Pub. 14 2015-2016 Issue 3

I S S U E N O . 4 , 2 0 1 5 18 new jersey auto retailer RECALL  continued on page 20 It’s Not BY GREGG CRISS W ith more than 70 million vehicles recalled in the past 18 months, many dealerships have seen an incredible increase in demand on their Service Departments. In the fall of 2014, I had the pleasure of visiting a General Motors dealership when the phones began ringing off the hook. At this dealership two service call center employees walked off the job because of the incessant phone calls of guests who were not happy they had a recall. Like most initial recalls, the dealerships don’t have much information from the manufacturer. There are two possible ways for a recall to originate. First, manufacturers are asked to perform safety testing and, when they find a problem, issue a voluntary recall. The second way is when the National Highway, Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues a recall based on cus- tomer requests or internal studies they’ve performed. With a voluntary recall, the manufacturer has time to prepare for parts expediting, legal reviews, and technical rec- ommendations. When the National Trans- portation Safety Board (“NTSB”) decides there’s a recall, themanufacturer has 30 days to notify all of the owners of the vehicles that are going to be affected by the recall. So, the first step is for the manufacturer to create a press release concerning this, and the second is to research their records and the DMV records so that they can reach out to the appropriate customers. In most cases, the manufacturer hasn’t had enough time to procure the needed parts, or designa repair through their technical develop- mentteams.Andevenwhentheyhaveachieved these, the notices and suggested repairs have to be reviewed by their legal departments before the customer can be contacted. So, in the meantime, dealers are left controlling the customers’ expectations and concerns. It’s a tough place to be when the customer has the same information about the recall as we do, but WE represent the manufacturer. So, right off the bat, we are starting this repair relationship on thewrong foot. The customer wants information and resolution. And, the service personnel may dread picking up the phone and handling each customer. There is a right way and a wrong way to handle customers during a recall. First, don’t rush the customer through the pro- cess. Greet each customer professionally and obtain all the relevant information (name, miles, contact information, etc…). Don’t view it as “just a recall.” It is an opportunity to serve your current and po- tentially new customers. Don’t view it as “just a recall.” It is an opportunity to serve your current and potentially new customers. “ Just a Recall” N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S