Mazda Training manual — part 110

Dealing with Complaints

Curriculum Training

13

3. Dealing

with

Complaints

By the end of this session you will have:
• explored the Mazda method for dealing with complaints, and seen how customer

expectations can be managed

• reviewed your duty of care to the customer and the results if complaints are dealt with

incorrectly

• examined how complaints can be seen as opportunities to learn for the future
• reviewed the communications you have with customers, and how the right use of the

voice and body can improve them

• seen how complaints can be turned into opportunities to make sales.

3.1 Customer

Expectations

Customers want truth, good advice and good quality.

Complaints therefore arise from:
• Lack of Truth – obtaining a service different from that expected
• Poor Advice – being given information that causes cost or damage
• Poor Quality – not doing the job to the expected standard – including general

customer service.

Whatever the reason, customers have every right to have their concerns dealt with
promptly and professionally.

Their expectations must be managed – we must make sure that customers know exactly
what will be provided to them.

Be honest about this – if we raise their expectations too high, it will end in complaints.

The road to short-term and long-term growth depends on increasing customer loyalty

▼

Increasing customer loyalty can only be reached by mastering customer-orientated processes

Dealing with Complaints

14

Curriculum Training

3.2

The Customer Process

11 Invoicing

12. Customer information

& vehicle return

10. Repair order

processing and

Quality of work

3. Active Customer
contact

4. Appointment scheduling

Service

1. Delivery of the vehicle

2. Introduction of

Service Personnel

6. Complete repair order

with fixed price

8. Customer service

7. Workshop planning

9. Part pre-order

5. Personalised

reception

13. Customer follow-up

Dealing with Complaints

Curriculum Training

15

3.3

Your Duty of Care to the Customer

We have just talked about the danger of raising customer expectations. If their
expectations are higher than the service they receive, they will complain.
A complaint is a serious thing – but a serious complaint could result in a claim from the
customer for the damage they have suffered.
What complaints could lead to a claim from the customer?
• Truth

• Advice

• Quality

3.4

Customer Expectations and Your Duty of Care

AC3 – PART ONE – CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

Examine the stages of the Customer Process and decide on customer expectations at each one.
Write your thoughts in the left-hand column, for each stage allocated to you.

AC4 – PART TWO – YOUR DUTY OF CARE – AND POSSIBLE CLAIMS

Examine the various stages of the Customer Process again, and decide on legal aspects
that we must comply with to avoid legal problems.
Write your thoughts in the right-hand column, for each stage allocated to you.
Here is an example, taken from Stage 6 of the Customer Process, to show what is needed:

6. Complete repair order

Customer Expectations

Your Duty of Care – and Consequences
of Getting It Wrong

– Clear and correct explanation of a fixed

price, including parts, labour and taxes,
and agreement before going ahead

– You must explain the total price – or the

customer may refuse to pay any hidden
extras

Dealing with Complaints

16

Curriculum Training

1. Delivery of the vehicle

Customer Expectations

Your Duty of Care – and Consequences
of Getting It Wrong

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