In a presentation at the Automotive News World Congress, Lexus General Manager Mark Templin outlined the automaker’s plans to enhance their US dealerships even further:
” We’re trying to create a feeling in our car dealerships more of a luxury hotel than a car dealership,” Templin said after his presentation.
The dealerships also want to have creature comforts so that buyers and prospective buyers can ” hang out” if they like, Templin said.
Almost all stores have a price menu for repairs and maintenance so customers can feel assured they’re paying the same as everybody else for service, Templin said.
This is a smart move by Lexus, the differences between luxury vehicles is getting smaller and smaller, and improving upon already exemplary customer service is a great way to differentiate from the competition. This is going to be a common path for all car companies in the very near future, luxury models or otherwise.
It’s also important to note that dealerships are responsible for their own upgrades, and in the last three years have spent over $1 billion on improving their facilities. There is a financial benefit to the spending, though, as that reinvestment means the dealership can request more vehicles from Lexus.
Having only visited one Lexus dealership in the United States, I ask my American readers: Are these price menus prominently displayed, and what types of options are listed? There’s something similar at my local dealer here in Canada, but it only covers oil changes and tire rotations, the smaller services.
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