Today I want to tell a story about a firm that not only talks about the importance of customer service and doing it well but delivers too, does so consistently well and has been for years and years.

However, this is not a big firm. Nor, are they a firm in a sexy sector. They are not based in central London or New York or San Francisco or somewhere with ‘silicon’ in the name. Their offices are not in some new glass and steel edifice nor in a converted warehouse with exposed brickwork.

This is a regular firm, a proud, family firm that has been around for a number of years going about it’s business.

This firm is McCarthy Cars.

They are an independent used car dealership in Croydon, a borough of London in the UK. (You can check out their websites at McCarthy Cars and Used Car Sales Surrey).

Started in 1973 by Jim McCarthy and his late wife, Pat, the firm is now managed by James, their eldest son, and he is helped by his two brothers, Jonathan and Robert.

Over the last 40 years, the business has weathered economic ups and downs but it is their commitment to their McCarthy Promise

‘to offer great cars, at great value,with great service’

– that, they believe, has stood them in great stead and continues to serve them well.

Their commitment to and delivery against their Promise has won them numerous awards from their customers and their peers, over the last few years, including:

• Most Loved Business in Croydon 2013,
• UK’s Most Loved Car Dealership 2012 and 2013,
• Winners of Used Car Retailer of the Year at the 2013 Motor Trader Awards, and
• Winners of the Wheeler Dealer Customer Care Award 2012 and 2013.

However, awards aside, it is what they have done with their customer reviews that, I think, is really notable and shows how committed they are to their Promise.

Using a system called Feefo, they have put real-time customer reviews and comments on every page of their main website, including their homepage. This shows their customers (and potential customers) how they measure up against their Promise, by being completely transparent with the results they achieve.

You can check out their results here directly or you go to the McCarthy Cars website and look in the top right hand corner – their customers score them 99% out of 100% for both the quality of the cars that they sold and the service that they received.

Fantastic results and real evidence of the commitment they have to their business and their customers.

Some might say that it takes a degree of courage and preparedness for a firm to do this. Perhaps.

I would say that it’s more about a commitment to a level of excellence and a belief that can and will deliver.

How many businesses do you know that display that level of commitment?

How many businesses do you know that put their customer reviews and satisfaction results on their homepage?

Are you brave enough to put all of your customer reviews on your homepage?

If you did, what would they say about your business?

Note: I have been lucky enough to do some work with this firm but I take no credit for what they have achieved. I believe, it is the ‘Promise’ they make to their customers and how they deliver against it that really makes them stand out and successful.

Photo Credit: bradleygee via Compfight cc