By the ARA Certification Committee
Gold Seal standards set the bar for customer service focused on getting quality parts to the customer on time and in the condition as described in the offer. But remember that Zig Ziglar said, “Simple isn’t always easy!”
The Gold Seal Standards have stood the test of time for high customer service and part quality with added enhancements for contemporary issues such as recalls and electronic recordkeeping. The basic principle is a set of criteria by which to measure good ROE® parts being delivered to happy customers.
There are 32 simple Gold Seal standards that set the bar for customers service focused on getting quality parts to the customer on time and in the condition as described in the offer.
But remember that Zig Ziglar said, “Simple isn’t always easy!”
The final Gold Seal application questions focus on evaluating whether you met the mark of providing good customer service through a customer satisfaction index (CSI) process.
Verification is Essential
Does your facility participate in customer satisfaction surveys through the Customer Research, Inc., or an approved equivalent program?
Since the inception of the Gold Seal program, Customer Research, Inc., a service provider, has been available to conduct business-to-business telephone surveys of 25 customers for the reasonable price of $175. Most Gold Seal members participate in the survey process quarterly. At a minimum, a Gold Seal member must survey their business clientele at least annually.
Other methodologies may be used to conduct the customer satisfaction survey. The process is meant to focus the Gold Seal member on their shortcomings more so than to evaluate your participation in the program. The standardize survey appears at the end of this article.
Members may choose to use online surveys. Some facilities have computer tablets available for survey taking while customers wait for their parts. Others use an email link to a survey form. And other sources of statistics such a Google review or eBay data may be the most useful for facilities that are self-service or want to monitor their online sales satisfaction.
In any case, the questions on the standardize survey are set to create a continuous improvement feedback loop within the Gold Seal program. That means that the questions correlate back to the standards of excellence in the program. For example, if data compiled from your surveys indicates that “part cleanliness” scores less than excellent overall, the Gold Seal members can refer to the clean part standards and adjust accordingly.
Clean Part Standards
Gold Seal facilities have clean parts. ROE parts should be cleaned, if necessary, before being delivered, shipped, or brought to the customer at the counter to ensure “NO SURPRISES UPON DELIVERY.” Gold Seal facilities require designated personnel to perform quality and cleanliness checks using inspection and testing procedures that lay out an inspection process for parts as the part flows through the facility following the dismantling process to verify and update their condition in the Inventory Management System.
Some specifics on Inspections:
- ROE parts should be prepared to ensure that connectors are unplugged or disconnected cleanly.
- Parts sold from flood vehicles may only be sold as allowable by state law. The facility should have a process to ensure that ROE parts from flood vehicles are carefully inspected and tested prior to sale.
- Major drivetrain must be evaluated by one or more of the following methods: Cross Contamination Fluid test, Compression/Leak Down test, or Bench/Run test. The results of this testing must be documented.
- ROE safety components that are determined to be defective should be altered in a way that prevents their reuse or resale and removed from the Inventory Management System. Other ROE safety components should be stored in a manner that prevents damage or degradation.
- ROE Tires should be inspected and sold in a condition that complies with all regulations for safe usage.
Customer satisfaction surveys provide valuable insight for continuous improvement and may also create customer loyalty. According to one study, “surveys appeal to the customers’ desire to be coddled, reinforcing positive feelings they may already have about the surveying organization and making them more likely to buy its products. Surveys may also increase people’s awareness of a company’s products and thereby encourage future purchases. More subtle is the idea that the very process of asking people their opinions can induce them to form judgments that otherwise wouldn’t occur to them – that they really do like a company’s services. These so-called measurement-induced judgments, the theory holds, can influence later behavior.” (See reference: https://hbr.org/2002/05/how-surveys-influence-customers.)
To get more information on CRI reach Tamara Fuller, Director of Business Development, Customer Research, Inc., at (800) 886-3472 X515 or TamaraF@customerresearch.com. More information is available at www.CustomerResearch.com.
Standardize Survey
1. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, how would you rate your overall recycled parts purchase experience? (1 – 5)
2. How would you rate your satisfaction with your sales representative? (1 – 5)
- Not Patient/Attentive
- Not Enthusiastic
- Not Friendly
- Not Knowledgeable
- Other
3. How would you rate your satisfaction with the parts purchased? (1 – 5)
- Appearance/Dirty
- Poor Accuracy of Description
- Wrong Part
- Other
4. How would you rate your satisfaction with the delivery to your facility? (1 – 5)
- Not On Time
- Driver Issue(s)
- Freight carrier or packaging issue
- Other
5. On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being highest, how likely are you to recommend (business)? (0 – 10)
6. Besides (Recycler Name), please name the used parts vendor you currently use the most.
7. On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being highest, how likely are you to recommend (Competitor Recycler Name)? (0 – 10)
