Ask a Service Manager anything...anything at all.
Discussion
I will be honest I am a picky and awkward customer, but then I love my cars and truth be told probably overservice them. If something is not done to the letter (or slightly above) then I find it hugely frustrating. My service manager at BMW originally got off to a rocky start because my initial interaction was nothing short of appalling since then though it has been awesome (and I now see some of his pressures with staff off ill and trying to manage both BMW and Mini servicing can be a nightmare).
The old one I used to know at Mazda Canterbury did go on to unlike the OP to join Mazda UK though in an aftersales position (after years of being a tech then SM).
How hard did you find it to meet (and I suppose manage) customer expectations? and I suppose how many picky/awkward customers did you meet and have to deal with?
I have witnessed the flipside in my BMW dealer of having a customer go well just do the end of warranty service check and when the service adviser said it needed an oil change she went mental. Is there ways to convince owners (when clearly work needs doing not just for pulling profit)?
One thing I do find hugely frustrating is that some of the more senior SM's hide away fearful of customers what the hell is that all about? (my previous Volvo dealer SM did this hugely it was like trying to track down a bloody diamond - I knew every single one of the rest of the team, and I got to only meet him once after the car clearly had a failing DMF and then I wanted to lamp the sod). In a sense I feel lucky with the current BMW one and the previous Mazda one as they have actually been "approachable" instead of just appearing when there has been an utter screw up.
Finally, having spoken with both of the ex Mazda SM - likened keeping an eye on techs as herding cats is that true?
The old one I used to know at Mazda Canterbury did go on to unlike the OP to join Mazda UK though in an aftersales position (after years of being a tech then SM).
How hard did you find it to meet (and I suppose manage) customer expectations? and I suppose how many picky/awkward customers did you meet and have to deal with?
I have witnessed the flipside in my BMW dealer of having a customer go well just do the end of warranty service check and when the service adviser said it needed an oil change she went mental. Is there ways to convince owners (when clearly work needs doing not just for pulling profit)?
One thing I do find hugely frustrating is that some of the more senior SM's hide away fearful of customers what the hell is that all about? (my previous Volvo dealer SM did this hugely it was like trying to track down a bloody diamond - I knew every single one of the rest of the team, and I got to only meet him once after the car clearly had a failing DMF and then I wanted to lamp the sod). In a sense I feel lucky with the current BMW one and the previous Mazda one as they have actually been "approachable" instead of just appearing when there has been an utter screw up.
Finally, having spoken with both of the ex Mazda SM - likened keeping an eye on techs as herding cats is that true?
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
This is turning into the most hideous thread on PH! Stop confirming the opinion that the general public have of garages!
Mods....lock it quick!
I’ll caveat my earlier question and say I’ve only had an issue, nearly every time a car has gone for a service, with one particular brand but I won’t name them.Mods....lock it quick!
No issues ever with Lotus, Mitsubishi, Porsche or even Suzuki.
f
k it, yes I will.BMW.
Jerry Can said:
MellowshipSlinky said:
Have you ever had to lie to a customer by telling them the massive scratch and gouge on the door of their 6 month old car was ‘there when it came into the workshop’ then quickly backtrack when there was evidence it wasn’t?
Have you ever had to lie to a dealer and tell them there was not a scratch on the car when in fact there was all the time. And then happily and fraudulently take a a free chipsaway type repair on your car.?I’m an honest person and I insist on a walk around any car I’m taking in to a dealer.
andy118run said:
mp3manager said:
Is the screenwash top-up con really necessary?
+ 1. Was the first thing that I thought about - every time I brim my screenwash before the service. Whatever, garage I use will always charge me for it. I was about to get livid until I saw it was charged at £0.00
sparks_E39 said:
The overheads of a main dealer are very expensive. The one I work at charges just over £100 an hour, and before I worked in the industry I thought that was ludicrous. Now I think it's actually about right. I'm a service advisor for a main dealer. It can be a bit stressful sometimes and isn't really that well paid (circa £20-22k) but I do enjoy it. I don't want to become a service manager though, don't think I'd want that much stress. A diagnostic check is charged initially at one hours labour. It isn't alway about hooking up the machine.
Thank you for answering. I'll admit I'm still skeptical on the hourly rate aspect though. And I do wonder if some of the high overheads come from overly 'swanky' premises and locations that don't necessarily benefit the customer though may help reassure them that their rates are justified. I don't know, just seems high. Total guessed numbers here but I'd guess a typical large dealership might be doing 80 labour hours per day 300 days a year? That comes in at about £2.4m in revenue from labour alone ignoring any mark up on parts. Maybe that just represents what this sort of operation costs and I accept that businesses need to make some money too.Why do service managers lie to customers?
When I bought my leon it was at 40k so needed a DSG box oil change, I told the dealer it would be £200 so take it off the price of the car and il have it done
No can do, we can do it for you though, I said that's fine, let's book it in.
Oh we can't book it in today the adtersales man isn't in today,
Fair enough, but what's not fair enough, is me having to chase every day for 2 weeks via phone, email and Facebook and getting no reply.
Issued a small claims intent form, nothing, issued a small claims court order, 2 days later cheque for £180 plus costs lands on the mat
Ffs don't lie just say we're not going to do it, or better still just do it! It cost me £180 and no doubt it would have cost them much less to change it trade!
That cock up cost them a loyal customer who had bought 3 cars from them in 12 months, not anymore!
When I bought my leon it was at 40k so needed a DSG box oil change, I told the dealer it would be £200 so take it off the price of the car and il have it done
No can do, we can do it for you though, I said that's fine, let's book it in.
Oh we can't book it in today the adtersales man isn't in today,
Fair enough, but what's not fair enough, is me having to chase every day for 2 weeks via phone, email and Facebook and getting no reply.
Issued a small claims intent form, nothing, issued a small claims court order, 2 days later cheque for £180 plus costs lands on the mat
Ffs don't lie just say we're not going to do it, or better still just do it! It cost me £180 and no doubt it would have cost them much less to change it trade!
That cock up cost them a loyal customer who had bought 3 cars from them in 12 months, not anymore!
This isn't going as well as the salesman's thread is it?
That thread was kept light and overall, positive.
Perhaps it's because we are mesmerised by "shiny new thing" at the end of the process of talking to a salesman, whereas most visits to a service department either are tainted with starting as a problem, or, taking your car in, them doing some stuff you don't see, and receiving what looks like exactly the same thing back - but with a piece of paper telling you that you owe them 2 day's pay.
( Either that or all these questions are posted first thing in a morning when everyone's as grumpy as fk)
That thread was kept light and overall, positive.
Perhaps it's because we are mesmerised by "shiny new thing" at the end of the process of talking to a salesman, whereas most visits to a service department either are tainted with starting as a problem, or, taking your car in, them doing some stuff you don't see, and receiving what looks like exactly the same thing back - but with a piece of paper telling you that you owe them 2 day's pay.
( Either that or all these questions are posted first thing in a morning when everyone's as grumpy as f
k)How much bonus do you earn for the constant upsell on discs and pads that are dangerously worn at 60%?
I have been told so many lies and untruths by service managers in the past, i never used to tell them it was a company vehicle when booking it in for a service, I would then always get a phone call to say the car needs 2 shocks, new discs and pads, new wipers and various other bits, upon explaining that it was a company vehicle and I would not be footing the bill for anything all the bits that needed replacing suddenly fixed themselves, I used to sit in the reception area and listen to the service people telling other customers that the car was unsafe and needed xyz doing, because things were 50% worn, when in reality it didn't, the whole trade needs a shakeup.
OP I'm sure you have never done this and are as honest as the day is long
I have been told so many lies and untruths by service managers in the past, i never used to tell them it was a company vehicle when booking it in for a service, I would then always get a phone call to say the car needs 2 shocks, new discs and pads, new wipers and various other bits, upon explaining that it was a company vehicle and I would not be footing the bill for anything all the bits that needed replacing suddenly fixed themselves, I used to sit in the reception area and listen to the service people telling other customers that the car was unsafe and needed xyz doing, because things were 50% worn, when in reality it didn't, the whole trade needs a shakeup.
OP I'm sure you have never done this and are as honest as the day is long
talksthetorque said:
This isn't going as well as the salesman's thread is it?
That thread was kept light and overall, positive.
Perhaps it's because we are mesmerised by "shiny new thing" at the end of the process of talking to a salesman, whereas most visits to a service department either are tainted with starting as a problem, or, taking your car in, them doing some stuff you don't see, and receiving what looks like exactly the same thing back - but with a piece of paper telling you that you owe them 2 day's pay.
( Either that or all these questions are posted first thing in a morning when everyone's as grumpy as fk)
I am starting to understand better why the majority of SMs are grumpy tw@ts!That thread was kept light and overall, positive.
Perhaps it's because we are mesmerised by "shiny new thing" at the end of the process of talking to a salesman, whereas most visits to a service department either are tainted with starting as a problem, or, taking your car in, them doing some stuff you don't see, and receiving what looks like exactly the same thing back - but with a piece of paper telling you that you owe them 2 day's pay.
( Either that or all these questions are posted first thing in a morning when everyone's as grumpy as f
k)
WestyCarl said:
You've got 2 customers;
Customer A comes in argumentative, "knowing his rights" and knows exactly what needs to be done and how long it takes, etc, etc.
Customer B comes in and is friendly and just asks for your help
Which will get the better service from you?
Not really hard to answer that one, is it? Customer A comes in argumentative, "knowing his rights" and knows exactly what needs to be done and how long it takes, etc, etc.
Customer B comes in and is friendly and just asks for your help
Which will get the better service from you?
Are standards in the service department different between different manufacturers?
I've had experience of a large chain of dealerships (who don't themselves have the best reputation for service work) working on an American owned brand and a Japanese one - the service work on the Japanese owned brand has been pretty much faultless. Is this likely to be down to the manufacturer, or the local management of the 2 sites I happen to have used?
I've had experience of a large chain of dealerships (who don't themselves have the best reputation for service work) working on an American owned brand and a Japanese one - the service work on the Japanese owned brand has been pretty much faultless. Is this likely to be down to the manufacturer, or the local management of the 2 sites I happen to have used?
Is it true that the service side of the business charges full whack to the sales side of the business? When chopping in my last car, it needed two new fronts, he tried to chop £200 off, I said oh I can get OEM tyres on BlackCircles for fifty quid a corner ... "Yes that may be true but our service department charges us full whack, will be £80 + VAT even if we can get them cheaper elsewhere".
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