In his latest column for PV, DAVE WARD on why there’s nothing worse than bad service…
The story I’m about to tell is on-going. Right now, I’m living with a feeling of frustration that gets more intense with every passing day. It’s a long time since I’ve felt so let down by people and their promises and to be honest I just wish the sorry saga would come to an end.
Some say ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and the truth is, there was nothing wrong with my treasured Lotus Elise when I decided to have some major work done on it. Those who know me well are aware that I fall into the category of ‘petrol head’; that I love my motor sport and that I am pretty passionate about cars, full stop. I wanted to make the Elise more powerful by having a completely new engine installed.
Garages capable of undertaking such a job are few and far between, as you might imagine; but there was one in particular that caught my attention and I called them. I was told that they’d be able to start work on the car in around four or five weeks and that the job would take a couple of weeks to complete.
This was great news; I had thought that there was every chance I’d have to wait months.
- Once on track, but now, off the road…
Alas, the phrase ‘too good to be true’ came to mind when the garage called me shortly after the deal was done and told me that, in fact, they wouldn’t be able to start work for six or seven weeks (which then became seven to eight weeks in short order) and that the job might take a mite longer than a fortnight, to boot.
Suddenly, an experience that ought to have been an unmitigated pleasure had turned into a heart-grinding, stomach-turning ordeal. I won’t bore you with the sorry details, but believe me, it’s been ‘one thing after another’ ever since.My worry now is that I may even miss my scheduled track day at Silverstone.
‘We have a simple philosophy at N&W along the lines of ‘if we say we’ll do it, we do it.’
My chosen garage may have a reputation for engineering excellence but they couldn’t manage their way out of a paper bag. As a ‘petrol head’, this was my ‘Once In A Lifetime’ experience. Some people want to trek to Machu-Pichu, or publish a novel, or have tea at The Ritz. I wanted to rub shoulders with some of the most gifted motor engineers in the country and come away with a car I could cherish for the rest of my life. Instead, it’s all gone pear-shaped.
I wouldn’t put my worst enemy through that kind of emotional roller-coaster, let alone my customers. We have a simple philosophy at N&W along the lines of ‘if we say we’ll do it, we do it.’
That’s why 98% all spare parts ordered before 14:45 are delivered within 24 hours, just as we promise they will be.
That’s why 70% of people calling to our technical help line are answered immediately, or called back within 15 minutes, like we said.
Now, if only a certain company of motor engineers would adopt a similar attitude to service, my world would be a better place…
* You can read Dave Ward’s previous PV column here,
Dave Ward is MD of N&W
You can read his personal blog here, Managing In Vending.
