With lots of enthusiasm and expectations I entered the Kapico showroom, Chennai, hoping I am entering the right place. I met the Salesperson, I was so confident in him that I boasted to my wife that I had met the right person. Unfortunately, the story ended in a very sad note.
STORY PERTAINING TO SALES TEAM
It all started like this. I met the salesperson, paid him the whole money in one stroke for the Wagon R LXi that I intended to buy. Though a basic thumb rule is that a test drive has to be offered but in my case it was not offered. Forget it. That can be forgiven. But how can Kapico not do the Teflon quote free of cost as complimentary, which was promised to me at the time of sale. Funniest part is that I come to know that the same was not done, only after I leave the vehicle for the first service with their service division at MMDA colony.
Service team is challenging me that the Teflon quote is not done and adviced me to do and I had to paid them Rs.2340 for the same. With great difficulty I convinced one Ms Sukanya, explaining her the whole story, finally she was grateful enough to accept to refund me the same, which was done after a long wait. Surprising??? This is the quality you get from Kapico Sales team. This is the episode as far as sales team is concerned.
EPISODE PERTAINING TO SERVICE TEAM
I was under the impression that from now on the experience is going to be smooth. But this was a nightmarish experience. Dropped the vehicle for the first free service at 1000 kms. Complained on the following:
Vehicle enters for the first time to Kapico service center (MMDA Colony)
1.Foul smell coming through A/C vents intermittently, when A/C ON, especially when A/c flow position kept in (11’O’ clock position) first mark. Remedy: Vehicle returned the same condition, not rectified.
2.Vehicle drastically pulling to left hand side at 80 kms speed and above. Not rectified. Remedy: Problem still persists.
3.Steering wheel judders / vibrates at 80 kms speed and above. Not rectified. Remedy: Problem still persists.
Vehicle enters for the second time
1.Foul smell coming through vents intermittently, when A/c ON, especially A/c flow position kept in first mark. Remedy: Vehicle returned with the same smell, not rectified.
2. Vehicle drastically pulling to Left side at 80 kms speed and above and the remedy: No improvement. It still pulls but now to right side.
3.Steering wheel judders / vibrates at 80 km speed and above. Remedy: Problem still persists.
Vehicle enters for the third time for the same
1.Again complained for the same A/c smell and the problem still there.
2.Again complained right side pull. Now it pulls to left side.
3.Again steering vibration at 80 kms speed and above, still there.
Vehicle enters the service station for the fourth time
I again had been to the service station hoping they would come out with a new innovative idea but they did not have any stock of idea to try for the fourth time to solve the problem. Now I thought it is high time and decided to drive my vehicle from this funny place where I found pack of incapable service people flocked together. I bundled with my vehicle and escaped from that place knowing the fact that they are wasting my time and theirs too.
In the whole process Kapico made me go tired, upset, feel bad about kapico, distrust, hate etc all these adjectives which one should not have experienced when one enters a service station, unfortunately, it happened in my case and not once but four times. The only thing I repeated several times to the service team was that, please do not screw up my car A/c. If you do not know the job please for God’s sake do not waste your time and mine too. But they always wanted another chance and this went on four times, they literally upset me when they wanted me to leave the vehicle for the fourth time and WOULD YOU DO THAT IF YOU WERE IN MY PLACE???
I had no choice but to enter another Service station that I know for the past 16 years. I dropped the vehicle in the hands of the safe people. The job was done in a matter of 12 minutes and my problem was solved. There ends the matter.
This is what is called as professionalism. If you do not know the solution for the problem please try to convey the same to the customer and do not make the customer go wild because customers are human beings too. Customers cannot remain silent watching this trial and error method in this fast world. Things have changed, hence they too should change their attitude mode and style of work. In fact, I chose Kapico for the only reason that the service station is closer to my residence. But due to this odd experience they had force me to run away from Kapico, never making me to even think of Kapico. I had a real nightmarish experience.
After all these incidents happened, funnily, I receive an e-mail from one Ms. Sukanya, Customer service department. True, I would have kept quiet if I was not bothered by this unnecessarily e-mail, asking me how the service / sales experience were like??? I was literally shocked, such was the communication network they have, CRM / CRD not knowing what is happening with the customer’s vehicle, whether it is in the garage for four times etc etc. Lastly when I spoke to Ms. Sukanya I just requested her to inform Mr. Padmanabhan (AGM) kapico sales to talk to me, whenever he is free. I think it is 60 days since, yet to receive a call from the AGM service. I am waiting. Just to inform him about the beautiful experience I had with Kapico service. I am sure the works Manager would not have informed him that the vehicle was in for the same problem three times and I believe, that is the reason AGM has not called me, presumably. Otherwise, no service oriented team would try to avoid talking to a harassed / genuine customer like me. I planned to discuss with him the remedy for the problem that I had with my A/C, how it was solved in other service station, so that, the ordeal I experienced with Kapico would not be passed on to other Maruti owners who has the same problem. This is how the dealerships miss valuable customers. Product is good no doubt, but the service team attitude should change. They should put themselves in other’s shoes.
One thing I want to convey before I end this unfortunate story, the Maruti as a vehicle is a superb product, but the reputation is put to test because of few ill equipped and unprofessional dealership networks. I wish those who go through my true episode would take these issues in a positive manner and try to enhance the quality by correcting all their negatives just solely to satisfy customers. There would be no business if there are no customers, so please satisfy customer’s needs, if you are not able to satisfy please do not harass them. Please try to take every customer’s complaint as a gift.
Regards
(Unfortunate Maruti owner)
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