SW17LS

So this popped up in my Facebook feed today:




I don't know how I feel about this. I think when servicing a vehicle having a relationship with a service advisor is valuable, they learn about you and they can help you get additional support from the dealer and the manufacturer, because you are their customer. I have had good and great experiences with service advisors over the years, and God knows with a Mercedes there is a HUGE premium being paid for service, which is supposed to equal higher quality service. I will say my experience dealing with Mercedes service has been the best experience I have ever had having a car serviced...but it is far and away the most expensive. I think I would want it to be cheaper if this was what I was interacting with...

I also like to be able to have a discussion with the advisor about issues I am having. I suppose for just scheduled maintenance this would not be a big deal...

What does everybody else think?

LH1

Mixed feelings on this.

I could see this working well for Tesla but that's about it.

SW17LS

Maybe as a quick lube type service, where I can come in without an appointment and get the oil changed or something, but putting the car in for service or to solve an issue...I want a person. Certainly if I am going to be spending $1,000+ on routine service for my Mercedes I want to be handled by a person.

mmarshall

I don't live very far from that dealership...about 7 or 8 miles. I'll have to maybe drop by, look at it, and see how it operates before making any more comments.

Margate330

I don't put up with the self order kiosks at the Mc Donalds near me so there is no way I'd be ok with this.

If I'm in person spending good money I want service with a smile the same way I treat my customers.
Real customer service cannot be done with a machine IMO.

patgilm

I just had my service done on my X7 and I really like talking to my service advisor about things/concerns, etc. and going to the same person that knows me. When I paid as much as I did for my car I personally like having some personal interaction.

Also, with Tesla and using their app to schedule appointments, while different than a kiosk, has not been good and hard to schedule certain services vs. talking directly with a person.

geko29

For simple services (scheduled maintenance, recalls, etc), I'd rather not deal with people if I don't have to, so this would be great. When it's something more complex, I want to talk through it with a SA.

wasjr

I'm in the camp of wanting the interaction with the service advisor. I've had the same MDX service advisor over 10 years thru 3 vehicles, and while I have only had the S550 since 2019, I have the same service advisor the original owner had on this car (plus at least one other MB). Although I will communicate issues/questions and schedule with the advisor via email, I like to see them to confirm services, and on a personal level see how they have been. Personally knowing these gentlemen has helped on a few occasions.

As an aside, I haven't had the same longevity with Lexus. Initially (2012) had the same advisor for about 5 years, but have had at least 3 different advisors since then.

jrmckinley

This is interesting and I'm kinda torn. When I used to take my car to Lexus for service, I didn't like the act of checking in and waiting for my service advisor to finish with another guest or waiting until the SA could be tracked down. Plus they always check your mileage, inspect the condition of the exterior for scratches/dents, cover the seats, etc. So there is some time spent waiting. They had benches in the service check in garage and 6 months out of the year in FL it was nice and warm in there. If I could use a kiosk to check myself in (would have to be simple - like a phone # or license plate check in process instead of having to enter VIN, etc) and then go to the lounge and receive a text when the SA was ready for me or have the advisor come find me, I'd view that as a better start to that experience.

What would be even better is if the kiosk was "intelligent" by being fully integrated into the scheduling and service software system. Meaning it looks you up, knows that you have an appointment, knows why you're there (exact services you requested), and then offers a "check box" or something saying "I wish to speak to the advisor before work is started".

I can't help but wonder if some of this is more COVID driven since the side of the pic attached says "contactless experience" (even though you are touching a screen that dozens of other people have been touching).

AshLex2021

am a service advisor for a jaguar land rover brand and this to me is just asking for trouble with people coming in and thinking a service is covered under warranty, not knowing diag charges etc....... some things even as simple as adjustment of tire pressure just needs human interaction. end of the day, when you have a issue, a human will be needed . are you gonna yell at a automated soul less computer screen ? maybe hit it when it doesn't act right like a vending machine and still ask for the service manager :-)

and also we have older clients that cannot even operate an uber app, yea..... this wouldn't work ...................

SW17LS

I think the issue is, for scheduled maintenance etc thats where you build the rapport with the SA so that when the time comes where its more complex that relationship exists already...

I totally agree with this. I have found though that a lot of the good SAs are getting out of the business...the one I had at first at Mercedes who was great left and went into outside sales for a software company, he was really great. I'm sure he's making WAY more money.

tex2670

I'm with you; sometimes it's better, sometimes not. Just like on-line scheduling of service--sometimes it's just easier to go on line; sometimes a service is more elaborate, or you just need to explain to a human being an issue that needs attention.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i'm sure mercedes will use quick lube when charging you $1000+ for routine service and throw in a person so it doesn't hurt as much.

i couldn't care less if i never see any person at any dealer, or a dealer itself, ever again.

SW17LS

Then you wouldn't be somebody who would pay a dealer $1,000 for a routine service.

Thats the point. There is a premium service experience that is being purchased here. If I'm going to go to a quick lube and use a screen and sit in a waiting room for 3 hours, I'm not going to pay $1,000, I'm going to expect that will cost less. Like when I go to McDonalds for lunch, I'm not paying what I'd be spending at Mortons. If Mortons put in ordering screens instead of trained quality servers, I would expect that prices would go down.

Why people wait in waiting rooms for routine service is beyond me. I get the van serviced at a quick lube place near my house, I just pull in, they do the service, and I leave and never get out of the car. Why would I want to pay more and sit in a waiting room for hours to have Chrysler do it?!

ABC

I would not mind it as an option, but i still want to chat with an SA if needed.