There’s no such thing as 100% customer satisfaction. The best customer service operations in the world still have disappointed customers sometimes. In those instances, it is often how the business handles the unhappy customer that determines if they remain a customer.
In parts and service operations, businesses should have game plans in place for dealing with an unhappy customer before they walk in the door, and, ideally, training in how to de-escalate complaints before the relationship is severed.
A relationship business
Without strong relationships, Geoff Garafola, COO of Inland Truck Parts & Service says business would be slow indeed. When trucks break down, business stops. Truck owners and operators need someone they can count on to get the wheels turning again.
“We call it a ‘breakdown business,’” he says. “Who do people turn to when they are in distress? People call someone they can count on, someone who they trust. They rely on the ones that have gotten them out of a jam in the past.”
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Inland has 37 locations across the U.S. The employee-owned company has a motto, Garafola says, “we act like we own the place, because we do.”
When a customer breaks down, he says, they need to know the dealer or the parts and service company has their back.
Dean Dally, CEO of Blaine Brothers, says every truck is a test, an opportunity to provide exceptional service that could lead to a lasting relationship.
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“You have to perform, day in and day out, 24 hours per day, with people you may or may not have relationships with,” he says “I would want to give the customer every opportunity to give feedback to us. If they’re dissatisfied, that’s not good for us or them.”
Lack of communication
McMahon Trucks is a medium- and heavy-duty truck dealership that offers sales, service, parts and truck leasing and rental.
“We have done a great job with overall customer satisfaction and we probably only have a dissatisfied customer once every few months,” says Timothy Schunk, service manager. “The most prevalent reason would be a lack of communication.”
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Schunk says recently, a system malfunction delayed notifying a customer his truck service was complete. In turn, the truck was delayed in getting back to work.
“Resolution generally requires reassuring the customer of their concerns, our ability to hear them out, and steps for correction,” he says.
Garafola agrees dissatisfaction is generally rooted in poor communication. As is the key to turning the situation around.
“Putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and listening carefully are critical to resolving problems,” he says. “The path to resolution begins with genuine empathy — not lip service.”
The first step in Blaine Brothers’ resolution process is to gather the facts from both the customer and the shop.
“I would say it’s rare not to find a root cause,” Dally says.
When the customer first contacts Blaine Brothers, staff listen for everything that was communicated, looking for if there was a missed opportunity to communicate better or more accurately.
“For example, if we communicated to the customer the part that was needed to fix the job would be coming tomorrow and then we hear about a delay from our supplier, it is important that we reach out to the customer and proactively let them know the part will be delayed one day,” Dally explains.
As the process goes on, staff are continually looking for ways to improve. A complaint is addressed by the manager of the shop in question, who also apologizes. Dally says the apology is key because Blaine Brothers never wants to disappoint a customer, and the manager should apologize because the experience was less than great.
“Usually, upon review of the facts, an organic resolution starts to unfold,” he says.
Training staff
Dally says Blaine Brothers looks for staff able to make the shift when filling positions and backs that up with internal classes on conflict management. At Inland, potential new employees may be asked about communication and conflict resolution skills and asked to give examples.
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“Experience working through conflict builds perspective and it enables you to pay attention to what works to resolve problems and what does not,” Garafola says. “Experience is a great teacher, but you must pay attention to the specific situation, which generally means learning to communicate with a variety of different personalities.”
Inland offers communication and active listening training to all of its employees, and Garafola says the leadership team also encourages local empowerment so customers can see results rather than delays waiting for solutions to go up the chain of command.
“You need to get the resolution going so the customer gets back on track,” he says. “Remember, as the supplier, you’re trying to resolve the issue, not win or convince the customer of your side. If you are trying to win with valid excuses or with legitimate facts, you’ve already lost.”
McMahon also offers training in listening to customers, starting with the first point of contact, the service advisor. They are taught to handle customer complaints and recognize when an issue needs to be escalated. Schunk says service advisors are able to escalate situations to the service manager any time they feel the need to do so or if the customer is requesting financial compensation beyond what the advisor is able to approve. If the manager can’t resolve it, it lands on Schunk’s desk.
McMahon employees are trained to use plain, non-technical language and stay away from acronyms and jargon. As the solution is implemented, employees should address issues or questions that come up and concentrate on providing a flawless experience.
“I feel like the root cause can always be found, whether it falls on us or the customer not understanding the situation and working through it with them,” Schunk says. “Depending on the severity of the event, we will follow up with an email or a phone call a week or two later.
Escalations are then reviewed to find ways to improve. Each month, McMahon employees discuss instances where the team succeeded in resolving a problem or where they could improve, including reviewing phone conversations.
“My aim is to ensure the issue gets resolved and the owners are not affected,” Schunk says. “We understand these trucks are not their transportation to and from work, but how they make their living.”
