People behind glass at dealer service centres - purpose?
Discussion
I think we ll have a car lifestyle changeover soon and my car will go to the garage just up the road for servicing whereas my wife s new car will be tied to a main dealer for servicing for a few years.
Of the two options, the customer service up the road is far superior to that at the main dealer I ve been going to.
At the former, the chap who works on the car gives you a ring, letting you know about progress and what needs doing. When the work is complete you get a call, walk down the road and have an amiable chat with the middle aged lady who stands behind the counter with the fold up door, then pay and get your keys. if you take the car in at 8, it s generally done by 10.
By contrast, at the latter, which is almost literally in the middle of nowhere, you have to leave your car at 8, but there is no chance of it being available again until the end of the day (this used to be less of a problem when they had courtesy cars or even pensioners who would take away and bring back your car - but these sensible things have long gone).
So you arrive at 8, to be sort of greeted by a couple of dolly birds, who tell you to sit somewhere where you are able to watch hordes of people behind a glass screen. They are all smartly dressed and look unlikely to be proficient in adjusting valve clearances. After a while, one of them comes out and gets you to sign loads of sheets of paper and takes the keys. You then have to cycle twenty miles home (see middle of nowhere). If you are lucky you will hear from them once during the day. This communication won t be very useful, as it wont address the reason the car is there or when it might be finished - it will just give you a list of pointless options to tick or reject: e.g 3. Assign the radio channels - £250. Towards the end of the day you realise you will need to cycle back or they will be closed. You try ringing but get nobody, so you set off. On arrival, the dolly birds are polishing their nails, but grudgingly get you to sit down again. 15 minutes later someone appears from among the glass screened hordes and tells you that your car will just be another 10 minutes. Finally you get to sign loads more sheets of paper, pay and get your keys.
What is this fiasco all about? Has anyone on PH ever worked behind the glass screen? If so what did you do all day? Surely Doris or Maureen behind a desk could do a better job than dolly birds + suited glass screen people at a tenth of the cost?
Of the two options, the customer service up the road is far superior to that at the main dealer I ve been going to.
At the former, the chap who works on the car gives you a ring, letting you know about progress and what needs doing. When the work is complete you get a call, walk down the road and have an amiable chat with the middle aged lady who stands behind the counter with the fold up door, then pay and get your keys. if you take the car in at 8, it s generally done by 10.
By contrast, at the latter, which is almost literally in the middle of nowhere, you have to leave your car at 8, but there is no chance of it being available again until the end of the day (this used to be less of a problem when they had courtesy cars or even pensioners who would take away and bring back your car - but these sensible things have long gone).
So you arrive at 8, to be sort of greeted by a couple of dolly birds, who tell you to sit somewhere where you are able to watch hordes of people behind a glass screen. They are all smartly dressed and look unlikely to be proficient in adjusting valve clearances. After a while, one of them comes out and gets you to sign loads of sheets of paper and takes the keys. You then have to cycle twenty miles home (see middle of nowhere). If you are lucky you will hear from them once during the day. This communication won t be very useful, as it wont address the reason the car is there or when it might be finished - it will just give you a list of pointless options to tick or reject: e.g 3. Assign the radio channels - £250. Towards the end of the day you realise you will need to cycle back or they will be closed. You try ringing but get nobody, so you set off. On arrival, the dolly birds are polishing their nails, but grudgingly get you to sit down again. 15 minutes later someone appears from among the glass screened hordes and tells you that your car will just be another 10 minutes. Finally you get to sign loads more sheets of paper, pay and get your keys.
What is this fiasco all about? Has anyone on PH ever worked behind the glass screen? If so what did you do all day? Surely Doris or Maureen behind a desk could do a better job than dolly birds + suited glass screen people at a tenth of the cost?
Foss62 said:
I think we ll have a car lifestyle changeover soon and my car will go to the garage just up the road for servicing whereas my wife s new car will be tied to a main dealer for servicing for a few years.
Of the two options, the customer service up the road is far superior to that at the main dealer I ve been going to.
At the former, the chap who works on the car gives you a ring, letting you know about progress and what needs doing. When the work is complete you get a call, walk down the road and have an amiable chat with the middle aged lady who stands behind the counter with the fold up door, then pay and get your keys. if you take the car in at 8, it s generally done by 10.
By contrast, at the latter, which is almost literally in the middle of nowhere, you have to leave your car at 8, but there is no chance of it being available again until the end of the day (this used to be less of a problem when they had courtesy cars or even pensioners who would take away and bring back your car - but these sensible things have long gone).
So you arrive at 8, to be sort of greeted by a couple of dolly birds, who tell you to sit somewhere where you are able to watch hordes of people behind a glass screen. They are all smartly dressed and look unlikely to be proficient in adjusting valve clearances. After a while, one of them comes out and gets you to sign loads of sheets of paper and takes the keys. You then have to cycle twenty miles home (see middle of nowhere). If you are lucky you will hear from them once during the day. This communication won t be very useful, as it wont address the reason the car is there or when it might be finished - it will just give you a list of pointless options to tick or reject: e.g 3. Assign the radio channels - £250. Towards the end of the day you realise you will need to cycle back or they will be closed. You try ringing but get nobody, so you set off. On arrival, the dolly birds are polishing their nails, but grudgingly get you to sit down again. 15 minutes later someone appears from among the glass screened hordes and tells you that your car will just be another 10 minutes. Finally you get to sign loads more sheets of paper, pay and get your keys.
What is this fiasco all about? Has anyone on PH ever worked behind the glass screen? If so what did you do all day? Surely Doris or Maureen behind a desk could do a better job than dolly birds + suited glass screen people at a tenth of the cost?
Dolly Birds?Of the two options, the customer service up the road is far superior to that at the main dealer I ve been going to.
At the former, the chap who works on the car gives you a ring, letting you know about progress and what needs doing. When the work is complete you get a call, walk down the road and have an amiable chat with the middle aged lady who stands behind the counter with the fold up door, then pay and get your keys. if you take the car in at 8, it s generally done by 10.
By contrast, at the latter, which is almost literally in the middle of nowhere, you have to leave your car at 8, but there is no chance of it being available again until the end of the day (this used to be less of a problem when they had courtesy cars or even pensioners who would take away and bring back your car - but these sensible things have long gone).
So you arrive at 8, to be sort of greeted by a couple of dolly birds, who tell you to sit somewhere where you are able to watch hordes of people behind a glass screen. They are all smartly dressed and look unlikely to be proficient in adjusting valve clearances. After a while, one of them comes out and gets you to sign loads of sheets of paper and takes the keys. You then have to cycle twenty miles home (see middle of nowhere). If you are lucky you will hear from them once during the day. This communication won t be very useful, as it wont address the reason the car is there or when it might be finished - it will just give you a list of pointless options to tick or reject: e.g 3. Assign the radio channels - £250. Towards the end of the day you realise you will need to cycle back or they will be closed. You try ringing but get nobody, so you set off. On arrival, the dolly birds are polishing their nails, but grudgingly get you to sit down again. 15 minutes later someone appears from among the glass screened hordes and tells you that your car will just be another 10 minutes. Finally you get to sign loads more sheets of paper, pay and get your keys.
What is this fiasco all about? Has anyone on PH ever worked behind the glass screen? If so what did you do all day? Surely Doris or Maureen behind a desk could do a better job than dolly birds + suited glass screen people at a tenth of the cost?
Heavens above
I've been curious about this for years.
I went to a Porsche garage last year and counted 28 staff in smart suits in various glass offices and behind expensive looking desks and these were just the ones I could see. What do they all do, the wages bill must be huge. There are less on duty staff during a busy day shift in Tesco.
I went to a Porsche garage last year and counted 28 staff in smart suits in various glass offices and behind expensive looking desks and these were just the ones I could see. What do they all do, the wages bill must be huge. There are less on duty staff during a busy day shift in Tesco.
They are there to work out how to get the customer’s money, count the money, get commission for persuading the customer to go for some expensive option, see how much mark up they can charge, and write up the glossy brochures, not to mention taking the attractive young secretaries out to lunch. Needs a lot of staff.
spondulick said:
They are there to work out how to get the customer s money, count the money, get commission for persuading the customer to go for some expensive option, see how much mark up they can charge, and write up the glossy brochures, not to mention taking the attractive young secretaries out to lunch. Needs a lot of staff.
I can just about accept this explanation if cars are actually being sold, but the place I visit is purely a ‘service centre’.If it wasn't for the middle of nowhere bit you've perfectly described the 3 pointed star dealership near me. Ask for parts and you get a look like you've just walked dog s
t in to their shiny palace. Phone up first and pay over the phone then you've only got to pick up the parts. If you're really lucky you might be in and out within the hour. A free coffee or can of coke doesn't make up for the frustration.
t in to their shiny palace. Phone up first and pay over the phone then you've only got to pick up the parts. If you're really lucky you might be in and out within the hour. A free coffee or can of coke doesn't make up for the frustration.Rayny said:
_Rodders_ said:
A Halfords socket set costs about £200 and comes with a lifetime guarantee.
But there is no guarantee that your knuckles and/or your sanity will survive when you start using them 
Seems to be the same wherever I take my car....
Drop it off at 9am and 'we'll call you when it's ready'. Usually get the call 30 mins before closing time and it takes me 30 mins to get there. So I learned to just turn up earlier at 4pm, well ahead of closing time, and usually it's ready.
Other occasions, they've said bring it in at 9am and you get there at 4pm to pick it up and it's not ready. They've had it all day, so why tell me to bring it in at 9am if they're not going to start working on it until 3pm!
If a service takes an hour (I don't know how long it takes, no idea what's involved, but just for example) then give people a slot to book into rather than a whole day lottery. I'd rather sit and wait an hour than have to walk 30 mins back, have no car all day and then walk 30 mins to pick it up.
Drop it off at 9am and 'we'll call you when it's ready'. Usually get the call 30 mins before closing time and it takes me 30 mins to get there. So I learned to just turn up earlier at 4pm, well ahead of closing time, and usually it's ready.
Other occasions, they've said bring it in at 9am and you get there at 4pm to pick it up and it's not ready. They've had it all day, so why tell me to bring it in at 9am if they're not going to start working on it until 3pm!
If a service takes an hour (I don't know how long it takes, no idea what's involved, but just for example) then give people a slot to book into rather than a whole day lottery. I'd rather sit and wait an hour than have to walk 30 mins back, have no car all day and then walk 30 mins to pick it up.
Official Porsche dealer. Walk in.
“I have a service booking.”
“Take a seat. Would you like a drink?”
Ten minutes later, still sitting there.
I just want to drop off my fking car and go! No dolly birds or staff visible but there must be an army of them in the back rooms of the palatial building.
In fairness I’ve always been happy with the work done, though naturally it’s cost a pretty penny.
“I have a service booking.”
“Take a seat. Would you like a drink?”
Ten minutes later, still sitting there.
I just want to drop off my f
king car and go! No dolly birds or staff visible but there must be an army of them in the back rooms of the palatial building.In fairness I’ve always been happy with the work done, though naturally it’s cost a pretty penny.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff