Satisfied customers want to tell others about good service. It's just not natural for them to go out of their way to do it. That's why many dealers have attempted to improve their CSI scores by offering customers some incentive, called "Rigging", to favorably complete and send in their surveys.

Recently, Toyota revealed that 6% of their customers surveyed by JD Power and Associates said they had been influenced by the dealership to provide positive scores. This included offers of free oil changes, gifts or meals. So Toyota has decided to withdraw incentives from those dealerships that are found to be guilty of using this tactic. And while we agree with Toyota's approach, we'd like to make a recommendation on how to positively impact CSI without using the "Rigging" approach.

The most important thing to understand is that it�s natural for dissatisfied customers to send in their surveys. But satisfied customers have a tendency to believe that no one really wants to hear from them unless they aren't happy; therefore, they don't send in their survey. Your job is to explain just how important their opinion really is and ask them to send it in. Here's how:

• Make a laminated copy of your survey and have it available
  
  
• During the delivery process, simply review the survey with your customers by saying, "Most of our customers receive a survey in the mail that looks like this. It's actually a report card that tells us your opinion about today's visit. By completing it and sending it in, you help us identify what we are doing well and how we can make your next visit a positive experience. So I would appreciate it if you would complete it and send it in. And while you're here, is there anything about this visit that wasn't satisfactory?"

Notice that you are still providing the customer with a benefit for completing the survey. The benefit is a consistently good and always improving experience. By asking the customer if there were any concerns about this visit, you also give yourself an opportunity to address any concerns before the survey arrives.

There are many other ways to improve CSI by improving your people skills and your processes. But the easiest way is simply to increase the number of surveys your dealership receives.