Using Customer Service to Educate Your Customers
March 4, 2008A few weeks ago, I wrote about my experience in selecting a dealership for my new car purchase. I bought an HHR SS - which I love! - and I’ve also loved observing the customer service I’ve received along the way.
This past weekend, I activated my OnStar service in my new vehicle and had a very pleasant conversation with the representative. He was obviously following a script, though thankfully not to the letter. His approach was relaxed as he asked me how I liked my new vehicle. He took me through the steps of the process very efficiently. And when I told him that I was already familiar with OnStar, he didn’t make me listen to the beginner’s set of instructions.
He also asked me if I’d ever tried OnStar’s turn-by-turn navigation service. When I told him I hadn’t, he was very animated as he described it to me. ”You’ll love it,” he said. ”You tell the OnStar operator where you want to go, then the directions are downloaded to your vehicle and play through the radio. You should try it as soon as we hang up.”
“Oh, I just pulled into my driveway,” I laughed. ”So I won’t need directions today.”
“Well, promise me that you’ll try it in the next few days. Seriously? You’ll really like it,” he answered.
He was right! My husband and I called OnStar for directions when we were coming home from a family visit on Sunday. We knew where we were going, though the young man’s insistence that I try it had stayed with me and I was intrigued with how it would work.
The radio display showed the next street and the miles to get there, as the voice instructed us through the radio speakers. We even made a wrong turn to see what would happen next. (It asks you if you need new directions and if you do, it starts again from your current location. Very cool.)
It was a great example of how OnStar is responding to competitive vehicle navigation systems. And a great way to use customer service to make sure that your customers know what you have to offer. I’m sure I’ll use my OnStar turn-by-turn navigation service frequently, as I often go to meetings at new places. MapQuest may have just lost a customer!
REFLECTIONS:How can you, as a customer care representative, educate your customer on what your company has to offer?
Very nice post! This is exactly how customer service should be.
If a client walks out of the dealership with a sense of satisfaction, that client will tell their friends and their friends will tell their friends. Imagine how much free positive advertising will happen for this dealership.
Of course, there is also the negative side to it, which would be the exact opposite. This would not be good for business.
Thanks,
Richard Rinyai
http://www.theprofessionalassistant.net