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MEGADEALER FITZGERALD WINS ISO CERTIFICATION
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Megadealer Jack Fitzgerald receives
ISO 9001:2000 certification from John Sedlak of Smithers Quality Assessments,
Inc. (left) and Howard Butz, Jr., of Towson (Md.) University’s Center
for Business and Economic Outreach |
February 2, 2004—Automaker CSI programs are hurting
dealers, says East Coast megadealer Jack Fitzgerald, who thinks he’s
found a better way to accurately gauge his customers’ satisfaction.
Fitzgerald was at the convention to receive official ISO 9001:2000
certification for his 12 stores and 35 franchises. Fitzgerald
Auto Malls is the first
multi-location dealer group to achieve the prestigious designation,
given by the Geneva–based International Organization
for Standardization. Businesses achieve certification by meeting a stringent
set of principles and practices, including how well—and consistently—they
treat customers.
Fitzgerald became interested in certification as he was developing
a process to ensure that all visitors to his far-flung auto
empire get the same high-quality treatment, and that he gets
timely and accurate
customer feedback. With help from Towson (Md.) University’s College
of Business and Economic Outreach, he instituted a system
called Process Based Management (PBM) at his stores. An important element
is gathering
feedback immediately with a secure, non-time-consuming survey
that customers can respond to online, by mail, or in person. Manufacturer
CSI results
typically take weeks or even months to reach the dealership,
Fitzgerald says. Getting real-time input allows the dealership to troubleshoot
any problems immediately. And because the survey system is
secure, the
results can ’t
be manipulated.
Significantly, Fitzgerald’s survey asks if customers want to be
called after their purchase or service appointment—and only a
tiny minority says yes. Automaker CSI surveys, on the other hand, “intrude
into customers’ lives” by contacting them whether they want
it or not. “I don’t care if I ever get my Five Star certification
back—I’m not calling those customers if they don’t
want it.”
Fitzgerald believes that, having gone to the considerable
time and expense of achieving ISO certification, his CSI
reports should be good enough to pass muster with his manufacturers.
“I’d like to get this CSI monkey off my back,” Fitzgerald says.
With the current system, “OEMs don’t have a clue” as to what
their customers really think, because dealers are forced to chase scores instead
of pleasing customers.
(audio/video)
audio/video provided by AutoNetwork.com
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