Team-BHP
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
Dear Volkman10 - that's an encouraging sign but it is "SR1". "SR1" stands for "Standard Reply 1". Essentially SR1 is - "we are in receipt of your letter dated so and so and we are pained to note its contents, please take your car to such and such place between 0930 and 0430 (same place where the customer does not want to go) where so and so will be delighted to blah blah to you, we are always there to serve you, we remain, yours faithfully, ABC, cc PQR cc XYZ"). SR1 was used very extensively. In those days, I have seen guys reading customers' letters vertically, like lawyers read, then writing "SR1" on the top right corner and then signing a heap of SR1s every evening, but it does not necessarily cut ice with today's customers. The days of SR1s are long gone!
It is important for the company to realize, remember and act on behalf of the customer, who may be 0.0002% of a statistical row in their excel file presentation but for Ajit Matthew, it is 100% failure! Let's see the turnaround happening on the ground out there and only Ajit must say it actually turned around! It is only when each and every such case is turned around that customer delight will really happen.
Best regards,
Behram Dhabhar
Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san
(Post 2949999)
but isn't it a bit sad that the customer need to contact the top to have a satisfactory service experience?
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It is indeed. But it was a pro-active step on my part rather than one after facing some issue. I was/am having a relatively trouble free ride with my car but the companies negative after-sales image prompted me to be pro-active in case I faced a similar experience down the line.
No way am I advocating that one should be rushing to top management for simple problems. The ASC should be competent enough to warrant any need for the same. But this particular case certainly needs to be escalated.
@dkaile.
A hypothetical situation.
Your car has met with an accident. The alloy wheel has broken. For insurance to be claimed the rules are that you will need to leave the car with the Auth.SS till its fixed.
The Auth.SS unfortunately does not have a spare alloy wheel.
They place an order.
Promise you that the wheel will arrive in less than a day or two.
Do you decide to decline the insurance and drive away your car.
If you decide that since the wheel is expensive and you are of course rightly covered by insurance. You leave the car with the Auth.SS.
60 days go by before you get your car back.
The car is returned with parking tickets, repainted bumper and busted reflectors.
How will you feel?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bblost
(Post 2950403)
How will you feel?
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Very bad. I would raise as much hue and cry as possible. Why am I getting a feeling as if you feel I am speaking from VW's side?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkaile
(Post 2950415)
Very bad. I would raise as much hue and cry as possible. Why am I getting a feeling as if you feel I am speaking from VW's side?
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I don't think you are talking from the VW side.
I just feel that you think you would have somehow been immune from this sort of harassment. :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by bblost
(Post 2950417)
I just feel that you think you would have somehow been immune from this sort of harassment.
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Each person has his own way of tackling the issue. I would have been more pro-active and not laid back with my 20L asset resting at someone's yard. I certainly would NOT have let the car remain in their workshop for 60 days. I would have been ringing all over Skoda/VW HQ within 24 hours to get my car back immediately or at least rest at my home till the parts are procured. If that meant foregoing insurance after a respectable period, I would have. But then that's me, naa!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkaile
(Post 2950421)
Each person has his own way of tackling the issue. I would have been more pro-active and not laid back with my 20L asset resting at someone's yard. I certainly would NOT have let the car remain in their workshop for 60 days. I would have been ringing all over Skoda/VW HQ within 24 hours to get my car back immediately or at least rest at my home till the parts are procured. If that meant foregoing insurance after a respectable period, I would have. But then that's me, naa!!
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Laid back? I do not think you know what all I did
Regular follow up with VW Downtown people - I tried to differentiate by "not shouting at them" - No effect
Contact via Facebook - got the usual love and peace, will follow up message
Escalate to VW Downtown owner through a contact - he just gets the CRM to call me - useless
Getting VW India involved - limited success - parts got ordered
Unfortunately, I do not live in Meerut where there will be relatively fewer cars in for service hence visibiity and accessibility of service personal. As for VW DT - mountains of cars + monopoly situation + indifferent corporate attitude means indfference unless one hypothetically used violence
Reading through so many of the VW-Skoda horror stories (including the one in Navi Mumbai where the dealer apparently smashed the customer's Jetta), I'm wondering if there's an element of masochism attached with buying these brands' premium offerings (no offence intended to the owners / prospective owners - the cars by themselves are great rides).
When one plonks down in the region of 20 Lakhs (of which, a sizeable sum goes to our good ol' Govt through various taxes) it's absurd to be treated in this manner. You're buying not only the product but the entitlement to a premium service experience as well.
Wondering if the guys back at the HO realize the potential loss of sales through absence of repeat purchases and poor word of mouth? I love the Jetta and Laura (petrol) but having gone through all these experiences, there's no way in hell I'm gonna buy a steed from this OEM's stable!
Shocking is a mild world for this experience. A person who invests upwards of 20 lakhs in brand being treated with such indifference!
Ajmat,
Why not share this thread from T-BHP Twitter/FB official accounts? And also send this link to the dealership and VW. Since our laws aren't really on our side, the only thing that can hurt these guys is bad press.
Also, would it be possible to compile all these VW/Skoda horror stories under a single thread? Maybe like a list or urls of all such threads. It would be easier to share and spread the awareness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit
(Post 2945943)
Appreciate the patience Ajmat has shown in this whole episode !
I had visited the Downtown workshop with a friend to sort out some issues on the painting of his fender and bonnet & was shocked to find the situation there. I happened to take some pics and am sharing them here so that other members can get an idea of the conditions in which cars are serviced . Right from a Polo to a Beetle, Jetta etc the same appalling treatment is given. :eek:
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Is that a authorized VW service center ?:Shockked:
Wonder how did VW India approve these as authorized .Even Maruti has a better equipped service center in a town that is 1/100th the size of Bangalore.
I am yet to experience the VW service as our Vento has run just 10K. The sales team had already given some hints. It took 4-5 months post car purchase for the dealer to settle us the corporate discount. After a lot of discussions,negotiations,escalation got the amount.
As far as i see VW need to set basics right. Their showrooms,sales team appear hi-fi and level above counterparts but are miles behind when it comes to customer satisfaction.
Man that's some frustrating ordeal.
glad that its finally over (well almost, what with the chipped reflectors)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajmat
(Post 2945466)
28 August 2012
I arrived at the appointed time. There was barely room to park. The surveyor also came in and started his work. VW Downtown insisted that I sign the claim form stating that I am satisfied with the repairs before they even begin!
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Faced something similar with MYCar dealership in Pune, I had a bumpr repair issue & they asked me to sign the form in advance. I said no, they said they cant work unless I sign. I didnt budge, they kept telling me that its standard prpcedure & I souldnt worry as they would make sure that work will be done to my satisfaction. I told them that if its standard procedure then I am surprised but will sign if they can give it to me in writing. Ofcourse they didnt. Made them call the insurance company & told them whats going on. It was Maruti Insurance, I was transefered to a lady by the person who responded to my call, she was shockked to hear this. She asked me to give the phone to the Service Manager which I Did. Dont know what she told him but he looked frustrated & asked the supervisor to take my car without me signing those papers. It appeared to me that the lady gave the Service Manager an earfull on their malpractice :D
So yeah most dealers do try to get away with their responcicbility as early as possible.
From what I have heard & seen, Maruti takes customer complaints & Feedback very seriously.
My bad ajmat, if you took offence to the laid back comment. None was intended and in no way absolves VW of the extremely shoddy work done by them. I wouldn't have been so gentlemanly with them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajmat
(Post 2950691)
Unfortunately, I do not live in Meerut
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Yes, arm twisting does have effect in Meerut and going by the attitude of your VW dealer, they surely deserved some.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkaile
(Post 2950923)
My bad ajmat, if you took offence to the laid back comment. None was intended and in no way absolves VW of the extremely shoddy work done by them. I wouldn't have been so gentlemanly with them.
Yes, arm twisting does have effect in Meerut and going by the attitude of your VW dealer, they surely deserved some.
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I don't think being ungentlemanly would have had any effect. You just need to walk into their service area to see the fun.
My experience with Skoda Dealer service has'nt been Very good, but my mails to the People at Pune and Shendra have ensured that the dealer gets a call within 15 minutes of my Mail, as well as a stern message to address my issues properly.
coming to VW, Skoda and quite a few A.S.C's they have a target to achieve month on month, as regards service revenue. i am told by a little birdie that this is achieved by adopting delaying tactics.
this is how it works:
Scenario 1: car goes in for repair on the 24th - : A.S.C: Sir, parts are not in stock; we will order them and you can walk in on the 5th and get your repairs done - Here a job card is either prepared and closed with the remark ' customer in a hurry, will drop in Next Month' or a Job card is not opened at all, so that it appears as a fresh job for the following month. (here the monthly turnover target is already met)
scenario 2: another car goes in for the same kind of repar job on the 5th of the following month: ASC: sir, Parts are readily available. you can have your car in 4 working days. (this trend continues till the month's turnover target is met)
Scenario 3: Car goes in on 20th: A.S.C: sir all but two parts are not in stock. we will open a job card and start the work. you can take delivery in two days. when these two parts come we will give you a call the next month and you can drop in (this is when the threshold of the Turnover target is about to be met)
as regards the mess in the workshop pictured by someone in the forum, i have seen it even in Hyundai, Maruti and TATA. at almost all A.S.C's - Tinkering, Painting, Washing, Waxing is outsourced. The washer boys / girls dont know the basics of washing. they start by using the cloth from the bottom and move towards the top, resulting in swirl marks and scratches all over the surfaces. they dont know how to use the pressure washer jets and at a maruti workshop have seen them route the pressure washer pipe over the top of the car resulting in deep scratches.
Workshops have a tie-up with a particular paint maunufacturer - TATA A.S.C. in Mangalore had it with Dupont, when the OE paint supplier is BASF as dupont gives the paint at a lower cost.
tinkers and painters being outsourced, normally have their own workshops. they attend to their workshops on priority basis and then attend to the jobs at the A.S.C :- eg. TATA, maruti, VW, Skoda in Mangalore; they are not on the rolls of the A.S.C but are paid on piece work basis. say tinker a front fender Labour rs. 650/-. paint a Front Fender Labour Rs. 475/- etc.
Wheel Alignment also to a great extent is outsourced now a days. the OE Alignment Provider Charges Rs. 450/- for alignment, and the A.S.C. makes a bill of Rs. 800/- a Cool 350/- Profit without any investment!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunilrj
(Post 2951010)
My experience with Skoda Dealer service has'nt been Very good, but my mails to the People at Pune and Shendra have ensured that the dealer gets a call within 15 minutes of my Mail, as well as a stern message to address my issues properly.
coming to VW, Skoda and quite a few A.S.C's they have a target to achieve month on month, as regards service revenue. i am told by a little birdie that this is achieved by adopting delaying tactics.
this is how it works:
Scenario 1: car goes in for repair on the 24th - : A.S.C: Sir, parts are not in stock; we will order them and you can walk in on the 5th and get your repairs done - Here a job card is either prepared and closed with the remark ' customer in a hurry, will drop in Next Month' or a Job card is not opened at all, so that it appears as a fresh job for the following month. (here the monthly turnover target is already met)
scenario 2: another car goes in for the same kind of repar job on the 5th of the following month: ASC: sir, Parts are readily available. you can have your car in 4 working days. (this trend continues till the month's turnover target is met)
Scenario 3: Car goes in on 20th: A.S.C: sir all but two parts are not in stock. we will open a job card and start the work. you can take delivery in two days. when these two parts come we will give you a call the next month and you can drop in (this is when the threshold of the Turnover target is about to be met)
as regards the mess in the workshop pictured by someone in the forum, i have seen it even in Hyundai, Maruti and TATA. at almost all A.S.C's - Tinkering, Painting, Washing, Waxing is outsourced. The washer boys / girls dont know the basics of washing. they start by using the cloth from the bottom and move towards the top, resulting in swirl marks and scratches all over the surfaces. they dont know how to use the pressure washer jets and at a maruti workshop have seen them route the pressure washer pipe over the top of the car resulting in deep scratches.
Workshops have a tie-up with a particular paint maunufacturer - TATA A.S.C. in Mangalore had it with Dupont, when the OE paint supplier is BASF as dupont gives the paint at a lower cost.
tinkers and painters being outsourced, normally have their own workshops. they attend to their workshops on priority basis and then attend to the jobs at the A.S.C :- eg. TATA, maruti, VW, Skoda in Mangalore; they are not on the rolls of the A.S.C but are paid on piece work basis. say tinker a front fender Labour rs. 650/-. paint a Front Fender Labour Rs. 475/- etc.
Wheel Alignment also to a great extent is outsourced now a days. the OE Alignment Provider Charges Rs. 450/- for alignment, and the A.S.C. makes a bill of Rs. 800/- a Cool 350/- Profit without any investment!
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Dear Sunilrj - you have mentioned the reality completely, I was being diplomatic. That's how the ASCs work to give the bean counters the figures that they like to see and that's exactly what the bean counters show the top bosses who nod and say "hmm hmm" because neither of them "want to see" the reality on the ground. If one of them even attempts to make this mistake, the others immediately usher him back in. If he still wants to commit harakiri (suicide), they drop him like a hot potato into the soup. Who can afford to take such risks!
And "customer"? Who is he? lol:.
Best regards,
Behram Dhabhar
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