| Author | Message | ||
     Wceviper |
If you tell a customer their bike will be done on a specific date, but it gets done early, They will be happy If you tell a customer their bike will be done on a specific date, but its not, please be kind enough to call and explain the issue, AND the resolution with a new estimated completion date. heres whats going on, Bike has been in the shop for almost 20 days. I dropped it off on a friday before I went on vacation and told them I wouldn't be back till next thursday, but I could be reached via cell phone. the following week I get a phone call asking to check out a few things on my engine and to authorize time. I said ok, please call me back with the results. 24 hours later I had to call and see what the results were. I was then asked to drop off a part (Told them I could not do it till i got back) and they would call the warrenty service. I dropped the parts off that friday morning when I got back. I asked to see the damage pieces. Since I didnt want to be without my bike (who does in this nice weather) I told them I would pay for repairs if warrenty would not cover the work and authorized them to order needed parts. Now being anxious about the cost I called the following monday around 5pm to get a status. I am told they have no status that they have to call warrenty company still. Tuesday morning the warrenty guy shows up, tuesday late-afternoon warrenty company says no. (I still dont get a phone call). Wednesday morning I call and find out. I told them to complete the work, said I would pay for it, and asked for the cost and when would my bike be done. (this is 12 days after I originally dropped it off) I was told the bike may get back to the bench on friday, if the bike (now ahead of me) gets completed on time. Friday late-afternoon I call to see if my bike made it to the bench yet and was told no (and I wasn't told when). Saturday afternoon I stopped by on my way to work. Bike had not been worked on, still wasnt given a completion date. At this point I am starting to lose my patients. Monday afternoon I call and ask for a status. I was told the mechanic was out sick. 2 days later (today, 19 days later) I stopped by after my day of work to check status. No suprise, The bike still hasnt been touched. I was not leaving without a date of completion. I was told that the same bike I was waiting behind, still was not complete. so its been a 40 hour work week on 1 motorcycle, and its still not done. Remaining calm I asked when my bike would be done. I was told when the bike ahead of me is done. I then told (who I believe is the service manager) that I am starting to lose my patients. Tell me when you think it will be done, give me a firm date. I wasnt asking for tomorrow, or friday, I just wanted to know when it would be done. Then I wouldn't call or stop by to check status. Here is the kicker, I was told I could "Lose my patients all I want" that it wasn't going to make a difference. At this point I asked my service rep how much labor time was on my bike and how much notice to pick up my bike. I was told if I pick it up part of the engine would be in a box (which i expected as the answer). Then the service manager told me it would be worked on this friday. I cannot believe a shop can be that rude to customers. sorry for the long post. Service being done is rear vavle replacement, I was told 6 hours of labor+ parts according to the service books they go by. After I pick up my bike the shop name will be posted so future customers don't have to get the same treatment. I often wonder if looking young has anything todo with the service I receive. | ||
| Smitty808 |
Not to fuel the flames...but the shop I work at does trike conversions on Goldwings. I can do a complete trike conversion in less than 40 hours! What are they doing to the other bike?!? Is this a factory service center? or a freelance shop? If we get backed up, and have problems getting a bike done on time(a couple days late at the most!), we always call, and keep the owner informed what is going on. I don't know about everyone else, but Honda has a great customer service line, if you call with a problem, they will call the dealer in question, and get to the bottom of it! I hope everything works out. | ||
| Wceviper |
They are working on a new police motorcycle, putting on lights and sirens and such. It is a harley/buell dealership. | ||
| Iamike |
Jason, Learn to fix this stuff yourself and you'll be much happier. Most of the things can be done in your own garage. I keep saying that if a car dealer treated its customers like these HD shops do, they'd be out of business. | ||
| Rmp |
Sounds like they might need a new mechanic. Or just a new service manager by the sound of things. I always stress that curtiousy goes a long way with me and therfore can't stand when people don't keep me informed. It doesn't take one minute to pick up the phone and let the customer know what is, or in this case, what is not going on. That's what good customer service is all about. I can assume you'll never recommend this shop for anything now. Good Luck, Rob | ||
| Medic_2512 |
Seems like the norm for Buell repairs lately. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I walked into my Dayton dealer, wheel in hand and off bike, at lunchtime, with no appointment. They took the wheel, mounted a new Pirelli Scorpion (that they had in stock) while I waited, and I was out of there in under an hour. Under $120 for the tire, under $30 for the mounting. I dropped in a few days later to order a new lightning tail bag. While I was chatting with the guy at the counter and he was trying to find it in the parts catalog, the other guy walked around back, shuffled a few things, came back out front and dropped said tail bag on the counter. Didn't need to know the part number, didn't need to check to see if it was in stock, he knew right where it was. That's my norm. There are good dealers out there. They still make honest mistakes, but so do I. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
1. Buy Trailer. 2. After one lie, put bike in trailer, take it somewhere, anywhere else. 3. Things dont EVER get better at this kind of shop, they just get worse and worse. Replacing a valve is a big job for the home mechanic, but most Buell work isn't. Ordering the parts book and shop manual from Daves, (one of our sponsors, Appleton HD), and all of my parts from him, has turned my Buell ownership experience from one of total frustration to a very pleasant pastime. I wish I knew why Harley dealers feel immune from the normal rules of honesty and politeness, but it has worked for them for years, so I don't expect it to change soon. | ||
| Cerbero |
my bad experiences have never quite reached that level... but they come close! i really wish i didn't have to rely on a dealer for my services, but i don't have much choice... not all of us have garages! i don't even have a driveway. if i want to work on my bike, i get to do it on the sidewalk in front of my building (living in a large city kinda changes things)... so, those of you with space to work on your bikes should feel lucky! | ||
| Drfuyutsuki |
I am lucky enough to have a car hole, I mean port, and daring enough to do most work on my own. The few experiences I have had with the dealer and backstreet shops around SLC have been pleasant enough. I get a used to get a little flak from pure H-D dealer closest to me when I would call looking for parts. Though the parts guy and girl know me pretty well now and we even BS about Buells when I can take the time. |
