This is a far more customer-friendly auto dealership than the one where I leased my car back in…read moreFebruary, after 20 years in my previous Toyota. SO much more friendly and welcoming that I chose to give up the $100 certificate I'd have gotten if I had all 3 initial mileage checkups done where I started, all of which are included in the lease. But I had dreaded going back,
What went well at Hendrick Toyota's service department? Pretty much everything.
The service manager who took care of me at Hendrick, and goes by "D", was great. He was very customer-service oriented...welcoming, friendly, knowledgeable, attentive to detail, gave me a tour around the dealership area where I would be waiting, pointed out all available amenities, and offered me a cold bottled water without having to be asked. That may sound like a small gesture, but based on my experience where I leased, it isn't.
I actually felt like a valued customer. And I felt confident D would take good care of my car, and do all the required checks and services for the 5K appointment . After it, he also patiently went over many of the buttons and controls that were still unfamiliar to me after the hurried and cursory explanation i received the day I picked up my new car.
And despite having spent many hours at the previous dealership during the process from test drives to closing the deal, and having made an actual appointment for pickup with my salesperson, none of the idle sales people in the lobby, or the front desk attendant, greeted me, knew me at all, or had a clue why I was there. And I never saw my sales person again.
I hope my experience at Hendrick wasn't just a "one-off," and that my future appointments there can be scheduled with D, whose words and actions gave me faith that his goal is first and foremost, great customer service.
My best advice, if you want to have a customer-first and reasonably pleasant car purchase (or lease) experience, don't go to Olathe Toyota.