Customer Testimonials

Getting references from existing customers can be a great way of assessing the capabilities of a prospective supplier but we would recommend that you follow a specific process in order to gain meaningful information.

Most suppliers have some customers that they can always use as references so ask for a list of customers (a 100 or so with names only) that you can randomly select customers and ask for their contact details so that you may phone them.

When contacting existing customers, try to ask specific questions so that you get a more realistic feel for the support being provided.

Here are some questions that you may want to ask:

• How long have you used this supplier?
• How quickly do their technicians arrive when you make a support call?
• What percentage of occasions do the technicians resolve the issue on the first visit?
• What would you consider to be the biggest weakness of the supplier?
• How would you rate the advice from the supplier when required?
• How quickly are the telephones answered when a call is made to the supplier?
• How would you rate the competence and friendliness of the staff when you call?
• Have you ever had reason to complain about the services provided?
• Are there any areas that you feel the company could improve the services that they provide?
• Were there any unexpected charges or changes to what you were offered in the original proposal?

Some dealerships will send their customers questionnaires periodically to ask specific questions about the service that is provided. This is a sign of a company that wants to improve the levels of customer satisfaction.

Ask the dealership for examples of where things have not gone to plan with a new installation. I would suggest that you should have cause for concern if they state that they never have anything go wrong as we all make mistakes from time to time.

Often you only get to properly assess the commitment and customer service of your supplier when a problem happens; you get to see how the company responds and what actions are taken in order that you remain a satisfied customer. You may wish to ask to speak to a couple of customers where things went wrong? Ask if they were impressed with the way the matter was handled.

How many manufacturer trained technicians does the company employ? You could expect that the supplier employs at least 1 technician per 120 customers, if the number exceeds 150 then be aware that support cover may be thin on the ground.