Ram Dealers begging for positive ratings?

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GrumpyOleMan

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I can't walk through my dealership without someone telling me to "be sure to give us a 10".

I hear this all the time too and I always answer "be sure to treat me like a 10".

I am sure they think I am nothing but a smart aleck but for Pete's sake don't ask me for something if you are not going to strive to deserve it.

Good ratings are earned not given away.
 

Stelios

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I'm not surprised about the incentives, the dealerships are really the face of th company. The financial incentives are probably given to dealerships over a certain rating score. Perfect 10s all the time are almost unattainable but they greatly increase the average getting them closer to that goal.

This is somewhat in my line of work and you'd be surprised how hard it is to increase ratings. Most people leaving reviews are the negative ones because negative expeirences leave a muchhhh longer impression than positives ones. It took about 4 months to get one of our locations up by only one point in online ratings and we were ecstatic about it haha.
 
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tap4154

tap4154

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Man, that's freaky... my dealership (didn't buy the truck there, but I do all my recall/repair/oil-change/etc business with 'em) never asked me for any such thing until I got an email asking nicely to do a survey for them; showed up in my email a bit after the last time I went for service.

They never asked for top scores, but damn they go out of their way to earn it, so yeah, I scored them as high as the survey let me.

Forgot to take pix this past weekend at the county fair, but they had a display and I spent time chatting with 'em. Turns out they're wanting to sell tires, and promised to price-match the Falken Wildpeaks I'd been eyeballing for awhile, so when it comes time for that? I intend to put 'em to that test as well.

But anyrate, point is that the good ones don't have to ask, and usually don't ask.

(and dammit, *now* they have a Classic/4th-Gen EcoDiesel, when I couldn't find one for love or money when I went buying last year...)

Actually the dealer I've been going to never mentions it while I'm there. The place where I bought it, everyone I interacted with begged for a 10. The salesman must have asked 10 times, and kept repeating memorized phrases he'd obviously been fed at training. Really was an inept guy, but was nice and I kinda felt sorry for him having to work under those conditions. I've been self-employed over 30 years so never have to deal with any of that corporate BS.

BTW on a similar note, yesterday I went to have new tires put on my old '94 Saturn SC2 (really in great shape) at a nationwide tire chain. Saw the tires they ordered for me stacked by the side of the garage area, and checked dates to make sure they weren't too old. An hour later, they bring the car out, I pay, hop in and leave. Stop at a grocery store on the way home, get out and look at the tires... WRONG tires. Right brand and size but a different model, and over 2 years old!

Called as I drove back, they apologized profusely, and when I arrived they quickly put the correct tires on. Also refunded the $76 labor charge, which I wasn't expecting (hey, sh*t happens) but it was appreciated.

So I get home last night and am cleaning the alloy wheels, and notice the right front tire says "this side inwards" ARG!!! Check the others, and thankfully it's the only one mounted inside out. So I called this morning before work to inform them, and am about to head back to have that one flipped around. Here's to hoping they don't crack the alloy wheel :cool:
 

6.7CumminsDrvr

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It’s called NPS.........net promoter score.

All big companies do this, some to varying degrees but in the end, it’s a litmus test on how things are going from a customer’s perspective. Like any performance management tool, it’s often leveraged inappropriately which defeats its useful purpose.

Don’t ask how I know!
 

fraleywp

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It’s called NPS.........net promoter score.

All big companies do this, some to varying degrees but in the end, it’s a litmus test on how things are going from a customer’s perspective. Like any performance management tool, it’s often leveraged inappropriately which defeats its useful purpose.

Don’t ask how I know!
Same way I know I presume.

Sent from my Z2_PRO using Tapatalk
 

15 Handicap

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Same BS here in Floriduh. Never got the email, salesman went ballistic on me for not responding. I never got it I told him.Thats when the nasty started to happen on his part.
 

Dpressed1

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They beg for good reviews because FCA is pushing for “customer satisfaction” to move up and get JD Power awards and get that fat check. I hear about it all the time at work.
 

RLJ10X

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My local dealership is pretty damn good.

But their body shop needs to be nuked. I wouldn't let those bums paint a barn.

"Give me a 10". Personally, I'd be embarrassed to say such a thing. That the equivalent of asking for a participation trophy.
 

Casper

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NEVER ****'n Uber! You're actually putting your life in the hands of a complete moron most of the time! smh
***
Could it be Tray, you're upset that Rams aren't acceptable as Ubers? (Sarc).

I once gave a really bad rating to the dealer I bought my Ram from for an oil change rotation saga.
The grease ape stood on my painted bumpers, left two greasy paw prints on my hood and they forgot the tire rotation I'd requested so I had to wait another hour after driving 45 minutes to get there for the "ready" truck.
Service manager called me the next day all pleading for another chance, free oil change etc.

Clearly the bad marks do get their attention.

I now go to the too-expensive-to-buy-from FCA dealer much closer to home, for far better service. Even these guys who are pretty good are always Jonesing for 10's.
 

OtterOS

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Wouldn't this type of survey system just lead to people holding the dealerships hostage on things that customers may want for free? I can just see customers asking for certain discounts or free items "or else".

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smithwessn

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I spent a lot of years working as a tech at an import car dealership. The service writers would always explain to the customer that anything less than a 10 was basically a zero and they hoped they did better than zero. And it was a team effort. If the survey praised the tech but tore the writer up, the tech got the low score too, and vice versa.

The manufacturer constantly stressed the importance of the survey to the dealership. They tracked not only the survey scores, but the number of surveys sent vs the number of surveys returned. There were financial incentives for employees, as well as the dealership as a whole. Factory reps would make life miserable for overall low scores and make life very easy for overall high ones. I think they take those things way too seriously. There's just no pleasing some people, no matter what. Lol.
 

S0CAL

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It was mentioned briefly above, but as someone who does this for a living (entirely different industry) I can provide additional insight as to why companies drive NPs (Net Promoter Score) campaigns. NPS is an effective indicator used to determine the likelihood of a customer recommending a brand, a product, a service to others. This is why the 9s and 10s are desired for measurement, and all lower values discarded.

Customer Experience — how one is treated — is a major contributing factor as to why people have brand loyalty, are willing to pay a premium, and will make personal recommendations to others. Track this, and a company’s sales and customer retention climb. Ignore it, and neither price nor quality alone will keep the competition from taking your customers.

I do believe employees of all industries need “NPS sensitivity training.” They need not be so overt about the score, be genuine, and provide every customer with excellent service.
 

Tray Burge

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I used to sell Lincolns, years ago, but most people don't realize a dealership is "allotted" cars based on their:
1. Volume they move and
2. Their GOOD REVIEWS they receive.
Think about it, the manufacturers want the most volume of cars going to dealerships that give great service and sale the most and dealerships want a high volume of cars for a better selection to choose from.
3. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY YOU BUY THE CAR THAT'S BEEN ON THE LOT THE LONGEST (ask), THAT CAR IS COSTING THEM THE MOST BECAUSE OF THE "FLOOR PLAN" THEY HAVE TO PAY TO KEEP THE CAR (no, they're not free), IT HAS ABSOUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TIME OF THE YEAR OR MONTH (well placed myth)! That's very simply and only a MARKETING ploy to get people in the doors.
There, I've passed some of my car salesmen wisdom on to you.
But what do they really talk about in the back room when the salesmen leaves to "talk to his manager?" hahahahaha
I should write a book spilling all the beans. lol
 
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Flip-er

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My last service really sucked, I was just a number to them.
The dealership changed hands and name.
I have gotten 3 emails from them saying I have submitted the surve yet, and I wont.
The service manager and service writer I had, left this dealership, and to much looking, I found them at another mopar dealership, so I will be following them there.
They aren't pushy guys, and they will tell you straight up what is going on.
ALWAYS gave them high marks, if I get another survey email from last place I was, I will do it, and I will be fair and honest, and include the 1.5 hour I had to wait for a express lube/oil change.
 

Tray Burge

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My last service really sucked, I was just a number to them.
The dealership changed hands and name.
I have gotten 3 emails from them saying I have submitted the surve yet, and I wont.
The service manager and service writer I had, left this dealership, and to much looking, I found them at another mopar dealership, so I will be following them there.
They aren't pushy guys, and they will tell you straight up what is going on.
ALWAYS gave them high marks, if I get another survey email from last place I was, I will do it, and I will be fair and honest, and include the 1.5 hour I had to wait for a express lube/oil change.
Submit it with a ****** rating and description, I guarantee they'll be calling you!
 

FoothillsFixIt

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Is this just in CA? When I bought the truck everyone I interacted with begged to be rated 10 on the email customer satisfaction survey they send. In fact at the dealer they have big signs "Only a 10". But everyone I dealt with - from sales, to finance to service - was horrible, and in the end I didn't give any rating (salesman was new, but a very nice young guy with a family, so I didn't want to harm him), but I left a very stinging review of that dealership on Yelp.

So now I go to another nearby dealer just for the recall work, and they do the same thing. Sending emails begging for a 10 (anything else means nothing, it says). Even suggesting that I dig though my spam folder to find the rating link, if I missed it.

BTW when I recently took it in just for recall work, the service advisor asked if I wanted to wait, or she would provide Uber free. I would normally stay, but accepted the Uber (assuming it was 2-way, like the shuttles always were). Two hours later she calls and says it's ready, I ask if the Uber will be picking me up, she says no, they only provide a ride home. Had I known that, I would have stayed at the dealer!

So never having used Uber, I downloaded the app, signed up, and got a ride. The driver didn't speak English, almost gets us killed twice on a 6 mile trip making a u-turn into traffic, and a sudden 2 lane turn into the parking lot. The first driver on the ride home was great, however.

So @RamCares, if you're listening, this "Only a 10" policy is just corporate BS that leave employees spending more time begging for a 10, than actually providing great customer experience. Whoever in the main office that came up with this policy, I rate at -10.

This is not just RAM by any means. Ford, GMC, Toyota, Infiniti, they all do the same thing. I went to the bother of writing a scathing letter to two local Ford dealers, never to be heard from. After being a loyal Ford customer for over 22 years, I made the switch to RAM. I had a very positive experience with my RAM dealership, though I’m certain there are others out there that are just as lousy as Ford has become.
 

Jberg

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This is corporate thinking at its worst.
The ratings are so heavily weighted that employees resort to begging for them rather than earning them.
Add to that the financial incentives for jacking up your repair bills and you have a very dangerous situation for consumers.

My dealer screwed up an oil change which resulted in a leak.
While they fixed the leak and redid my oil change, they made up a phony reason for the initial failure.
The service writer then added that his kids wouldn't get into college if he didn't get all 10s on the survey, and he then told me about a horribly mangled bushing that needed fixing and my extended warranty wouldn't cover it. The extended warranty company told me that no request was made and that, if damaged, it would be covered.
I asked the service manager to show me the bushing. It was in perfect condition. He had no further comments.
I had to request that he re-write the service documents that described the "damaged" bushing.
Since then, I'm a trouble maker. They took almost a month to report my AEM. The service manager has called me up screaming at me for leaving him a message to call me.
They have no idea what it means to provide service or retain customers. They are just jacking up their sales and begging for high reviews at all costs.
 

JoeCo

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This is not just RAM by any means. Ford, GMC, Toyota, Infiniti, they all do the same thing. I went to the bother of writing a scathing letter to two local Ford dealers, never to be heard from. After being a loyal Ford customer for over 22 years, I made the switch to RAM. I had a very positive experience with my RAM dealership, though I’m certain there are others out there that are just as lousy as Ford has become.

Instead of sending them letters, plaster what you wrote in those letters online in the dealer review area on cars.com/autotrader/car gurus/dealers website etc...They likely won't respond to letters just to them, but if you hit them where it can hurt and other people can see, that usually changes things. I know it's after the fact now, but it could help sway others away from them in the future.
 

Jberg

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Car dealers get the highest number of complaints of any consumer industry.
My nightmare dealer has so many awful reviews in so many places, it reads like a horror story.
They seem unaffected by it. In fact, they have no problem yelling at unwanted customers and throwing them out of the dealership over legitimate complaints.
They also have an overall high rating (stars) because of their begging and bribing tactics.
I'm told that they don't like customers who complain to the regional managers. I plan on doing that soon.
 

mtofell

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Years ago when working for a super corporate restaurant chain one of the managers was complaining to me that part of his bonus was based on secret shopper scores. The restaurant was VERY busy and got 2-3 secret shoppers a month. I happened to be in a statistics class in college at the time and pointed out to him that the sample size of 2-3 in a population of 10,000+ is completely statistically irrelevant. I understand the corporate bigwigs wanting to know whats going on but using such a statistically flawed method and controlling people's income with it is total BS.
 
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