Service pricing

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by GJB

This is the main problem the dealers that we used to have dealers who where customer led but now we are getting big companies who are money led and don't care about the customer at all .I was informed by my local dealer they could not sell me a genuine Volvo 2 year extended warranty at approx £700 but a warranty from them at £800 + in the end I had to find out from Volvo who would do the genuine warranty and ended up doing it over the phone
And if anything goes wrong the local dealer knows nothing about personal service it is a case of see you in 2 weeks. The loss of dealers who care is in very short supply as those that did are no longer dealers due to Volvo sacking them as dealers and handing it over to the big could not care less companies.

Whenever I get a Volvo questionnaire after a service I always praise my dealer and point out that they are part of a very small chain. I make a point of saying how customer focused they are and how I never get that service from a big chain. Now if everyone did the same.....

It comes down to what I call the procedurisation of customer service. How can you assure good service? Well you introduce a procedure, if the procedure is followed then the service is good (in theory of course).

Was tea and coffee available? Tick
Was the car washed? Tick
Did you get an itemised bill? Tick

So Volvo sets the procedure, the dealer follows it, and by definition the service must be right. Big chains are far better at this kind of bull**** than the independents so they manage to hoover up all the franchises.

Unfortunately there isn't a tick box procedure for "do they have the slightest f***ing clue what they are talking about" or "Is the drone at the call centre even aware what an XC90 T8 is?"

From my point of view, the fact that I know the master tech by name (and he knows me by name too) and we always exchange pleasantries whenever I am in is worth more than a million ticks on a customer service procedure..... cos I know when I have a problem I can talk it through with him and go on my way with the 100% conviction that he understands the problem and will be personally trying to fix it. I really couldn't ask for more.

[Wizzpop]

From my point of view, the fact that I know the master tech by name (and he knows me by name too) and we always exchange pleasantries whenever I am in is worth more than a million ticks on a customer service procedure..... cos I know when I have a problem I can talk it through with him and go on my way with the 100% conviction that he understands the problem and will be personally trying to fix it. I really couldn't ask for more.

I couldn't have expressed it better. Our local dealer is excellent, with knowledgeable staff. One of the reasons I have stayed with Volvo. If they got taken over by a large chain like Stoneacre, I would think again.

[GJB]

Originally Posted by Wizzpop

I couldn't have expressed it better. Our local dealer is excellent, with knowledgeable staff. One of the reasons I have stayed with Volvo. If they got taken over by a large chain like Stoneacre, I would think again.

I agree but the dealer I had MR King of Halesworth was an excellent dealer with staff who 100% where always most helpful and why I bought my cars from them and always had them do all my servicing .
Still did not stop them losing the Volvo franchise and all we are left with is a main dealer who has 3 franchises running from the same premises.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Excellent comments. i loved to read them all. I agree...unfortunately the big ones always prevail on detriment of smaller ones. keep up the good work guys with threads and comments like these ones. informative opinions are always welcome.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

I hate Stoneacre. Awful awful. The worst of the chain dealers. And I hate all the big chains.

The small chains or small independent dealers are far better.

As an aside I once told an Audi feedback survey that I would rather have a Prostate examination than deal with Doncaster Audi again......

good one! well said! 👊👍👊

[Clan]

Originally Posted by GJB

I agree but the dealer I had MR King of Halesworth was an excellent dealer with staff who 100% where always most helpful and why I bought my cars from them and always had them do all my servicing .
Still did not stop them losing the Volvo franchise and all we are left with is a main dealer who has 3 franchises running from the same premises.

That has been against volvos franchise standards for the last 10 years ... It cant be changed overnight of course , but things are slowly changing you will notice .. Dealers with VOLVO in their trading title will be fully compliant .. There are several brand new premises being planned / built all the time .

[JC888]

Reading the comments here I’m starting to have doubts having the extended warranty and continuing to service my car at Volvo.
Only reason I can think of is the software updates.

It’s £550 for 4 year service with MOT.
I can have this done at less than half of the price at local indie.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by JC888

Reading the comments here I’m starting to have doubts having the extended warranty and continuing to service my car at Volvo.
Only reason I can think of is the software updates.

It’s £550 for 4 year service with MOT.
I can have this done at less than half of the price at local indie.

If you don't rate your main dealer then you might as well cut your losses and find a good indie. I rate and like my main dealer in Doncaster so that is why I keep going back with a 5 year old XC90 and a 4 year old V60 both of which are out of the manufacturer warranty.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by JC888

Reading the comments here I’m starting to have doubts having the extended warranty and continuing to service my car at Volvo.
Only reason I can think of is the software updates.

It’s £550 for 4 year service with MOT.
I can have this done at less than half of the price at local indie.

half the price is half the job ,, honestly ...

[EssexExile]

Originally Posted by Clan

half the price is half the job ,, honestly ...

Exactly, I can't imagine what sort of service you'd get for £70 that would include breakdown cover.