How to deal with(my opinion)

[flc1962]

I've noticed a few people have problems when dealing with the dealers  they will all have the same sort or managemnt-complaint structure and in MHO its always better to follow this through. I work in customer service so know all the little tricks and stalls or fob off's that can be used. My most recent experience with the dealer resulted in a 60.00 cheque for wasted time and fuel.

1.  Always report the issue by phone to the sales person on the day or as soon afterwards.
2.  Always follow through with the same person.
3.  Keep in contact and let them know things are not sorted, be sure to wait for the agreed time slot to pass (don't call every day or 3 times a day)
4.  Progress to his boss and give then a couple of attempts to fix (let them know how much contact you have had with the first person)
5.  Then the next boss and so on.
6.  Always turn up and ask to speak with the GM they hate this as they are busy people and 9 times out of 10 don't ahve a clue about your complaint/problem.
Set them an expected resolve day and be realistic
Be polite, never loose the rag or say you will go to head office/the paper or the like. If you want to talk to head office don't tell them just pass on all the details with all the names you have spoken to and how they have not resolved the issue.
Get them to supply you with thier own complaints process(espically the time scales) and the address of head office. Wanting to speak to the guys who owns the company wont happen, in my case Richard Branson

I personally like the phrase they use "sorry thats all I can do", my reply is "its not all you can do its what you choose to do"

Working in customer service nothing get me doing more than a person who reamins calm and knows what they want, shouting screaming or threating in anyway is water off a ducks back. I often wonder how people i've never met now I'm a Fuc***G Bas***d.

Always have a valid point and don't go over past experience as you don't want to sound like you like to complain your doing it as you need help this time.
Oh and don't tell them what you want after all its a good will gesture. Some times getting it fixed and the apology is enough 

[am1w]

How true.
I have always been very polite towards my dealers and, thankfully, have had fantastic service so far.
A phrase like, "I would really be very grateful for your help" or "So sorry to give you this amount of trouble" or "Thank you so much for helping me out" works wonders!

[percymon]

Some good points there, although VW do seem worse than any other i've dealt with.

10 years ago i had the service manager on his knees at the front of the dealership (right next to a busy A road) pleading for me to let them have another attempt at fixing some faults (4 of the 5 being done by them in an attempt to fix the one fault it had !).

I rejected a new Porsche and had the money returned within 4 days

VW are another breed (now where have we heard that lol!!)

[Snoopy]

I have always been polity but it got me know were. Even VWcs fob you off.

[am1w]

I have always been polity but it got me know were. Even VWcs fob you off.

In your case, Snoops, you have every right to 'lose it' with your dealership.

[Captain Sensible]

A few years ago I picked up a new Audi A3 which developed a knocking noise from the rear of the car at speeds below 30mph.
Audi sent a technician out on a test drive with me who confirmed the noise.
The car was booked in and the shocks were replaced I was told but the noise had not disappeared. I was told not to worry that it was not a safety issue and Audi would come up with a fix.
After a couple of weeks I asked to speak to the manager of the garage as I found the cure on an Audi forum which also gave the part number for the fix.  It turned out it was a common fault on the sports model.
Their was a new manager and he was very polite and helpful. Showed me the computer screen and said no new shocks had been fitted to my car even though I was told there had been.
So the car was booked in for a fix.
Got a call to say the car was fixed and it would cost three hundred pounds. I refused to pay as the car was only a couple of months old.
Audi would not budge with the charge.
Only when I went to trading standards did Audi change their minds with no charge.

This is supposed to be Audi's garage of excellence in the uk where technicians from all over the uk go to learn. It has a restaurant and an Audi museum. The service was shocking. 3 yeas later I went in to see what they would give me in a trade in = 9,000.
So I went along to VW and was offered 12,000 as a trade in.
I will never purchase another Audi. I know it's part of the VW group but in all my 15 years of driving VW'S I have never experienced anything like Audi.

I would add if you have a problem to document all meeting's.

[matchboy]

i agree with the captain.  having had issues with audi they have the worst customer service of the lot.  i believe the 'c' word is relevant when talking about them.   

[Hartside]

I had problems with Audi as well, so much so that it has taken me 11 years to come back to the VAG brand. I bought a new A3 Sport in '97 which had to go back a few times under warranty, each time the car developed a new scratch somewhere on the bodywork. It was subject to a rear seat belt safety recall where they had to put a fix around the mounting points. For some reason only one side get completed and as a result of oily feet marks all over the interior I decided to take it to another dealer. When I went to get the car they looked pretty sheepish and explained they had gone to do the job, but had taken the trim off the side that had already been done by mistake. They asked who had done it as it had been left in a dangerous condition, which in an accident would have failed catastrophically.

I wrote to Audi UK and they must have asked the branch manager to get in touch, which to be fair to him he did. I had a meeting with him and watched him wriggle in embarrassment. Not once did Audi UK get in touch to find out the outcome of our meeting. Fair play to the manager, he made amends. In his shoes I would have sacked someone!

It was this and the attitude of the Audi dealership towards the damage that put me off. Even now when I book my car in for service or warranty work, I make the service guy come out with me and confirm the condition of the car

[p3asa]

Some great points flc, thanks.

My woes were with Mazda. Bought a 2nd hand (6 month old) Mazda 6. After its second service I noticed rust on all 4 wheel arches.
I took the car to a Mazda dealer to have it looked at.
They took pictures of all the arches and agreed there was a problem but they would have to email Mazda direct for a decision. I was told I would hear within a couple of months.

2 months went past and I was told Mazda had serious problems with rust and were devising a strategy to deal with it. Could I please give them another few months.
 
6 months had passed and still no word, so I contacted the dealer again. They informed me the manager had left and a new man was now in place who was dealing with this and I was asked to visit the dealer again, and again had pictures taken and again was told they would be emailed to Mazda and they would await a decision and could I please be patient!!

2 months past and I had to contact the dealer, who said they had "just" been contacted by Mazda and had in fact been trying to call me (load of rubbish).

I put the car in for the warranty work. 6 weeks it took. When I picked it up I was told all the rear panels had been changed, which I thought strange as I had a slight dent in my rear door going into the rear wing, which was still there after the panels had been changed!!!

Anyway the manager gave a good story of why this was still there and told me it had cost Mazda £3k for the full repair. I sort of believed him.

6 months later and the rust had reappeared!!! Went straight back like a raging bull and dealt with a different manager and told him I was less than pleased I was lied to. This new manager admitted all they had done was rub down the rust and re paint as Mazda had told them to try that first.

I contacted Mazda direct and was given a case number. The dealer contacted me within a day and promised urgent action. I was guaranteed my car would be sorted within 4 weeks.

Well this was 8 months ago!!! I've still never been contacted and haven't bothered contacting them as I traded the Mazda in for my Golf, 5 months ago. Altho part of me wants to phone and see why the delay 

All in, the process took around 2 years!!!
I think the fact that my dealer was about a 50 mile round trip away, saved them from me camping on their door step until the work was completed to my satisfaction

Disgraceful service if you ask me.

[Exonian]

Ecellent bit of advice there flc1962, and well done for taking the time to write it up.

Now what sort of deal could you give me on Virgin Broadband if I were to phone up and call you a fuc***g bas***d?