So you’ve finally splashed out on a new car. The price was right and the trade-in was fair, but in three months you’ve had nothing but trouble with the bloody thing and the mechanic seems stumped. The manufacturing company’s MD won’t take your calls, the dealer principal has gone off for the holidays, his workshop manager says he can’t do any more and the salesman says his hands are tied. Now it’s time for you to go out there and kill some bastard. Don’t.
The Office of the independent Motor Industries Adjudicator has been operating for just over a year and of the 1 347 complaints it received only 67 required arbitration. In most cases, if the customer had acted fairly but firmly the problems would have been resolved much earlier and without bloodshed.
One of the biggest problems is that there are many liars out there who make life difficult for the rest of us who just expect fair treatment. In one case this year the adjudicator was called in when a manufacturer was hesitant to accede to a buyer’s demands for replacement of a car that had sprouted a mysterious coating of rust. A little digging revealed that a tow-truck operator had been called to retrieve the car from a lagoon some months after purchase. Financial folly is another headache — people who’ve bought cars and find they can’t afford the payments try to return the car for a full refund, citing non-existent problems to justify their demands.
But by far the biggest problem is distrust of big business, allied with ignorance of how problems should be resolved. Car buyers threaten the dealers with the press, and try to contact the top dogs of the importers or manufacturers to tell them their tale of woe at the first hint of trouble. A little restraint and common sense is usually a better approach.
Start with the dealer, be fair, and if you have no joy contact the manufacturer or importer’s regional office for help. Only if you can’t come right at regional level should you move on to the head office’s customer-care department. Short circuiting the system slows the process down because the matter then has to be referred back down through the channels to dealer level to confirm ownership and warranty details and establish what has been done to fix the fault. Don’t try to phone the manu- facturer’s head honcho. He doesn’t have the time to deal with complaints. It’s not that he doesn’t care; he pays whole departments lots of money to attend to customer problems.
Of course, the motor companies are also very often at fault. You do get odd cars that give unusual problems, and solving them can be troublesome. When your money’s already in the bank the dealer’s motivation to keep you happy may have declined somewhat. Spares availability can be a headache, which shouldn’t be the customer’s problem but sometimes is. Be firm, and work your way up the ladder of responsibility if this is the case.
Other industry failings that the adjudicator has identified include:
Abdication of responsibilities: The motor dealer is the customer’s first port of call. However, certain dealers deliberately abdicate their responsibility by referring customers directly to the manufacturers/importers. Insist that the dealer has a fair go at solving the problem before sending you off on a wild goose chase.
Overselling: Overeager sales people tend to make promises that cannot be kept. Be ruthless, as long as you are sure you are right. Enough customer complaints should help modify this behaviour.
Underselling: Technical staff generally find it difficult to explain technical procedures in a way that the layman can understand. This often results in the customer not comprehending the full extent of the problem he is experiencing with a vehicle and the costs involved. Make sure you understand the problem, or get a technically inclined friend to find out exactly what’s going on.
Communication: Proper and effective communication between customers and motor dealers is of cardinal importance for both parties. Not only does this rule out costly misunderstandings, but it also forms the basis for good relations.
Time: Increasing the time spent with the customer while selling and delivering the vehicle greatly reduces the chances of open warfare later. Features, technical details, warranties, maintenance and general car care tips should be explained. This is also true for the workshop staff. Customers should be made aware of the extent of the work being carried out and the costs involved with each repair job.
You have the right to expect your dealer to tackle problems cleanly and professionally, and he expects you to do the same with your complaint. Don’t fall for tall stories, but don’t be a difficult customer either. And if all else fails you can take your grievance to the Motor Industries Adjudicator. Fax your complaint to (012) 348-9303 or e-mail it to [email protected].