[deutschmann59]

I learned a great deal about how BMW gathers information via a survey to learn about your experience with a dealership from reading drfluid's post "An email from my dealer hurts me so badly..". Make sure you check out this post. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1688

After you buy a new BMW from a dealer, BMW calls you and asks you a series of questions about your experience. You have to rate your experience with "--- Dealership" on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being lowest and 5 being highest. Did you know that:

-Five is the only passing score (1-4 are basically fail)
-Your answers and your name is forwarded back to the dealer
-A sales person's bonus is dependant on you giving all 5s

BMW doesn't tell you any of this, so on a scale of 1 to 5 (one being the lowest five being the highest) what do you think of their survey system?

[vivid]

the rating system sucks... most of us would think:

1 & 2 bad
3 is average,
4 good
5 outstanding

With BMW system how can you differentiate between good and great? And it makes sales people beg for grades, which many of you have experienced, and that in my opinion drops a sales guy from outstanding to good… But with BMW there is no good rating, its outstanding or varying degrees of bad.

But what happened to drfluid is disgusting, and I hope that sales guys get fired, he should not be in sales.

[deutschmann59]

I mentioned earlier that when I had my alarm installed, I gave out a few 4s because they didn't set my car back up and it took longer than they said it would. But when the lady from BMW was giving me the survey and I gave out the 5s, the lady's response was "excellent". When I gave out 4s, her response was still a cheerful "great". I thought I was doing good by being honest. I like my dealer I didn't mean to hurt their reputation or whatever by giving them 4s. If I would have know this I would have given all 5s, but then that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

[vivid]

OK I just got off the phone with BMW NA it find out about the grading scale here is how it is.

1 & 2 bad
3 is average,
4 good
5 outstanding

But BMW strives for outstanding so good is not really good. Bonuses are connected to your survey feedback... The guy I spoke to said that sales reps should not discuss the survey with you, never mind ask for all 5s. I did not want to go into drfluid situation too much so I did not ask anything else more.

If I owned a dealership I would want to know who is good and who is outstanding. So we should grade on the scale we believe and not just to appease a sales rep.

[Petercat]

They all expect the 5 for doing their job... I think these sales reps try to rely on the bonus too much rather than thinking of it as a "bonus"... You know, a reward for something special.

Shaemful to tell a customer you expect a 5. Should we walk in and tell them we expect a reward for buying their car like they do for selling.

Thankfully my guy was worth the 5's.

[onesixeight]

I gave it a "1". I think the survey system is a load of bull. The way dealers use agressive tactics to recieve high scores has truth in the numbers.

I know BMWNA Customer Service reps read message boards from time to time and I hope you're reading this thread. Frankly the time and money put into this survey could be better used elsewhere in your organization.

[RedStripe]

I think the survey is great. Why? Because it's very obvious BMW (the coporate entity which most people almost never have contact with) is very concerned about it AND the Dealerships along with the staff at the dealerships (who are the retail conduit for us to BMW) are very concerned about it. So, to me as a consumer, it means that my voice and opinion do count and each and everything I have to say is reviewed by someone and that it might eventually effect change for the better.

So as a survey, it's great. How many times have you taken a survey and you felt it really counted for something?

With that said, there are obvious shortcomings to the current implementation of the system. First, surveys are only as good as the input given, and in my opinion, it's always best to be honest (specifically for this topic and in general). If there is any barrier to being fully honest (ie. lack of anonymity if requested), then there is a problem. If there is an outside influence that improperly skews the results, then there is a problem.

Wouldn't you want everyone that tried to earn your money strive for 5's and listen to what you have to say? I know I do. If there is a misappropriation of the information that is received in doing this, then there is a problem and this needs to be addressed too.

[Broken1]

Originally Posted by Petercat

They all expect the 5 for doing their job... I think these sales reps try to rely on the bonus too much rather than thinking of it as a "bonus"... You know, a reward for something special.

Shaemful to tell a customer you expect a 5. Should we walk in and tell them we expect a reward for buying their car like they do for selling.

Thankfully my guy was worth the 5's.

Here in South Africa, I have recieved a reward for buying a car. The one dealer (10th car my family has bought from them) gave me an engraved BMW pen set with my name on it, a BMW golf bag and a voucher to buy any BMW merchandise (with which I bought a thermal BMW f1 williams jacket in 2003).

Another dealer that my family had only bought one car from, gave me a BMW golf bag, BMW "3" keyring, the leather key holder and really nice box of chocolates and threw in an armrest(wasn't standard in the car). This was all on a USED car. I know idealy I am paying for it, but I couldn't believe it..I was impressed considering I "negotiated" $5000 of the used car price!

As for the dealer rating system, as far as I am aware. In South Africa, you get a general call to check if you are happy with your service recieved, or services rendered and then I usually get a written questionair in the mail, which I fill out and usually attach a seperate letter entailing my whole experience.

As of late, I have recieved the most amazing service from BMW personel, from the sales women who is selling me my e90 to the women at BMW advanced driving who is moving earth to accomodate me!

[Athos]

I basically agree with Redstripe except I think this system clearly needs a serious tune-up and more enlightened management. The rating system makes it clear that the customer's satisfaction is important. The absence of a system would probably mean more CAs with a smug "you're lucky to buy a car like this" attitude. I voted a '3' because I think having a rating system is a good thing but that this system isn't as well-implemented as it could be. BMW NA should do more to prevent the dealers from trying to coerce customers to give 5s. I also think the system would be a lot more meaningful if it was used as a coaching feedback tool for BMW to dealers and between dealer sales management and individual CAs. The biggest problem with this system is the attitude that if you don't get all 5s you've failed. The bonus could be structured so that it rises incrementally (i.e. if the CA gets a 4.2 they get a bonus and the bonus increases with a couple of more levels and with some discretion from sales management.)

[Armen52]

I won't mention my dealer again here but they actually put a "cheat sheet" for the survey in front of me while finishing up the paperwork before picking up the car today. It was a list of all the questions they ask on the survey to "prepare me" so I know how I'd like to answer when they call.

I also told my salesperson about the situation that drfluid had and basically I think he got really nervous that I wasn't going to give him all 5's, which I was anyway he has been outstanding. Essentially his response was the same as stated above: BMW doesn't want anything less than outstanding. And outstanding is what I got...

The car had a full tank of gas when I picked it up. It had not a scratch on it. And they had also already thrown in the floor mats before I even had the chance to ask for them to be thrown into the deal. I will post my full review later in the dealer thread now that my purchase is complete.

[Athos]

Armen,
You don't appear to be getting much sleep while you wait to pick up your car. I just put my order in today and I'm having the same problem! Congrats, the wait is almost over. Enjoy.

[cosmosblau]

I have decided not to participate in their bullshit rating system. They can have my comments, but I refuse to give a 1-5 rating.