The US automotive industry is in pain; sales are down and the prospects of a return to growth are bleak in the near term. Cost cutting is necessarily on the minds of all brands now, even those who are holding up well in the current down turn and every program, and expense is under scrutiny. In this context it’s important to understand that the last place to cut is in customer service standards – do it and you risk more than merely a dissatisfied customer, you risk damaging your brand’s long term health.