Product & Service go in hand in hand
I would like to share an experience that prompted me to look at how a good product followed by a decent service can be a recipe for success for businesses.
7/29/20231 min read
Several years back, I embarked on a journey to buy a vehicle, a time when vehicle inventories were scarce and it was standard to wait 3-4 months for delivery. I visited various dealerships to explore my options. Here are three examples of the customer service I encountered.
Brand A: The sales representative was well-versed about the product. We had a fruitful conversation and the test drive was impressive. The following day, I returned with a few more questions about the vehicle’s availability. The same representative assured me he would get back to me within a couple of days. However, I am still waiting for that call.
Brand B: I arrived at the showroom during the typical lunch hours (12-2 pm). I was kept waiting for half an hour before a sales representative attended to me. I was then informed that their inventory was full for the next 4-6 months.
Brand C: The representative was knowledgeable, courteous, and eager to make a sale, but not pushy. She provided all the necessary details and offered an attractive deal immediately. The test drive was satisfactory and there was a follow-up call the next day regarding available deliveries. Despite test-driving 7-8 vehicles, we chose Brand C.
Why didn’t we choose Brand A or B? For Brand A, the salesperson failed to follow up as promised. Regardless of inventory availability or his personal assumptions about the sale, a promised callback should have been made. For Brand B, the long wait only to discover the unavailability of inventory was disappointing.
Brand C offered a perfect experience - no time wasted, a good product, excellent service, and a follow-up call the next day to answer any pending questions.
An excellent product with less than satisfactory service is detrimental to the product’s reputation. However, a good product paired with good service can enhance the product’s perception among consumers.A good product + A good service = A happy customer.
As a well-informed customer, I always research thoroughly about a product before stepping into a showroom. Therefore, the experiences shared here solely reflect the quality of customer service, not the product quality.