SHANGHAI, China – Top-notch service will keep customers coming back, time and time again. So when Changan Ford launched its Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project in 2006, the company's aim wasn't only to standardise the body shop painting process across its dealerships, but also improve its customers' brand experience. 

The Project – which was an industry-first in China – focused on improving ten key areas of the paint process at dealerships: appointment scheduling, accident tracking, accepting and evaluating work, customer care, parts resourcing, task arrangement, quality control, clear explanations and delivery times, feedback and marketing. 

A lot of effort has been put into the Project over the past four years, helping to drive a completely new initiative for the Changan Ford Quality Care team. They developed the project to fit the Chinese market, which included getting support from local dealers and insurance companies.

The team's efforts have paid off, with an increasing number of dealerships throughout the country now certified by the Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project. 

Before the project started, many dealership body shops weren't functioning with maximum efficiency. Technicians were working overtime, but still couldn't get cars back to customers as quickly as they would like. It was also difficult to predict when a job would be completed, and giving customers a vague estimate wasn't winning any favour.

Now, in workshops that are certified by the Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project, the working process is much smoother and more efficient. Technicians seldom work overtime, and customers are given a delivery time that is accurate to within 30 minutes.

"Having my Focus painted here was a really pleasant experience. I was a little upset about my scratched car before coming to the dealership, but the technician did a great job in the promised time. I know they are certified by the Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project and I can definitely say that customers are benefiting from it," said Lei Fang, a Focus owner, in a Changan Ford 4S dealership in Chongqing.

The Project is also being enthusiastically welcomed by dealerships, who are seeing an increase in customer appreciation and their own business, as they know quite well if customers aren't satisfied with the service at a dealership, they may not return the next time they need servicing.

''The Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project has helped us increase both work quality and efficiency, and has improved our customer satisfaction," said Ning Li, service manager of Nanjing Fulian, a Changan Ford dealership that has implemented the new system.

This comic appeared in a news release about the Body Shop Painting QualityCare Project.  It has been translated into English  for @Ford Online readers.