How important is dealer service?

[wallymn]

A lot has been said about the differences between Hyundai service and "premium" service from other brands. I am curious how many people (Genny owners only please) care about service , and what matters....

For me, I only care that the dealer gets the service done, On time. and is done on time.

I don't care about

Pretty waiting rooms
Free food or coffee
white glove treatment.

Basically I don't care about anything directed at servicing me.

I do care about.

Timely completion of service.
Quick scheduling (I dont want to wait 2 weeks to get in for an oil change)
Care for my car.... ( in clean out clean please)

My Dealer (Adamson in Rochester MN)
offers a few nice things that I don't need but like.
Free shuttle (office is just across the street so I really don't need it)
Free Wifi ( I should never be there long enough to use it)
On line service scheduling (very nice, saves calling to schedule)

 

[dataguy]

The dealer that I bought my Hyundai from is the first one that's a standalone Hyundai dealership. The previous two that I took my last Hyundai for service at were Nissan/Hyundai and Chrysler/Hyundai. So, frankly, when I get a service manager who doesn't work on H's in his spare time, when there's a nice, quiet, and empty waiting room, and when I can get in for service without having to make an appointment a week in advance or get in line at 6am on walk-in Fridays, I'm pretty happy.

I agree that I'd much rather get an accurate repair at a fair price when promised than getting my car picked up on a flatbed or being offered a gourmet coffee. All of that stuff comes at a cost, and I don't get the impression that Hyundai has a lot of margin padded in on their sticker. I certainly don't want to pay extra for the white gloves.

 

[ctrcbob]

Not only is Dealer Service important, you also have to like your Service Writer. At my selling dealer, I used to use one Service Writer, but I always had trouble getting hold of him on the phone, so I switched to another Service Writer who always seems to be available. (The have three Service Writers)

The closest dealer to me (not my selling dealer) seems to be well liked by various friends who own Hyundais and use him.

 

[wallymn]

That is a good point, My purchase dealer was a stand alone Hyundai dealer, it was brand new and had an "area" for the Genesis, but it is too far away for servicing (130 miles) The local dealer is a Hyundai/Dodge/Jeep dealer. The Hyundai piece of the pie must be small. Only about 20% of the cars on the lot (mostly dodge mini vans). My first service was a bit of a problem, but now they have the same rep work on my car (I think the only one that has had training on the Genny).

 

[Sal Collaziano]

I'm not a Hyundai owner - but I would like to BE one day. I'm used to excellent treatment at dealerships from Lexus, BMW and Cadillac. When I go to buy my vehicle, I want to be in the company of people like myself. Successful, affluent, hard-working. Like it or not, people like people like themselves.. Birds of a feather flock together. That's life..

When I bring my car in for service, I want to be comfortable with my surroundings. I want to be in the presence of like-minded individuals. I want coffee, tea, bottled water and whatever else I have at Lexus/BMW/Cadillac dealerships. I want to be treated with respect. I don't want an obnoxious service writer with an attitude. I want to deal with people who've been trained to deal with people like me.

People who already own Hyundais don't need this level of service. However, if Hyundai is to move forward, they need conquest sales. They NEED people who don't NORMALLY buy Hyundai's. Otherwise, when all the current Hyundai buyers pass on, who will be there to purchase their vehicles?

So it may not seem important to you (if you're already a Hyundai buyer) to get excellent service and have a great sales experience - but it's "do or die" for Hyundai as an automobile company that's moving "forward"...

 

[kaberle]

I'm not a Hyundai owner - but I would like to BE one day. I'm used to excellent treatment at dealerships from Lexus, BMW and Cadillac. When I go to buy my vehicle, I want to be in the company of people like myself. Successful, affluent, hard-working. Like it or not, people like people like themselves.. Birds of a feather flock together. That's life..

When I bring my car in for service, I want to be comfortable with my surroundings. I want to be in the presence of like-minded individuals. I want coffee, tea, bottled water and whatever else I have at Lexus/BMW/Cadillac dealerships. I want to be treated with respect. I don't want an obnoxious service writer with an attitude. I want to deal with people who've been trained to deal with people like me.

People who already own Hyundais don't need this level of service. However, if Hyundai is to move forward, they need conquest sales. They NEED people who don't NORMALLY buy Hyundai's. Otherwise, when all the current Hyundai buyers pass on, who will be there to purchase their vehicles?

So it may not seem important to you (if you're already a Hyundai buyer) to get excellent service and have a great sales experience - but it's "do or die" for Hyundai as an automobile company that's moving "forward"...

We have disagreed on this point before you may recall....... (always pleasant disagreeing with you on this point ) I have never owned a Hyundai before the Genesis...... never even considered one....... I can afford a BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes...... I am successful and affluent........ I like to be treated with respect......... having said that .... I chose Genesis more than I chose my dealership experience......... having said that my dealer has treated me with respect and have so far been up to snuff....... with regard to being in the company of like minded people........ I suppose by surrounding myself with Hyundai owners... I am...... so on that point we agree........

 

[Sal Collaziano]

We have disagreed on this point before you may recall....... (always pleasant disagreeing with you on this point ) I have never owned a Hyundai before the Genesis...... never even considered one....... I can afford a BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes...... I am successful and affluent........ I like to be treated with respect......... having said that .... I chose Genesis more than I chose my dealership experience......... having said that my dealer has treated me with respect and have so far been up to snuff....... with regard to being in the company of like minded people........ I suppose by surrounding myself with Hyundai owners... I am...... so on that point we agree........

I feel my opinion on the matter covers most people - certainly not everyone.

 

[ctrcbob]

Not only is Dealer Service important, you also have to like your Service Writer. At my selling dealer, I used to use one Service Writer, but I always had trouble getting hold of him on the phone, so I switched to another Service Writer who always seems to be available. (The have three Service Writers)

The closest dealer to me (not my selling dealer) seems to be well liked by various friends who own Hyundais and use him.

The technician at my selling dealer Service Department, who works on my car (what little work that has been done on my car) told me he had Genesis training somewhere. Because there are so few Genesis compared to other Hyundai's, he is the only one that works on the Genesis. When there is no Genesis in the shop, I see him working on other models.

As for the closest Hyundai Dealer, a friend with an Azera (sp) loves their Service Department, plus I've met others who also like them. (Modern building and the whole place looks beautiful)

Both these dealerships are Stand Alone Dealerships.

 

[mikec]

No matter the brand, I EXPECT a service department to be professional and courteous. I expect that of ANY business I deal with - autos or grocery stores. Would you eat in a restaurant that made you wait excessively? Or acted like serving you was an annoyance - as though serving you was taking them away from their valuable text messaging time?

What I'd expect from any auto dealer service departmet - luxury or mainstream is:
1: honest/accurate estimates of how long they'll need to do the work. Excuses here really suck.
2: work is done correctly!
3: a reasonably comfortable waiting area, with enough space corresponding to the number of service bays they have. Two small couches in a mega-sized service shop is insulting.
4: the waiting area, and restrooms, should be clean.

That's just basic courtesy any customer should expect. I'd probably have my own magazine/book to read if I was planning to wait. But a few laying around is handy too.

From a luxury auto brand though folks do expect a few extra perks after paying so much for the vehicle:
1: Numbers 1 and 2 above - the "do the job right" stuff. If they can't do the job right, or near the estimated time, I don't care how many free donuts they have.
2: More comfortable furniture with more space per customer.
3: TV or wireless internet maybe.
4: Loaner cars. Or car pick-up and delivery service. And some sort of compensation if they can't in fact finish the service by the end of the day especially - "well, we're closing now, and your car didn't get done after all. We need to lock the waiting area" doesn't cut it.

The same pretty much applies to the sales side of the dealership too - I expect to be treated with courtesy. I expect whatever sales person shows up to be able to answer my questions about the vehicle - not just point out "look it has cupholders." People at the dealership, in sales or service, are supposed to be the experts on the cars. If they can't meet that requirement, they are a waste of time, a waste of customer's money, and are company-level insults to customers. Living in SoCal, I have many dealers to choose from... so if I get the "pushy" style sales pitch, I'm outta there.

Dealers ARE the face of a car company. Some "get it" - like Lexus, Mercedes, etc. Others don't seem to care - and the brand image suffers accordingly. One lousy dealership, or even a few rude/incompetent employees at a dealership, tarnish a brand name far more than any advertising campaign can overcome. Some folks on this site have reported poor dealership/service department issues - at least Hyundai itself has stepped up to try to make things right in many of those cases. Hopefully Hyundai can pressure those dealers into cleaning up their acts too. A bad service department that can't troubleshoot/fix vehicles in a timely matter leads to customers thinking either the dealership sucks or, more commonly, the car/brand itself is an unreliable piece of crap. "It's in the shop a lot more than my other car" they tell their friends. Bye-bye customers!

mike c.

 

[kaberle]

No matter the brand, I EXPECT a service department to be professional and courteous. I expect that of ANY business I deal with - autos or grocery stores. Would you eat in a restaurant that made you wait excessively? Or acted like serving you was an annoyance - as though serving you was taking them away from their valuable text messaging time?

What I'd expect from any auto dealer service departmet - luxury or mainstream is:
1: honest/accurate estimates of how long they'll need to do the work. Excuses here really suck.
2: work is done correctly!
3: a reasonably comfortable waiting area, with enough space corresponding to the number of service bays they have. Two small couches in a mega-sized service shop is insulting.
4: the waiting area, and restrooms, should be clean.

That's just basic courtesy any customer should expect. I'd probably have my own magazine/book to read if I was planning to wait. But a few laying around is handy too.

From a luxury auto brand though folks do expect a few extra perks after paying so much for the vehicle:
1: Numbers 1 and 2 above - the "do the job right" stuff. If they can't do the job right, or near the estimated time, I don't care how many free donuts they have.
2: More comfortable furniture with more space per customer.
3: TV or wireless internet maybe.
4: Loaner cars. Or car pick-up and delivery service. And some sort of compensation if they can't in fact finish the service by the end of the day especially - "well, we're closing now, and your car didn't get done after all. We need to lock the waiting area" doesn't cut it.

The same pretty much applies to the sales side of the dealership too - I expect to be treated with courtesy. I expect whatever sales person shows up to be able to answer my questions about the vehicle - not just point out "look it has cupholders." People at the dealership, in sales or service, are supposed to be the experts on the cars. If they can't meet that requirement, they are a waste of time, a waste of customer's money, and are company-level insults to customers. Living in SoCal, I have many dealers to choose from... so if I get the "pushy" style sales pitch, I'm outta there.

Dealers ARE the face of a car company. Some "get it" - like Lexus, Mercedes, etc. Others don't seem to care - and the brand image suffers accordingly. One lousy dealership, or even a few rude/incompetent employees at a dealership, tarnish a brand name far more than any advertising campaign can overcome. Some folks on this site have reported poor dealership/service department issues - at least Hyundai itself has stepped up to try to make things right in many of those cases. Hopefully Hyundai can pressure those dealers into cleaning up their acts too. A bad service department that can't troubleshoot/fix vehicles in a timely matter leads to customers thinking either the dealership sucks or, more commonly, the car/brand itself is an unreliable piece of crap. "It's in the shop a lot more than my other car" they tell their friends. Bye-bye customers!

mike c.

My Hyundai Dealer has the following

1: Numbers 1 and 2 above - the "do the job right" stuff. If they can't do the job right, or near the estimated time, I don't care how many free donuts they have.

I have only been in twice...... first time they had to take some environmental fallout off the paint...... job was done when they said and was done correctly...... the second time was for the first oil change...... job was done as expected and on time.....




2: More comfortable furniture with more space per customer.


The furniture in the waiting area was plenty comfortable and there was seating for approximately 12.


3: TV or wireless internet maybe.

They had a wide screen TV with Satelite Stations



4: Loaner cars. Or car pick-up and delivery service. And some sort of compensation if they can't in fact finish the service by the end of the day especially - "well, we're closing now, and your car didn't get done after all. We need to lock the waiting area" doesn't cut it.


The first time I dropped it off to get the stuff off my paint they gave me a 4.6 Genesis for a loaner........


No Donuts though.... what a bummer

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[Gold Z]

My dealer's service sucks. I can't switch to Mercedes, BMW or Cadillac because the same dealer has all those brands on the same lot with their Hyundai's.

 

[wallymn]

that is a weird combo,

In my town there is a BMW/AUDI/KIA dealer, another weird combo dealer.

 

[ctrcbob]

Not only is Dealer Service important, you also have to like your Service Writer. At my selling dealer, I used to use one Service Writer, but I always had trouble getting hold of him on the phone, so I switched to another Service Writer who always seems to be available. (The have three Service Writers)

The closest dealer to me (not my selling dealer) seems to be well liked by various friends who own Hyundais and use him.

Over the long weekend, I "thought" I had a problem with a rear seat safety belt latch.

I also got to talk with a gentleman who lives nearby, who wants to buy a Genesis, if the deal is right. (he reads these posts, but has not posted yet). I met him at a local coffee shop, and had him drive my V8 Genesis to my selling dealer, Orlando Hyundai. (He loves my car and is working on a deal with this dealer).

OK, while dealer is trying to find the exact car he wants, and working on the deal, ------

I show my favorate Service Writer how the Seat Belt Latch for the left rear seat does not work. He saw the problem right away. On the left rear, there are two latches. They are different from each other, although they look the same from the outside. One only fits the center belt and will not work with the left belt. He showed me how the two (male) snaps are different from each other. (Now I know)
Now the following is why I love this Service Writer. He saw a drop and streak of oil (or something) on the paint of the rear door. He went to all the trouble of going to the doll-up (get ready) area, got rags and cleaner, came back to my car, and cleaned up that spot. I never before had a Service Writer take time with me like that. Great guy.

 

[ilovemygenesis]

A lot has been said about the differences between Hyundai service and "premium" service from other brands. I am curious how many people (Genny owners only please) care about service , and what matters....

For me, I only care that the dealer gets the service done, On time. and is done on time.

I don't care about

Pretty waiting rooms
Free food or coffee
white glove treatment.

Basically I don't care about anything directed at servicing me.

I do care about.

Timely completion of service.
Quick scheduling (I dont want to wait 2 weeks to get in for an oil change)
Care for my car.... ( in clean out clean please)

My Dealer (Adamson in Rochester MN)
offers a few nice things that I don't need but like.
Free shuttle (office is just across the street so I really don't need it)
Free Wifi ( I should never be there long enough to use it)
On line service scheduling (very nice, saves calling to schedule)

I disagree, i bought my hyundai genesis from curry nissan, hyundai they need to have their own dedicated genesis dealership similar to lexus, bmw etc. To me it speaks on the perception of the company, if you want to compete with the big boys how are you going to sell your cars with kia and other companies on the same car lot. Dedicated dealerships also should have dedicated Genesis service technicians, i don't want to take my car in and hear the tech calling all over the place to try to fix an issue with my car. This i feel should be a priority for Hyundai especially when they are trying to introduce the Equus into this country. It's like serving fillet Mignon on a garbage lid.

 

[ctrcbob]

I'm not a Hyundai owner - but I would like to BE one day. I'm used to excellent treatment at dealerships from Lexus, BMW and Cadillac. When I go to buy my vehicle, I want to be in the company of people like myself. Successful, affluent, hard-working. Like it or not, people like people like themselves.. Birds of a feather flock together. That's life..

When I bring my car in for service, I want to be comfortable with my surroundings. I want to be in the presence of like-minded individuals. I want coffee, tea, bottled water and whatever else I have at Lexus/BMW/Cadillac dealerships. I want to be treated with respect. I don't want an obnoxious service writer with an attitude. I want to deal with people who've been trained to deal with people like me.

People who already own Hyundais don't need this level of service. However, if Hyundai is to move forward, they need conquest sales. They NEED people who don't NORMALLY buy Hyundai's. Otherwise, when all the current Hyundai buyers pass on, who will be there to purchase their vehicles?

So it may not seem important to you (if you're already a Hyundai buyer) to get excellent service and have a great sales experience - but it's "do or die" for Hyundai as an automobile company that's moving "forward"...

Sorry Mr Administrator, but when I read your post, I think "Elitist".

 

[dataguy]

Food for thought:

If you have to pay premium prices, you probably expect premium service. However, if nothing is really free, would you pay more than discounted prices for the premium service?

Put another way, if I paid $45K for a Genesis, damn skippy I'd want gourmet coffee, wifi, a specialized dealership, free loaner cars, and the like. But if instead of paying $37K for my Genesis I had to pay more just to cover those things, I'd probably pass. Functional, not flashy. Flashy costs money that is always passed on to the customer.

 

[ctrcbob]

Dealer I purchased from (Orlando Hyundai) will give me a free loaner (did not ask if it would be a Genesis) if I had to leave the car overnight. Don't care what it would be, as long as it was free for a short period of time.

Dealer I purchased from (Orlando Hyundai) does not have an upscale coffee shop. I don't care. They do have coffee, but not upscale.
Closest Dealer, Jenkins Hyundai in Leesburg, does have an upscale coffee shop. Beautiful showroom. Perhaps they pay for the upscale coffee with the extra money they charge for the cars they sell. As of last week, they had a $5000 bump-up sticker on their cars. A friend was trying to buy from them last week, and could not get them to budge.
I'll take the regular waiting area with a regular coffee pot.