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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Brenbo on 28 August 2019, 13:55
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I have always been an advocate of my local dealers good customer service. However on the last couple of occasions i have had to deal with them quality of customer service has become not as it once was.
The recent event which has led me to question the quality of customer service is when I called the dealer to arrange my Golf R's first MOT and 3rd year service. My contracted hours of work allow me to have a 4.5 day week. This has been an advantage as I could use my half day to arrange a service or similar appointment in the afternoon at my local dealership which is over 40 miles away from my place of work and home. On the afternoon appointment I would be able to sit and wait for the service or similar to be carried out and then once the service dept had finished i would take my car home.
However on my recent call to arrange the MOT and Service, I was informed I cannot arrange for a sit & wait appointment in the afternoon, I can only arrange a sit & wait appointment in the morning or not at all. If I wanted an afternoon appointment, the car had to be left with VW to service in their own time and they would then let me know when the work was done (in their own sweet time?).
With this info a Saturday morning appointment would be my only option as I did not want to arrange a weekday morning appointment and be late for work (which is over 40+ miles away).
However I was then also informed the little gem, which is I cannot sit & wait on a Saturday Morning appointment at all. The car had to be dropped off and left with them ans they would tell me when the work was done. So I asked if this was the case, and with Saturday being the only option for me, whether i could have a courtesy car to go in to the city, while the car was being serviced etc,.
But the reply I received was they do not provide Courtesy Cars on Saturdays either. So if I cannot sit and wait, but also cannot get a courtesy car to leave them to service the car without me waiting for it at the dealership, and if I cannot take it in on an afternoon and sit and wait... what am i to do?
I managed to kinda get it sorted by going through to the service manager and tell them that I am not happy with their new policy as makes it nigh on impossible for some like myself who lives far away to arrange a service appointment. The resolution the Service Manager provided was for me to have the special priviledge of being allowed to sit and wait on Saturday morning on this occasion. But I had to get my car in to the dealership by 9:00am on Saturday morning. Also it may take up to 13:00pm (when the service dept closes) to get the job complete. However earlier I was told was only gonna take up to 2.5 hours to complete? This is making me think I am being fobbed off and the service dept will take their sweet time to service my car and I have only been told I can sit and wait while they do it in their own sweet time as and when they can get around to doing it. This is not the level of customer service I am used to from this dealership.
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Make it as difficult as possible so the customer goes elsewhere?!
My local customer shafting dept has 3 mini office cubicle things you can reserve so I have worked from the dealership before. The service is always utter sh!te though but heh, free tea and biscuits right?
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I am starting to think about going elsewhere for my next car if it keeps going like this with their customer service.
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Can't say I've ever experienced anything other than fairly average customer service at local VW dealerships (5.5 years and 50k in a Passat). Wasn't allowed to use VW for my 1st service this time... :rolleyes:
Local BMW and Mercedes have been pretty good.
It seems the way these days is to just shout a bit louder (or go higher up the food chain). They can normally do what you want them to do but either can't be bothered or don't have the authority. I find it happens with lots of things, not just car dealers.
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I agree with what you say Jim_mk7.5. I have also noticed it is the general way most things are going these days. It seems customer service is becoming a thing of the past. There are still a choice few places who still try to provide it, but as a general rule most companies are starting to go the way of forget customer service once they have your money. I also think as I get older my tolerance for such things is much less than it used to be.
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:angry: Take it to the Dealer Principle mate.
Conversation over...
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I agree with what you say Jim_mk7.5. I have also noticed it is the general way most things are going these days. It seems customer service is becoming a thing of the past. There are still a choice few places who still try to provide it, but as a general rule most companies are starting to go the way of forget customer service once they have your money. I also think as I get older my tolerance for such things is much less than it used to be.
Too many apathetic millenials in the general workforce.
Nobody gives a sh!t anymore.
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If you get nowhere with them could you take the afternoon appointment, bring the missus and go and explore the local area or grab a coffee somewhere and have a good chinwag all afternoon?
I know you're used to the old way but surely you can make some sort of positive out of it.
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If you get nowhere with them could you take the afternoon appointment, bring the missus and go and explore the local area or grab a coffee somewhere and have a good chinwag all afternoon?
I know you're used to the old way but surely you can make some sort of positive out of it.
And you could still take advantage of the tea/coffee and biscuits at the dealership - assuming these haven’t been removed from the waiting area in the dealership’s drive to offer a lower level of customer service.
Presumably even though the dealer no longer offers afternoon waiting appointments, there’s no reason why you couldn’t wait in the customer waiting area if you wanted to. It just means that that won’t give you a specific timed service appointment slot so if you chose to wait, you could be waiting a long time.
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Unfortuately the dealership is nowhere near the city centre, so taking advantage of drinks and biscuits in the dealership may be the best option. We are planning on trying to make a positive out of it, as best we can. It's not so much about having wait a few extra hours either, as I have done this in the past.
But concerning the weekday option, when i spoke to the dealership they didn't promise the car would be ready by the end of the day on a weekday if I took it in on the afternoon. But I guess with it being a MOT and Service, surely it would be ready end of the day?
I am also open to change in the way things are done, but it was very much a case of everything I asked about was definitely a "computer says NO! and tough if our policy prevents you from getting your car in" scenario. There just seemed to be no ensuring customers who live a long distance away are able to be catered for the best they can so they stay as returning customers.
Which is very much unexpected and unlike my local dealership as up until now they have been really good except for the issue last year that is when there was no understanding about my predicament with just coming out of spinal surgery for Cauda Equine, and they told me I had to get my car in within 1 month after service date with no understanding for my situation (I was unable to drive for 6 six weeks after surgery and the month after service date fell within that time period I was unable to drive).
When in reality it ended up being the case I actually had 2 months after service date to take the car in for service which I managed to get the car in for service within the nick of time after my no driving period for six weeks post surgery was up. It's not even the period of time thing which wound me up then either, it's more the case the stated it was policy to get the car in within 1 month, which was incorrect and stated it was my problem to get the car in within a time slot which was not correct and would have caused me more problems than the truth. (they didn't even bother to find out and tell me this was the case, it was thanks to some of you guys on this forum pointing me in the right direction and then me ending up calling VW UK to confirm as the dealership was so unhelpful at the time).
It is since that issue last year that I have my doubts in the way they are handling their customers recently. Before that time they had been great, but since last year I am not so sure?
Anyway I will try to make the best of the situation and see what we can do for the morning even it means having to walk a fair way to burn some time?
My overall point though, is they are keen enough to promise the earth to get your large sum of money for a new car whether its cash or a lease, but when it comes to customer support after purchase, the way things are going these days, customer support is becoming an ugly word for most companies.
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If you get nowhere with them could you take the afternoon appointment, bring the missus and go and explore the local area or grab a coffee somewhere and have a good chinwag all afternoon?
I know you're used to the old way but surely you can make some sort of positive out of it.
You could incentivise the dealership to get your car done quickly by hammering their stock of complimentary cans of pop, Lotus biscuits and having 2 of every selection from the coffee machine while you wait. :grin:
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That was one of my ideas. Just go in with an empty stomach and bladder and then fill up on as much free food and drink as possible.
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You can't 'sit and wait' for a Sat morning appointment?! What are they going to do, 'eject' you from the premises? Can't you just 'browse' some new models and drink lots of (free) tea and read the (free) papers?
I concur with some comments re customer service. There is little of it about these days in general, save for a few excellent isolated salesmen/women I have come across. I don't know how some ever make any sales. Had a test drive in a GTI at a relatively local garage last year and all I got in my ear was 'How much you gotta spend a month, mate?', 'DCC is an extra twenny quid a month, ya know - I wooden bova'. I got close to stopping the car and walking back.
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Really annoys me when sales people know bugger all about the product they supposedly sell. I recently asked for an extended test drive in a Cupra Ateca and got 10 minutes on a local dual carriageway. Guy couldn't understand when he asked me what I thought when I replied it's like any car I've ever driven for 10 minutes.
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Being ejected from the premises on Saturday Morning was the first impression i got when they said I couldn't wait for the car. But I suspect it's their awkward way of saying "we will not do it any quicker if you are waiting for it, so stop making us feel awkward by sitting around the place and watching us work". Which is exactly what I will be doing. :wink:
I perfectly agree with your comments on sales people knowing nothing about their products. Numerous times I have bought a car, and I knew far more about the car than they did, and I was even telling them about features of the car which they were clueless about.
It's really poor for a sales person to not know anything about the products they sell, but it happens a lot. It even happens at my place of work. I have even heard the sales manager at my place of work quote the classic line of " I don't expect my staff to know anything about the product they sell, I just want them to get through doors" this was during the time when he was employing a rather attractive woman to be a sales rep. As well as being so inappropriate and sexist, it also highlights the thought process of what a majority of people in the industry think a good sale person should be like.
On the flip side to this though, I have known the odd one or two good sales person in my time, and it is then that I feel I would go back to the same person should I want to purchase another car or other item.
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In my experience, Mercedes are the worst (unless, it seems, you are buying an E Class or above - or are a well known local celeb).
On the couple of occasions that I looked at an A Class, salesperson couldn't be bothered to come and see me so the receptionist had to relay questions and answers for me.
On the plus side I was able to practically take an A Class apart in the showroom (ok not quite) to find out what I wanted and they didn't bat an eyelid :0
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I also had this with my local VW dealer, if I wanted to sit and wait for the service I had to be there for 9am and no wait facility on Saturdays. They also forgot to advise about changing brake fluid and Haldex fluid. The customer service team just seem uninterested and clueless.
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The story continues. Just contacted VW dealer to say the tailgate drainage grommet needs replacing as well so when I bring car in for service could they fit another new one. They said cannot do that on Saturday, has to be a week day as a warranty claim and for sit and wait I have to go in on a weekday morning around 8 - 9am. I said I cannot do that as have to cover at work and unable to take time off to do it. The reply summed up was tough. I said service manager has overridden policy and made the service on Saturday for my car a sit and wait. The service dept said on their computer it said it was not a sit and wait appointment. What the hell is going on. So I currently have option of skiving work twice to get my car in to be investigated for the claim then again to get a £5 piece of drainage tube fitted in my car or have a leaking boot or try and sort it myself? I am thinking I might see what other dealerships in other nearby cities do as a policy for service dept and do some research
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Whilst not wishing to go over old ground, having previously commented on this subject, my current car is my very first VW (GTIP) having previously drove Audi for the last 20 years. I absolutely love the GTI (apart from it recently having a new gear box after just 3000 miles) but, there's simply no comparison between Audi and VW when it comes to customer care. My findings thus far of VAG is, Audi customer care is nothing short of impeccable, and VW are on my list as the worst after 46 years of driving.
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Whilst not wishing to go over old ground, having previously commented on this subject, my current car is my very first VW (GTIP) having previously drove Audi for the last 20 years. I absolutely love the GTI (apart from it recently having a new gear box after just 3000 miles) but, there's simply no comparison between Audi and VW when it comes to customer care. My findings thus far of VAG is, Audi customer care is nothing short of impeccable, and VW are on my list as the worst after 46 years of driving.
I had an Audi before my GTI and the service was mostly okay, no better than my VW dealer, but they took the pi$$ in an unforgiveable way and I never went back. So I can't agree with your broad brush assessment, nothing personal.
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Brenbo, that's shocking service. If you have other nearby options I'd look into those.
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Brenbo, that's shocking service. If you have other nearby options I'd look into those.
I was just thinking the same. I will be contacting a rival dealership in a different nearby city today to see what their service dept appointment policies are. The other dealer is a bit more of a pain to get to, but if they don't have the ridiculous weekday first thing of morning only sit & wait times then I may have to give em a go... As my current dealership is losing the plot.
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If you are out of warranty, a good independent VW specialist may be worth considering. Honestjohn would be interested in your experiences and runs a 'Good garage guide' on his website.
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I will give honest John's website a look as have some more ranting left in me. Have just called rival dealer from another city nearby and they could not have been more different if they tried. They were so helpful and got the impression the service dept contact had knowledge and experience about what she was talking about. They also do sit and wait in weekday afternoons and when I said I may need the drainage grommet in tailgate to be looked at, she said it would be no problem and noted it down. The difference between service depts of both dealers was night and day. So although more awkward to get to, I have booked service with the other dealer and have cancelled original dealers service appointment. I even felt need to tell original dealer why I cancelled but as expected they didn't care less. So if all goes well they could be losing a sale of a new golf from me in the near future
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Well that's more like it at least! Time to name the two dealer's I think :smiley:
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OK, the awkward dealer was VW Exeter (inchcape) and the other dealer which has restored my faith in there being good customer service still, is VW Plymouth.
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Glad you are making some headway. I've always been happy to travel a few extra miles for a better customer service - not just in cars, but other things as well.
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OK, the awkward dealer was VW Exeter (inchcape) and the other dealer which has restored my faith in there being good customer service still, is VW Plymouth.
Glad you're getting sorted Brenbo. I did wonder if it was Inchcape as they changed their booking service to a centralised call centre a little while ago. They will still answer VW Exeter for example but they are not the guys and girls that you see when you go in. I have found that they are very much "computer says no", whereas I used to get a better service from dealing direct.
Once I'm out of warranty I will be going to an independent but I'll put up with it until then.
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This might be considered a slight thread drift, but I reckon you guys are a bit spoiled for choice.
If you want real good VW customer service, slip over my way and see how it works.
eg...paid a visit to the local VW dealer (the only one), a few years ago, looking for a part for my Mk4 TDI...got told that they don't carry spares for such an old model!
eg...slipped into the same place a couple of months ago and inquired about buying a new VW Toureg. The receptionist requested my contact details and informed me that someone would get back to me in the next few days. The place was almost empty, except for the staff, but hoops need to be jumped through, so I went home and waited, and waited, and waited. As of now, I am still waiting.
Maybe that's why I have never seen a MK7 Golf, or any of the late model stuff over here. Gazillions of MK4 models, with German plates running around, but not much else.
I use an independent garage for servicing, MOT and repairs these days. The owner, who is a close friend of mine, tells me that he got fed up with them years ago and now sources spare parts from Germany.
At least you guys have some choice.
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Whilst not wishing to go over old ground, having previously commented on this subject, my current car is my very first VW (GTIP) having previously drove Audi for the last 20 years. I absolutely love the GTI (apart from it recently having a new gear box after just 3000 miles) but, there's simply no comparison between Audi and VW when it comes to customer care. My findings thus far of VAG is, Audi customer care is nothing short of impeccable, and VW are on my list as the worst after 46 years of driving.
I had an Audi before my GTI and the service was mostly okay, no better than my VW dealer, but they took the pi$$ in an unforgiveable way and I never went back. So I can't agree with your broad brush assessment, nothing personal.
Fully agree with your comments Watts, its each to their own and should be based on individual findings. Mine are based on my own findings after experiencing Audi for 20 years and changing the car every 2 years and receiving impeccable customer care, then dealing with Inchcape Bolton VW and suffering appalling service for 5 continuous weeks whilst the car had the gearbox taken in and out 4 times and then they finally decided it needed a new gearbox.
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Apologies for continuing this thread, but thought I would post that I just recieved a call from VW Exeter about a VIP Event they have coming up to buy a new car at discount etc, I felt obliged to say No I won't be attending and I most likely will not purchase another car from them again due to the recent events concerning their Service Dept, which I also felt obliged to tell the member of sales staff about along with my purchase history with them of a Golf GTI, Golf R etc,.
They said they would get Inchcape complaints dept to call me back at an arranged time for me to log the complaint. I know these things are fairly pointless and go nowhere, but I feel if you don't tell them they are never gonna know how bad the customer service has been.
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I’m a bit late to the party here but also use VW Exeter for servicing.
I’m pretty shocked to read this thread and would definitely be voting with my feet myself.
I tend to use the Saturday morning service and generally drop the car off and either get a lift home and collect it later or, as this year, I wandered over to Lidl in Aphington to get a cinnamon bun before strolling back and waiting next to the coffee machine.
What I’ve found on Saturday mornings is they give me a discount off the price without prompting or a free upgrade another service product such as doing an aircon service and refresh.
It seems unfathomable that they treated you this way Brenbo and it’s only right that you feed back the service to their customer relations people.
How did you get on with Murray?
I find their Newton Abbot branch good as far as sales goes unlike VW Exeter sales department who I find awful.
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Welcome back to UK Exonian I gather you had a slight tail wind on your flight from Florida with the Hurricane over there.
I haven't been to Murrays in Plymouth yet. But what I can say is their phone manner is like night and day compared to Exeter recently. They were much friendlier on the phone and informed me of all I might need to know about the service etc, such as brake fluid change, it was a minor service, and so on. I pointed out Exeter didn't even do this let alone give me a sit & wait appointment in the afternoon on anyday. They also said they would look in to the perished drainage grommet/tube in the tailgate (Exeter told me I had to come back for another appointment to just have it looked at, let alone a 2nd appointment after that to get it replaced).
Murrays even offered a Service Plan as an option for paying for the Service and said if I decide I want to get the plan, i could pay for it on the day and use it to pay for the service applied on the day or just pay up front without a plan, no pressure. Exeter did not even inform me of a service plan, or even the brake fluid change and details about the service like it was a minor one.
All in at present I had next to no advice, help or cooperation for appointment times from Exeter, while Murrays at Plymouth have put them to shame by being really friendly, advising me of info I need to know and offering the Service Plan should I want one and even offering to look in the tailgate drainage tube without any awkwardness or resistance.
I go in to Murrays for my Car Service next week so will let you know how I get on?
It such a shame because the customer service I received from Exeter used to be like Murrays up until last year, when they suddenly became awkward and unhelpful. I guess it could be, as someone else mentioned on this thread that inchcape have centralised their service dept contact centre to a centralised call centre. I also have to agree with Exonian on the sales staff side of things as well. Yet again they used to be fairly good a few years ago.
Lets hope Murrays at Plymouth will continue to restore my faith in good customer service. :wink:
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Thanks for the welcome home, I only wish I was glad to be back home and even more so back to work after three weeks off :cry:
The flight home was very wind assisted and somewhat bumpy! Normally around 8 hours but the pilot managed it in around 7 hours.
I forgot to add in the bit about the grommet in my last post, was three quarters asleep by then.
A night and day difference in service so far by the sounds of it, let’s hope the actual workshop service is as good.
Exeter VW have a lovely showroom and ultra modern facilities and I love the fact the parking bays are designed to accommodate large SUV’s so are nice and wide but service is always hit and miss as they’re so busy and due to their huge customer base they don’t seem to have to worry about the nicer points of customer care. Very anonymously corporate which is a shame as many of their staff have been there a long time and are better than that.
Murray being a smaller (still family owned I think) franchise I’d hope were much better at the personal touch. Smaller dealers rely much more on repeat customers than the big corporates.
Be keen to hear how you do get on, it’s always good to hear dealer experience feedback as most of us on here are very particular about our cars.
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Am hoping Plymouth provide a good service and MOT. Need to have something to keep other local dealers on their toes and not get too complacent. Will definitely keep you posted Exonian once I have been. As you say we are particular about our cars and some of us treat them better than our other halfs.
I agree, as you say smaller dealers do rely on repeat customers, and this is what I like about going to a smaller dealer, although they are fast becoming a dying breed. Which is a shame
I also agree with your points about VW Exeter. Their Showroom etc, is a great setup, but the restrictions and red tape put on their long serving staff on how they are to deal with customers must frustrate them to no end. It has become too souless and over coporate, and in the process forgetting ultimately that without customers they would not be there.
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Happens regular when I take my car to VW. Appointment is first thing in the morning and they always call me at 16:30 to tell me it's ready to collect. 6+ hours to do a service?
Got a mate who works at a dealership and he tells me they do the same thing. They do the service as and when they get round to it to cut a long story short.
I always went to Awesome GTI for any of my work doing but even they started getting sloppy.
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It seems to be, becoming a more common occurence with the customer service side of things getting sloppy and time taken, taking longer than it used to. If I lived closer to any of the dealerships I would not mind as much if that was the case of drop in first thing in the morning and then pick up later in the afternoon. But when you live approx +40 miles away. It is a lot harder to do such a thing without either taking time off work to do it or even being late for work.
I also would not mind if it had always been the case about no sit & wait appointments etc (apart form first thing in morning), if it had always been the case with the dealership. But when you know only a year ago they were doing sit & wait appointments without fuss, any time of day within a core time and it is only a recent thing they do not with a lot of resistance to accomadate those who live further away.
It does come across as a bit frustrating and a lot harder to get your car looked over by a dealership service dept. It also focusses the mind on whether the dealership is worth dealing with in the future if this is how they treat existing customers. They eager enough to take your money but once they have it they are not keen in keeping you as potential returning customer.
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Just to sum up this thread, I have just returned from VW Plymouth where my Golf had just had a third year, Service, and first MOT. I have to say after my experience of VW Exeter's lack lustre customer service over the last two years it was refreshing to see VW Plymouth demonstrate that good customer service has not become extinct. At VW Plymouth, The service dept staff were polite and showed they had years of experience and knowledge. They also informed me of everything I needed to know in good time, which exeter did not and the attitude that came across was to put the customer first and make the experience as stress free as possible. They also seemed to be more flexible with their appointment times (especially sit and wait). The cherry on top was the fact they replaced the drainage grommet in the tailgate without making a big thing of it. Exeter was gonna make me do 2x 80mile trips to do this, the first to look at the grommet and the second to have it repaired such a hassle for a £5 tube. Which Exeter has replace once before.
All in I would say my experience of the customer service at VW Plymouth was very good and VW Exeter could learn a thing or two from them. The galling thing about it is VW Exeter used to be like it 4 to 5 years ago but things have gone down hill over the last few years in regards to their service.
I have to get the oil changed in the haldex system next over the next few months. I am thinking I will go to VW Plymouth again seeing as they know how to treat their customers to keep them returning
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Thanks for the very thorough update Brenbo.
It’s really good to read you had such a pleasant experience after how this thread started!
That’s service how it should be.
It looks like they’ve gained a regular customer. :smiley:
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Yeah, if the next service dept appointment goes as stress free/as well as the one just gone, I would say that VW Plymouth have probably gain a new regular customer. However I will still see what Exeter can offer as a deal for a new MK8 Golf GTI / R. I know from past experience a few years ago, someone I know has been offered a really good offer from VW Plymouth for a new MK7 GTI PP against what Exeter offered. So here's hoping they will be just as good with their deals for the MK8 when it arrives.
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Give me a shove nearer the time to change cars and I’ll give you a few names of who to speak to in the respective dealerships. And try Lee Evo1986 on here too, he’s not a million miles away and is very competitive.
In the meantime, fingers crossed Murray continue to exceed expectations! :cool:
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Nearer the time I will do, thanks for the offer. Out of interest, where is Lee Evo 1986 based?
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Cheltenham VW. Easy reach of most places unless right up north.
Mind you, everywhere is a trek from our neck of the woods!