DETROIT -

Customers staying for hours in a waiting room fashioned with a couple of chairs and an old television might not cut it in today’s world of luxurious franchise showrooms, which is why Buick and GMC dealers are putting so much effort and resources into a wide array of vehicle-owner services.

General Motors believes that if someone recently visited a newly upgraded Buick and GMC dealership, they would find modifications immediately apparent. GM indicated these facilities have an inviting exterior facade with updated signage, a bright and airy showroom featuring a customer greeting station and a comfortable customer lounge offering free wireless Internet access and in some cases, a cafe or salon.

“Positive person-to-person interaction will always be the hallmark of the Buick and GMC dealership experience, but our new and improved facilities, services and amenities certainly help make time spent at our dealership more enjoyable and productive for our customers,” explained Sam Slaughter, dealer principal of Sellers Buick GMC in Farmington Hills, Mich., and chair of the dealer council customer experience committee.

Slaughter and his fellow dealer committee members contend all of their efforts are paying off. They highlighted a review by J.D. Power and Associates that determined Buick is ranked among the top mass market automotive brands in both customer service ratings and sales satisfaction.

As part of the “Experience Buick” and “Experience GMC” ownership initiative, the company also rolled out a newly enhanced courtesy transportation program. The strategy is geared to provide customers with a Buick or GMC loaner vehicle while their unit is in for warranty service.

Officials noted the program began at participating dealers last month.

“The Buick and GMC courtesy transportation programs were developed in conjunction with our dealers so they provide their customers with a Buick or GMC while their vehicle is being serviced,” explained Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC sales and service.

“Customers can easily bring their vehicle in for service and receive a courtesy Buick or GMC vehicle similar to their own without inconveniencing their daily routine,” Sweeney added.

Another example is used by Mike Bowsher, co-chairman of the national dealer council for Buick & GMC and president of Carl Black Automotive Group in Kennesaw, Ga. Bowsher described his customer courtesy program and says his customers appreciate avoiding having to arrange for a rental car. 

“Customers are very pleased to get a courtesy vehicle, especially when they were not expecting it,” Bowsher declared.

“The new courtesy transportation program puts us in total control of the courtesy vehicle experience, and lets us get customers into the newest Buick and GMC vehicles, like the Buick Regal and GMC Terrain,” he went on to say.

The automaker thinks the impromptu test-drives can allow consumers to spend an extended amount of time with a Buick or GMC vehicle to evaluate performance, fuel economy and technology features that they typically could not do with a standard test drive.

Based on a sample of feedback, Buick & GMC dealers evidently have struck a nice chord with their customers. Here are some comments the automaker recently shared:

“This is the best GM dealership I’ve ever been to,” Linda S. insisted.

“It’s been an extremely pleasant experience,” James P. noted.

“We will only buy from this dealer,” Karen M. emphasized.

“These and other recent customer comments speak to the success of a revitalized Buick and GMC premium dealership experience with new and renovated facilities providing a higher standard of customer convenience and service satisfaction,” the automaker asserted.

Beyond what dealers can supply at the showroom, Buick and GMC officials stressed that vehicle owners can count on several other features such as trained technicians in the service department, GM’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and the safety and security of OnStar roadside assistance. They also noted that owners of 2011 Buick and GMC models now can access their vehicle information and OnStar services directly from their smartphones.

The company explained the myBuick, myGMC and OnStar MyLink applications are available as free downloads and can provide drivers with unprecedented connectivity to their vehicles from their Android or Apple iPhone device.

“The mobile application will tell owners where they parked, lock their car doors if they forgot and access key vehicle information including fuel levels and tire pressure,” GM officials pointed out.