Porsche 911 UK Enthusiasts Online Community Discussion Forum GB

Welcome to the @Porsche911UK website. Register a free account today to become a member! Sign up is quick and easy, then you can view, participate in topics and posts across the site that covers all things Porsche.

Already registered and looking to recovery your account, select 'login in' and then the 'forget your password' option.

OPC Customer Care Shocker

luke

Trainee
Joined
21 Jun 2003
Messages
73
Being the kind of Porsche owner who gets the thrill of driving thing (apologies, evo) but isn't sure how to use a spanner or screw driver (never been able to find the 'on' switch) - I knew I was in for a tough time when a rear brake bulb blew and needed replacing.

I duly turned up at the local OPC (I don't use them for servicing, but was just too embarrassed to take the car to neinmeister), and was courteously shown to a comfy chair, given a cup of very good coffee, 5 mins later the job was finished and as I fished in my pocket for the readies I was told the cost ....nothing! On the House Sir, with our compliments.

I won't mention the name of the OPC in case Porsche GB find out and strike them off the list for momentarily showing a glimmer of how to treat customers well...


Migration info. Legacy thread was 17069
 
Ok Ok well if we have to praise OPC then I went recently and purchased some minor parts (new bracket for the alarm sensor, spare key, spare relay etc..) and I asked if they had a plain key ring. Now I asked if they had just a ring lying around ...... no fob - or nice leather case or such like ..... and I was given a proper crested key ring for NADA !!!

In fact I have had nothing but great service on all aspects of my dealings with my local OPC's in relation to my 993 which now includes some major paintwork with some warranty and non-warranty work, 997 enquiries and general help advise all round.

So I don't mind mentioning Colchester and Cambridge.






Migration info. Legacy thread was 17098
 
I recently left the 996 in for a service, found there was no courtesy car available (they had to be pre-booked, so it was my fault, but the option wasn't even offered to me when I booked the car in).

The service manager said they could deliver the car to my home address on the same day, and they would just phone to get the payment later in the day.

They gave me a lift home, and I called at 4pm to check the progress. The phone rang for ages with no answer, I got through on the second call and asked to speak to the service department. The receptionist said "Oh, they're really busy at the moment". "Riiiiiiight, I booked my car in for a service earlier today" I said.

She replied "You'll have to speak to the service department, I'm just a receptionist, I only answer the phones".

At this point I'm thinking I would like a few more options before I hang up... she then tries to transfer me to the service department. Service guy says how busy they are, and they need to check where the drivers are and he'll phone back in TWO minutes. At Fifteen minutes later, thirty minutes later, and one hour later (now 5pm) I call again, getting the "They're really busy but I'll let them know you phoned" line from the receptionist.

At 5.30, they eventually return my calls, only to say "Sorry, we can't deliver you car today, it will be tomorrow at 10:30, or you can pick it up now. "

Felt a bit miffed, but at least they washed it :)

One other occasion, when waiting in a R*nault garage (oh the shame), I saw a lady complaining that one of her brake lights on her Laguna wasn't working. It's a 15 second job to change the bulb, but they returned 10 minutes later and told her (with a big smile) the cost would be "Only £10" !




Migration info. Legacy thread was 17136
 
On the two occasions I visited OPC Hatfield, they were a most miserable bunch. The second (and last) time I needed to go there, it was because someone had stolen my clear lens front inidcators in the night. Nice. I phoned the parts deparmtent, they told me they had the parts in stock, and I informed him I'd be there within 30 minutes to collect them. On arrival, I was informed that the Parts deparmtent had gone out for a 'meeting' and would not be back until 5pm. Surprisingly - nobody else had a key for the parts department and nothing could be done - come back tomorrow. After about 10 minutes of arguing with one of the people there, I found the dealer principle and got his master key to open the door to Parts. I was bloody annoyed by the whole thing. The first time I got my car serviced there for around £400. Included in the cost was a small black plstic clip that holds the alarm sensor in place - £0.22 + VAT. What a joke. Never again. (Rant over)


Migration info. Legacy thread was 17138
 
Would it be good (permissible?) to start a league table of Customer Satisfaction from OPC's? I have had some widely differing experiences (one excellent, one somewhat less than excellent) from different dealers, but is a "name and shame" campaign a bit legally dubious?

I for one would love to be able to praise the good guys and send them more business just as much as I would like to do the opposite for the guys that couldn't give a monkeys...



Just a thought


Migration info. Legacy thread was 17149
 
Good idea. Anyone out there a defamation lawyer?

Migration info. Legacy thread was 17150
 
Hi well let me share my experience. I asked my local OPC the price of a 6000, and 12000 mile service for my carrera. £300 and vat for 6000 miles service and £1000 for a 12000 service. Hourly rate £87.50 and vat.

Complete rip off. I have just paid £400 for a 12000 service. My car is a weekend car, if I owned a newer car there is no way i would go to a OPC at these prices!!!




Migration info. Legacy thread was 17176
 
Hi there.
In the past, I have practised some defamation law (although I am a commcercial lawyer, rather than a libel lawyer, and this post should be read in that context and not as specific advice to anyone (yes, spot the lawyer ...)). So, in true lawyer-style numbered bullet points:


(1) A league table would probably not be defamatory at all. Neither would a "Name and Shame" campaign, provided that the opinions expressed were honestly held and what was said was true.


(2) What would inevitably excite OPCs' lawyers would be comments that amounted to unjustified attacks on reputation. The law allows you to say what's true or to comment on a fact based on truth. You can say you were libelled if there's a risk of your being
hated, ridiculed, viewed with contempt,
lowered in the standing of "right thinking members of society" (whoever they are ...), or
discredited in your trade. A simple scan of any Internet forum (including this one) will show how much of a grey area this can be.


(3)
The other thing to be wary of is that libel actions are very expensive indeed, for all sorts of reasons (including the fact that they are notoriously difficult to call, Legal Aid is not available and hardly any lawyers take such cases on on a "no win, no fee" basis).


(4) One other point: there is a developing area of caselaw relating to the Internet which is figuring out whether the IP host can be liable in defamation, as well as the person who makes the post (victims of libel, sometimes, may be more likely to go after a company than a private individual (deep pockets, etc.)). While the law's in a state of flux, hosts (possibly) are likely to simply pull the plug on something rather than risk the costs of defending an expensive case.


(5) Basically, it's all about
balancing competing interests of freedom of speech with protecting people from unjustifed attacks.
The trick with all these things is not to let emotions run riot: e.g. compare "I felt that this was way too much for the service they were going to provide and "that total bunch of w**kers were trying to rip me off and basically steal my hard-earned money".


(6)Given all of the above, I would think that the best (and simplest) thing would be to devise a league table on which OPCs could be scored (this would require quite a bit of thought as to the categories, which in theory could be endless) and to collate scores (although such an exercise is of course meaningless without a wide enough sample of people's views).


Sorry, that was a much longer post than I had originally intended (I must be more anxious to avoid reading the four lever arch files of Documents sitting in front of me than I thought ...).


Deeps


Migration info. Legacy thread was 17188
 
btw, I should point out that I am in fact a commercial (and not a commcercial) lawyer (and one who hates proof-reading but still manages to be incredibly anally retentive).




Migration info. Legacy thread was 17201
 
Very informative - if I didn't know better, I'd say you worked for Clifford Chance. Love the idea of a League Table on which to score ones OPC experience.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 17214
 
Thanks Simon W - more "Sue Grabbit & Run" than "Clifford Chance", I suspect though.

I totally agree with you - a League Table is an excellent idea - credit to Steve F for the idea.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 17216
 

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
125,853
Messages
1,460,931
Members
51,282
Latest member
Jase B
Back
Top