I used to be a faithful customer of a Volkswagen dealership in my hometown, Liberec. I've purchased brand-new cars there, had them serviced, and even sold a few used ones. Upon returning from the UK, I took the ID3 for a spin, but it failed to captivate me. I also toyed with the idea of getting the Up GTI for a while.
The salespeople have always been tremendously helpful and friendly. However, here's the intriguing part: despite being their customer for all these years, I haven't received a single marketing email from them. Not even one.
On one hand, you could argue that they should be commended for diligently respecting my privacy. But on the other hand, I can't help but feel a bit unappreciated and overlooked when they can't be bothered to send a simple email my way. I wouldn't mind receiving the occasional email about special VW Golf GTI editions, which have been my long-standing favourites (I've owned Golfs from versions 1 to 7, except 4), or perhaps some updates on campervans, my current fixation.
So, what's the issue here? Are they simply disinterested? Do they struggle with email automation? Is their budget stretched thin? I highly doubt the last one. They appear to be thriving, investing in virtual showroom walkthroughs and even hosting fashion shows at the dealership!
Either they don't value customer loyalty, or they fail to grasp the potential of marketing, or perhaps it's a bit of both. It could just be one of those perplexing mysteries of life that perpetually leaves me scratching my head.
