Folks, thought I would share with you my most surreal motoring day to date...
8.45am -- I take my 3 series BMW into a well known independent specialist for a few minor bits and pieces to be attended to (Air con re-gas, minor electrical gremlin, etc. etc.). Agree mid afternoon collection.
3pm (agreed time of collection). Return to the garage (car is still in identical parking spot from this morning), told to wait a few moments by the receptionist. She leaves me for 5 mins, then returns, clearly very embarrassed and explains that it appears everyone forgot to carry out the work.
I stood there thinking this was a wind-up for a couple of seconds, but, no, it transpires, genuinely, everyone working there had forgotten to attend to the car.
I left, bemused and surprised - slightly upset, and wrote them a letter expressing my dis-satisfaction. I wonder what their response will be. Has anyone ever had anything similar happen to them???
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I haven't ... but I wonder how many people might have just been charged £250 for the day's parking instead?
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Not quite the same thing but my dad used to tell a story about taking his A35 van for a service to a main dealer in the 60's.
He had some suspicions about how much (little) of a service the van had received on the previous visit.
He parked it up & handed the keys over to the receptionist. Not having anything particular to do, he sat on a bench opposite the garage & settled down to read a book.
At the appointed time he went back over to be told the service was completed & was presented with a bill. Dad said he wasn't paying & asked for the manager.
When dad explained he had been sitting opposite the garage all morning & that the van had not moved, the manager insisted that they had completed the service & that dad was mistaken.
At that point dad took him outside to the van & asked him to try the lights. None of them worked. Dad then showed the guy the assortment of bulbs in the glove box - he had taken them all out pior to delivering the vehicle.
Result - one very red faced service manager and one dad who never used a main dealer for servicing again!!
I guess that at least your lot were honest enough to own up to their mistake - they could have tried to bill you.
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It's not the fact that mistakes happen that is the problem, because mistakes will always happen. It's taking responsibility for mistakes that is the mark of a good business. Whereas one can't argue you got good service - you patently didn't - they didn't try to fob you off and admitted their mistake. Wierdly, I'd actually find that reassuring (but annoying at the same time!)
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Once took a Citroen BX in for a pre-booked 36k service and found out on collection that they had renewed the clutch but hadn't done the service. Apparently my BX had been parked next to another one an identical colour and the mechanic had mixed them up. So the one that needed a new clutch actually had my service and vice a versa. Garage was very apologetic and gave me the service free of charge. Don't know if they gave the other guy a free clutch. Damn good job the mechanic wasn't a surgeon.
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Happened when I was working at a Volvo dealer. Happens if a service receptionist forgets to issue the workshop job card.
As it was an interim service 4 techs jumped on the job and it was done in about 10 mins. Customer just thought there was a slight delay and had a chance to have a coffee.
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I had almost the exact reverse. Took my car to a main dealer for routine service. They were to ring me when ready for collection. Phone call came in a bit sooner than I expected, but I went around and there was my car on the hoist without wheels { full brake inspection was part of that particular service }. At least I then knew that the service was being done, but don't know about the owner that the garage should have rung.
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