Wanted to see if anyone has had the experience. The first Mini I purchased from Mini of Sterling and after a service visit I received a survey and I complained. After that not only did the service get worse, when I went to purchase a new Mini, they wanted a deposit. I called Tate Mini and they ordered a new Mini without any deposit. Thinking this was odd to be a repeat customer and being treated worse than new customer, I started to investigate. The only thing I could come up with was the survey.

I had my suspicions confirmed when I recently purchased a motorcycle from a dealer that I know the owner. He said to make sure they get all 5 stars. So I asked, what happens if I do not. The dealer gets less money and since the from the VIN they know who I am, I will be branded as a malcontent. He went on to say, if you complain, he will know who you are and you will not be given good service with the hopes you take your business else where.

I the future I will do nothing but give a 5 star rating.

 

Fortunately, Niello has never given me a reason to send in a low rating.

The problem with giving a bad dealer a high rating, is that MINI will think everything is wonderful, when in fact it isn't. A bad dealer reflects badly on the marque, and I have heard that a lot of bad reviews can jeopardize a dealing being able to keep their MINI dealership. There's plenty of BMW dealerships that would like to add MINI, and perhaps do a better job!

 

My dealer accomplished their mission in driving me away. I gave them a terrible rating on a service survey - I received terrible service! Got a phonecall from the service manager yelling at me for doing so, then a personal talking to when I came to pick up my car the next time. I recommend everyone I talk to to take their business to the dealer opening soon a few cities over.

 

You are correct that a bad review will jeopardize the dealer. But the dealer is "solving" the problem by getting rid of the complainer instead of fixing the reason for the complaint.

 

That's when further complaints to the Bureau of Automotive Repair or Consumer Affairs can cause an jerk dealer to sometimes see the error of their ways!

 

I gave all 5 stars for a simple oil job gone bad... (They torqed the drain plug to approx 50 ft/lbs, only supposed to be 18 ft/lbs for the R53 aluminum oil pan. Found out same day, because I had to drain the oil doing custom work after 10,000 miles)

Called and left voice mail message for service manager to tell him the name of the technician, and the honest assessment of the work versus the 5 star survey, and never heard from him at all...

(I should have expected that.)

 

I do not have a solution for a good way to complain. But the survey systems seems to just blow up in your face.

 

Only solution is for BMW MINI to have the surveys be completely anonymous and, preferrably, be handled by an un-affiliated, third party.

 

When we took delivery, my MA told me about the survey and asked if me if I thought I was going to give them 5 stars. Before I answered, he asked me what they could do to ensure that I would give them 5 stars.

 

I have yet to get a call about my purchasing experience... I was upset when I was told that "anything less than a 5 is failing"--- you shouldn't bully your customers into giving high ratings... Nor should we fear lackluster service if we're candid with our experiences.

 

I had a BMW for some time before I discovered that the surveys were not anonymous. I don't answer any BMW or MINI surveys anymore, I just tell the caller to take me off the survey list, and never call again. If I have a specific issue with the dealer, I'll either solve it with the dealer or complain up the ladder at MINI USA.

 

Talking with the dealer and giving them an opportunity to solve any problems has worked for me in the past. I don't expect everything to be perfect but I do expect them to make an effort to offer at the very least satisfactory service.

 

I'm lucky. I've had nothing but outstanding service from Flow Mini.

I have to wonder if the reason "L" (the BIG dealer in raleigh, if you are here
you know who it is) doesn't have a mini dealership, is poor service.
I know quite a number of people that have been skunkered getting
their car serviced there. (as in, car ruined).

Probably not though. The Man just wants to pay for his megayacht.
I suspect if L wanted a mini dealership they could get one.

Funny though, these people, sometimes they seem to be very short sighted
in my opinion. My step dad bought a new car from L in 1980. The
mass flow controller went bad in a couple thousand miles. L refused
to fix it. He had to have it towed to a dealership in greensboro.
- 5 stars for them.

I never forgot that.

Not only will I never buy any car from L, but neither will
any future family or decendants.

Yes, I know. The Man doesn't care.

-5 stars for the chapel hill dealer where I bought my honda new.
They could have chosen for me to be a lifelong customer. Or not.
For whatever reason, they chose the 'or not' option.
I wouldn't even consider buying another new honda.

 

When do you get this survey? Is it only by phone or by mail?
I picked up my clubman the first week of April.

 

You should have it by now, based on my experience. I had mine within a few weeks.

South Bay Mini has also never given me a reason to complain, but Assael sure did. I had no problems complaining because I never intend to go back there anyway, even though they are the closest dealer to me by far.

 

I've been pretty lucky with my dealership. I had a great buying experience starting with the test drive. The few times I've needed service, my only gripe was that it takes around a week to actually get an appointment. I understand now that this is the norm for most dealers.

I personally will give the dealership every opportunity to resolve a problem fairly to all parties but if they don't then they will get a poor survey.

 

I got the survey via email within 48 hours of picking up my Clubman. It was short, and I answered two of the questions with a 5, and one with a 4. The one I answered with a 4 was about the ENTIRE purchasing experience...including financing, etc, etc. I couldn't honestly give a 5 because it took three calls to get a return phone call from the finance department. It wasn't HORRIBLE service...but not worthy of a 5. I indicated that was the reason in my comments. The following day, I got a call from the local dealer asking the exact same questions, and I gave the same answers. She asked why, I explained, and she told me that my answer reflected directly on my MA. My MA was wonderful, so I told her if it was based on him, then it would be a 5...but that's not what the question implied.

I hope that I won't be black-listed for it. So far the folks at the dealership have been pretty good to me since the purchase...hopefully it will continue!

 

At Vista MINI where I bought my '08 MCSa at the MA's all have the survey in a frame on their desks and mentioned to give all 5's once I get a call from MINI USA.It was a great buying experience so I did.

Their service department is a whole different story as I am extremely unhappy with that right now!!

 

Just to help everyone clear this up. The survey is a HUGE factor in everyones pay at a dealership or atleast with Mini. It could also possibly cause someone to loose a job. That is all the upper management and MINI care about, customer satisfaction. Even if you give all five but had a horrible experience, please leave your problems/concerns in the feedback part of the survey. Or let your service advisor know. It seems so little and simple but in fact it is a HUGE deal with the Dealer and the Employees.

 

But I do understand if something major happens that a Dealer deserves a low score.

 

Gotta agree here. If they're using the survey as a club to beat employees unless it's all 5's, the only other option would be to lie. I much prefer no response to an untruthfull response. If the dealership (or some portion of it) doesn't deserve a 5, they should be told to their face and given a chance to correct it.

 

the survey, as conducted now, is useless.

 

I've been lucky so far. I've gotten excellent service from the dealer and honestly gave 5s on the two surveys I did by phone.

That those surveys can be used as a club by the higher ups on employees is too common a fact of corporate life these days. Still, poor service is inexcusable, especially for any company that touts customer satisfaction.

If the service was bad, keeping it to the meeting with your rep might be a good first step. Telling the rep "I want to give you all 5s but here's this problem" may work, or it may not.

CROC 411

 

It has been my opinion for some time that the concept of customer feedback as a path to improved performance has been lost by BMW/MINI.

Rather than seek ways to improve they use the survey as a basis for employee 'bonus' which the employee views in the Clark Griswold way - a part of their salary. Loss of 'bonus' is viewed as reduction on pay. Therefore a customer who gives anything other than a 5 is evil and in some cases - some dealerships - but not all - is "remembered".

A dealership I went to in the old days (I bought an 02 new) actually handed the survey to be completed b4 you got your bill .... and read it as you stood there.

That goodness for caller ID, I just ignore the calls now as they don't really want feedback at all.....

In the basic concepts of TQM, customer feedback was viewed as opportunities for improvement - not a list of failures.