Reinhard Schmid Workshop test balance
23.01.2010
D he reaction followed promptly. 'Your test hit us massively, but we see it as an opportunity,' said VW sales manager Werner Eichhorn, commenting on the debacle.
VW puts its service advisors under the microscope
Volkswagen reacted to the disastrous result in the workshop test by auto motor and sport , in which the eight authorized dealers visited only achieved a fulfillment rate of 57 percent and the work performance in three companies was completely unsatisfactory. In the first quarter of 2010, VW the structure at change the maintenance intervals, as it has been recognized that the interval services introduced in 2008 are too complex. In addition, special communication coaches are being used, whose main task is to scrutinize the service advisors. They should be given more time to deal more intensively with customer requirements. It is also planned that the handover of the car after the inspection will be carried out by the same service advisor who carried out the dialog acceptance.
'The test clearly showed us,' says Service Manager Arno Kalmbach, 'that we need to improve the dialogue with our customers.' As an immediate measure, VW carried out around 400 of its own workshop tests in autumn 2009 and held intensive discussions with the companies affected.
Fiat does not believe in self-criticism, BMW with a total crash
Far from such self-criticism, Fiat . 'We are', says Udo Bub, Director of Customer Services, 'convinced that we are on the right track.' Although the 2009 result brought another catastrophe in Fiat's poor test statistics, only 55 percent of the prepared defects were corrected correctly and three workshops failed with 'not recommended', Fiat wants to 'stick to the previous concept'.
For BMW the result with a rate of 51 percent compared to 85 percent in 2005 was a total crash, which by no means does justice to the premium claim of the brand. 'We are honestly appalled at the poor performance of four companies in whichWork was calculated that was actually not done, 'explains Franz Thurner, Head of After Sales Sales Germany.' We take your test extremely seriously, and I apologized for the poor result. 'After the results of auto motor und sport were published We held awareness-raising discussions with all companies and emphasized the importance of service quality.
Honda disappointed, Peugeot with second best result
After 20 years without a workshop test one showed up at Honda disappointed with the current result, because the 58 percent that the workshops achieved on average in eliminating the prepared defects do not represent a dream rate. The test results were divided into positive and negative extremes: three companies with success rates of 79, 90 and 93 Percent are three Au to houses with an unsatisfactory work performance. He doesn't know whether the customer ends up in a carefully or carelessly working workshop. 'We did not expect that we would achieve such a bad result in some of the companies,' admits Claus Czerny from the Quality & Service department at Honda Motor Europe.
The result of Peugeot can be seen either way. With a rate of 71 percent, the French achieved the second best value in the test round of auto motor und sport, but the brand has deteriorated by ten percentage points compared to the last test in 2005. It was symptomatic that the mechanics were weakening with the disconnected brake line, which was overlooked in five out of eight car dealerships. In all tested dealerships, the weak points that occurred were analyzed and action plans were drawn up to improve quality. According to Peugeot Service boss Berndt Buchmann, significant improvements can already be seen in the two garages that are not recommended, based on successful follow-up tests and the action plans discussed with top management.
Opel with best result since 2003
With 76 percent of the possible points, Opel achieved the best result since its low point in 2003 (58 percent ) one. Wolfram Knobling, Director Service Germany, is very pleased with the good result, 'because the result confirms our efforts to offer the best car-related services together with the service companies'. The fact that the dialog acceptance in the eight Opel
The current result of the workshop test shows that checks are still required. In the 48 workshops visited by auto motor und sport in the four regions of Hamburg /Kiel, Augsburg /Stuttgart, Cologne and Dresden, only 188 out of 336 prepared defects were correctly removed. The troubleshooting rate decreased from 70.1 percent in 2008 to 61.7 percent. 16 companies finished with 'not recommended', only five of them carried out the inspection order without any errors and secured the rating 'very recommendable'. The BMW branch in Bonn shot the bird in the test round with only two of 29 possible points. Only the cooling water level that was too low was corrected, but the reason for the loss of fluid was not taken care of, nor was the customer advised to check the level after a while - and for all of this, the proud inspection price of 395.08 euros was paid .
“Volkswagen has a service network with very well qualified partners. In a few cases, our high standards are not yet fully met. Precisely because we did well in previous tests, the result is unsatisfactory for us. The test also showed that the interval services introduced in 2008 are too complex. These are not sufficiently mastered for the retail trade despite targeted training measures. There are too many options. We had already recognized this in our own tests, and auto motor und sport confirmed us. The high flexibility of the maintenance intervals has meant that they can lead to problems in individual cases. We are in the process of harmonizing the intervals and will implement this in the first quarter of 2010. At the companies that performed poorly, there was a communication problem between the customer and the service advisor during acceptance. '
' The result confirms the positive trend that we also notice in our tests. For five years we have been checking all partners for their repair and service quality using our own workshop tests. In an annual system of measures and controls, service partners and employees are motivated to meet our customers' expectations. Good service and first-class workshop performance are the prerequisites for satisfied customers and stable service companies. The demands that customers place on our service companies mean that they only entrust their vehicle to Peugeot-trained employees, that they can rely on the quality of original spare parts and that theyadvised courteously. We see the result as an incentive to continue on the course we have chosen and to continue to offer our customers a convincing service in the future. '
' We are very happy about our good performance, because the result of the test confirms it our endeavor to offer the best car-related services together with the service companies. The success is not by chance: The evaluation shows that we have taken the right step with our service process, which we have named Top 101% ‘. The consistent implementation of this strategy is now bearing fruit and underlines: We not only live cars, we also live the service. The basis for customer satisfaction is high inspection quality. We not only want to maintain this high level, but even expand it. To this end, we will continue to optimize our quality assurance processes for workshop services in order to be a reliable partner for our customers. In addition, the most extensive communication possible with the customer is an important criterion. '
' Our company has initiated a large number of measures in the area of service quality. These were successfully implemented. We have further optimized all existing work processes, further developed the standardization of workshop processes and provided the contractual partners with useful tools for control and adaptation. Through regular audits, we have consistently demanded that these measures be implemented and adhered to. The results of our internal tests, which we have carried out by the independent Dekra, show us that this has led to an improvement. We are all the more surprised by the result. Unfortunately, given the parameters, it is not possible to make an objective assessment of this result. Based on our test data, we are convinced that the initiatives that have been started are correct. We will stick to this concept. '
' After a series of good to very good test results in recent years, the current test completely surprised us. We are honestly appalled by the very poor performance of four companies in which work was billed that was actually not done. We immediately initiated countermeasures. These range from in-depth analyzes of the causes of the poor performance to the derivation of measures for all retailers for quality assurance. We held awareness-raising discussions with all dealers and emphasized the importance of service quality. Special quality modules are permanently installed in our workshop training courses. We are currently subjecting all dealerships to a comprehensive series of tests. Companies with recognizable poor workshop quality are subjected to a special training program. '
' The result provides us with important, independent and supplementary informationour internal workshop tests. We always expect one hundred percent performance from our contractual partners in all areas. We are all the more disappointed with the result and the errors that were not found. We provide our contractual partners with all the necessary tools as well as check and maintenance lists, the consistent use of which guarantees an optimal service process. The dealers you criticized were able to demonstrate very good service and workshop performance in our internal tests. We are all the more disappointed that this was not successful in your test. One more correction: In the case of the Langer car dealership, our discussions showed that replacing the toothed belt, which was criticized, was a correct measure and complied with our maintenance specifications. '
Submission to the workshop:
Tip 1: Always arrange an inspection appointment by phone
The service advisor can take sufficient time if the customer arrives on time at the agreed date. You should also ask for an order confirmation, ask about the costs and set a price limit. And if an appointment is made in advance, a rental car may be available.
Tip 2: Ask foremen to take delivery directly
Defects can often be seen on the lifting platform that can be discussed together. This avoids later discrepancies due to unnecessary repairs. It is also advisable to leave the telephone number for queries if defects become visible during the inspection.
Tip 3: Make arrangements for additional repairs
The horn is defective and the workshop would not fix it without an order. Annoying when another workshop visit is due.
Tip 4: Have removed parts put back in the dealership
This is usually only guaranteed if the customer expressly insists on this when returning the car.
Collection in the workshop:
Tip 5: Have the master personally explain the invoice
Before paying the invoice amount, the master should explain to the customer in detail which one Activities in the context of the inspection why and for what were necessary. Occasionally, an invoice item that has been accidentally charged twice can be noticed. In the event of discrepancies, only pay with reservation and insist on a corresponding note on the invoice.
Tip 6: Inspect the car before driving home
Occasionally, the car gets a scratch during the inspection, or the upholstery is dirty. Anyone who then contacts the master immediately has a good chance that the annoyance can be eliminated quickly and unbureaucratically. Then you can quickly see whether you are ready to give in or whether you are going on a confrontational course.
Tip 7: Take a personal test drive
The way home usually turns into an unconscious test drive. Do you hear any unfamiliar noises or are the brakes too toxic? It is also advisable to check the oil level. Too little oil is not good, but too much can also lead to major engine damage, especially with a diesel.
