"BeMark" (BeMark)
02/03/2015 at 11:16 • Filed to: None
2
7|
"BeMark" (BeMark)
02/03/2015 at 11:16 • Filed to: None | 2
| 7 |
In the last few months we've seen several stories that seem to follow the same arch. Something messed up happens to a customers car while in the hands of a dealer, customer and dealer can't come to terms, customer takes to social media and social media just devastates that dealer online. The internet brings that dealer to heel and they eventually do right by the customer.
In most cases when the customer takes to the internet to vent/ask for advice the dealership usually remains anonymous. Sooner or later things come to an impasse and the dealer is revealed. We could talk for ages about the ethics of unleashing the internet denizens onto a local business but that's not my question.
These things will continue to happen, will it eventually change the way dealerships act in these situations? Can these public shamings change automotive customer service?
EDIT: Additional question - If any of these dealerships were in your area would you do business with them?
Also tried to add some photos for your troubles but got Kinja pic blocked..
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> BeMark
02/03/2015 at 11:18 |
|
It's only a matter of time before people start to try to scam stealerships with this and ruin it for the people who really are victims of shop abuse.
TheHondaBro
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
02/03/2015 at 11:22 |
|
Hammurabi is a magnificent bastard.
cazzyodo
> BeMark
02/03/2015 at 11:27 |
|
I think social media will actually expand on the notion of the "stealership" because social media is an outlet for the good, the bad and the ugly. People will complain about anything (check your FB newsfeed, you know what I'm talking about). There are obviously cases where the complaints are justified (most things we see on the FP) and then there are idiots like that Cadillac guy.
Public shaming on the internet is a dangerous thing; it will drop the hammer on whatever party is deemed to be in the wrong. 99% of the time the "victim" will be the dealership but as more opportunity to bitch about things arise you'll start to see more instances of #boycottcadillaclolidonthaveaspare than "The techs joyrided my WRX."
|
BeMark
> cazzyodo
02/03/2015 at 11:35 |
|
Good points, and the internet hammer strikes hard and I worry it is not always 100% accurate or justified. I'm interested to see what the long term effects will be for local businesses that take such a smack down (justified or not).
|
BeMark
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
02/03/2015 at 11:37 |
|
I think you're right and I would imagine we will start to see dealerships sue for defamation. In the case of someone scamming them then good, my worry is that it will be used to silence people with legitimate issues.
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> BeMark
02/03/2015 at 23:03 |
|
I hate to play devil's advocate here, but most of time dealers in general are just normal businesses run by normal people not out to screw anybody. It only takes one person with questionable morals to try to cover up a simple mistake to save their own ass to make a whole dealer look wise than a Mexican drug cartel.
Some of us (many actually) go out of our way to do the right thing. If something bad happens we notify the customer, fix the problem however necessary, and often give the customer a little extra (coupon, free detail, free service, etc.) on top for the hassle. But it takes ten good reviews online to equal the effect of one bad, and people are far less likely to write good reviews.
|
BeMark
> AMGtech - now with more recalls!
02/04/2015 at 09:19 |
|
Couldn't agree more. I've had some not so great experiences with dealerships but it was never something that couldn't be fixed with a level headed conversation. It seems like the situations we hear about is when things go nuclear. Every case is different but sometimes I worry when we only have one side of the story.