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Midlands OPC Sutton Coldfield - Customer Service Hell?!!

TTW

Well-known member
Joined
28 Jun 2014
Messages
79
Having just experienced nearly 2 weeks of sheer Customer Service Hell from a midlands Porsche Main Dealer - Im curious if i've just been unlucky, or whether this is the usual experience from OPC if you're not looking to part with your cash for a shiny new motor from them??

Interested to hear your experience(s)?
 
Details?
 
You can post your experience and name the OPC.

I'm usually looked after well by Leicester OPC, but I've had a questionable experience recently.

Sometimes its just who you catch and when.
 
I have always had a great service at Silverstone. I would email the OPC before outing. Give them an opportunity to put things right. However we do not know the 'ins and outs' you may have already done that.
 
Your going to regret this... Here Goes.. (apologies for grammar & any typo's)

OPC - Porsche Sutton Coldfield.

I broke down due to fuel pump failure and need the car repairing as quickly as possible. having contacted the nearest IPC to find out they were fully booked for the next 3 weeks, I contacted OPC Sutton Coldfield and was relieved when they said it was a 2 hour job and they could book me in for that Wednesday! :) Happy Days.

I managed to get the vehicle to them a day early on the Tuesday, on the basis they would keep it overnight ready for the Wednesday job - I was told they would diagnose the problem first thing & let me know so I could contact my warranty company :) - still happy days.

On the Wednesday early afternoon having heard nothing I called to get an update on my vehicle, but nobody was available, so left my contact details for a call back, a hour later still no call back, so I rang again to be told all service advisors were dealing with customers, and as soon as one of them had finished they would call me back. A further 2 hours later having still heard nothing, so called again only to be told nobody were at their desks, but someone would call me back - insisting I would rather hold, they went off to try and find a service advisor. After a few minutes a service advisor did come apologetically to the phone and stated they had already changed the fuel pump, but in doing so they had snapped a pipe (which apparently was brittle?) - and whilst they would not change me the labour in fitting this (as they had broken it) - I would need to pay for the part. (which turned out to be the Sender Unit) however they needed to order this part in, and it wouldn't be available until the following day (Thursday). - Not so happy days :-|

Thursday morning came and went, and again no update on whether the part had arrived, been fitted, solved the problem? - Again multiple calls for update with no success and no return call as promised. Finally late afternoon Thursday I managed to get through to an advisor who told me my vehicle would be ready for collection by 5.30-6pm that day.

Upon collecting my vehicle, paying almost £700 and going through the rigmarole of being escorted to the showroom door before been handed my keys - on turning the key it was obvious that starting wasn't as previous? (previously the vehicle would start on single turn, whereas this was 10-15 turns?) - the vehicle then started, and appeared to fine? - assuming this was due to the fact its had just been in pieces having the fuel pump & sender unit stripped out & put back in - I overlooked it as 'settling in'... the drive home was fine. Partially happy days.

The following day there were more 'dodgy' starts, and it became evident that 'something wasn't right'? - I returned OPC Sutton Coldfield explaining the problem, and admitting I was unsure whether the vehicle just needed a good run, whether the fuel they removed/replaced somehow may have got contaminated, whether the car was overfuelling? - they said they couldn't look at it until the following monday. Given it was now a Saturday, I opted to leave the vehicle with them over the weekend for Monday inspection.

Monday came & went with no call/update, Tuesday morning came & went, still no update. So Tuesday afternoon I again started calling them, but again no service advisors were available, and again i was promised a call back as soon as someone returned/was free, but no call was received. Finally at 16:00 on the Tuesday I managed to get through to an advisor who told me there was no update, as they vehicle was still in the compound as no-one had looked at it yet?!! - but 'not-to-worry' as it was scheduled in 'first-thing at 8.30' the following morning (Wednesday).

No surprises for what comes next....

Wednesday morning came & went, again with no update and no successful routing though of my calls to an advisor. By 4pm after literally 7-10 attempts at trying to find out what was happening I managed to get through to an advisor only to be told the vehicle had been out on a test run and there were no issues, no error codes, and the vehicle was behaving fine?! - Confused but equally relieved by this news I accepted that I would go and collect the vehicle, only for the advisor to then be interrupted by the technician stating that the vehicle had just encountered the symptoms described (bad starting) - and that they would need to take it back in the workshop for further diagnostics. - Given there was still 1-2 hour of the day left, I asked for someone to call me at 5-5.30 with an update on what (if anything) had been identified on the diagnostics - 'Sure' I was told, followed by 'just in case I forget, if you don't hear back; call me' :O

Needless to day by 5.30 no call was received, so again I called them, again I was told no-one was at their desks and could I leave a message; I insisted that I held, as by now it was clear I wouldn't get a call back! - eventually the advisor was found, and I was told there was no update at that time, but the diagnostics would continue in the morning (Thursday)!. - Very unhappy days!


(In case anyone is still reading at this point.... I'm nearly at the end!)

Thursday morning came and AMAZINGLY at 10.59am I received (OR RATHER MISSED!!!!!!) a call from Porsche Sutton Coldfield. When I say missed, I mean just literally!! - I returned the call at 11.01am to be told the advisor was busy with a customer, but would return my call as soon as they were free. from 11.01am to after 3pm I must have tried 5-10 times to get though to the advisor, all unsuccessfully. Finally at 4.30pm I got through and was told the issue they can find is that the starter motor is sticking, and that this was believed to be cause of the issue.

On enquiring how much this would cost and how long it would take, I was told £875 and the part would have to be ordered Friday, received Saturday, and couldn't be fitted until Monday at the earliest! - As it was clear this was going to run into yet another week of phone call after phone call with zero updates, I just said I was on my way to collect the vehicle, as I needed it back and couldnt prolong this ordeal any longer. I confirmed I would be there within the hour, and was asked if I would like the vehicle washing?!!?! (which I declined).

On arriving at the dealership to collect my vehicle, I was greeted with two surprised looking faces who told me the vehicle was still in the workshop as THEY DIDNT KNOW I WAS COMING TO COLLECT IT?????!! really? GGrRRr..

Needless to say, drove it home no problem and will be booking it in with IPC ASAP.
 
TTW said:
Your going to regret this... Here Goes.. (apologies for grammar & any typo's)

OPC - Porsche Sutton Coldfield.

I broke down due to fuel pump failure and need the car repairing as quickly as possible. having contacted the nearest IPC to find out they were fully booked for the next 3 weeks, I contacted OPC Sutton Coldfield and was relieved when they said it was a 2 hour job and they could book me in for that Wednesday! :) Happy Days.

I managed to get the vehicle to them a day early on the Tuesday, on the basis they would keep it overnight ready for the Wednesday job - I was told they would diagnose the problem first thing & let me know so I could contact my warranty company :) - still happy days.

On the Wednesday early afternoon having heard nothing I called to get an update on my vehicle, but nobody was available, so left my contact details for a call back, a hour later still no call back, so I rang again to be told all service advisors were dealing with customers, and as soon as one of them had finished they would call me back. A further 2 hours later having still heard nothing, so called again only to be told nobody were at their desks, but someone would call me back - insisting I would rather hold, they went off to try and find a service advisor. After a few minutes a service advisor did come apologetically to the phone and stated they had already changed the fuel pump, but in doing so they had snapped a pipe (which apparently was brittle?) - and whilst they would not change me the labour in fitting this (as they had broken it) - I would need to pay for the part. (which turned out to be the Sender Unit) however they needed to order this part in, and it wouldn't be available until the following day (Thursday). - Not so happy days :-|

Thursday morning came and went, and again no update on whether the part had arrived, been fitted, solved the problem? - Again multiple calls for update with no success and no return call as promised. Finally late afternoon Thursday I managed to get through to an advisor who told me my vehicle would be ready for collection by 5.30-6pm that day.

Upon collecting my vehicle, paying almost £700 and going through the rigmarole of being escorted to the showroom door before been handed my keys - on turning the key it was obvious that starting wasn't as previous? (previously the vehicle would start on single turn, whereas this was 10-15 turns?) - the vehicle then started, and appeared to fine? - assuming this was due to the fact its had just been in pieces having the fuel pump & sender unit stripped out & put back in - I overlooked it as 'settling in'... the drive home was fine. Partially happy days.

The following day there were more 'dodgy' starts, and it became evident that 'something wasn't right'? - I returned OPC Sutton Coldfield explaining the problem, and admitting I was unsure whether the vehicle just needed a good run, whether the fuel they removed/replaced somehow may have got contaminated, whether the car was overfuelling? - they said they couldn't look at it until the following monday. Given it was now a Saturday, I opted to leave the vehicle with them over the weekend for Monday inspection.

Monday came & went with no call/update, Tuesday morning came & went, still no update. So Tuesday afternoon I again started calling them, but again no service advisors were available, and again i was promised a call back as soon as someone returned/was free, but no call was received. Finally at 16:00 on the Tuesday I managed to get through to an advisor who told me there was no update, as they vehicle was still in the compound as no-one had looked at it yet?!! - but 'not-to-worry' as it was scheduled in 'first-thing at 8.30' the following morning (Wednesday).

No surprises for what comes next....

Wednesday morning came & went, again with no update and no successful routing though of my calls to an advisor. By 4pm after literally 7-10 attempts at trying to find out what was happening I managed to get through to an advisor only to be told the vehicle had been out on a test run and there were no issues, no error codes, and the vehicle was behaving fine?! - Confused but equally relieved by this news I accepted that I would go and collect the vehicle, only for the advisor to then be interrupted by the technician stating that the vehicle had just encountered the symptoms described (bad starting) - and that they would need to take it back in the workshop for further diagnostics. - Given there was still 1-2 hour of the day left, I asked for someone to call me at 5-5.30 with an update on what (if anything) had been identified on the diagnostics - 'Sure' I was told, followed by 'just in case I forget, if you don't hear back; call me' :O

Needless to day by 5.30 no call was received, so again I called them, again I was told no-one was at their desks and could I leave a message; I insisted that I held, as by now it was clear I wouldn't get a call back! - eventually the advisor was found, and I was told there was no update at that time, but the diagnostics would continue in the morning (Thursday)!. - Very unhappy days!


(In case anyone is still reading at this point.... I'm nearly at the end!)

Thursday morning came and AMAZINGLY at 10.59am I received (OR RATHER MISSED!!!!!!) a call from Porsche Sutton Coldfield. When I say missed, I mean just literally!! - I returned the call at 11.01am to be told the advisor was busy with a customer, but would return my call as soon as they were free. from 11.01am to after 3pm I must have tried 5-10 times to get though to the advisor, all unsuccessfully. Finally at 4.30pm I got through and was told the issue they can find is that the starter motor is sticking, and that this was believed to be cause of the issue.

On enquiring how much this would cost and how long it would take, I was told £875 and the part would have to be ordered Friday, received Saturday, and couldn't be fitted until Monday at the earliest! - As it was clear this was going to run into yet another week of phone call after phone call with zero updates, I just said I was on my way to collect the vehicle, as I needed it back and couldnt prolong this ordeal any longer. I confirmed I would be there within the hour, and was asked if I would like the vehicle washing?!!?! (which I declined).

On arriving at the dealership to collect my vehicle, I was greeted with two surprised looking faces who told me the vehicle was still in the workshop as THEY DIDNT KNOW I WAS COMING TO COLLECT IT?????!! really? GGrRRr..

Needless to say, drove it home no problem and will be booking it in with IPC ASAP.

TTW that is an awful customer service experience from OPC Sutton Coldfield, so whats the latest with the car ?


FYI, The Dealer Principal details are as below.

per http://www.porschesuttoncoldfield.co.uk/about-us

Jodi MacDonald
(+44) 0121 378 5821
[email protected]
 
TTW,

Totally unacceptable "service" from a main Porsche dealer. :nooo:
I would make an appointment with the Dealer Principal and state your case with a simple list of facts you have written (minus the emotive bits) and ask what compensation they are willing to offer before you take your future business and anyone else you can convince, elsewhere. Work on the basis that you are giving them an opportunity to make amends. If they have had a particularly busy time or the DP has had "staff" issues he may appreciate the heads up.
Customer care is not difficult if people understand that "they" have to own the problem and not pass the buck. :frustrated:

Now I'm going to have a very large drink......well it is Friday night...nearly :grin:
 
Just email the porsche principal - and you could even talk to porsche GB about this experience.

Between them, they should have your car fully fixed with giving you a courtesy car in the meantime - and they should also pay a significant amount if not all of the cost.

You just need to escalate this, I'm sure it'll get sorted.
 
911uk followed this up incident with directly with the Stratstone Group who own and run OPC Sutton Coldfield, this has been referred to their customer care team.

http://www.stratstone.com/porsche-dealers/

In the 1st instance, all issues should be referred to the Dealer Principal, details as previously provided, then referred onto Stratstone Customer Service who can be contact at the below email address.

[email protected]

Note, for all OPC issues, always feel free to copy in 911uk into the email at [email protected] we are here for the community and will help where possible to ensure members get a fair result.
 
Thats just awful ! :x

Then to have to settle an almost 4 figure bill just twists the knife. You dont say ...But I can only imagine how much inconvenience it caused being without p&j for 3 weeks. I use mine for loads of car meets this time of the year... I would be livid :evil:

If there was ever an argument for booking a courtesy car... If you'd been spinning around in a 991 would have taken the edge off. :grin:

Hope you get a satisfactory outcome :thumb:

Good on 911uk mission control for helping out :p
 
So what was the eventual outcome?
Curious because IF I needed an OPC this is the nearest to me
Guy
 
Shocking!!! It wasn't anything like that when David Joyce was the manager at Sutton Coldfield. It just goes to show get the right management and leaders and customer service and satisfaction is the number one priority.

Employ prats and watch a reputation and business become a shadow of its former self. Let's be open and honest here, OPC is top money & to treat customers like that, well if I don't Principal I'd be handing formal warning out to my staff. I'd be on the phone asap to you and waiver any labour costs as it's clearly had the same cost to you chasing my employees.

I'd ask for the opportunity to have the vehicle back to diagnose properly and give you guys support you should have had from the first phone call.

It'll be rather interesting to see what the Principal of the centre does
 

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