Chicago_grl Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Hello ! I work for a Lexus Dealership in Naperville IL (I've also worked in other Lexus dealerships in other parts of the US as well) and I am in charge of a fantastic project Lexus is working on called the Innovation Project. It is all about elevating the expereinces of our customers. It is our goal to provide our customers with Unprecidented and unmatched customer service, to impliment a visionary business idea to serve you (our customer) to the highest degree and more important than anything else we want to create something within our dealership that is a value to you and therefore other Lexus dealerships will follow suit. It is our task to create something that has never been done in any Lexus dealership before that will make your experience Truly outstanding and that will be of value to you. Why am I on the blogs asking you for your advice on what we should do? Easy ! What knows better than you about what will make you completely WOWed! We want you to be thrilled and we want to know how to do it ! Please feel free to share with me all of your ideas, you can even complain about what you dislike as long as you are kind enough to give me an idea of how to make it better. Please keep in mind we are doing this for YOU and I care very much about making this project a success. All ideas are welcome and I will respond to all posts. Be kind though I'm knew to this! Memebers of my sales, service, parts, accessories, management and even a customer panel meet on a weekly basis to toss around ideas to improve your experience, not just from the sales side but from all aspects. Please help us help you ! You may also email me your opinions, advice, suggestions for what would WOW you and what would make you a RAVING FAN at mloebach@lexusofnaperville.com. I get a ton of email there already so it may take me longer to respond than here but please feel free to email me anytime. Please remember I am here to help elevate your experience as a Lexus customer. Please note that all posts will be printed and submitted to our Innovation Team for review and may even be submitted to the judging panel as part of the project. If you would like your name ommitted or your post to not be used please note that in your post. So...what would wow you ? Thank you for all of your help ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nc211 Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Service. Service. Service. Service. BUT, with reasonable costs. In my honest opinion, there is absolutely no excuse why it costs $100+ for an oil change, when the Toyota dealership across the street will do it for $39.99 with the exact same oil and filter. I pay for the Lexus Experience when I buy the car. I waste money when I service the car at Lexus. Or you should at least offer the $39.99 rate for those who don't want/need to use a loaner. Saying "we do more than just change the oil", is a copout. How much does it cost to check the air psi in tires and shake the air filter of loose debrie? Two: Have all technicians take monthly exams to make sure they're up to date on what symptoms mean what problems. I've had more than one occassion when some new-guy told me the wrong fix and cost me several hundreds of dollars. But, I think that's a Toyota Corporate thing in general, if not just a auto-repair thing. But then again, you're asking us to give you feedback on how to make you different. There are guys on here, me included in some areas of the cars, that simply know far more about the cars then 95% of the technicians in the shops. We know what rattles usually mean what parts. We know TRUE timeframes for repairs, we know how to do it. We also know what "TSB" means, which to this day just shocks me when I bring a copy of a TSB to a dealership for a repair to be done and they have no idea what it is. There is a lack of trust sometimes with Lexus repair shops. Some of the greasy smile b/s "it's fixed and drives perfectly, keys are at the cashier", only to find 5 miles down the road, it isn't fixed at all. You want to charge a premium for services, then you need to be 100% with those repairs. Pay your senior technicians more to mentor the new guys. How many times have you guys charged several hundreds of dollars for a new "evap canister", when all that was needed was a tightening of the gas cap? That kind of stuff, is crap. I have no advice for the sales aspect of your operation. I'm not one to be impressed by sales techniques. I know what I want, what it's worth, what is a fair profit, and how to buy. Everything else beyond that is just filler. I will say however to not be fooled by a pair of jeans, tee shirt and ball cap. Some buying power likes to dress down when shopping. Suit & tie only apply 9 to 5. Johnson Lexus of Raleigh lost a sale of a used MB 300e 18 months ago from me for my wife due to arrogance, games, and sheer stupidity. Irritate me, that's just life. Insult me, and you won't see me or my money again. The guy never knew I had a USAA Bank check in my wallet, that just needed my signature. I was a repeat customer too, but never again. You want to be the best? Then prove you're a dealerhship, not a stealership. People will flock to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcrome04 Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 How about when you go in for an oil change, and whoever's helping you is trying as hard as it would take to save their own life, to up-sale you tons of extra parts that aren't even needed. That's the shady kind of personel that keep me from getting work done at my local toyota dealership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JENunnez Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 nc211 you got that right inyour last paragraph. When I went in to look at the IS350 they all looked at me strange, I like to wear tee shirt and jeans, they pushed a new sales person on me. Like you I had a check waiting in my pocket, so I told them a price and wouldn't you know it they wouldn't even bother to get the numbers together.They kept trying to push a used 250 on me thinking how can this bum afford a new 350. They didn't even bother to check my credit score, which is 940 by the way, just with that they could have even tried to sell me a IS-F. But nooo . Like you say "arrogance, games, and sheer stupidity" is one of the reasons I hate shopping for a car. Appearance should not mean a thing. Customer Satisfaction- NOT -Dealer Satisfaction Oh and the salesperson kept telling me that if I bought a car if I would buy him a new shirt, not funny. What the hell is up with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatingupblacktop Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Hello ! I work for a Lexus Dealership and I am in charge of a fantastic project Lexus is working on called the Innovation Project. A suggestion if I may. To legitimize your post as an authentic initiative from Lexus, why not devulge the name of your dealership. I would also suggest posting an email address or perhaps even creating a forum where readers could voice their suggestions and concerns directly to you and allow you to get to the heart of their issues without having to filter through postings to find the ones that are addressed to you specifically. Not only would your post gain credibility, but due credit as well for your desire to:more important than anything else we want to create something within our dealership that is a value to you All ideas are welcome Here's one. I had an occaision to discuss cleaning the rack solenoid on my LS with a Lexus service advisor who said they don't do that service, instead they replace the rack. I would suggest that if the Greening of Lexus/Toyota with the advent of the LSh, RXh, GSh, Prius and the like is genuine, then recycling, rebuilding, renewing, and cleaning, should be operative protocols rather than the standard and definitely "Ungreen" remove and replace. What knows better than you about what will make you completely WOWed! Here is a thread that might interest you at: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=48232 where I describe experiences I had at a couple of dealerships that indeed impressed me. I'm sure if you structure this venture with commitment and authentic concern for your clients (such as identifiying the dealer as described above) you will gain the trust and co-operation of members of this and other forums to: toss around ideas to improve your experience, not just from the sales side but from all aspects. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago_grl Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Thank you to everyone who has posted. I've read all of the posts and will be getting back with you all individually. It may take me some time ! Thank you ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago_grl Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Service. Service. Service. Service.BUT, with reasonable costs. In my honest opinion, there is absolutely no excuse why it costs $100+ for an oil change, when the Toyota dealership across the street will do it for $39.99 with the exact same oil and filter. I pay for the Lexus Experience when I buy the car. I waste money when I service the car at Lexus. Or you should at least offer the $39.99 rate for those who don't want/need to use a loaner. Saying "we do more than just change the oil", is a copout. How much does it cost to check the air psi in tires and shake the air filter of loose debrie? Two: Have all technicians take monthly exams to make sure they're up to date on what symptoms mean what problems. I've had more than one occassion when some new-guy told me the wrong fix and cost me several hundreds of dollars. But, I think that's a Toyota Corporate thing in general, if not just a auto-repair thing. But then again, you're asking us to give you feedback on how to make you different. There are guys on here, me included in some areas of the cars, that simply know far more about the cars then 95% of the technicians in the shops. We know what rattles usually mean what parts. We know TRUE timeframes for repairs, we know how to do it. We also know what "TSB" means, which to this day just shocks me when I bring a copy of a TSB to a dealership for a repair to be done and they have no idea what it is. There is a lack of trust sometimes with Lexus repair shops. Some of the greasy smile b/s "it's fixed and drives perfectly, keys are at the cashier", only to find 5 miles down the road, it isn't fixed at all. You want to charge a premium for services, then you need to be 100% with those repairs. Pay your senior technicians more to mentor the new guys. How many times have you guys charged several hundreds of dollars for a new "evap canister", when all that was needed was a tightening of the gas cap? That kind of stuff, is crap. I have no advice for the sales aspect of your operation. I'm not one to be impressed by sales techniques. I know what I want, what it's worth, what is a fair profit, and how to buy. Everything else beyond that is just filler. I will say however to not be fooled by a pair of jeans, tee shirt and ball cap. Some buying power likes to dress down when shopping. Suit & tie only apply 9 to 5. Johnson Lexus of Raleigh lost a sale of a used MB 300e 18 months ago from me for my wife due to arrogance, games, and sheer stupidity. Irritate me, that's just life. Insult me, and you won't see me or my money again. The guy never knew I had a USAA Bank check in my wallet, that just needed my signature. I was a repeat customer too, but never again. You want to be the best? Then prove you're a dealerhship, not a stealership. People will flock to that. I am quite sorry for your experience with Johnson. It was very unprofessional. As for the reasons behind the prices for oil changes, that will be something I bring up in the next meeting to see what the difference is and why the prices are the way they are. I agree with you completely that service is the key to everything. Your comments are appreciated and I will look into what you suggested as a way to improve the customers experience at our dealership and hopefully throughout other dealerships as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago_grl Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Hello ! I work for a Lexus Dealership and I am in charge of a fantastic project Lexus is working on called the Innovation Project. A suggestion if I may. To legitimize your post as an authentic initiative from Lexus, why not devulge the name of your dealership. I would also suggest posting an email address or perhaps even creating a forum where readers could voice their suggestions and concerns directly to you and allow you to get to the heart of their issues without having to filter through postings to find the ones that are addressed to you specifically. Not only would your post gain credibility, but due credit as well for your desire to:more important than anything else we want to create something within our dealership that is a value to you All ideas are welcome Here's one. I had an occaision to discuss cleaning the rack solenoid on my LS with a Lexus service advisor who said they don't do that service, instead they replace the rack. I would suggest that if the Greening of Lexus/Toyota with the advent of the LSh, RXh, GSh, Prius and the like is genuine, then recycling, rebuilding, renewing, and cleaning, should be operative protocols rather than the standard and definitely "Ungreen" remove and replace. What knows better than you about what will make you completely WOWed! Here is a thread that might interest you at: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=48232 where I describe experiences I had at a couple of dealerships that indeed impressed me. I'm sure if you structure this venture with commitment and authentic concern for your clients (such as identifiying the dealer as described above) you will gain the trust and co-operation of members of this and other forums to: toss around ideas to improve your experience, not just from the sales side but from all aspects. Good luck! WOW. You are quite good at this posting stuff ! I admit this is my first go at it so thank you for all of your help in this. I have edited my post complete with my email address etc. at Lexus of Naperville so I can be contacted there as well. I appreciate the thread that you sent. Although I had no idea what a thread was to begin with ! Its always good to learn something new. We certainly want ideas for all aspects of your experience, from the moment you walk in the door, what you want to see, what you want to feel, how you want to be treated, how to improve your overall experience, from the sales process, to having your vehicle services, what you want to see in the people that work in the dealership, what you want your waiting time in the service area to be like, what ameneties you want to have, what you want to make your experience absolutely amazing. We want raving fans here, people who love to come here, people who love us, people we love back, this is a really really tough job and we want to gain as much feedback as we can as to what YOU all want. It is important to us. This is a project to raise the bar yet again for Lexus dealerships. Other dealerships/manufacturers now offer what we do, so it is our task to set an even higher standard of customer service. Not just because others are offering what we do but because we want to keep Lexus the best of the best, because we know that is what our customers want. This is a great way to use your imagination, to think of whats not ever been done before ! Thank you for helping us ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago_grl Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 How about when you go in for an oil change, and whoever's helping you is trying as hard as it would take to save their own life, to up-sale you tons of extra parts that aren't even needed. That's the shady kind of personel that keep me from getting work done at my local toyota dealership. Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I know it may seem quite often that dealerships try to upsell you on things, we do have to make money just like any other business but you are correct in that it does not need to be done at the expense of a customer. What we have in place already (and I'm sure other dealerships do as well and if they don't please bring it to the attention on their manager) that we fully explain why we recommend something, what it does and what your options are. I'm sorry your experience has been so negative! I hope next time you are treated by a more professional attitude ! I will certainly share your comments and feelings with our service dept so they know how some people feel. thank you again ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcrome04 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I know they have to make money too. They are making money on the vehicle being brought in for an oil change. They say you need a new air filter when they don't even check it. They try and talk people into syn blend, or full synth oil change when they only need conventional. I'm not saying give an oil change for free. I'm saying they don't need to be so obscenely pushy and desperate to sell you other parts/services that are completely unnecessary. ESPECIALLY TO WOMEN! Oh and they only vacuum the front of the car! WTF! Like it takes so much time to do a half-assed vacuum job in the back as well???? Want the vehicle washed afterwards?? It takes them an additional 30-40 MINUTES TO WASH IT!! As for speaking to the managers, even the owner, it is a lost cause as 99.9% of the staff are jerks, have attitudes, have elitist complexes, make smart remarks to you. The managers don't care they just back-sass you, whatever happened to the customer is always right??? Especially when the customer IS right! I have MULTIPLE experiences of poor customer service there. Unfortunately they are the only Toyota dealership NEAR where I live. Wilder Toyota, Port Angeles WA. Everyone I know hates it there too. Only God knows why they're still in business AND expanding. To pour salt in their wounds.....here's an example of how over priced they are. 2000 LS400. I don't know the exact mileage but I know it's over 100k. Visibly in good condition. $19,950!!!!! Anyways....I could go off for hours about this dealership! hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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