What should have been a single service visit turned into FOUR trips to Shrewsbury.
How they let me down:
1) Failed to fix a problem on the first visit. They called it "fixed" though, and charged the expense against my extended warranty. Had me pick up my car (and ultimately determine myself that it wasn't fixed). Sufficient testing of their own "fix" would have shown them that it was not, in fact, fixed. Poor service and poor QA.
2) Arranged for me to pick up a loaner a week and a half in advance but failed to coordinate internally. Result was me leaving work early to pick up my loaner and being informed, while I am en route mind you, not a week and a half earlier, that they don't give out loaners on Fridays for over the weekend. No apologies rendered. Poor internal communications. Lack of internal coordination and awareness of their own policies. And no loaner for me. I need to reschedule.
3) Left work early to drop off the car for my rescheduled service visit three days later, got my loaner, and was told the car would be ready the next day. They offered to even get my car inspected for me (something they don't normally do--even for new car sales) because they felt bad that I had had to come back at all because they hadn't fixed the problem the first time, and also because they had dropped the ball on the loaner. This promise demonstrates at least an attempt at good customer service.
4) They tell me they need to keep the car an extra day to get it inspected, but that they need to replace some bulbs or it will likely fail the inspection. They also tell me I need new wipers, again, in the context of indicating the car might fail inspection. I wasn't aware/hadn't noticed that any of my bulbs were out, but I say okay anyway, because I recognize that they are right: I might very well fail the inspection if there are any bulbs out. That said, I had JUST replaced my wipers so I knew those were fine. Nothing overtly concerning about any of this just yet. But I now have an uneasy feeling that they might be playing me--especially because of the wipers. But how much can a couple bulbs cost, right? Maybe $20 or a bit more, with parts and labor?
5) Leave work early the next day (for the fourth time now in two weeks) to pick up my car. They tell me a) it cost $140 to replace the bulbs, and b) they didn't inspect the car. Okay, well there goes the one potentially redeeming thing they had tried to do for me from the perspective of customer service. And $140 to replace two bulbs? They claimed it's half an hour per side in labor, plus the cost of the bulbs. Now I know those bulbs are a pain to replace. I've done it a few times myself. But they hadn't told me in advance how much it would cost. And the only reason I had them do it at all is because they were offering to get the car inspected for me!
6) I am, (I think quite fairly), very upset about this latest turn of events--especially in the context of my overall experience to date, and I ask to speak to the Service Mgr. He is completely apathetic and unapologetic and offers to take $35 off the $140--the cost of the inspection they didn't do?! I tell him my time is worth far more than that, and that this has been the worst customer service experience I've had in a long time. He stands firm. Offers not a word of apology, nor anything beyond the $35.
7) I pay the bill and head home. Call the Sales Mgr on my way home to let him know that his Service Dept ensured I would never buy another car from them again. He is apologetic, says he will talk with the powers that be. Calls me back the next day and lets me know that there is nothing else he can do for me. But hopes I will give Patrick Subaru another chance.
Not a chance, Patrick Subaru. Not a chance. Your organization obviously does enough volume that it has lost sight of the importance of retaining the loyalty and trust of your individual customers. read more