How Customer Service Changes The Picture

I wanted to share a horrible experience I had these last two days with customer service. This is not a mobile issue but it does affect my mobility - it is my car.

I am the owner of a Volkswagen Polo. For the last few days the car switches off when it standing (both in neutral and in first and second gear). Being a girl who is clueless when it has to deal with cars, I took my mechanic's advice and went to I went to the Volkswagen’s central garage called “Champion Motors”  to fix it, thinking this is a minor bug.

I was received yesterday morning (7th of May 2007) at 8:40 in the morning at “Champion Motors” garage and was promised to be contacted by the Service Customer Support of any progression. I was also promised that my car will be ready by the end of day.

Until now, more than 30 hours after I left my car in the garage, it hasn’t been treated, not even diagnosed! Even more severe is the fact that I wasn’t contacted at any point to be let known that my car is merely parking at the garage and it is not being taken care off and will not anytime soon!

Today I tried to call the garage several times to learn that they have a work load and cars that arrived 4 days ago haven’t been released yet. Knowing “Champion Motors” can’t provide the service it has committed to, why I was promised that my car will be ready by the end of the day? Why wasn’t I let known, at any point, of the status?

The reason I bought Volkswagen for starters was their image of a very reliable car manufacturer with good service. I believe that what happened to me is not a sufficient level of customer care required by Volkswagen. However, after this horrible experience, I am not going to return to any Volkswagen garages and am seriously planning to sell my car as soon as possible. Also I intend to let people know what a miserable service people receive at Volkswagen’s Central Garage, also known as “Champion Motors”. I heard that Japanese cars are very reliable and provide better customer service.

If any of my readers knows someone at Volkswagen (headquarters, customer service, and other relevant people) - please let me know. Thanks!

And, to take something from this experience, it is not enough to have a great product or service. Providing customer care is very important! It is the taste left in users' mouth after taking a big bite! Make sure you hire the right people to do the job and that you have a suitable policy.

Comments

[Tim Trent]

I'm looking at a few customer service issues in my own blog at present.

Customer service is marketing. Bad service is negative marketing, and I'm in the middle of experiencing a flood of appalling customer service issues ranging from a vegetarian 'gelatine' manufacturer to my ISP's 10/5 support call centre's opening hours.

It looks very much to me as though people think the job is done when they win a customer. Not so, and not so in a big way.

[Ricky Cadden]

Xen and Trent - this is one aspect of industry that is CONSTANTLY overlooked. Regard my current issues with Nokia's US Repair service: http://tinyurl.com/2azmkk.

Today it's been 16 days and they have yet to confirm that they've even received it. 16 days after Fedex delivered with a signature.

It took me 2 *long* emails to Nokia higher-ups to even get attention. It's not that I want an N75 so badly. It's that I want to be acknowledged. In Xen's case, you're more upset that you weren't communicated with than that your car is sitting there.

Customer Service makes or breaks a company more so than the product, hands-down.

[Xen]

I totally agree, Customer Service makes the whole difference and it has a lot to do with marketing.

As for my car, yes, they should have communicated and provided the TRUTHFUL status so I could decide if I want to wait 2 days for a minor repair or drive out of the garage and go right to the garage next door. The garage should have committed only to what it could have carried out

[Juno888]

It looks very much to me as though people think the job is done when they win a customer. Not so, and not so in a big way.