Is Customer Service a thing of the past?

Alright, y'all are just gonna have to bear with me, Ive got to vent a little.....

Last week, I made an appointment for my truck at the local dealership. Scheduled to have 2 TSBs done (squeaky springs, rear end whine) before my road trip this weekend. Specifically told them what I needed done, and that I needed my truck back by Saturday the 19th. So, if that's not possible, I'll need to schedule for next week. My appt. was Tuesday of this week, @ 4:00pm

I arrive early, and wait. 15 minutes later, I'm finally asked to come inside to check in. The service writer asks what I've come in for today. Proceeded to tell him about the appointment I made, with the TSB numbers. "Squeaky springs? Well, they'll just blow them out with air." Uh, no. That's not how this is gonna go down. Then he didn't understand the whine in the rear end. I offered to go on a drive with him, the tech, whoever to demonstrate. Didn't want the "cannot duplicate problem" runaround. So they take my truck back, and I wait.

45 minutes later, I'm called to the service dept. He proceeds to tell me that they're going to have to order parts, but don't exactly know what to order. Said they have to talk to their regional service manager to get approval. Approval? Seriously?? It's under warranty, and you have a copy of the TSBs I'm requesting be performed. What's there to approve? So he tells me that he will talk to the regional guy, and then call me tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. And, tells me to call him if I haven't heard from him by 2:30 or so. Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon......

Haven't heard anything and it's 2:30. I call. Get his voice mail. Leave a message. No return call, so at 4:30 I call back. Receptionist tells me its his day off. Well, that explains why I didn't hear from him. Is it that freakin' hard to tell someone the truth? "Hey, tomorrow is my day off. It will be Thursday before I know anything." Needless to say, I feel like I'm getting jacked around, and that they're really not wanting to do the work.

He's not going to enjoy hearing from me today.

 

Customer service went the way of the dodo when companies got too big. Many people look at their job as just a job, not a career and job hop from one location to another. Essentially, no one is held accountable for poor customer service because the business keeps making money and they can just keep hiring low pay replacements.

 

Find a different dealer to get your service done.

 

The next closest dealer is over an hour away. I'd already thought of that, but the hassle of getting there, picking it up, etc., will be tough with our schedules.

 

I have zero problems with my dealer, but I buy from them and have been a good customer. Great service.

 

Understood, but may be worth the trip. Not all dealers are created equal, but it seems to be the norm at most to play the "I have no idea what tsb your talking about" line or "can not duplicate" line. Just a thought, give it a try, you are already losing time as it is.

 

I firmly believe the CS people have a lot tougher job now since the internet has given owners so much info on their problems before taking their vehicles in for fixes. I will not defend them (CS)because they should learn to except that the customer may have done extensive research on their 1 or 2 problems, and possibly even knows more about them than the CS person . I get tired of the CS guy either playing stupid because they never heard of a problem that has a TSB or being arrogant because they feel they could not possibly know less about anything than the customer . I bet they have to read each customer , and play them just like the sales guys do .
Edit - I have a great relationship with my dealer and the guy excepted the TSB I brought in and was even happy I had it . It made it all go faster with no misunderstandings .
Good luck .

 

the consumer has become a far more entitled whiny brat is probably the larger culprit. everyone expects to be the most special customer deserving of the most special service.

places could provide customer service and care years ago without being taken to the cleaners and having their kindness taken advantage of.

 

I found that my dealer has been very reasonable so far. Also, it seems like they look into your past history as well. If you have done a lot of business with them in the past like buying cars and doing all your services there they tend to give you better service.

But i do agree it seems hit or miss based on the management of the dealership. I moved for a while and had to deal with another dealer in a new town and they sucked.

 

It took me years to find an excellent and trustworthy shop. My wife and I just bought our Tacoma and we are seriously considering bypassing the 2 years of free service offered by the dealership and just take it to my trusted shop from day 1. I think one of the differences is that at the small shop I'm dealing with the owners and I have gotten to know all of the techs. They rely on referrals so the fact that they go above and beyond for me has led me to send anyone I know their direction.

The shop I normally use told me to go ahead and use the 2 year free service to save some money but if any issues arise bring it in and they will take it from there.

I try to give anyone in a customer service job a latitude because I know how frustrating it can be, especially when you seem to be just a cog in a much larger machine and you have a very limited amount of authority.

 

My dealership is pretty good. But they are also pretty busy, so I'm patient with them. Overall I'm pretty happy with them.
Find another dealer if possible.

 

This is the new norm so get use to it. It is spreading throughout American businesses even coffee shops and fast food People just don't give a rats azz any more. I suspect part of the problem is pay. As the old saying goes you get what you pay for. That is why I never brought the extended warranty for any thing I buy. If you cant honor the primary warranty why should I buy an extended warranty
I don't see any end in sight , and greed has just consumed our good judgment and honesty . SO SAD

 

Maybe not the BEST solution, but when I had issues with my Sienna a few years back I wrote a drunk/angry message on the corporate Toyota Facebook page and they actually got back to me the next day. They agreed to talk with the dealer I was having issues with and reimbursed me $1000 for my service issues even though the Sienna wasn't under warranty.

 

I don't feel like I'm entitled to anything, or owed anything. I just want to be told the truth. If you say you're going to call the regional guy, and will call me tomorrow, do it! It's not that difficult. This little punk told me this, AND said to call him if I hadn't heard anything by a certain time. He knew full well that it was his day off, and was just blowing smoke up my skirt......He just didn't give a flip!

 

OP, I also didn't get good results from my service center at the dealership. However, every time service let me down, I called my sales guy to loop him in. Eventually he said "You should use only "john doe" as your service advisor, he will shoot straight. So now I make appts with only that guy. He isn't 100%, but he is much better than the others I've experienced there. However, I only let the dealership do the free stuff and anything else goes to my trusted local, small garage I've been using for years, or myself.

 

Looks like the dealership is trying to do the right thing. They're ordering new leaf springs for the truck, counting on them to remedy 2 issues (squeaky springs and whiny rear end resonance). They're also ordering a new rear end seal where its seeping all around. Was told 2 weeks for the springs to come in. Hopefully its not another line of bulls***. We shall see.......

 

Cool! *fingers crossed for you*

 

I got my leaf springs rubber bushings and isolator pads replaced and I never even asked or knew there was a recall.

I just took the truck in for an oil change, and they addressed all outstanding recalls without me asking.

 

This is not to excuse anyone of anything, but there has been once or twice when I told a customer to call me on my day off. It was never intentional.

Sorry, lol.

Jeff

 

TSBs are different than just going for regular service like an oil change or tire rotation, you don't just go in and expect to have the service done when it's convenient for you, they are done on a case by case basis when the truck exhibits those symptoms defined in the TSB protocol. If your truck does meet the requirements and the TSB requires parts then they get ordered and you schedule another appointment for installation. If parts are onhand or no parts required like a reflash, it can be completed on the initial visit.

Some protocol require approval above the service manager.

In the OP's case description, both of those TSBs require diagnosis and parts to correct which were likely not in stock.

All of that should be discussed by the customer and the service adviser while making the initial scheduled visit so there are no surprises.

As for the day off, it could have been unplanned / unexpected but in any event your case should have been turned over to someone else while he was out.