12:51 pm, February 17, 2014
FRENCH firm Renault has launched a trio of initiatives designed to underpin its drive to become a top 10 ranking vehicle manufacturer by 2017 in publicly recognised UK quality surveys.
Renault exclusively revealed its ambitious GO5+ medium-term business plan to Car Dealer last November, and one of the plan’s key pillars was to achieve top-tier brand image.
Now the company has explained how it will achieve that goal – and it’s through a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Award Programme, an online customer experience survey, and a training and development programme for dealership staff called DNA.
Renault’s adoption of a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Award Programme is designed to give outstanding dealers a point of differentiation compared to local rivals, irrespective of their brand. An initial 27 sites have been shortlisted across the UK based on their 2013 Sales and Aftersales Customer Excellence results, as measured by the brand’s monthly customer feedback survey and dealer mystery shopping programme. The final results will be announced in June.
Secondly, there’s a new Online Customer Experience Survey. Launched after a successful five-month pilot project to more than 30,000 Renault and Dacia owners during 2013, the questions have been fine-tuned, made more flexible and aligned with J.D. Power, to give real insight into the brand’s sales and after-sales customers on a monthly basis.
It works by customers receiving an e-mail or SMS link, 10 days after purchasing a new vehicle or visiting the dealership for a service. Plus, the results and customer comments will also be made publicly available via the ‘star ratings’ system in the dealer locator section area of Renault.co.uk.
Lastly, the brand is launching a raft of training and development programmes for dealership sales and after sales staff.
Called Renault DNA (Development Needs Analysis) to date, 451 (85 per cent) of sales executives and 362 (99 per cent) of service advisors have completed their online assessments across the UK. The next stage sees 400 sales and service managers undertake a dedicated manager’s DNA. Upon completion of the DNA, each participant will receive a bespoke development plan.
Renault UK’s head of network quality and training, Steve Whitcombe, said: ‘For 2014, our strategy brings customer feedback even further into the heart of our business. We’re committed to providing the right framework of development and support to ensure all our teams have the skills, knowledge and aptitude to deliver an excellent customer experience.
‘Moving our customer experience measures online will increase the quantity and quality of feedback, and deliver what people are telling us they want. It’s a win-win situation, and makes sure every customer contact, and every ownership experience delivered by our team will be up to speed.’
