Shocking customer service from Land Rover
Discussion
I’d arranged a test drive of the new Disco Sport this week despite the recent thread on here where the consensus seemed to be avoid like the plague.
Following the test drive I had a lengthy wait for the salesman. Wasn’t offered a drink or anything. Eventually he pitched up, no chat just straight to the point asking me what my next move was. I told him I had lined up several test drives and would let him know end of the week. At this point he just f**king gave up any sense of customer service. He asked what else I was test driving and I mention the X3 at which point he tells me that the X3 is not a direct competitor. I ask if we could go through some numbers based on my deposit and mileage requirements. He fobs me off telling me I can go onto their website and do it myself! He then cannot wait to get rid of me and asks if there is anything else he could do for me today but his eyes were basically telling me to f**k off.
In total contrast the service I received at VW and BMW who were both amazing. Maybe it was because I was after a “budget” Land Rover who knows. But if this is the service you get before they’ve made a sale, I can’t imagine what their post sale service will be like when it inevitably breaks down and I have to bring it back to the dealers. Maybe I dodged a bullet as the reliability horror stories I hear. It’s a shame as when it works I would imagine it’s a great family car.
Following the test drive I had a lengthy wait for the salesman. Wasn’t offered a drink or anything. Eventually he pitched up, no chat just straight to the point asking me what my next move was. I told him I had lined up several test drives and would let him know end of the week. At this point he just f**king gave up any sense of customer service. He asked what else I was test driving and I mention the X3 at which point he tells me that the X3 is not a direct competitor. I ask if we could go through some numbers based on my deposit and mileage requirements. He fobs me off telling me I can go onto their website and do it myself! He then cannot wait to get rid of me and asks if there is anything else he could do for me today but his eyes were basically telling me to f**k off.
In total contrast the service I received at VW and BMW who were both amazing. Maybe it was because I was after a “budget” Land Rover who knows. But if this is the service you get before they’ve made a sale, I can’t imagine what their post sale service will be like when it inevitably breaks down and I have to bring it back to the dealers. Maybe I dodged a bullet as the reliability horror stories I hear. It’s a shame as when it works I would imagine it’s a great family car.
No drink offered!, where did you think you were, Starbucks?
Not buying, and driving several other cars, why would he waste any more time with you?
May have had a handover due any minute and was trying to get the car prepared and paperwork all in order for someone who has actually purchased, any number of reasons.
You were not a buyer, you were a researcher at that point, what did you want?
A freshly ground coffee, a full English served on a silver platter and a go on his wife?
Not buying, and driving several other cars, why would he waste any more time with you?
May have had a handover due any minute and was trying to get the car prepared and paperwork all in order for someone who has actually purchased, any number of reasons.
You were not a buyer, you were a researcher at that point, what did you want?
A freshly ground coffee, a full English served on a silver platter and a go on his wife?
Mexman said:
You don't know that.
What do you mean? I asked if we could run through some numbers and he told me to go and look on their website. There were 2 other customers in the showroom at the time. There was no car in the handover bay, they didn’t appear to look busy. It’s a lot of money to spend so I don’t think it is unreasonable to request a finance quote. You don't know how busy they were or what time pressures that particular sales guy was under at that time, he could have had 5 handovers to organise for that day, or an incoming appointment due any minute that he was at risk of losing to someone else, if he was tied up with you, when you were obviously not in a position to proceed any further.
There's no point spending continued time with someone who is not in a position to proceed further, he asked you the same question.
Time is money to a salesman, he does not get paid on empty promises of "i will think about it or I might contact you later on"
There's no point spending continued time with someone who is not in a position to proceed further, he asked you the same question.
Time is money to a salesman, he does not get paid on empty promises of "i will think about it or I might contact you later on"
Hugh74 said:
Mexman said:
You don't know that.
What do you mean? I asked if we could run through some numbers and he told me to go and look on their website. There were 2 other customers in the showroom at the time. There was no car in the handover bay, they didn’t appear to look busy. It’s a lot of money to spend so I don’t think it is unreasonable to request a finance quote. If you don’t want to deal with these personalities (I also chose not to, after my last experience similar to yours at a dealership where I was a 3rd returning customer), why not look at a lease?
Figures are online and very clear, and all pretence is disposed with. It’s all just numbers.
So how does anyone proceed to the sale without knowing the actual finance figures? I was very keen to get to that next stage trust me. I hadn’t just walked off the street kicking tyres, I had made an appointment several weeks before and thought it was a perfectly reasonable to request a personalised quote. Ps I did as he suggested and went onto their website and there was no finance calculator, it simply had a form to fill in requesting a personalised quote.
I'm really surprised by some of the responses to this. Who in their right mind buys the first car they test drive? Yes he is researching which car to buy but the fact he does actually intend to buy a car and it might well be the land rover you're trying to sell. He then asks about finance etc which is a key part of the buying decision.
Yes the sales person could well be rushed off his feet and that is a mitigating factor but that puts Land Rover in a bad light as it suggests they have under resourced their sales team.
If VW or BMW were able to deliver the level of service that the OP wanted then they're at an advantage when it comes to him deciding which car to buy.
Yes the sales person could well be rushed off his feet and that is a mitigating factor but that puts Land Rover in a bad light as it suggests they have under resourced their sales team.
If VW or BMW were able to deliver the level of service that the OP wanted then they're at an advantage when it comes to him deciding which car to buy.
mike9009 said:
I agree with the OP.
As a customer (potential or not) you expect to be looked after. I can guess which salesman might get a sale and which definitely won't......
Bear in mind, its the middle of August, the busiest month of the year.As a customer (potential or not) you expect to be looked after. I can guess which salesman might get a sale and which definitely won't......
The sales guy could have fawned over the OP, for 2 hours, and still wouldn't have got a decision, his handovers would then be delayed, his buyers would then leave him a s
t CSI score and then he would have lost even more earnings.Time has to be managed at this time of year, spending an excessive amount of time with someone who is not there to buy, by his own admission is useless.
At a quiter time of the year, then maybe more time would be available.
You weren’t buying.... even if he gave you the finance quote! You know that...
You for a test drive and he asked your next move... what else do you expect? You made clear to him that you weren’t buying. Sure the guy could have done a bit more but maybe he has had too many tire kickers in the past.
I have no issues buying a new car, I know beforehand the car I am buying. Test drive it as a formality and sit down afterwards to put a deposit/order down. Takes 30min including the test drive. I don’t have time and don’t like to play games.
Only on one occasion I did a test drive back to back for a suv but told all of them beforehand. No issues.
Maybe I am just too relaxed. Good luck in your search.
You for a test drive and he asked your next move... what else do you expect? You made clear to him that you weren’t buying. Sure the guy could have done a bit more but maybe he has had too many tire kickers in the past.
I have no issues buying a new car, I know beforehand the car I am buying. Test drive it as a formality and sit down afterwards to put a deposit/order down. Takes 30min including the test drive. I don’t have time and don’t like to play games.
Only on one occasion I did a test drive back to back for a suv but told all of them beforehand. No issues.
Maybe I am just too relaxed. Good luck in your search.
Chris32345 said:
Did you tell be and BMW you were just there to browse and didn't want to buy a car when you got the good service?
I wasn’t just browsing I had arranged an appointment several weeks before and I was very clear on the precise model I wanted and was looking to put a deposit down by end of the week. I was being honest saying that I was looking at 2 other cars but also told him that the Disco Sport was top of my shortlist to show that I was a serious buyer and not a timewaster. Hugh74 said:
I wasn’t just browsing I had arranged an appointment several weeks before and I was very clear on the precise model I wanted and was looking to put a deposit down by end of the week. I was being honest saying that I was looking at 2 other cars but also told him that the Disco Sport was top of my shortlist to show that I was a serious buyer and not a timewaster.
ITS AUGUST.
Mexman said:
Bear in mind, its the middle of August, the busiest month of the year.
The sales guy could have fawned over the OP, for 2 hours, and still wouldn't have got a decision, his handovers would then be delayed, his buyers would then leave him a st CSI score and then he would have lost even more earnings.
Time has to be managed at this time of year, spending an excessive amount of time with someone who is not there to buy, by his own admission is useless.
At a quiter time of the year, then maybe more time would be available.
I wasn’t expecting him to spend the day with me, take me out for lunch, it would have taken him a few minutes to run through some numbers, I would have been happy and fThe sales guy could have fawned over the OP, for 2 hours, and still wouldn't have got a decision, his handovers would then be delayed, his buyers would then leave him a s
t CSI score and then he would have lost even more earnings.Time has to be managed at this time of year, spending an excessive amount of time with someone who is not there to buy, by his own admission is useless.
At a quiter time of the year, then maybe more time would be available.
ked off and let him get on with his other customers. Surely that is not too much to ask. Ps in total he spent less than 5 minutes with me. I was hardly taking him much of his day.
Edited by Hugh74 on Tuesday 25th August 21:24
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