Contrasting customer service experiences - BMW

Nonoperational

Car shopping with a family member the past week. Started off by phoning 2 BMW main dealers about specific cars. Phoned a big Cork dealer and a Tipperary dealer.

Cork dealer never phoned back. Tipperary dealer phoned back later in the day apologising for the delay. Went to see the cars, Cork dealer offered a test drive "around the yard", Tipp guy went on a 10 minute spin with us. Big contrast in the salesmen too.

When it came to making the deal, the Tipp guy was 2k cheaper for a slightly better car. Needless to say we did the deal, and to be honest I'd be hesitant to go back to the Cork garage even for servicing despite it being much closer. I was pretty amazed with the contrast in everything from attitude to the deal itself.

Looking forward to having a proper drive in the car now, but it really struck me how poor one experience was and how good the other. Really strange behaviour when your trying to sell a car. Car is a 13 520d so it's a decent size deal.

SleeperService

If it's the same tipp dealer I dealt with recently, then yeah they seem more professional and motivated to sell in contrast with the "you are a huge inconvenience to me, I may sell you a car if you beg me" types.
And twas only a sold as seen trade in I was interested in!

Nonoperational

The Tipp guys were Morrissons, no problem saying they were decent to deal with!

Blazer

Strange from Cork branch..I showed up in Conlans in Limerick and they just handed me over the keys to a 5 series to take it out for a spin on my own.
No hassle whatsoever.

bear1

Blazer wrote: »

Strange from Cork branch..I showed up in Conlans in Limerick and they just handed me over the keys to a 5 series to take it out for a spin on my own.
No hassle whatsoever.

Where's the car now?
If I had to guess then it might be that in Cork they will just think "oh another one will be along soon anyway"
Whereas in Tipp it would be harder so they try harder to get the deal, and it worked.
Idiotic carry on anyway by the Cork one.

Stallingrad

OP you should really email this link to the dealer in Cork, this is the kind of feedback dealers need to hear.

spank_inferno

Who was the Cork dealer?

biko

Some dealers are good and some just don't give a toss, oddly.

Rowley Birkin QC

Stallingrad wrote: »

OP you should really email this link to the dealer in Cork, this is the kind of feedback dealers need to hear.

100% do this and make sure you tell them that you bought a car from the other dealer.

I run a sales team and would definitely want to hear about this if one of my guys acted like the person you dealt with in Cork.

Truckermal

spank_inferno wrote: »

Who was the Cork dealer?

There is only one funnily enough a friend of mine had a very similar situation whilst looking for a fairly new 3 series. The salesman insisted that he look at older cars out the back just because he was driving my Avensis which he borrowed of me.

bear1

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

100% do this and make sure you tell them that you bought a car from the other dealer.

I run a sales team and would definitely want to hear about this if one of my guys acted like the person you dealt with in Cork.

Just curious here, but what you do to the salesperson?

Rowley Birkin QC

bear1 wrote: »

Just curious here, but what you do to the salesperson?

I'd mention the client to him, ask if he received a mail. If so, did he reply to it. If not, why not? Then ask him for his version of events when the client went to the effort of calling in. All of this would be prefaced by the fact that the client went and spent money elsewhere and went to the trouble of posting on an online forum.

If I wasn't happy with responses, there would be at least a warning. No room for dead weight and loss of reputation on teams that run tight margins.

I don't work in car sales but the same principles apply. If someone goes to the trouble of contacting you, you make damn sure that you get back to them.

bear1

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

I'd mention the client to him, ask if he received a mail. If so, did he reply to it. If not, why not? Then ask him for his version of events when the client went to the effort of calling in. All of this would be prefaced by the fact that the client went and spent money elsewhere and went to the trouble of posting on an online forum.

If I wasn't happy with responses, there would be at least a warning. No room for dead weight and loss of reputation on teams that run tight margins.

I don't work in car sales but the same principles apply. If someone goes to the trouble of contacting you, you make damn sure that you get back to them.

Fair play Rowley, you sound like a proper manager. Country needs more of your types it seems

limpopo

The Cork BMW monopoly has ended up with nothing but poor customer service as the OP has stated. A family member was in the market for an X5 about 6 months ago (trading a 07 X5 for an 11) - ended up going with Conlon's in Kildare due to a massive €10k price to change difference and their brilliant hassle free sales process. Salesman met us halfway between Kildare and home (West Waterford) for a test drive, agreed price over the phone beforehand and the deal was sealed. Kearys were totally unsatisfactory only budging by €500 on an almost €70k car. Conlons will have our business in future!!

Nonoperational

In fairness, this was an isolated experience with one salesman. It could have been totally different with a different guy so I'm reluctant to be too critical. Somebody else could go in and find him great.

What I thought was poor though was firstly not returning the call, but then when we said we never drove a 520d he hesitated and suggested we spin around the yard, which is a very strange tactic in my opinion! If anyone saw us, trying to pretend the car was great and we barely in second gear. Looking back I should have politely declined the offer...

I might drop an email later, but I don't want to get on anyones back either. Cheers for the replies!

For Forks Sake

There's a rating and comment section on the front page of each BMW dealers website to allow feedback on their Sales and Service sections.....

http://www.morrisonbmw.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=fiveStar

http://www.kearysbmw.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=fiveStar

Viper_JB

For Forks Sake wrote: »

There's a rating and comment section on the front page of each BMW dealers website to allow feedback on their Sales and Service sections.....

http://www.morrisonbmw.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=fiveStar

http://www.kearysbmw.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=fiveStar

Wow...that has to be doctored, either that or they're picking only the best comments...ya actually says it in the rating explanation

BMW screens all comments to remove any objectionable material. If you wish to withdraw your survey, please contact the Dealer involved who can arrange this for you.

I wonder what objectionable material covers....

bazz26

Ahern's in Castleisland, Kerry are very good to deal with too.

Drummerboy08

I can't understand a Car Salesman who acts like this. Do they want to make money or not?

TBi

Wouldn't go near the Keary's BMW in cork. They used be good before O'Leary's closed, those guys were attocious to deal with. Apparently a lot of ex O'Leary's guys moved to Keary's and it went downhill after that.

I've heard good things about Morrisons though, especially through the mini club where they will honour the BMW warranty when Keary's wouldn't.

DrivingIsFun

My first post.

I have been looking at used BMW cars over the last couple of weeks. I have been visiting BMW dealers here in Dublin and the difference between them is incredible. In two of them the salesmen were extremely helpful and courteous in the third the salesman was extremely curt. So much so that I felt the need to email the dealer.

I think those ratings only apply to people purchasing new cars?

For Forks Sake

Viper_JB wrote: »

Wow...that has to be doctored, either that or they're picking only the best comments...ya actually says it in the rating explanation



I wonder what objectionable material covers....

I was merely pointing out it's existence, no idea as to the content, although I had a quick flick through the comments/ratings and there were some negative ones got through.

ian87

Having dealt with the cork BMW garage I can only echo the past statements. Brought in my 08 320d with a view to maybe trading it in against an 09 123d. After being left stand for over half an hour I was told to call back later as the car couldnt be driven due to it needing a new part but he would ask the service manager was it ok to drive. found this slightly suss but took him at his word. In the meantime I went over to the service desk to enquire about a pad service. Was chatting to the service manager as he checked the computer etc and said I was disappointed the 123d was out of action as I'd driven the whole way to see it. He looks at me and says that car is perfect, who told you that? I decided to call their bluff.
Dropped the missus to Mahon and came back an hour or so later. Asked what looked like the dealer principle could I take out the 1 series for a drive and was told no problem, I'll get the keys to which I replied "oh that's great, another salesman told me it was broken down." DP tells me hang on there, and goes out to 1st salesman. He didn't see me walking out behind him and shouts over laughing, what ****e are you spouting?!?! He then turns around to see me standing there less than impressed.
Granted I was a 25 yo guy coming in so I can understand if they thought I may be a timewaster but surely somebody driving a fairly up the years cheap tax daysul BMW that would have a strong retail value within their garage should be treated better than "some young lad trading in a battered corsa" as I felt. (Not that my money is better than a battered corsa's driver)
Spoke to the 1st salesman again out of pure stubbornness and kept asking him questions about the "mystery part" and why nobody else knew of it. All he could do was stutter vague answers knowing full well I was on to him and ask me if we could do a deal woul I definitely buy the car. He took my details and text me a few days later saying I was welcome to come back and view and when would I like to arrange a drive to which he got a very harsh reply.

Tldr; went into kearys and treated like a time waster when I was anything but.

Moneymaker

The attitude of some car salesmen really baffles me.

You'd think they'd be delighted with a potential sale and do their utmost to please you, whereas the reality is quite a few are the exact opposite.

I don't understand.