It’s been awhile, but this situation stirred me to the keyboard. It’s time to take my little fun car in for an oil change. When I bought the car it came with 3, count em, 3 free oil changes, what a lucky guy I am.
So I bypass my usual minute lube place, an experience that would normally take 10 minutes and cost $35 ish and take my ride to the dealer for its scheduled 7:45 appointment, yes I will wait for my car thank you, after all its an oil change.
Here is where life stepped sideways. I park the car, hand my keys over and ask… “How long with this take?” a simple question I thought. The fellow looks as me as says “half an hour, once the guys start at 8am” Pause, really? Why book an appointment a week ahead that I’m waiting for when it’s going to sit for 15 minutes.
Ok, I’m game; I’m in the market for a replacement for my daily driver, so to the showroom I go. I look at cars, smell interiors, have a cookie, check my email and facebook, flip the pages in a magazine. It’s about 8:25, let’s check on my vehicle, it’s probably ready to go. I peer out the window to the parking lot and see my car sitting right where I left it. I look over to the shop, its near empty. You’re kidding me? Sigh…
Ok back to the lobby, more sniffing, another cookie, more facebook,take another look, ahh the car is finally in the shop.
Now, have you ever changed oil? I have.
If you include a 10 minute coffee break it should take about 25 minutes. Zippy the mechanic du jour took 45 minutes. I’ve watch documentaries on tree sloths that moved quicker. So the car finally gets back in the lot, zippy hands the girl the papers. I wait a further 15 minutes… standing at the counter mind you... waiting to get my key.
Now remember the 3 free oil changes? Well the bill comes to $85ish (good lord, I realize it’s synthetic but really) the counter girl informs me that my 3 free oil changes equal 1 because my car needs synthetic oil.
Stunned silence.
Ya know, after an hour forty five, I no longer care, let me out of here.
So the upshot is Ill never go to this dealer again. Yes they got my money for a car, but the service work they will not get. More importantly they won’t get the next car. Forget the fact that a simple oil change was made took far longer than it should, and as a result wasted my time. But all of the good effort in trying to win my business through promotion is wasted by aphetic and uncaring staff.
Rule 1 in business is customer service, Forbes Motors and you’ve been around long enough to know that, perhaps you should tell your staff.
