Three weeks ago I went back to the dealer who sold me my '02 s2000 in Dec 2001 for minor service work. The problem was that my headlights were aimed so low that i couldn't see at night. They performed the service, but aimed the lights so high that i got flashed by a half dozen oncoming cars on the way home that night. i returned to the dealer the following week for a second adjustment.

The same service "advisor" helped me on both visits. He was curt and rude the first time and wouldn't take the time to explain to me how the adjustment would be done so that we could insure that the lights were aimed properly (not too low, not too high)... possibly avoiding the need for my second trip.

The second visit was even worse, of course. The same service advisor recognized me as the "problem" from the week before... this time he said he would need to charge me for the adjustment. I told him this was unfair because the lights were adjusted too high the previous week. He said that they had done exactly what I requested which was to "adjust the lights to the high end of the spec"... true except that since he didn't explain the process to me I really didn't know what I was asking for. It got worse, but the bottom line is that they re-adjusted the lights a second time at no charge and marked it down as a "goodwill" service.

I was pretty upset by the service advisor's attitude and lambasted him in an online satisfaction survey I returned a few days ago for his attitiude and general suitability to continue to work in a customer-facing position. I believe I did this in a professional and objective manner, but i was still p!ssed. To the dealer's credit (pretty efficient system) I received a personal e-mail from the service advisor today. I have omitted the name of the dealer and the service advisor, but thought the attached response would be of interest to the Forum.

So is this guy sincere? Would you go back to the dealer for service in the future? Guess, I still haven't gotten over this guy's attitude (2x) and just need to share it with others.

Here's the copied-and-pasted response:

MARC,
I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY ON THE FOLLOW UP SURVEY FROM THE PRIOR TWO REPAIRS ON YOUR VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN A SERVICE ADVISOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND AT TIMES I CAN GET TIRED AND FORGET MY MANNERS. PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIZIES IF I CAME ACROSS AS CURT AND OR DISCOURTEOUS. SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE PERFORMED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS AT THE SAME THING DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OR SHOWN THAT WE ARE TREATING PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY THAN WE FEEL WE ACTUALY ARE. PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR NEXT OIL CHANGE AT NO COST TO YOU AS MY WAY OF ATTEMPTING TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU....
HAVE A GREAT DAY AND PLEASE REPLY WITH ANY ADDITINAL COMMENTS TO MYSELF AT xxxx@HOTMAIL.COM OR TO yyyy AT THE zzzDIRECT.COM

THANK YOU,
xxxx

(P.S. I ALWAYS TYPE IN CAPITALS)

 

He's probably very sincere. These surveys are NOT ignored by his bosses, or by AHM. He almost certainly got a formal reprimand, and in the business he's in, to be rude, or perceived as rude, is unacceptable. Yes, he was probably having a bad day. Still no excuse, and he knows it. So yes, I think he's sincere. Doesn't mean he won't be curt again, but it will be less likely. And a free oil change is a reasonable offer given the circumstances.

 

Yes, I think he is sincere. Sincere that he's pissed off you lashed him on the survey and he HAD to (his boss probably made him do it) write you a letter of apology.

 

Sincere? Maybe. Just remember, because of you, in the eyes of his boss, he just got "knocked" down a few notches. Sure, he'll make sure you get your free oil change and smile during the whole process but if I were you, I'd be looking for where in the engine bay he hid the open can of sardines ..... you know, so you wonder how come there's a stink wherever you drive. Let's see ....... if it were me, it would the dead mouse under the intake manifold.

 

xviper, I think you're too cynical about this one. Seriously. I've been managing people in a customer service setting for several years now, and I've had to both apologize for my own shortcomings and discipline someone for theirs. In both cases, it was someone who was tired, having problems outside of work, and having a really bad day. But in both cases, the apology was sincere because you don't do this job because you want to give bad service. You do it because you _care_ about giving good service, and if you fail at that, you need and want to correct the problem. I would be totally amazed if someone tried to retaliate -- in fact, I would expect the exact opposite. I know that the person I apologized to always got excellent service from my group afterwords. We all knew we'd screwed up and every single one of us wanted to make sure it didn't happen again -- we felt we owed it to her. In the other case on my team, the person who triggered the problem was a real A--hole, but he was still entitled to be treated professionally.

 

As much as I'f be fuming from having to deal with such rudeness, I realize that Customer Service Advisors are people too. if he were really bad, he would not be doing this job for so long. Yeah, i think after he cooled down after getting kocked around by his bosses, he likely realized his problem and is pretty sincere in apologizing. heck, you have it in an email form in case you ever need to refer to it again. Seeing that your assessment in the satisfaction was fair, I think you'll likely always get decent service from them from now on.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CRussel
[B]xviper, I think you're too cynical about this one. Seriously. I've been managing people in a customer service setting for several years now, and I've had to both apologize for my own shortcomings and discipline someone for theirs. In both cases, it was someone who was tired, having problems outside of work, and having a really bad day. But in both cases, the apology was sincere because you don't do this job because you want to give bad service. You do it because you _care_ about giving good service, and if you fail at that, you need and want to correct the problem.

 

Well maybe he'll think twice before he says anything for now on. He may not mean it but that doesn't mean he has to take it out on the client. You might have just made life easier for another customer But I wouldn't go back though, but thats just me I quit going to my usual Honda dealership because they didn't wash my car which was included with an oil change.They said it was because my top was down To me it just ment they were to lazy.

 

I agree with CRussl but would go even further. We constantly read about service managers/employees who give bad service and do nothing about it even when a complaint is brought forward. In this situation, he apologizes and gives you a free oil change as a peace offering. If it were me, I would be gracious about it. Call him and thank him for the gesture. The end result that could occur is that the two of you know each other and the next time you have to go in for a service he will remember you and will probably give really great service (especially now that you have made it clear that you are not going to put up with that). At worst, nothing will change. If that happens, find a new dealer to get your S2K serviced. You really have nothing to lose.

 

I had to change dealers too ... my were just to stuck up...only one on the area for 60 miles...

but on another note the S2000 LIGHTS ARE BAD ASS THE NEXT BEST THING TO SUNLIGHT THAT IS WHY people are flashing you .. they flash me all the time .. I just wish it was a women pulling up her shirt