Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. has announced a new Signature Certification Program for dealerships nationwide. The objective of this certification program is to differentiate dealers from the competition by going beyond the traditional sales and service processes to become leaders in customer satisfaction.
First introduced by Hyundai Auto Canada’s President and CEO Don Romano at the recent National Hyundai Dealer Meeting, the program is part of a cultural shift at the company; one that’s designed to place more emphasis on the customer’s needs.
As Romano put it: “If we are going to differentiate ourselves, we need to become more aware of what our customers want, and exceed their expectations during what we are calling our ‘moments of truth’. These moments are those critical points of interaction with the Hyundai brand, and Hyundai dealerships, when customers invest a high amount of their time shopping our products.”
Hyundai commissioned J.D. Power to develop the parameters of this new certification program. The approach will be customized for each dealership, just like a signature is unique for each individual. The assessment phase is currently under way, with automotive retail coaches at work conducting market studies across the country, gathering and analyzing customer feedback.
This feedback will serve as the basis for defining customer expectations, which will in turn become Hyundai Signature Standards. Training will be adapted to the unique needs of each dealer, delivering in-store coaching visits to provide concrete measures for improvement.
In early 2015, a J.D. Power evaluator will come back to measure improvements and see how they align with the customer expectations identified in the market study. Dealerships meeting the program’s exacting standards will be certified as Hyundai Signature Certified Dealers, reflecting their ability to exceed customer expectations across their entire retail operations.
The new Signature Certification Program was designed not as a one-time initiative, but rather as a process of continuous improvements. Newly established District Customer Service Managers at Hyundai Auto Canada will work hand in hand with dealerships to continue developing methods that are designed to enhance the customer experience.
