Volvo service complaint: copy of letter to Volvo
Brad Isley
>
>1994 January 15
>
>Ms. Juanita R. Mitchell
>Manager, Customer Service
>Volvo Cars of North America, Inc.
>Volvo Drive
>Rockleigh, NJ 07647
>
>Dear Ms. Mitchell,
>
Blather blather....
Wow. What a whiner!
Now I know why I don't want to be a service manager.
--
mathcs.emory.edu!slammer!brad (Brad Isley) +1 404 925-9663(H) 493-2484(W)
T. Govindaraj
1994 January 15
Ms. Juanita R. Mitchell
Manager, Customer Service
Volvo Cars of North America, Inc.
Volvo Drive
Rockleigh, NJ 07647
Dear Ms. Mitchell,
We purchased a new Volvo 850 from Dyer & Dyer Volvo on November 10, 1993.
We have been generally pleased with the car, even though we were somewhat
unhappy with the manner our purchase was handled. We were very unhappy with
the 1500 mile service, however.
My wife called the service department at Dyer & Dyer on Wednesday,
January 5, 1994, to request an appointment for the 1500 mile service.
She was told that it would take about two hours and an appointment was
available for Saturday (January 8) morning. Even though we had estimated
that the 1500 mile checkup would only take about 15 minutes, based on the
information in the service manual, the person who made the appointment for
10 AM on January 8 told my wife that it would take two hours. This is in
spite of my wife telling that person that the car needed only the 1500
mile service.
Since two hours is a long time, my wife and I went to Dyer & Dyer in two
cars so that we could leave the Volvo, go home, and pick up the car later.
We arrived at the service location exactly at 10:00 AM. However, the
service advisor, Mr. Norman Mills, did not come to our car until 10:15.
I asked him why it should take two hours for the 1500 mile service since
it involved some simple and routine checks. He told me something about
normal 'scheduling' procedures which did not make any sense, especially
since a scheduler who knows about the 1500 mile service should know how
long it would take and schedule arrivals to minimize the waiting period.
I complained about the two hour estimate, which resulted in my having to
waste time. Mr. Mills asked me when I wanted the car, to which I replied
that I needed it in 15 minutes, since it should not take any longer.
He promised to give it by 10:30, but gave us the car at 10:35.
We are extremely unhappy since they made us waste our time by initially
telling my wife that it would take two hours, and when we went there on
time by not registering the car for service for 15 minutes. If they were
competent, they should have been able to estimate the time with reasonable
accuracy and schedule us to minimize the wait. If properly scheduled, one
of us could have taken the car and have it serviced promptly.
We are very sorry that we bought our Volvo from Dyer & Dyer. We would
appreciate it very much if you could send us names of other authorized
service stations in our area to whom we can take our car for service and
still qualify for the Volvo warranties. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
T. Govindaraj, Ph.D.
Copies: Dyer & Dyer
Usenet (Internet) newsgroups: misc.consumers, ga.general,
atl.general
T. Govindaraj +1 404 894 3873, 894 2301 (fax) NeXTmail welcome.
- - (accent on o, a; da pronounced dha) TG, Govind OK (NOT Govin)
Member, League for Programming Freedom (Info from: l...@uunet.uu.net)
ISyE-0205, Georgia Tech, 765 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205, USA.
Barclay Blanchard
>A couple of people commented that I was being a whiner (and worse) for
>complaining about the two-hour wait. Perhaps I should have included in
>my usenet posting that the 1500 mile service comprised of checking fluid
>levels and air, and that Dyer & Dyer as well as Volvo claimed, in their
>letters, that their service was efficient and prompt. I guess I should
>have known that 'efficient' probably meant efficient for them.
Most car dealers give far worse service than you report on a *good* day.
Many times I've had an appointment for service and waited several hours for
simple service ... usually because other people had appointments at the same
time or the dealer was still working on cars brought in on previous days.
Most of us would be happy to get a car serviced within 35 minutes of our
arrival.
>Also, I should have expected the foul language in some postings, based on
>one posting from someone, without knowing the full context. I guess I
>invited such a response unwittingly since I did not provide the entire
>context.
No, no one invites Armond's venom.
--
Barclay Elizabeth Blanchard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life is too short to date insensitive, ill-read men.|bar...@rail9000.gatech.edu
Support your favorite rabhunk. |BAR...@DALVM3.vnet.ibm.com
Stan Horwitz
My goodness! A two hour wait for service was offered you and you're still
complaining because it was whittled down to about 20 minutes! Perhaps your
Ph.D. did not prepare you to realize that most auto dealerships which do
vehicle service ALSO service OTHER people's cars besides your's during the
average business day. The person who gave you this initial 2 hour estimate
might have been going by experience rather than what's typed up by some tech
writer in your manual. The estimate might have been assuming some extra time
might be necessary to catch any unforeseen problems with your car. The estimate
might have also been figured by assuming that more thorough checking of your
car would be done compared to what's recommended in your owner's manual. You
got your car back in a considerable amount of time sooner than you expected
and you're complaining? Perhaps the quick service was just to get someone out
of their hair and maybe as a result, your car got a less thorough check over
than these service people usually do on the cars other people bring in for the
required service jobs. When it comes to my car, if I got my car back after only
15 minutes, I would think they people there might have done things in a hasty
manner and since I entrust my life to my car, I would rather wait a little if
it means getting more careful service on my car. I think you're complaining
over a non-problem and I am sure your letter will give the recipients at Volvo
a laugh and be passed onto the dealership you did business with, and others in
your area, so that they know to watch out when you call in for an appointment
that they might be dealing with a kook.
--
My name is Stan Horwitz and my E-mail address is st...@astro.ocis.temple.edu
My opinions are all mine. They do not reflect those of my employer.
Bob Matthews
Joe George
>A couple of people commented that I was being a whiner (and worse) for
>complaining about the two-hour wait. Perhaps I should have included in
>my usenet posting that the 1500 mile service comprised of checking fluid
>levels and air, and that Dyer & Dyer as well as Volvo claimed, in their
>letters, that their service was efficient and prompt. I guess I should
>have known that 'efficient' probably meant efficient for them.
I am disturbed with your eagerness to write a letter of complaint over what
I think IMHO is not such a terrible experience.
I imagine, with a PhD, that you're not particularly experienced in the ways
of the service industry, so I might hope to enlighten you.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I am one of the grunts in the world that has to put up with people like you.
I work in the computer industry, which is very customer-service oriented,
and I deal with customers every single day that think they're the only
person that matters out of 5.5 billion people.
If Volvo told you it would take 15 minutes for a 1500 mile service, then it
takes 15 minutes for a 1500 mile service. Service estimates *NEVER* include
the typical wait time, since the wait time varies greatly depending on when
you bring your car in for service. They DO deal with other customers than
you. They DO sell more Volvos then yours. They also do more than 1500 mile
checkups. You seem to think that there is nothing wrong with pulling a
technician out of a 5 or 6 hour transmission rebuild just to check your oil.
If your life is scheduled so tightly that you can't spare the time for a
long lunch while your car is being worked on, I suggest the next time you
get gasoline (you DO use full-serve, I assume, since you're so busy) that
you have the gas station attendant check our oil and tire pressure for you.
He might cherish the opportuniy to touch your fine automobile.
I do feel sorry for the poor people at Dyer and Dyer now, because they're
going to have to deal with Volvo's customer relations department and issue a
phone call or a letter of apology to you, and they're going to have to kiss
your ass to make you happy just because you don't know how the business
works.
I think you owe Dyer and Dyer a bigger apology than they owe you.
The only apology they need to give you is to tell you they're sorry they
sold you the car in the first place.
Have a nice day.
--
Joe George (jge...@crl.com, jge...@nbi.com)
The NBI Press: Typesetting, Graphic Artwork, Fine Italian Cuisine
I'm just roadkill on the Information Superhighway...
"Usenet is a cesspool, a dungheap." -Patrick Townson
Bob Nathan
>
> 1994 January 15
[Stuff Deleted]
> We are very sorry that we bought our Volvo from Dyer & Dyer. We would
> appreciate it very much if you could send us names of other authorized
> service stations in our area to whom we can take our car for service and
> still qualify for the Volvo warranties. Thank you very much.
>
> Sincerely,
> T. Govindaraj, Ph.D.
Where have you done business in the past? If you know of any
place which can reliably deliver automobile service at a specified
time with an accuracy of +-15 minutes, and for a duration that is
within 15 minutes, I think you should post it! I would certainly
like to know of such a place.
And BTW, I am curious to know what you do for a living, wherein it
is normal for events to proceed with such chronometric accuracy
that by comparison, the service you received from Dyer&Dyer appears
egregious.
Stephen F. Nicholas
I did a stint as an Assistant Service Mgr. for a Buick dealer 10 years ago.
It lasted one year mainly because of customers like this one. Under the
circumstances, I think Dyer & Dyer went above and beyond the call of duty.
I would be curious, though, as to the detailed attention the car received
given the customer's demands. The customer stated he figured it should take no more than 15 minutes to do the checks. Is this gentleman (and I use the term
lightly) an expert in auto mechanics ? If he is, I'm sure there are many
dealerships that would want to hire him. This was my "customer from hell!!".
P.S. NEVER P*** off the person who will be working on your car.
P.S.S. This gives me an idea. Maybe I should write a book about my
experiences in the automotive field (13 years).
Just my 2 cents worth.
Steve
Scott Johnson
It may only take 15 minutes to do the work, but the problem occurs cause it takes
some time to get the car to the mechanic who does the work. Not all cars are
dispatched to the mechanics when they first get in. Think about, 50 cars come
at once, there are not 50 mechanics waiting for each car to come in.
They go to a waiting area and from there they go to the mechanic. Usually this
is done on a first come first serve basis.
---------------------------------------------------------
Scott Johnson "Dependance on wizardry
Digital Equipment Corporation to mitigate the fundamental
Colorado Springs, Co limitations of software is
called 'hacking'." Grady Booch.
John De Armond
Look at his address above. Consider how he signs his name. Consider
his arrogance and total lack of common sense. Consider that he bought a
Volvo :_) Only one conclusion is possible. He's an academic employee of
some sort at GA tech and as such NEVER has to produce anything.
John
--
John De Armond, WD4OQC, Marietta, GA j...@dixie.com
"Would you fire on US Citizens while in the process of confiscating their guns?"
A question on a survey given to members of the U.S. counterterrorist
unit Navy SEAL Team Six by their commanders last September.
Andy Mitcham
>My wife called the service department at Dyer & Dyer on Wednesday,
>January 5, 1994, to request an appointment for the 1500 mile service.
>She was told that it would take about two hours and an appointment was
>available for Saturday (January 8) morning.
By your own admission, your wife was told two hours should be allotted
for performing the 1500 mile service. By scheduling the appointment,
acceptance of these terms was implied.
>Even though we had estimated
>that the 1500 mile checkup would only take about 15 minutes, based on the
>information in the service manual, the person who made the appointment for
>10 AM on January 8 told my wife that it would take two hours. This is in
>spite of my wife telling that person that the car needed only the 1500
>mile service.
In order to accomodate for delays, etc. that often can (and generally do)
occur, timeframes quoted for service are most often quoted conservatively
to prevent customers from returning for their automobile prior to service
being completed.
>Since two hours is a long time, my wife and I went to Dyer & Dyer in two
>cars so that we could leave the Volvo, go home, and pick up the car later.
This sounds reasonable.
>We arrived at the service location exactly at 10:00 AM. However, the
>service advisor, Mr. Norman Mills, did not come to our car until 10:15.
This sounds reasonable as well. Though I do not know this, I suspect Mr.
Norman Mills was performing his normal duties (perhaps assisting another
10:00 appointment) during your wait.
>I asked him why it should take two hours for the 1500 mile service since
>it involved some simple and routine checks. He told me something about
>normal 'scheduling' procedures which did not make any sense, especially
>since a scheduler who knows about the 1500 mile service should know how
>long it would take and schedule arrivals to minimize the waiting period.
I have some questions for you (off the top of my head):
. How long does it take to eat a meal?
. How long does it take to go to the restroom?
. How long does it take to travel from Dyer & Dyer to your home?
My point is, the time it takes to perform various functions is often
variable and dependent on several factors. In the case of this automobile
service, such variables might be: who is performing the service, what does
the service entail, is there a backlog of other work to be performed, are
the materials available, is their a customer demanding his automobile be
serviced immediately, etc...
As I have already said, I believe the timeframe you were quoted was simply
to accomodate for the inevitable delays and ensure the automobile service
is completed upon your return.
>I complained about the two hour estimate, which resulted in my having to
>waste time.
I am sorry but, in my opinion, you had no right to complain. He was trying
to run a business and you were trying to dictate to him how to run this
business. You may not agree that it takes two hours to perform the service
(and, in all likelyhood, it probably doesn't) but that is beside the point.
>Mr. Mills asked me when I wanted the car, to which I replied
>that I needed it in 15 minutes, since it should not take any longer.
>He promised to give it by 10:30, but gave us the car at 10:35.
So now Mr. Mills, again by your own admission, accomodates you by asking
when you would want the car. -You- set the 15 minute timeframe, not him.
And that they got it to you in 20 minutes means, to me, that the service
performer did everything possible to make your 15 minute timeframe (and
very likely at the expense of yet another customer).
>We are extremely unhappy since they made us waste our time by initially
>telling my wife that it would take two hours, and when we went there on
>time by not registering the car for service for 15 minutes. If they were
>competent, they should have been able to estimate the time with reasonable
>accuracy and schedule us to minimize the wait. If properly scheduled, one
>of us could have taken the car and have it serviced promptly.
Your argument of how your time was "wasted" is unfounded and petty. And
that you would write a complaint letter concerning this and send it, not
only to the dealership and Volvo of N. America but, to misc.consumers,
ga.general and atl.general angers me to no end! You will undoubtedly
receive several responses from others who think similarly.
>We are very sorry that we bought our Volvo from Dyer & Dyer.
Not that I am suprised, but why would you be sorry for buying the car
from Dyer & Dyer? Because of the service department? Geesh...
>We would
>appreciate it very much if you could send us names of other authorized
>service stations in our area to whom we can take our car for service and
>still qualify for the Volvo warranties. Thank you very much.
It would behoove you to look in the Yellow Pages for such information.
--
Andrew Mitcham
All opinions expressed are my own and not of my employer.
Brian Gregory Rowell
Please try to be rational and reasonable when writing a complaint letter
from now on. I have found that most companies are very nice and try to
rectify any wrong, in the name of good customer service and public relations.
However, that's when there IS a wrong. In this case, Volvo and Dyer & Dyer
would be extremely justified in taking no action on your complaint, other than
to tell YOU to quit wasting THEIR valuable time.
Brian
BTW-Posting a copy of this letter to the net served no purpose other than subjecting yourself to a lot of well deserved flames. ENJOY!!
--
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is any
praise, think on these things." Phillipians 4:8
Willard Dawson
>I am sure I will get some more nasty responses for this posting, but I
>guess there is no way for them to know that I compliment good service too.
Well, I don't consider this followup nasty, but then, I cancelled my
original followup... and it was most abusive. I feel that I was correct
in doing the cancel, as others here have been much more kind than myself
in re-wording my thoughts. Consider yourself lucky that the public
responses to your post have not been more abusive than they otherwise
could have been.
The only way we could have known that you compliment good service is for
you to have done so here, as you did with your "complaint." Funny, I
don't recall seeing any such post. On the other hand, perhaps I've not
been around long enough to fully appreciate your reputation in this
regard.
>We have dealt with other car dealers and service providers in the Atlanta
>area and elsewhere, but this experience was contrary to claims made.
So, shop elsewhere. But leave the attitude baggage behind.
>Also, I should have expected the foul language in some postings, based on
>one posting from someone, without knowing the full context. I guess I
>invited such a response unwittingly since I did not provide the entire
>context. Even though the foul language was uncalled for, I should have
>known that for some people such language comes naturally. I shall be more
>careful in the future.
I've not seen any foul language in this thread. Perhaps you were
thinking of some other place?
T. Govindaraj
complaining about the two-hour wait. Perhaps I should have included in
my usenet posting that the 1500 mile service comprised of checking fluid
levels and air, and that Dyer & Dyer as well as Volvo claimed, in their
letters, that their service was efficient and prompt. I guess I should
have known that 'efficient' probably meant efficient for them.
I am sure I will get some more nasty responses for this posting, but I
guess there is no way for them to know that I compliment good service too.
We have dealt with other car dealers and service providers in the Atlanta
area and elsewhere, but this experience was contrary to claims made.
Also, I should have expected the foul language in some postings, based on
one posting from someone, without knowing the full context. I guess I
invited such a response unwittingly since I did not provide the entire
context. Even though the foul language was uncalled for, I should have
known that for some people such language comes naturally. I shall be more
careful in the future.
tg
Justin McCormack
>We are extremely unhappy since they made us waste our time by initially
>telling my wife that it would take two hours, and when we went there on
>time by not registering the car for service for 15 minutes. If they were
>competent, they should have been able to estimate the time with reasonable
>accuracy and schedule us to minimize the wait. If properly scheduled, one
>of us could have taken the car and have it serviced promptly.
Actually, I'm shocked that someone would write a letter complaining
about something as trivial as that.
And the shock of having your car ready 5 minutes later than promised. I
cannot even begin to comprehend the horror and shock that must have went
through your mind. After all, any reasonable person wouldn't have cared.
Or are you just not accustom to being treated like one of the "little
people" ?
=================================================================
This message fully reflects the view of myself, and of my
employeer. We had a good laugh over it.
Kathy Hudson
> A couple of people commented that I was being a whiner (and worse) for
> complaining about the two-hour wait. Perhaps I should have included in
> my usenet posting that the 1500 mile service comprised of checking fluid
> levels and air, and that Dyer & Dyer as well as Volvo claimed, in their
> letters, that their service was efficient and prompt. I guess I should
> have known that 'efficient' probably meant efficient for them.
>
> I am sure I will get some more nasty responses for this posting, but I
> guess there is no way for them to know that I compliment good service too.
> We have dealt with other car dealers and service providers in the Atlanta
> area and elsewhere, but this experience was contrary to claims made.
>
> Also, I should have expected the foul language in some postings, based on
> one posting from someone, without knowing the full context. I guess I
> invited such a response unwittingly since I did not provide the entire
> context. Even though the foul language was uncalled for, I should have
> known that for some people such language comes naturally. I shall be more
> careful in the future.
>
> tg
>
> - - (accent on o, a; da pronounced dha) TG, Govind OK (NOT Govin)
> Member, League for Programming Freedom (Info from: l...@uunet.uu.net)
> ISyE-0205, Georgia Tech, 765 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205, USA.
>
unreasonable to expect anything better than GREAT service which is exactly
what you described in your letter. I would have left Dyer and Dyer singing
their praises and ecstatic that they cared so much about my dissatisfaction
that they put my vehicle on the top of their priority list and completed the
job while I waited!!!
Kathy Hudson
> complaining about the two-hour wait. Perhaps I should have included in
> my usenet posting that the 1500 mile service comprised of checking fluid
> levels and air, and that Dyer & Dyer as well as Volvo claimed, in their
> letters, that their service was efficient and prompt. I guess I should
> have known that 'efficient' probably meant efficient for them.
>
> I am sure I will get some more nasty responses for this posting, but I
> guess there is no way for them to know that I compliment good service too.
> We have dealt with other car dealers and service providers in the Atlanta
> area and elsewhere, but this experience was contrary to claims made.
>
> Also, I should have expected the foul language in some postings, based on
> one posting from someone, without knowing the full context. I guess I
> invited such a response unwittingly since I did not provide the entire
> context. Even though the foul language was uncalled for, I should have
> known that for some people such language comes naturally. I shall be more
> careful in the future.
>
> tg
>
> - - (accent on o, a; da pronounced dha) TG, Govind OK (NOT Govin)
> Member, League for Programming Freedom (Info from: l...@uunet.uu.net)
> ISyE-0205, Georgia Tech, 765 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205, USA.
>
Paul W. Cashman
>I think irregardless of context of your letter, you are being EXTREMELY
>unreasonable to expect anything better than GREAT service which is exactly
>what you described in your letter. I would have left Dyer and Dyer singing
>their praises and ecstatic that they cared so much about my dissatisfaction
>that they put my vehicle on the top of their priority list and completed the
>job while I waited!!!
I fully agree.
Frankly, that level of service and consideration is virtually
unheard-of at auto dealer repair shops. If I had been the customer,
I'd have marked the service manager down on my Christmas card list at
the very least. :)
--
Paul W. Cashman, van...@crl.com Rush Dream Theater Queensryche
------------------------------- Metallica Hawkwind Enya Ministry
The Sisters of Mercy Dead Can Dance Blue Oyster Cult Muthas Day Out
----------------------------------------------------------------------
David Lesher
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