Rafferty Subaru's Costco Buying Program

 

Costco Auto Program Contacts, Jeff Woods, Ed Gussin, Andre Tocci

Please call 610-353-6900

About the Costco Auto Program

Established in 1989, the Costco Auto Program has become a leader in the auto-buying industry and consistently ranks as one of the top member-based auto-buying programs available today. In the last 5 years, more than 1 million members have purchased a vehicle through the Costco Auto Program.

The mission is simple: Ensure Costco members have a great vehicle buying experience. Those nine words translate into multiple member benefits:

·         A low, prearranged price that provides value

·         An easy, hassle-free experience at more than 2,200 participating dealerships nationwide

·         Dealerships that understand our program and our processes, and feature specially trained and certified Authorized Contacts to assist Costco members

·         Member advocates who are available seven days a week to answer questions, work with the dealership on the member's behalf, verify pricing and even review purchase contracts  all to ensure we meet the member's expectations for service and value

The Costco Auto Program understands that value is defined by more than a great price - our commitment to providing an overall exceptional buying experience and the level of member support offered by our staff is what sets us apart. In the last 12 months, nearly 500,000 members turned to the Costco Auto Program to help them purchase their vehicle, boat or RV. Additionally, Costco members who used the program gave us the highest rankings for service, value, experience, courteous dealership contacts and more.

Read our Member Testimonials to see what Costco members who have used the program say about their experience.

Read "Behind the Scenes" to take a closer look at the extent of the work we do to ensure our members' buying experiences are exceptional. And why the Costco Auto Program is different? And better.

Behind the Scenes »

What you don't know about the Costco Auto Program.

The Costco Auto Program puts the member first by providing value and service unparalleled in the industry. What you don't know is what happens behind the scenes to ensure these goals are consistently met.

It starts before the Costco member ever steps foot through the dealership's door.

Before Contact

When it comes to selecting dealerships to invite into our dealer network, the Costco Auto Program must be diligent in the selection process to ensure the dealership's practices are in line with the Costco Auto Program's standards and that member value is fully supported.

Participating Dealerships

·         Agree to meet strict pricing requirements

·         Consistently rank high in Customer Satisfaction Scores

·         Ensure select dealership representative's (certified and trained Authorized Dealer Contacts) are available to assist members

·         Offer inventory levels that provide strong representation for their brand

If a dealership upholds these conditions, the Costco Auto Program invites them into the dealer network and establishes low, prearranged pricing on the members behalf for each vehicle the dealership offers.

Even after a dealership is trained and working with Costco members, the Auto Program will continually monitor their performance. Our staff of Mystery Shoppers will 'shop' the dealer and evaluate the Authorized Contacts, provide feedback and when necessary, retrain. This allows us to quickly identify and resolve any areas that need improvement before member service is affected.

Another member benefit the participating dealership must commit to is establishing Authorized Dealer Contacts.

Authorized Dealer Contacts

·         Trained and certified to follow established Costco Auto Program processes

·         Commits to providing a first-class member experience

·         Ensures a no-pressure, no-obligation buying process

Before the member ever steps through the door, the Costco Auto Program has already taken lengthy measures to choose top-rated dealers, enforce strict pricing standards and designate and train Authorized Dealer Contacts ? all to ensure member satisfaction.

During Contact

From initial contact, whether it is through the call center or Web site, member service leads the way.

Auto-Buying Specialists

·         Highly trained member-service professionals handle call center inquiries on the program

·         Explain the program in step-by-step detail

·         Locate the participating dealer closest to the member

State-of-the-art Web site

• Virtually every new make and model offered
• Vehicle Configurator to build and customize your new vehicle
• Full suite of resources to educate members
• Vehicle reviews
• Safety information
• Car comparison features
• Manufacturer rebates and incentives
• Virtual tours with 360° view
• Helpful tools that make the auto buying process simple and straightforward

After selecting a vehicle and locating a participating dealer, members are contacted by the Authorized Dealer Contact, typically within an hour but no more than 24 hours after submitting a request, to schedule an appointment. Once at the dealership, members receive the service and value that the Costco Auto Program established 'behind the scenes' with the dealership.

One of the most important aspects of the Program is the Member-Only Price Sheet. This special sheet is provided only by the Authorized Dealer Contact to the member at time of purchase and provides members with a clear-cut look at the vehicle savings and value you receive as a Costco member.

After Contact

The Costco Auto Program contacts every member, regardless if they purchased a vehicle through the program or not, to evaluate their experience. The Member Advocacy Group is unique in the auto-buying industry; while other programs claim to offer 'customer service,' this group actually assists members after they purchase or lease. If any discrepancy should occur, this group ensures that the member receives the value and service we expect of our dealers.

Member Advocacy Group (MAGs)

·         Follows up to ensure the member's experience was exceptional

·         Handles member issues, if any, and answers complex questions

·         Manages price verification post-purchase and confirms dealer compliance

·         Surveys members in order to continually monitor the success of the program

Finally, while all of these components are running smoothly, the Costco Auto Program continues to work behind the scenes to ensure the savings and service standards are being maintained:

Competitive Shopper

·         Shops our competition to evaluate and ensure that members receive the value they've come to expect from the Costco name

·         Confirms vehicle pricing within specific markets to aid in establishing our 'prearranged' vehicle pricing with dealers

Shadow Shopper

·         Conducts mystery shops of our dealerships to ensure dealer compliance with Auto Program processes

·         Confirms correct pricing is offered to members

·         Evaluates customer service and the professionalism of Authorized Dealer Contacts

·         Provides ongoing support to identify opportunities to train dealers as necessary to ensure standards are met

At the Costco Auto Program, our goal is to provide an exceptional member experience through value and service. As you can see, we have an established buying process, coupled with value pricing, trained staff and 20 years experience to ensure that goal is met.