I need a booking to make a booking. What???.

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SmartMAC

Active Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
389
Location
Madrid, Spain
Car
C250 CDI Sport Coupe AMG
That is what I was told after I just walked into Mercedes manchester. No service advisor could see me so I was told to call a number to get an appointment so I can discuss my next service.
I could not do this online because they don't have a facility to just enquiry. I need new tyres and front discs and pads so I can just book it. I have always taken the car there for servicing and warranty work and always been happy with the service but this left me puzzled.

I left manchester in disbelieve and drove back home to Bolton, stopped in Mercedes of Bolton, told them what I need it doing and the price I wanted to pay. They bettered blackcircles price on the tyres and just about matched the Independent dealer quote for the disc and pads so booked it in.

Anyway, very happy Mercedes are prepared to match independent dealers and online quotes. Makes my life easier as I have the service pack and the car has to go to Mercedes anyway.
 
Following my recently reported servicing experience I wonder about the organisational culture that these large glass "palace" dealerships create. It seems to serve the needs of the organisation and to have somewhat lost sight of the customers. Having done my MBA dissertation a few years back on organisational culture, it would be a good project for a business student. As I now know my posts were read by the manager I dealt with, I offer this thought for free!
 
Following my recently reported servicing experience I wonder about the organisational culture that these large glass "palace" dealerships create. It seems to serve the needs of the organisation and to have somewhat lost sight of the customers. Having done my MBA dissertation a few years back on organisational culture, it would be a good project for a business student. As I now know my posts were read by the manager I dealt with, I offer this thought for free!


There's no rocket science to it, as it's all very, very simple to understand. In a nutshell it's just a matter of creating a dealership within an area with no direct competition and bingo!
 
Mercedes Manchester were very odd for me too when I went to buy my car.

I told them the car I want is 150 miles away, it's red. I said if they had a red one too, I'd happily buy it from them. She sat there for nearly twenty minutes showing me black and silver ones despite me being pretty blunt about it's primary requirement of being red. A 300 mile round trip I was prepared to take (and subsequently did) should have told her that it's red or dead as far as finding me a nearer car is concerned...

Although a colleague of mine who bought two of his cars from them can't sing their praises highly enough.

So I suppose it's who you get to deal with on the day...
 
Probably another dealer measure setup to lose more customers.

Seems to be working well...
 
I love it when they do this crap. More work for us independents!
 

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