Customer Service
Discussion
Am I over reacting? am I being unreasonable ?
Anyone else having poor customers service?
Obviously to adhear to Ted's, no naming and shaming policy, i've blanked out the details.
________________________________________________________________________
Dear xxxxx,
I've not yet received an Aston Martin 'European Emergency Service' card for the V8?
Can you confirm this service is still operative with AML? As I'm planning some European travel soon.
or is my DB9 card still in valid, as this says it doesn't expire until 10-06-2007?
(policy No. xxxxxxxx)
Regards
Stuart
_________________________________________________________________________
The reply
Dear Stuart,
I have registered the warranty the Aston Martin Dealer Communication Service (on line) on xxx Jan 2006 which is the day you took the car.
If paperwork has yet to arrive it is out of my hands, for that matter I have not received documents for our last 2 demos both 6 and 3 months old respectively ?
Best Regards
xxxxxx xxxxx
_________________________________________________________________________
My retort
Dear XXXXXX,
So where does that leave me for my foreign travel. I am fully covered for Mechanical breakdowns and assistance or not ?
As you say "it's out of your hands", so who do you suggest I speak to on your behalf ? I'm sorry but that really isn't good enough.
Will you be chasing up Aston Martin to find out where these documents are or are you too busy?
It's all a bit of a shit show I'm afraid XXXXX
For someone who has had four Aston Martin's and been a loyal customer with XXXXXXXXXX, I really feel like I'm being treated like sh*t.
Things HAVE to improve mate.
Stuart
_________________________________________________________________________
This is just one communication between us after a catolgue of poor service.
I'm saddened to say my dealer has gone from the best ever, with nothings too much trouble, to the worst. Not returning calls and excuses for everything.
As I said where's the benefit of staying loyal ?
Sad Shady
It's a good job the car is fantastic, otherwise I would have thrown the towel in ages ago.
>> Edited by shadytree on Wednesday 15th February 10:26
Anyone else having poor customers service?
Obviously to adhear to Ted's, no naming and shaming policy, i've blanked out the details.
________________________________________________________________________
Dear xxxxx,
I've not yet received an Aston Martin 'European Emergency Service' card for the V8?
Can you confirm this service is still operative with AML? As I'm planning some European travel soon.
or is my DB9 card still in valid, as this says it doesn't expire until 10-06-2007?
(policy No. xxxxxxxx)
Regards
Stuart
_________________________________________________________________________
The reply
Dear Stuart,
I have registered the warranty the Aston Martin Dealer Communication Service (on line) on xxx Jan 2006 which is the day you took the car.
If paperwork has yet to arrive it is out of my hands, for that matter I have not received documents for our last 2 demos both 6 and 3 months old respectively ?
Best Regards
xxxxxx xxxxx
_________________________________________________________________________
My retort
Dear XXXXXX,
So where does that leave me for my foreign travel. I am fully covered for Mechanical breakdowns and assistance or not ?
As you say "it's out of your hands", so who do you suggest I speak to on your behalf ? I'm sorry but that really isn't good enough.
Will you be chasing up Aston Martin to find out where these documents are or are you too busy?
It's all a bit of a shit show I'm afraid XXXXX
For someone who has had four Aston Martin's and been a loyal customer with XXXXXXXXXX, I really feel like I'm being treated like sh*t.
Things HAVE to improve mate.
Stuart
_________________________________________________________________________
This is just one communication between us after a catolgue of poor service.
I'm saddened to say my dealer has gone from the best ever, with nothings too much trouble, to the worst. Not returning calls and excuses for everything.
As I said where's the benefit of staying loyal ?
Sad Shady
It's a good job the car is fantastic, otherwise I would have thrown the towel in ages ago.
>> Edited by shadytree on Wednesday 15th February 10:26
Well... still no reply to my email so here is my response to my now 'former' dealership.
edited to exclude names to adhear to the no naming and shaming policy
___________________________________________________________________________
Dear XXXXXXX,
Being a ‘four-time’ Aston Martin owner’ has been one of the most enjoyable experiences in my life, but since Aston Martin’s rapid growth at Gaydon, and the launch of more than two models, the level of service from the Sales side from XXXXXX in XXXXXX has I feel, gradually declined to a now unacceptable level. I consider myself to be a patient and understanding owner, but even I have to draw the line at certain points. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am one of Aston Martin Lagonda’s biggest fans, and I have taken an avid interest in the history and passion attached to the famous marque, as well as supporting Aston Martin Racing’s re-assurgence by attending race meets. It is far more than just a car as far as I am concerned.
When I stepped onto the Aston Martin ladder with a purchase of a second-hand ‘straight six DB7’, I was immediately embraced into the Aston Martin family spirit and the attendant experience. Subsequent purchases of a new DB7 Vantage, then a DB9, and to my current V8 Vantage only go to show how much I love and respect the marque. Unfortunately, with the growth of Aston Martin, it looks as if your dealership has seriously miscalculated the level of expansion needed to maintain a good relationship with existing customers. Since awaiting delivery of the V8 Vantage, the ownership experience has been tainted by constant poor customer service, and the lack of attention to simple client courtesies and needs.
The build up to delivery of my V8 was a battle to extract information about schedules, but when I sat in the dealership after delivery, I saw just how easy this was by looking up the build schedules in the company website. It only took a few seconds. It’s not so much the lack of information, it’s just being kept informed. I know for a fact that other customers have similar experiences. Whilst XXXXXX expanded their dealership to a bigger premises, your business was run out of a Portakabin sharing with the XXXXXX marque, which obviously made your life somewhat difficult, but whenever I telephoned I was more often than not given the impression that I was bothering you, and you were too busy to talk to me, then your mobile would ‘go off’, which is extremely annoying as a customer.
My dissatisfaction was heightened by the sale of my DB9. I believe the level of attention and care that went into making the sale over quite a lengthy period, was extremely low, and the guidance regarding the correct level of pricing and state of the second hand market, were not communicated well. After it was finally sold on my behalf, it took over one month for XXXXXXXX to pay me the residual amount that was due to me. When I confronted you about such issues, I was always met with excuses and an apparent lack of priority. Then after being assured the cheque was ‘in the post’, I was then told it was not, and that the money would be transferred to my account by midday the following day. Of course in reality, it took another two days.
Recently ‘the straw that broke the camels back’ was the email to yourself requesting the whereabouts of my Aston Martin 'European Emergency Service' card for the V8. I was met with a response of ‘it’s out of my hands’, but after I made a simple telephone call to customer services at Gaydon, the card was immediately dispatched and I received it within a couple of days.
Being an Aston Martin owner I consider to be one of life’s privileges and the level of service a customer receives should also match the owner’s expectations after spending nearly, or over a hundred thousand pounds on a motor car. If I did not care about Aston Martin as a marque, I would not make such a big thing about this, but I do care, and I would not like to know that potential customers were being turned off or disappointed with customer service that lack basic client skills and good business practice, particularly after a deposit has been paid and an order placed. Therefore after considerable patience and with some sadness, I have decided that ‘enough is enough’ and that I shall be moving my current Aston Martin dealings to XXXXXXXXX at XXXXXXX, and to my former Franchise Manager, XXXXXXXXX. They will also be receiving my future orders as well.
In many ways I regret have to take this action, as in the early days of our business relationship, I was very content with the service that you provided, but something has changed, and I no longer have sufficient confidence or trust in the service for ‘pre-sales and the waiting period leading up to and during the build phase’.
Yours sincerely
Stuart Ansell
_____________________________________________________________________________
I hope I conveyed my feelings adequately in this communication and my intention that I want to help AML repair any damage made.
Shady
edited to exclude names to adhear to the no naming and shaming policy
___________________________________________________________________________
Dear XXXXXXX,
Being a ‘four-time’ Aston Martin owner’ has been one of the most enjoyable experiences in my life, but since Aston Martin’s rapid growth at Gaydon, and the launch of more than two models, the level of service from the Sales side from XXXXXX in XXXXXX has I feel, gradually declined to a now unacceptable level. I consider myself to be a patient and understanding owner, but even I have to draw the line at certain points. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am one of Aston Martin Lagonda’s biggest fans, and I have taken an avid interest in the history and passion attached to the famous marque, as well as supporting Aston Martin Racing’s re-assurgence by attending race meets. It is far more than just a car as far as I am concerned.
When I stepped onto the Aston Martin ladder with a purchase of a second-hand ‘straight six DB7’, I was immediately embraced into the Aston Martin family spirit and the attendant experience. Subsequent purchases of a new DB7 Vantage, then a DB9, and to my current V8 Vantage only go to show how much I love and respect the marque. Unfortunately, with the growth of Aston Martin, it looks as if your dealership has seriously miscalculated the level of expansion needed to maintain a good relationship with existing customers. Since awaiting delivery of the V8 Vantage, the ownership experience has been tainted by constant poor customer service, and the lack of attention to simple client courtesies and needs.
The build up to delivery of my V8 was a battle to extract information about schedules, but when I sat in the dealership after delivery, I saw just how easy this was by looking up the build schedules in the company website. It only took a few seconds. It’s not so much the lack of information, it’s just being kept informed. I know for a fact that other customers have similar experiences. Whilst XXXXXX expanded their dealership to a bigger premises, your business was run out of a Portakabin sharing with the XXXXXX marque, which obviously made your life somewhat difficult, but whenever I telephoned I was more often than not given the impression that I was bothering you, and you were too busy to talk to me, then your mobile would ‘go off’, which is extremely annoying as a customer.
My dissatisfaction was heightened by the sale of my DB9. I believe the level of attention and care that went into making the sale over quite a lengthy period, was extremely low, and the guidance regarding the correct level of pricing and state of the second hand market, were not communicated well. After it was finally sold on my behalf, it took over one month for XXXXXXXX to pay me the residual amount that was due to me. When I confronted you about such issues, I was always met with excuses and an apparent lack of priority. Then after being assured the cheque was ‘in the post’, I was then told it was not, and that the money would be transferred to my account by midday the following day. Of course in reality, it took another two days.
Recently ‘the straw that broke the camels back’ was the email to yourself requesting the whereabouts of my Aston Martin 'European Emergency Service' card for the V8. I was met with a response of ‘it’s out of my hands’, but after I made a simple telephone call to customer services at Gaydon, the card was immediately dispatched and I received it within a couple of days.
Being an Aston Martin owner I consider to be one of life’s privileges and the level of service a customer receives should also match the owner’s expectations after spending nearly, or over a hundred thousand pounds on a motor car. If I did not care about Aston Martin as a marque, I would not make such a big thing about this, but I do care, and I would not like to know that potential customers were being turned off or disappointed with customer service that lack basic client skills and good business practice, particularly after a deposit has been paid and an order placed. Therefore after considerable patience and with some sadness, I have decided that ‘enough is enough’ and that I shall be moving my current Aston Martin dealings to XXXXXXXXX at XXXXXXX, and to my former Franchise Manager, XXXXXXXXX. They will also be receiving my future orders as well.
In many ways I regret have to take this action, as in the early days of our business relationship, I was very content with the service that you provided, but something has changed, and I no longer have sufficient confidence or trust in the service for ‘pre-sales and the waiting period leading up to and during the build phase’.
Yours sincerely
Stuart Ansell
_____________________________________________________________________________
I hope I conveyed my feelings adequately in this communication and my intention that I want to help AML repair any damage made.
Shady
Whilst I agree with everything you have said, I suspect that the dealer in question will no care one little bit about your experiences, although will get the secretary to send you a generic apology letter.
This seems to be the case with most dealers these days, including Porsche, Ferrari, etc, etc. I can only assume the reason being that nowadays, with a lot more money around & with new fandangled finance schemes, £100k cars are now within the reach of a greater amount of people & therefore filling the dealers quota is relatively easy.
Its a shame. As you said owning an Aston, as with certain other marques, is as much about the 'whole' experience, not just driving of the car. I hope that one day in the not too distant future that I am in the position to own an Aston, but hearing of experiences such as this does put potential clients off a tad.
As a sideline, the girlfriends/fiance's boss took delivery of his AMV8 in January, and with 400 miles on it had to be returned for an engine rebuild. The dealer was, so I understand, a little offhand with him originally, however in the end they have agreed to replace the vehicle with another brand new one FOC.
This seems to be the case with most dealers these days, including Porsche, Ferrari, etc, etc. I can only assume the reason being that nowadays, with a lot more money around & with new fandangled finance schemes, £100k cars are now within the reach of a greater amount of people & therefore filling the dealers quota is relatively easy.
Its a shame. As you said owning an Aston, as with certain other marques, is as much about the 'whole' experience, not just driving of the car. I hope that one day in the not too distant future that I am in the position to own an Aston, but hearing of experiences such as this does put potential clients off a tad.
As a sideline, the girlfriends/fiance's boss took delivery of his AMV8 in January, and with 400 miles on it had to be returned for an engine rebuild. The dealer was, so I understand, a little offhand with him originally, however in the end they have agreed to replace the vehicle with another brand new one FOC.
hobo said:
Whilst I agree with everything you have said, I suspect that the dealer in question will no care one little bit about your experiences, although will get the secretary to send you a generic apology letter.
Yes I realise they will probably go, Oh well that's a shame, never mind, knowing they still have a huge client base. So that's why I also CC it to AML customer services as well, so hopefully they can sort it out, and see what is happening at dealer level (well my one anyway), so new potential owners don't get put off by hearing of poor service.
>> Edited by shadytree on Tuesday 21st February 09:47
We've got our deposit down at the same dealer, and I have to say I've been very much underwhelemed with the experience so far...
I'd have been disappointed with the way we've been treated if we were buying a Ford Focus, so when you're looking at spending £80k+ on an Aston Martin, which for us will almost certainly be a once in a lifetime experience, it's even more galling.
I'd have been disappointed with the way we've been treated if we were buying a Ford Focus, so when you're looking at spending £80k+ on an Aston Martin, which for us will almost certainly be a once in a lifetime experience, it's even more galling.
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff