gmarcucio

How serious if at all does GM take the customer survey they send out to new car buyers shortly after a purchase?

ZR-1DUDE

I would like to know also.

D.

RichieRichZ06

Yes they take them serious and most salesmen, service advisers and some management staff at the dealer level are paid based off their scores. On the service side, the surveys can effect authorizations the service manager makes, level of empowerment and other things that make life easier at the dealer level. GM has an entire team dedicated to customer surveys that come back as not satisfied so they definitely see them and the areas for improvement.

We try to remind our customers that many of the questions are related directly to the employee or dealership and others directly at the vehicle, quality of it and GM as a company. Hammering an employee at the dealership because of issues with the car isn't always fair, but some people just think they're venting when they fill them out.

JALLEN4

I think Richie Rich did a good job of explaining the impact of the customer satisfaction score. In the last couple of decades the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) has become very important to the dealer. The ability of the dealer to expand and purchase more stores often depends on that dealer generating acceptable results before being approved for additional points.

One thing though for the consumer to keep in mind... once the critical survey has destroyed the dealer's sales or service experience... the customer loses leverage. There is no ability to go back for a "do-over" and very frankly dealers and or their personnel can hold a grudge. Might be silly but perfectly normal for humans.

If you feel strongly your ability to give a dealer a satisfactory survey score has been compromised, go sit down with management before you send that survey in. Discuss if there is something they can do to change your mind and correct the situation. If there is not and you send in a very critical review, you might consider finding another dealership.

Mister Big

Customer satisfaction scores can also affect the dealer's future allocation of cars.

JerryU

Even more today! I have bought my last 3 Vettes out of state BUT use the local Chevy Dealer for service. Never had an issue. They are more concerned that I give them a good rating on the survey received after service.

Recall at 450 miles I brought my Grand Sport in for a free alignment. Not a check, all that would have done is for the tech to fix the one toe in the red, about 5 minutes. I gave the Service Writer a spread sheet with the GM MIN & MAX spec (you could drive a truck through) and what I wanted.

Was pleased the Tech had my sheet (I was at the open service bay door!) Took him ~45 minutes to adjust all cambers and toe to MY SPEC. They were within GM's range BUT my rear camber was -1.6 degrees from the factory and the Max allowed with -1.7 degrees. The MIN was -0.50 degrees. I requested -0.8 degrees, which he achieved. All on GM's dime.

All the Service Writer said when I picked up my keys and I told him I was very happy was "Please say that on the survey!" I did.

SIDEBAR
When I was last working full time (~20 years ago) I sent out a satisfaction survey with every "Marketing New Round-up" that went to 500 distributor locations each month. I not only summarized the results BUT any specific about a product or service I made the appropriate Product Manager call the person. My Service Manager also called about complaints. Not as good as eye to eye contact (which I and they did often) but did quantify issues.

Recall we got a new QA Manager who was not satisfied it represented that majority or distributors since we were more likely to get responses from the vocal majority (like this Form) that the silent majority! That is true. So on one survey I duplicated the questions and paid an outside firm to call that mailing location. We sampled significantly more than the written forms we got back.

I recall "a priori" decided I would calculate the results based on the first called that matched the number we received by mail. I was concerned if the number we usually received was statistically sound (although polling sample size equations said it was.) Turned out the results were almost the same as those using more than double that number that were called!

Flame Red

Yes, GM uses them as a tool to measure the Stealerships.

But to answer the original question, GM really cares NOTHING about their customers, otherwise they would fix the problems with the A8 and all the other chronic problems instead of using band-aids with a different fluid every year or so till the customers run out of warranty.

gmarcucio

Thanks for all of your feedback! I appreciate it! I had to make a decision and now I know what the proper decision will be.

gmarcucio

Actually I have another question that might be able to be answered only by a dealership management. Is it standard practice for the finance personal to submit a request for a loan for the purchaser for $6,000 more than the purchaser is actually going to be financing? If so, what is the reason?

Vetteman Jack

Yeah, the surveys are important - that’s why many dealerships will tell you if you can’t give top ratings, call them before you complete the survey.

Maxpowers

Is there a different survey for new car purchase vs. servicing? I didn't get one. I'd expect most people that purchased a new car are happy when they get the survey, otherwise they wouldn't have purchased the car. You would have filled out the survey before the issues started to creep up.

JALLEN4

No, that would not be standard practice.

Avanti

For all we can discern, it is purely a marketing ploy to try to make new customers "feel" like they contribute.

However, I suspect our time filling it out is all we truly give that matters to anyone.

Maxie2U

When I filed out my survey and listed an issue with wrinkling on the passenger seat about two weeks later I received a call from GM customer service. The person told me they opened a case number and authorized the seat to be replaced. They even called my dealer to give them a heads up.

Farva0066

Is it normal for GM to send out surveys for used car purchases...? (Even if the car is only 9 months old)? Do they only do this if a dealer is having "problems"?

I was contacted by the dealership I purchased the car from today and told I would be receiving a survey. And to contact them if I had any problems.

My experience at a large dealership in Atlantic City was easily the worst in 3 decades of buying cars. I don't know how GM feels about the dealership trying to preempt the survey itself - especially if surveys are not sent out on all purchases and they only contact customers who will be receiving surveys.

"Leverage" being lost because you gave honest feedback is, in itself, a huge problem. I already feel like I'm in a compromised place because I bought from out of state, am afraid they screwed up the paperwork, and still don't have all th documents I need....

In my case, I want GM to know what happened. I don't want this to happen to others. And even if the dealership said they could do XYZ to try and make me happy - there is now way they can give me back the lost time and stress experienced because of their actions.

People obviously shouldn't "review bomb" any vendor because they are mad (often about some.petty thing that could be resolved), but it is also important to give honest feedback. If a dealership is going to try and make your experience even worse after completing a survey -- well damn, that sounds like reason for a second survey.

Good luck out there. Eagerly awaiting the day when we can just order the car online, like Tesla, and not have to deal with these people...

Rabbi

I recently traded vettes with a chevy dealer out of town and the service dept. did a lousy job on the CPO and managers never called me back. One finally did and corrected one mistake. Too bad I didn't get a survey.

Cadigti

I factory ordered a brand new Camaro 2SS last year and finally took delivery this summer. There were some fit issues with the rear bumper that I later found out are common to the Camaro and more of a design issue vs factory issue. I had the dealer re fit the bumper which improved the fit somewhat. I am paying out of my own pocket to have a very high end body shop make the bumper fit correctly. I mentioned this on the GM survey and was very surprised to receive a call from GM with a lot of questions and empathy. Once the Camaro comes back from the shop I am supposed to contact GM. They could not promise anything other than the situation would be elevated up the ladder for review and possible goodwill consideration.
My parents own S Class Mercedes and good friend with new Audi A6. Both Audi and Mercedes appear to have very little care and concern for their current ICE customers at least. On the Audi my friend waited 6 months for infotainment fixes as her #2 Audi dealer in the country told her their priority is “Audis dead on road”. Perhaps those are their EVs.

Oskee

When I purchased my 2008 Z06 new I never received a survey, when I purchased my 2015 Z06 new I never received a survey, when I purchased my 2017 Z06 new l
never received a survey, the last corvette I purchased new is my 2019 ZR1 never received a survey. Oh well !

Farva0066

What?! GM sells alot of cars across the US/world, but if anyone is getting sent a satisfaction survey it should be someone buying a NEW Z06. And GM MUST have your name on some lists internally, knowing that you purchase $$$ cars every couple years. And a ZR1. You bought a ZR1.

Meanwhile they're reaching out to me after buying a used z51 1LT... seems strange 🤔

Oskee

Yes I thought that was strange also. Now the only think I get in the mail and email are notices asking me if I would consider selling my 19 ZR1 and that's from
the dealer I ordered it from back in July of 2019 and from CarFax !
But I will never never never part with my ZR1......