[VigneshMC]

Last Saturday, I happen to have a not so pleasant experience with TATA dealer in chromepet . I was there to check out Nexon and Altroz iturbo variant . To start with every staff there was busy with something and it took 15 mins for someone to notice ask us why we were there . Nexon was not available as display vehicle (but there were few parked outside showroom) . When asked for test drive or checking out a vehicle , he gave a long lecture about vehicle's demand and it will take 2 months to deliver even if i book it now. Same thing with Altroz, he informed me that Altroz iturbo is not launched yet and they cannot provide the vehicle for test drive and as they need to get some clearance from RTO. Since it has iturbo badge, cops might question them for taking it for test drive without approval.

I was still okay all these things, but the fact that they did not even take my number to call me back when cars are available and not even asking me to check out Nexon which was parked right outside was upsetting.

I did add a review in google after i came back and I did find few more people in reviews having similar experience . Dealership did respond promptly for the review asking me for my number to address this . Google review did not have a option to reply and also I did not want to share my mobile number in public, so I did not pursue anything after that.

[AJITHAAA]

Its Rs.1650/- for wrong parking an Activa in Bangalore and that too with the scooter tucked away in a location where there is zero chance of a traffic congestion. You had it easy with Rs.100/-. Should have paid it an moved on, you were there for a bigger purpose and in the end I am sure you were the one whose peace of mind was disturbed.

[pk_del]

Wow, its like Deja-vu to me.

This whole incidence reminded me of parking my Honda city in Delhi in front of a Nokia showroom where the guard said "Sir app park kar dijiye yahan kuch nahi hota" (Sir please park here nothing will happen).

I parked there and went inside and started looking for phones. After some time the same guard shouts, "arrey kissi ki lambi gaadi tow ho gayi" (Someone's long car is getting towed). Mind it, at that time Honda city was a famous lambi gaadi in Delhi.

Some thing struck me, and I thought this is my car only and left everything and ran outside, and to my horror the Honda city was already towed and the traffic tow truck had started moving.

I pleaded the inspector and he let me sit in and for the whole 20-25 minutes I pleaded him to please let me go and its a genuine mistake. I was lucky as challan/ticket was not yet given. So he warned me and let me off.

Now, I drove back, came back to the same area, parked my car in the designated parking area and went to the showroom and had a good hearty laugh with the guard because it was very funny that my car was getting towed and I and the guard were looking at each other trying to think what had actually happened.

Went inside, bought the Nokia phone, met the manager and told him "kuch sikhaye guard ko, mein toh waapis aagaya par aise toh aapke customer bhaag jayenge" (Please teach something to the guard, I returned back but other customer might run away).

This incident happened around 13-14 years ago but I still have hearty laugh when I discuss or think about it.

Its all about, how you take it, because it was my fault, as I had parked the car at the wrong place, guard is not the authority to say what's right or what's wrong for him the only job is to salute and get the customer in and guard the showroom.

Ultimately, the responsibility lies on us and we cannot break the rules and then go and fight with the owner.

What TML showroom GM did was wrong, may be he got pissed or upset that for INR 100 someone is coming to me. Tempers flared up and it ended on a wrong note.

-PK

[gkveda]

I have been following this thread from 1st post and bashing the GM is receiving from all of us. But my only submission is, to become GM sales of the dealership, one has to work minimum of 8 to 10 years as sales guy handling 100s of customers day in day out. So, patience and customer handling skills would be in his or her blood.

For a 100 rupees challan, do you think, he would have lost his peace and shouted at a prospective customer?

Any customer, before closing the deal, will negotiate, beyond standard discount, on an average for 5k to 10k more easily and the manager with his skills will convince him to buy the car with standard discount OR offer 5k to 10k discount within his limits.

So, for a 100 rupee challan, I am not able to believe that he would have lost his patience and shouted at the customer.

All I am saying is, we really do not have real information on what would have transpired between the customer and GM of the dealership before he started shouting on the prospect.

So, personally I feel, it is not fair to bash the GM with out any offense to the OP.

[mohansrides]

Coming to this post, I can’t believe that someone went to buy a 20 lakh rupee car and then tried to pass off a 100 rupee challan on the dealership citing some argument about principles!! Really, are we to believe that each of us here is such a “sathyavan”, that the transgression in-principle here is so offensive?!!

[shaheenazk]

Originally Posted by VKumar

Why doesn't Tata motors act on such people who have absolutely no sense of customer dealing, but are simply occupying the chairs in dealerships?

Was he Pankaj Rana? I hope you recorded the conversation or confrontation rather. It can be used as evidence. I live in Dehradun too. Oberai Motors in Majra near ISBT is good. I suggest you approach them to book the Harrier or Safari. The owner is my class-mate.

[vamsi.kona]

As one or two members have noted, the GM might have been having a worse day for some personal reason or others, which unfortunately triggered his response, which is not correct way of handling a potential customer. While his behaviour may not be appropriate, we don't know what might have been going on in his mind at that time for him to react that way, for, such a person wouldn't survive to become a GM of a dealership if that is his default behaviour. So we can say that the behaviour is wrong without making him a bad guy.

[JS Kwt]

Originally Posted by VKumar

Dear Gentlemen

It was a long meeting of over an hour, where the GM clearly accepted that he has made the mistake.

Got a bouquet from them (==damage control measures), and left the place.

Wish TBHP threads are not used by members as a TOOL to get even with dealers, especially for such trivial matters.

OP has clarified that the issue has been resolved.

Would kindly request Mods to close this thread.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by gkveda

So, patience and customer handling skills would be in his or her blood.

So, for a 100 rupee challan, I am not able to believe that he would have lost his patience and shouted at the customer.

All I am saying is, we really do not have real information on what would have transpired between the customer and GM of the dealership before he started shouting on the prospect.

Not really, do we always have the right people in the right places ?

I think we should ignore the 100 rupee challan, it was a non issue. Put yourself in the shoes of the OP, being shouted at by a senior person while one of his staff is lying through his teeth, in front of a showroom audience. This doesn't qualify as decent human behaviour let alone a management role especially customer/potential facing.

But without stretching it further and I am sure you have already read this, the person, dealer and TML have already accepted the mistake and apologized, case closed.

Originally Posted by mohansrides

Coming to this post, I can’t believe that someone went to buy a 20 lakh rupee car and then tried to pass off a 100 rupee challan on the dealership citing some argument about principles!! Really, are we to believe that each of us here is such a “sathyavan”, that the transgression in-principle here is so offensive?!!

I disagree. Assuming that you are talking about other threads which I don't know so I am not eligible to comment on that.
Mods are authorised to do what you said because its their area of responsibility. I might think that my words are perfect (they rarely are), if it goes against the ethos of the forum the mods should take actions which we all have signed up for.

But sticking to this thread only, I don't think its a non-issue and is definitely worth my time because car ownership, to me, is both the product and the service. Whether sales or after.

I don't think its about principles or the amount but personal tolerance and response towards unkind behaviour to put it mildly (the words spoken in the opening post) but who am I to judge.

All the parties who, unlike us, were present, have accepted, apologized and moved on. So should we IMHO

What we should be looking out for is the next review and hopefully a new purchase from the OP, in true spirit of this forum.
I know I am punching above my weight here but don't we all agree ?

[TrackDay]

I think it is ok to have this kind of thread. The reason for this forum is also to share car and on road experiences. I remember reading an old thread about how multiple family members were engaged in the negotiation of the purchase of a Tata hatchback. It was a funny one yet, eye opening for certain folks.

I guess in this case there were errors on both parties. One for asking the fine amount. Money is money. True, I am not denying that, but sometimes I let things go. Also it is better to take a call on such things, rather than go for the guard's word. He may not be well informed or knowledgeable about the rules. Many a times, I double check with suck folks, only for them to acknowledge their uncertainty. The traffic police issuing a challan is clear indication that the law is broken. I would never park my car in a certain way, no matter what anyone tells me. What if someone hits the car. Will the dealer accept the responsibility ? So it was one's own poor decision.

As in the matter of the General Manager talking in such a manner. Not acceptable. I don't care if he had a bad day or not. If it were to happen in my own firm, I wouldn't have space for such employees who tell customers to get lost. If a customer gives a bad time, an employee can politely refuse service. No worries. But the right set of words have to be used. If a customer behaves in an illegal manner, waste no time in calling the cops. That is how it is.

I believe at the end of this tiny little battle, both parties have shown maturity and grace. Sometimes in life, we fall into such situations, but it takes a great mind to move on.

[51morris]

Glad to know that the matter has been resolved. In my honest opinion, it was something that shouldn't have gone up to the GM anyway. It was a simple challan at the end of the day which should have just been paid. Too much grief over a non issue, me thinks. This could have happened anywhere, whether one went to buy a 20L rupees car or a 10 rupees packet of chips! Best thing to do would have been to walk away. Peace of mind is worth more than the challan!

Also, this attitude could have been from any dealership - just happens to be a Tata dealership, adding to the negative opinion about the company. Yes, the GM was in the wrong to speak with the customer the way he did. However, who knows what sort of a day he had had.

[GTO]

The issue has been resolved & the matter has been discussed enough. Closing thread.