Service, in my estimation, is the most overused and under-delivered promise made in advertising today. Just about every business claims to deliver the very best in “service,” or “customer service,” or “customer care,” but in reality, hardly any business actually does provide great service. Most market research shows that what customers want most from their bank, supermarket, dry cleaner, car dealer, shoe repair shop, accountant, or whatever, is good, old-fashioned service. All businesses know this, but most businesses seem totally incapable of delivering it.
My agency handles a local Audi dealer that lives and dies by the results of factory-sponsored telephone surveys it does following every new car sale and every service appointment. The results of these customer satisfaction surveys go a long way in determining this car dealer’s relationship with the factory and with how many cars it allots him each month. He ranks very highly in his survey results, and we advertise the fact that his dealership is top-rated in customer service. And this advertising focus on service (as well as fair pricing and a wide choice of inventory) is obviously working — this dealer, located in San Jose, California, sells so many new Audi cars that he’s now number two in the nation.
If you use service as a reason for customers to try you out, then you’d better deliver the goods. If you can’t service your customers in an efficient, courteous, timely manner, or deliver, replace, or repair what you promised when you promised it, then don’t tell customers you can. Don’t make any promises you can’t keep, because people will soon see through you and your promises like a piece of cellophane.
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