CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COBWEBS

      I tried Google for a ‘customer service definition:’   there were 7,100,000 hits in 0.13 seconds.  These are just a minute few of those hits:  excellent customer service definition, exceptional , great, internal, superior customer service definition, customer service dictionary, customer satisfaction definition, and customer service representative definition. 

Sooooo.  On with my story!

TIME:  It was time to get the oil changed and a 30,000 mile check up on my van.  Also, the driver’s seat is supposed to slide forwards and backwards and it quit a couple weeks ago.  It still went up and down and tilted but not sliding forwards and backwards.

PLACE:  My auto dealership where I bought the van.

WHO:  Me, the sales manager, two salesmen, the shop service manager, one service technician and the young lady at the pay desk.

WHAT:  My critically observant eye and my big mouth.  An uncomfortable moment over “Cobwebs.”

WHERE:  In the show room.

WHEN:  While I was waiting for the seat in the van to be fixed.

WHY:  It was too hot in the Service customer waiting room.

          I took the van in on Wednesday for the oil change and the 30,000 mile checkup.  They had to order a part for the seat so I took it back in on Friday morning for the fix.  The Service Manager said they’d be right on it and it’d only be about an hour.  So I took my crochet and headed for the Customer waiting room.  It was one of those lovely cool, breezy September days.  I soon realized they must have turned the air conditioning down or off.  It got really muggy and warm, so I gathered up my stuff and headed out.  There was a single chair over by the windows, so I settled in with my coffee and crochet.  The young lady at the pay desk came out.  We discussed the weather.  She decided to open up the doors and it was really nice.  I thanked her for the breeze.  She smiled.

          There was a drop-dead beautiful bright RED Harley Davidson sitting right in front of me.  I couldn’t help being distracted.  Why is it there?  I got up and checked it out.  It's a six speed Screaming Eagle.  It is pretty!

 

 

 

 

Amused and thinking about my bucket list, I wondered how it would feel to be perched up there behind Steve McQueen, my hair blowing in the wind? 

 

 

A young salesman wondered over.  I had overheard him talking on the phone in a sales booth behind me.  I had noticed how polite he was on the phone, quoting makes and models and assuring the caller that he was certain they could make a deal, etc.  He’s smiling, friendly, says, “You’d sure look good on that.”  (Silver tongued devil!)  “Yeah, I was just thinking that myself.”

 

I continue, “But you all would have to hook something up behind it so I could haul my scooter along.  I don’t think Wal-Mart’s going to appreciate me running around shopping on that Harley.”  This kid is absolutely brilliant.  He says, “Well, if you were on that, I bet no one would try to stop you.”  We both laughed.  He went on. 

 

I went over to check out the bright yellow Challenger.  A 2012 Yellow Jacket, 392 Hemi at $50,256.  Shoot, why not?

 

 

 

 

Eventually I go back to sitting and crocheting.  But I had noticed cob webs built up under the tires of the Harley.  Surely it’s not been in that one spot long enough for cob webs? 

 

 

 

 

Now if you look just in front of that rear tire you can see those little specks on the tile.  The cobwebs were running all around there from the tire to those little specks.

 

     Soon another salesman comes in.  He and the young guy are talking.  I interject, “You guys are gonna have to clean up the cobwebs under this Harley, it doesn’t look good.”  The older (still younger than me) guy says, “I don’t have to do anything.”  And he looks like he means it.  I mean he’s not smiling.  He’s not congenial.  He’s not kidding.  I think, ‘maybe, he’s mad?’  Undaunted, I reply, “Oh, you don’t have a job description?”  He’s quick, “My job is to sell cars, not clean floors.”  I’m never speechless, “Gosh, well I certainly wasn’t expecting that kind of response.”  He turns his head.  Young guy looks like he can’t believe what’s going on. 

          Interesting!  All my job descriptions said ‘and other jobs as directed’ on the bottom line.  But then I wasn’t a car salesman.  I was a nurse.  Oh well!  So I shut up and let it go.

I go back to crocheting.  Weird, the pattern of the little piece I was crocheting was named ‘Cobwebs.’

 

          After a while, the Sales Manager comes out.  I’ve known this guy for a long time.  He used to live next to my Aunt Helena.  In 2011, he steered me towards a pretty blue van, got me a salesman and a good deal.  He always comes around for conversation and greetings when I’m in the dealership.  He’s a really nice guy.  He and the young guy and I have a long conversation, cars, weather, family, etc.  Then the Service Shop Manager comes in, my van is all done, everything completed.  So the Sales Manager and I keep talking and the Service Manager listens in.  The Sales Manager brings up what had just happened and apologizes on the spot.  I said, “Oh, gosh, that’s okay, I just think he might need some training on customer service.”  Pretty soon, we finish up, they both leave and I pay my oil change bill at the service desk to that nice young lady. 

Apparently, she’s been observing everything that happened.  She looks at me and she says, “I’m so sorry for the way he was talking to you.  That was uncalled for.”  I try to pass it off, “Listen, I’m a happy customer.  I’m not upset, really.  He just needs to calm down or something.”  Then she says, “The Service Manager has your car ready to go, but he asked if you would come back through the shop.  I think he wants to talk to you, too.”

          So I go to the shop and the new Service Manager and the technician (this one, who helped me order and installed my safety back up camera/monitor) both meet me with concerned faces.  More apologies.  I’m impressed.  They’re a team.  I assure them both that I’m more than satisfied with their service.  I’m a happy customer.  But I have to tell you I was most impressed with that young guy in the showroom.    

He’s a winner.

I believe this younger generation is going to be all right.

Copyright – 2012 – Doris Grant Frey