I recently heard a colleague bemoaning the fact that after her third attempt she had finally been able to place an order for a new car with a dealership of a certain German marque leaving her to wonder whether vehicle manufacturers are in the market to sell these days.

There’s no doubt that the distressing events in Japan recently and the phenomenal growth experienced by the Chinese market have had a detrimental effect on the timely delivery of vehicles. It has been reported that certain pigments used to create specific paint colours have been isolated because of the earthquake, leading to significant delays on some models. But to actively refrain from attempting to make a sale leaves me dumfounded.

There are encouraging signs from the Far East that the huge lead times anticipated as a result of the quake have reduced significantly. Certainly, delivery dates from the likes of Nissan and Toyota have been far more encouraging than first thought.

Where there are still issues - such as the delays on specials – rather than pursuing a service of silence, providers should be paying even greater attention to customer service and fostering that highly prized customer relationship.

In today’s instant society, customer loyalty is as easily lost as it is won. With increasingly fierce competition and shrinking margins, manufacturers’ focus should be on safeguarding their reputations and protecting their market position. By failing to listen to a customer’s request, respond in a timely fashion and communicate proactively they potentially risk a customer meltdown almost as tragic as the events in Fukushima. And with other marques waiting in the wings to entice their customers with shiny new deals and special offers it’s a dangerous course on which to embark.

Author: Neal Francis,managing director, Pendragon Contracts