VW Cock-up (advice needed please)

[Hawaii-Five-O]

I always struggle with those types of letters, you want to be both polite and judge dredd all at the same time.

Totally agree. I wrote the complaint letter last night and read it and re-read it before pressing send. It was both polite but firm.

We'll see what the outcome is soon enough. I'm not hopeful at all.

[Bill_the_Bear]

I always struggle with those types of letters, you want to be both polite and judge dredd all at the same time.

Totally agree. I wrote the complaint letter last night and read it and re-read it before pressing send. It was both polite but firm.

We'll see what the outcome is soon enough. I'm not hopeful at all.

I've had some success with the following approach when complaining to big companies (vodafone, BT, npower, amazon have all been on the receiving end):

• Calls to normal customer service, increasing 'firmness' if they don't help while not stepping over the line
• If no solution then letter to CEO politely explaining the issue (not complaining) and asking for his "help" or for him to "look into it" ... this usually results in a very fast solution
• Separate complaint to the complaints department with CC to CEO office (if required, i.e. not always needed, might be instead of step 2, or if step 2 fails)
• Contact regulator/press with CC to CEO (never had to go this far yet though npower are tempting fate right now! )

I think when you contact the CEO you want to be as polite as possible and use little or preferably no complaining.  They need to see you as 100% reasonable customer who has been mistreated by their company.  They are going (their PA) to call up someone and ask what the hell is going on that they have received this letter so your letter should be as factual as possible, no emotion, no complainants.  That way whoever is asked to "explain" cannot throw any accusation at you i.e. if they do it will just make the CEO agree with you because he has a reasonable letter in his hand with pure indisputable facts and nothing else.

My opinion anyway.

[casablanca3]

one drastic but sure way to prevent all this misadventure regarding the ordering/delivery process is to stipulate on your order form that delivery must be made within a specified timescale or the order is cancelled with a full refund.

It would certainly concentrate the dealers mind a bit more , might prevent queue jumping and as long as your timescale was reasonable,i do not see a problem.
Although i'm sure a dealer might have a different perspective. 
 

[Bill_the_Bear]

one drastic but sure way to prevent all this misadventure regarding the ordering/delivery process is to stipulate on your order form that delivery must be made within a specified timescale or the order is cancelled with a full refund.

Depends if they agree to such a stipulation I suppose.  Good point though.

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Cock-up update:

Seems my complaint letter has caused more harm than good. Didn't expect that...

Further to receiving the complaint email my supplying dealer has now said they no longer want my business They've washed their hands of me. Talk about throwing their toys out of the pram!

I'm now left in a precarious position. Basically I'm now left with my broker (Broadspeed) having to find a new dealer to supply my vehicle. The newly re-issued order number still stands as does my build week (39). The new order number even shows up on the 'Track My Order' website. But, I'm still nervous, and suspicious, that something else will go wrong further down the line. Bare in mind I've already waited 2 months to get to this shocking position.

I am really fed up and will be facing a 28 week delivery. They won't move my bw forward or offer compensation. However they (Broadspeed) have admitted my original order didn't properly go through because of a glitch in the system. They said it only effects 1 in a 10,000 customers - small comfort.

Question is, should I cancel the whole thing or cool off and sit tight.

I'm in a weird place to be honest. I've gone beyond anger and I'm now wandering around in a dull stupor

Need to sleep on this before making a hasty decision.

[Jules Winfield]

Did they give a reason why they no longer wanted your business?  Do they really want to lose out on all that commission?  Seems a bit of an overreaction.  I'd be having a careful look at the terms and conditions of your contract - do they allow cancelling under such circumstances?

Just to confirm: they haven't cancelled the order and it can be transferred to another dealer?

[casablanca3]

I didn't realise that this was via broadspeed.

i wonder if the dealer has used up his allocation and no longer needs to incentivise broadspeed by offering discounts to attract business.

Or has the relationship between broadspeed and the dealer deteriorated.

all guess work really

Try drive the deal and see what happens.It would be very interesting to see if you were directed to the same dealer.



 

[Exonian]

Broadspeed orders probably come into the dealer via the fleet department so I guess the sales manager (knowing he can fulfil his quota of GTI/D's easily) has just shrugged his/her shoulders and decided not to give a rats arse.

[Sootchucker]

I'd probably speak to VW again and politely explain that the supply dealer has unexpectedly decided not to honour the order and leave you in this precarious position. Ask them to investigate and ascertain where you stand legally and if now a contract has been signed, the dealer has the right to pull out.

Be polite and firm and state you are shocked and amazed that a company like VW is allowed to treat it's customers this way.

[Gung-Ho]

Broadspeed orders probably come into the dealer via the fleet department so I guess the sales manager (knowing he can fulfil his quota of GTI/D's easily) has just shrugged his/her shoulders and decided not to give a rats arse.

I suspect that's exactly it! Sorry to hear about your predicament Hawaii anyway. Just stick with it mate.