
A few weeks back our late 90s Ford car (used to be my father in-law's) died 30 miles from home with my son driving it. Starter went bad. In a store parking lot, so we spent a few hours fiddling until we finally gave up knowing it was a starter that was likely original and wouldn't come off in a parking lot. Got it towed to a dealer 25 miles from home that we've never been to. New starter a day later, and off we go.
Fast forward less than a week. Pouring buckets. On the way to the pickup my aged relatives in this big old car because they can get in and out easier than our Fusion (forget the F-150, they can't climb into it) to take them to visit another aged relative that was in the hospital after a bad fall, in a coma. Came off highway, car started to go (slow wipers,...). Pulled into a parking lot, coasted to a dead stop. Determined now alternator had gone and we had been running on battery and we were done.
I called this dealership that had done 1 repair job for us, and didn't owe us anything. Asked for a manager, none were around (lunch time). Explained situation to the receptionist - we HAD to get to the hospital before this relative was no longer alive (they passed away 4 days later). She said "I will have someone get back to you in 10 minutes or less".
She got a manager within 10 minutes who called us and said "I have two cars on the way to you. One is a Flex for you to drive, the other is to bring our driver back. We want to get you on your way as fast as possible." I had already called a tow truck, they were hours from coming due to the weather. Got handed paperwork, signed my name, and off we went. Saw no rate on the paperwork, didn't really care anyway. Had to get there, and we did - 90 minutes later than intended but still fine.
The next day the car was fixed. Filled the Flex with gas, drove to the dealership, and said "here's the mileage number so you don't have to go outside". The person said "I don't need that, there is no charge.". I thanked her, and went looking for the manager who did this for us (I had already emailed the GM and told him about the manager and the receptionist). I thanked him profusely.
So - some dealers are lousy. Some people are lousy (including some that use forums
). But then there are the human beings that make this a great place to live, and make all of us think that there is hope for us as a society (although it often seems like there is not, especially with the idiots running for public office - kept that general enough to not be a political statement...).
Please - no "sorry about your relative". Wasn't posting for that reason. They lived a very long life, their way, and passed quickly. Nothing to be sad about. I posted this so you can step back and say "hey, there are good people in the world" and maybe take a different outlook on life.
5 Year Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 89
Likes: 19
From: NW Wisconsin
Great story, I'm pretty sure my dealer would fall into the same category as the one you encountered.
I've also figured out that the customers attitude when they first contact the dealer is key to a successful experience. It's the first 5 words that come out of a customers mouth that counts most. I have also figured out that there are more customers than I ever thought who don't know that they have poor customer "manners", and they set themselves up for a bad experience without knowing it. Then, as you mentioned many of those people post on internet forums.
I've also figured out that the customers attitude when they first contact the dealer is key to a successful experience. It's the first 5 words that come out of a customers mouth that counts most. I have also figured out that there are more customers than I ever thought who don't know that they have poor customer "manners", and they set themselves up for a bad experience without knowing it. Then, as you mentioned many of those people post on internet forums.