Another Dealership Upsell Story

[aquariuscsm]

I've never understood why upsell attempts make people feel offended. It's their job,it's what their boss pays them to do. All we have to do is politely say no thank you and go on with our lives. All aspects of retail/sales upsell. It's just business.

The one type of upselling I find to be unethical is the attempt to con someone into taking out credit,credit cards,etc,because messing with someone's credit can destroy their lives,whereas selling them a soda with their meal or an air filter with their oil change can't,and unfortunately some people can fall for those schemes and ploys.

 

[Nick1994]

If I took my car into the dealer for a recall or alignment or something, I'd get out a roll of masking tape and cover up the hood latch under the dash real good.

 

[Kuato]

I want to hear what happens when you confront the service writer about all this....

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Get over it. All you need to do is simply say "No thank you" and move on.

Any business will try to sell a customer more. It's the nature of the game, especially if employees are paid partially or wholly on commission. The majority of people wouldn't do those items themselves, it's about the right time for mileage, and their records indicate that it's never been done.

If they had been under the hood inspecting anything, then we'd get to hear about how they looked at stuff they never should have in an attempt to find something else wrong.

As far as next time, you can simply tell them "please don't try to upsell me on anything else" when you drop the truck off. Simple solution, problem solved, no rant needed.

 

[SirTanon]

^^ Same. I'd love to get their reaction to your comments.

 

[MCompact]

My BMW dealer and Mazda dealer must be the exceptions to the rule; their service departments have never tried to upsell anything. For example, when my MS3 needed rear pads(at 125k miles) I was told that the rotors were good- no need to change them. Ditto for the rear brakes on the X3- pads only. And neither shop charges outrageous prices.

 

[Leo99]

I've taken my Corolla and Rav in a few times for recalls. One time the Corolla came with a "report card" that recommended some work like fuel injection cleaner, valve cover gasket. They just said call to set up an appt. if you like to.

Many people have trouble saying "no" and really hate the confrontation with others.

 

[Nate1979]

Not all maintenance is listed in the owners manual. Things break down over time, things get dirty and just because it's not listed in the owners manual doesn't mean it isn't a good idea. I'm sure Trav has done a lot of injector cleans when none of the owner's manuals stated it was required. Considering most people on this site think you need to change the oil early, change the rear diff early, blah blah blah but when the dealership recommends an early service or some extra service to possibly make the car run better people scream about it.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: daman
"Air induction service"


LOL.. never heard of such a thing!


AKA profit induction service!!!!

 

[Thax]

As a dealership technician let me break this down for you. So you brought an older vehicle to a dealership for a recall and are upset they made service recommendations? Every car that goes through a service department will have a multi point inspection on its RO, doesnt matter if it has 3 miles or 300K. The "monkey" as you referred to the technician , doesn't know you nor has he/she any idea who you are. They have a job to do and part of that is a multi point inspection. If they see worn brake components they mark it, they will inspect the air filter that is SOP everywhere. If the brake fluid is used up and any decent tech can spot that from a mile away , they will mark it on the RO. G0-5 well it doesnt really discolor with age now does it , so technician saw age and miles and checked it. Any good and honest tech will not make stuff up on an RO , there is the exception but honestly for two tenths of an hour its not worth job security. When this "monkey" finishes their inspection they will give that RO to the service writer/advisor. They are the ones who push the services, this is where items/services needed get lost in translation from tech to writer. The fact is that I and every other tech out there doesn't know that you work on your own car , nor do we care that you think your a mechanic. We daily see cars that have been neglected to death , no services ever, 30k oil changes etc. etc. We are there to do a job and that is fix cars, there is nothing personal with it. If you dont like it simply dont take your truck to that dealership or any for that matter. Or you could be polite and say "no thanks" like many here have said. Believe it or not [censored] near most of us are hard working honest people trying to pay the bills. We always get a bad rap , we are far from "monkeys" as well. If anyone deserves the bad rap in the repair business it is owners/service writers.

 

[Vikas]

If you did not want dealership to look for extra revenue you should have told them up front. When I take my car to the dealer, I tell them *EXACTLY* what want them to do and ask them to do *NOTHING ELSE*. I have told them NOT to do their 20 point inspection.

 

[Eddie]

I am a DIMS guy but, I don't think it is an up-sell to remind a customer that at a given mileage or time to suggest what the manufacture recommends. An up-sell to me is the service writer trying to sell me something that is NOT a recommended service in the owner manual such as an engine flush or head polishing.
Ed

 

[ajchien]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I've never understood why upsell attempts make people feel offended. It's their job,it's what their boss pays them to do. All we have to do is politely say no thank you and go on with our lives. All aspects of retail/sales upsell. It's just business.


It becomes a problem when they lay in the guilt trip. Brake pads 50% gone and child car seat in the back. "Mrs. Xyz. You really need your brake pads and rotors done. They are down to only 5mm nearly metal on metal! It'll be $600.... No? Oh my, you could be liable in a car crash if they found out you didn't get your brake pads done. And what about your child? You'd have to think about their safety too! Plus, sometimes it's better to take of it now, rather than later, because you know, I'm a parent too and I'd want my car to last forever, and yours might break down on a rainy night leaving you stranded who knows where..."

You can't tell me you have not had that conversation. It doesn't end with a polite "no". You just get upsell attempt #2, 3, 4 with varying amounts of unwarranted pressures directed at customers.

In the OP's case, I think you got recommended the services because they haven't seen it done in their system.

 

[JHZR2]

OP, you said that the brake fluid wasn't done for three years. Most never do it. Yup, so its a good educated guess, especially if the fluid is darkish, to recommend that.

I do look forward to hearing the answer when you confront them on the coolant

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: ajchien
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I've never understood why upsell attempts make people feel offended. It's their job,it's what their boss pays them to do. All we have to do is politely say no thank you and go on with our lives. All aspects of retail/sales upsell. It's just business.


It becomes a problem when they lay in the guilt trip. Brake pads 50% gone and child car seat in the back. "Mrs. Xyz. You really need your brake pads and rotors done. They are down to only 5mm nearly metal on metal! It'll be $600.... No? Oh my, you could be liable in a car crash if they found out you didn't get your brake pads done. And what about your child? You'd have to think about their safety too! Plus, sometimes it's better to take of it now, rather than later, because you know, I'm a parent too and I'd want my car to last forever, and yours might break down on a rainy night leaving you stranded who knows where..."

You can't tell me you have not had that conversation. It doesn't end with a polite "no". You just get upsell attempt #2, 3, 4 with varying amounts of unwarranted pressures directed at customers.

In the OP's case, I think you got recommended the services because they haven't seen it done in their system.



Excellent summary of how MANY $tealerships operate...not only that it isn't UNheard of for DAMAGE or sabotage on a customer vehicle when they REFUSE these upsells or offers of extra services. Unfortunately due to the often times sleazy type of folks that staff these places, a refusal of this work will lead to some sort of passive aggressive actions against the customer which can be actual damage to the vehicle. I've worked at a number of $tealers and have personally seen this type of action, even when the customer is polite and states that they will think about getting the work done later at the store in coming weeks.

A word of advice to ANY customer, if you go in for service and the
SW has a poor attitude, and or seems terse or abrupt when you refuse extra service, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY, don't think about it...take your car and go...before someone damages it out of anger.

 

[VeeDubb]

I'm not the most trusting guy in the world, but even I find it hard to believe that this type of sabotage is common. I mean, I'm sure it happens and I believe your story. I just don't know how wide spread it is. And what is in it for the tech to sabotage the car? Do they get a cut of the commission from upselling?

 

[69GTX]

Any base technician in the service center looking at my brake fluid can tell by just the color or odometer reading whether it needs replacing? That's news to me. My brake fluid was dark last year and the local Monroe shop did a quick test on it via a paper strip and said it was actually in spec. So much for just color. Can we tell the usefulness of the engine oil and differential fluid by its color?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Up selling had been throwing to even some honest independent shops too.

My usually go to shop had been accused of up selling when the manager recommended to flush the brake with black fluid. The car was a 12-13 years old BMW 3 series with original brake fluid.

After that he just do what customers asking him to do, if he saw something terrible he only commented about it after customer paid for the original service(s). The only things that was effect the safety of the car such as brake pads went all the way down to metal, then he informed customer as soon as he saw it and if customer decided don't do it, he asked for a waiver of his responsibility.

 

[exranger06]

Well, I went to the dealer to get my keys and paperwork. Truck is still at the dealer though. I have to wait for my wife to get out of work so she can give me a ride to pick it up. I asked the service writer (nicely), "How did you know the coolant needed to be replaced? 'Cause I just changed it 4 months ago when I replaced the radiator." She said they just go by time and mileage and it would've been due, but since it was already done, "don't worry about it."

I still think that's a bad way of giving recommendations. What if I didn't know anything about cars and had the radiator replaced by a shop a few months ago? What if I didn't know that changing coolant is part of the procedure when replacing a radiator? I would've thought my coolant needed to be changed and might have approved it.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Well, I went to the dealer to get my keys and paperwork. Truck is still at the dealer though. I have to wait for my wife to get out of work so she can give me a ride to pick it up. I asked the service writer (nicely), "How did you know the coolant needed to be replaced? 'Cause I just changed it 4 months ago when I replaced the radiator." She said they just go by time and mileage and it would've been due, but since it was already done, "don't worry about it."

I still think that's a bad way of giving recommendations. What if I didn't know anything about cars and had the radiator replaced by a shop a few months ago? What if I didn't know that changing coolant is part of the procedure when replacing a radiator? I would've thought my coolant needed to be changed and might have approved it.


I agree it's a bad way to determine what a vehicle is actually in need of, but that's the way probably most upsells are sold. Especially things like "induction services" suggested during an oil change or air bag recall...they're probably not looking at your throttle plate. At the very least they should have done a visual check of the coolant before suggesting it though...that is pretty sloppy upselling there, but maybe they were busy that day and just trying to get the cars out. Even though it can make them more money if a job is sold, most techs I know and work with don't like looking cars over. They want to get through the task at hand. They don't like it when management gets on a "check every car" kick because it slows them down.

I'm betting your truck is probably in pretty good cosmetic condition as well, they probably saw that and figured you like to make sure your truck is taken care of and would be receptive to maintenance upsells. The things suggested might have all been on a set price list the service writer already had. But obviously they didn't think it through enough and stop to check to coolant jug. I would guess though that it probably wasn't malicious as in "I bet this guy will fall for everything" as much as it was a rushing service writer who decided to throw some things at the wall and see what would stick. Yeah, that's not a very good way to do things, but it does happen a lot because service writers vary in knowledge and quality. Some will be former techs and really know their stuff. Others are just good at talking to people and can spout off some things that sound good about induction services and such, but have little actual automotive knowledge. Management would like an induction service sold on every car as many times as possible, so that's what they push the writers for.