Now This Is What I Call Service

Today I brought my car in for service to the local Toyota dealer in Ardmore. Since the repair was going to take a while, I figured I would just use the free shuttle service that I’ve used on previous visits.

It’s been a while since I’ve used the shuttle service since I usually just wait at the dealership while my car is repaired. So imagine my surprise when I found out they no longer offer the shuttle service – they now offer something even better – free Lyft rides!

I was told to just put my name on a list, and about two minutes later I received a text message telling me that my ride would be there in five minutes.

The driver did arrive on time, and it was so much nicer than the shuttle, which was a fine service, and also free. But the shuttle might have had several people on it, so depending on where you were going, you could be on the shuttle for a while. With Lyft, it was just me and the driver, direct to my house.

I almost felt like a celebrity or a hot-shot executive getting into a personal limo, but I’m far from either. In fact, I’m probably not the ideal customer for a car dealer. My goal is to drive my car until it falls apart; my 2006 Toyota Matrix has 205,000 miles on it, and I didn’t even buy it at this dealership. But they don’t seem to be bothered by any of that and have always treated me as if I’m one of their best customers.

And the Lyft service is just one of the many great things this dealership offers.

I was at the dealership last week for an oil change and when it was complete, I set up an appointment for today’s service. Less than 30 seconds after the service rep set it up, I got a text message telling me about the appointment. I then got reminders throughout the week about the appointment.

The service area itself is clean and comfortable and offers free coffee and wifi. There are also work stations where you can sit and plug in your laptop.

But none of that would matter if they didn’t provide top-notch service on my car, which they seem to do. Plus everyone who works there is friendly and professional. They also follow-up the same day or the next to see how your appointment went.

It’s the kind of place that you want to use, and are comfortable recommending to your friends and neighbors.

So congrats and thank you to all the people at Ardmore Toyota for creating an organization that cares about its customers and wants to create a memorable experience each time you visit.

While I’m certainly hoping I don’t have to go to the dealer too often for service, it’s nice knowing that when I do bring my car in, both it and myself will get world-class treatment.