How do you overtake a luxury brand with the heritage of Mercedes-Benz?

While preparing to launch an unknown brand with no heritage against established European brands such as BMW and Mercedes, Japanese automaker Lexus set out to build the perfect car and retail experience.  Nothing less than a ‘relentess pursuit of perfection’ was the mandate when the brand was launched in 1989.  21 years later the brand is all grown up.  It’s kicking ass and taking nameplates.

One of ways that Lexus distinguishes itself is through its customer service.  They’ve been named in The Purple Goldfish Project an a remarkable 5 times (#1+23+48+69+200).  This gets them inducted into the Hall of Fame.  They join the distinguished ranks of Doubletree Hotels, Stew Leonard’s, and Five Guy’s Burger and Fries.

Purple Goldfish #200 – Ray Catena Lexus

1. When you drop your car off for service at Ray Catena Lexus of Monmouth, in Oakhurst, N.J., bring your golf clubs: You can practice your game at an indoor driving range and golf course simulator adjacent to the plush waiting lounge. FORE!!!

2. Dedicated to make sure your experience was perfect.  Ray Catena has one person whose sole job is to call people who have had warranty service to make sure everything went smoothly.  According to an article at forbes.com,

“Customer surveys revealed that 99.2% of people who serviced their cars at the store would recommend it. That meant there were about a dozen less-than-perfect surveys out of 1,400. Those customers got personal letters and phone calls offering apologies.”

3. Free Car Wash – A staple of the Lexus service is the free car wash with your service.  I was talking with a co-worker yesterday who just happened to bring her car into Ray Catena for service.  We started discussing their service and she started gushing about how they are so committed and that everything is always done just right.  She mentioned the car wash.  I talked about how the ‘free car wash’ is become expected, kind of like the bakers dozen.  It’s loses a little bit of its specialness if everyone is doing it (Audi, BMW and VW have also been cited in the Project for the car wash).  My colleague then mentioned that on a recent trip that the wait for her car to be washed was long.  Lexus apologized and handed her a voucher for a car wash down the street.  Today I asked her how the service went.  Shelley mentioned that Lexus couldn’t wash her car yesterday in lieu of the constant rain.  Instead they filled her gas tank on the house.  THAT’S a NICE UNEXPECTED TOUCH or purple goldfish.

FISHERMAN WANTED: HELP me catch another 801 purple goldfish for a great cause.  Click here to send me your example.