MB major servicing would you loose trust if they missed something

[219]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Two points to note...:

1. 'MB dealers' aren't one entity... they are different garages belonging to various chains (including MB UK). There are good dealers and there are bad dealers... I had poor service at one London dealership, so took my business to MB Brooklands, and after 3 services there I can't fault them (as it happens, both dealers are owned by MB UK).

2. There are good independent specialists, and there are bad ones... like with almost everything else in life. Incidentally, I (and many others) had very good service from forum-sponsors Wayne Gate in Harrow and PCS in Horndean.

But I do understand the frustration - there's an expectation that any MB dealer will provide exceptional service... sadly it isn't so.

The expectation that one ought to get premium service for a premium car is not unreasonable.

Sadly it is not universally delivered , although it seems to be more of a UK thing , going by my very limited experience of visiting dealers in Germany , combined with reports from others , it does appear that dealerships in Germany do deliver better service .

Maybe the German mindset of doing everything by the numbers ...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I’m genuinely curious: If the battery is the problem - and it prevents the windows opening/closing bu Infra Red - then why do the doors unlock?


I wouldn’t be surprised if dealers, marque specialists or independent mechanics don’t even test locking and unlocking the doors after a key battery change, nevermind the test windows - they’d just wait until they locked or unlocked the the car.

It sounds like on this occasion that the battery may not have been changed, or there’s a problem with the key. Either way the dealer could have dealt with it better. Much better.


Find a service/repair outfit you trust, and give them your business. They come in all shapes and sizes: main dealers, marque specialists, and independents can be good or bad.

My personal suggestion is to build a relationship with the person you deal with in any business and you will receive much, much better service, people deal with people.

I do that with the Service Adviser at my main dealer, the owners of marque specialists, the owner of my local fish & chip shop, the person who I buy perfume from, the list goes on.

I do my best to really get to know them personally, and be really nice to them. I get better service, including more pleasant service, and they get my continued loyalty.

 

[Dippo]

Find a service/repair outfit you trust, and give them your business. They come in all shapes and sizes: main dealers, marque specialists, and independents can be good or bad.

My personal suggestion is to build a relationship with the person you deal with in any business and you will receive much, much better service, people deal with people.

I do that with the Service Adviser at my main dealer, the owners of marque specialists, the owner of my local fish & chip shop, the person who I buy perfume from, the list goes on.

I do my best to really get to know them personally, and be really nice to them. I get better service, including more pleasant service, and they get my continued loyalty.

If you only take your into the dealership once a year when the service comes around, and it's a high volume dealership with several Service Advisers, then it can be difficult to build a relationship. At Brentford, the person who hands the car back to you will not necessarily be the person you handed it over to earlier.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

If you only take your into the dealership once a year when the service comes around, and it's a high volume dealership with several Service Advisers, then it can be difficult to build a relationship. At Brentford, the person who hands the car back to you will not necessarily be the person you handed it over to earlier.

I agree, they’re set up for volume. I asked to speak to the same person, and made it a memorable interaction so after meeting me a few times they remembered me.

Best not walk into the dealership naked though. Memorable, but not in the right way

 

[MSG2004]

Thanks all.
Update.

100% the battery as my sis husband changed it around few times and the so-called new battery did not open the windows but does the locks and the boot.

FYI, my MB does the same IE when battery is run down it still opens the car and lock it and opens the tailgate but never the windows. I then start using my other key as this opens, closes everything. As soon as the battery is replaced, you can open and close windows as well again on the car.

Sis, or her husband usually take the car in and hang around by the shops but becuse of the virus they paid to have it collected.

Even I have my doubts when I have my car serviced as it was on the B service at 4 years old just before lockdown - air filter is right at the back and I was wondering if it had been done. I took in one key and they changed the battery as I gave them the key with the battery that did not open/close the windows and when changed it worked and they gave me the second with the paperwork.

There is also a high turnover where I take my car not sure re sisters MB garage.

I've noted the people at the desk, phones are much younger as well as the mechanics if you can call them that as most are very young, nothing wrong with that but experience is lacking. The garage I take mine to usually is the old guy about 40-50 tall, slim and bald knows what he is doing.

We pay so much to get a piece of mind a video of the service or at least evidence of old plugs/etc removed with car reg besides it with a few pictures would help everyone

 

[MSG2004]

100 certain it's not the key but battery.

Edite - sorry was trying to post in response to Bobby, but can't get the quotes to work.

 

[219]

I agree, they’re set up for volume. I asked to speak to the same person, and made it a memorable interaction so after meeting me a few times they remembered me.

Best not walk into the dealership naked though. Memorable, but not in the right way

So , what do you suggest ?

Buy the advisor a Mercedes ? Then they might remember you ?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

So , what do you suggest ?

Buy the advisor a Mercedes ? Then they might remember you ?

Anything you see fit to make it a memorable conversation, but better still approach it like building any relationship, ie think about it and make sure it’s good for both parties, but be natural with it.

Having a proper conversation, being engaged in that conversation. Asking, listening, and remembering. Being really nice and polite really helps, more than many might realise, as most customers are not.

My Service Advisors have told me that too many customers are are rude, too many more think they’re something and talk down to them, and the majority sit in silence unless they’re not happy about something.

Remembering that they were going to Marbella on holiday shortly after your last visit, or going to a restaurant you like too, or it was their child’s 18th birthday, or anything else you you picked up in conversation.

A couple of bags of doughnuts from the supermarket over the road, or some biscuits for “squeezing me in”, ” or “checking that thing out”, or “because you were so lovely last time”, or “to say thank you”.

Saying a sincere thank you, saying how great the service has been, how you really appreciate them taking the time to explain something or check something. Again too few people do simple things like that.

It needn’t be difficult. Think about how you make friends, build relationships, go dating even, and do that. Do what you do when dealing with your barber, your florist, your local takeaway. They will reciprocate.

 

[jotter22]

The garage I take mine to usually is the old guy about 40-50 tall, slim and bald knows what he is doing.
I resent the comment " OLD GUY about 40-50" youngsters of today!