DealersEdge Professional Forums

Just to get an ideal from you guys! What is the first thing you look at before offering Goodwill to a customer? If they bought the car at your dealership? If they been a good
Service customer? Oil changes, ect.. Not a warranty riding hog!!I hear so many people saying "I read the internet all the time and I know yall know about this!!! Its been doing it sense I bought the car!! 85,000 miles later they want it for free!!! What gives!! If it is indeed a problem I know about I mite do a 50/50 split with the customer!! I dont know I guess Im just venting too!! What are your thoughts!!!

The first 3 things I look at before even considering goodwill are:
1. Did the customer buy the vehicle from my dealer?
2. Does the customer do maintenance work with my dealer?
3. Has the customer given us good surveys?

If a customer has all 3, it's a no brainer. If a customer has given us a bad survey, it's a no brainer.

If the customer bought the vehicle elsewhere or has maintenance done elsewhere, I judge each situation differently. I may do parts only, 50/50 split or deductible or nothing at all. It depends upon the failure, the attitude of the customer, whether they have bought multiple vehicles from us and if I think they will becomeme a loyal service/sales customer after the assistance or not.

The good thing is that my AVM backs whatever decision I make. That makes a big difference. Good luck! TD

I too look at where purchased, maintenance, loyality, and also product issues. If the customer did not buy from us, but moved into town, this is a good chance to gain a paying customer. We have had several issues that do not make any difference whether the owner got his vehicle, but may make a difference on maintenance. Each case is a look and see. If we feel that the customer deserves help, we may give it looking at time and miles as the "split factor". Out of warranty goodwill needs to be looked at as just that, "goodwill". Is it the customers fault, is the factory responsible, is the customer "demanding"? All have a factor in our decisions. It ends up being "Do I help this owner or do I send him packing with no help". Only each of us knows the answer to this...short of known product problems...

Our work in progress screen and every RO shows the customer's average RO dollars and lifetime service expenditures. We use this for many things...the one you mention, priority of which car to bring in next, etc. (for new customers we assume the average of all customers until they have a track record). Simple and effective.


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Tom Ham
AutomotiveManagementNetwork.com

We look a Goodwill for what it is. The true meaning of good will is "future purchase intentions" If it is not a known product concern than we make a determination based on future purchase intentions. I feel that asking for customer participation is like kissing your sister, yeah its a kiss but you feel like you got cheated. If it was your vehicle and you think it should be goodwilled than do it for your customer. IMHO.

I agree with most of the comments here, I would also add one thing when talking about goodwill, when the customer purchased that vehicle they signed a contract and they also signed that they were offered an extended service contract and declined at that time, keep in mind they can still purchase an extended warranty while their car is under warranty and they did not. I do feel given these circumstances that a customer should participate in some way toward goodwill.Customers need to assumne some responsibility for their actions.

Goodwill should always have customer participation as "FREE is FREE" and carries no value.With customer $$ participation there is a percieved value. Where purchased,serviced,and customer attitude should always be a factor.

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Goodwill is a valuable tool. I believe it is also important that the customer is the ORIGINAL purchaser and not DEMANDING goodwill. Aside from verified product issues, goodwill almost always carries some minimal manufacturer criteria. A store in good standing with controlled expenses can use goodwill as a tool to win customers. How valuable is that?