Good Customer Service Stories, Redux

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I have the topper of all toppers, the thread stopper in one. Beat it if you can!

I bought a used car from a major brand dealership last week, to replace my wife’s dead 2001 Taurus. I buy cheap and drive them until they die (vehicles, not wives). It’s a 2006, a bit older than they would normally keep on their lot, but was in really good condition. The wife liked it and, even though the final out the door price was a bit above what we planned to spend (though about $800 under book value), we bought it. As part of the final (3 day long) negotiations I tried to get them to throw in a 1 year warranty. No go, they said they couldn’t even sell me a warranty on that vehicle because it was more than 6 years old. Hmm, that’s odd but not a deal breaker. Because of it’s age it didn’t even qualify for their normal 30 day used car powertrain warranty. Truly “as is, where is”. I’ve bought used cars many times before, I understand what that means.

Less than 24 hours after we get it home, the check engine light (CEL) came on. Figures. I broke out the code reader, it read P0430 - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 2). That could be either o2 sensor on that side or the catalytic converter itself. It could also be because the car had been on the lot a while and not been driven too much, a remote possibility but a possibility nontheless. Based on that possibility I cleared the code. I called the salesman and let him know what had happened and what I did. He said if it the code recurred to let him know. Three days later, sure enough, the CEL came back on with the same code.

I called the salesman and made an appointment to bring the car for diagnosis. As they looked it over I formulated my plan - if it was a sensor I would ask that they suppply the part and I would put it on myself. If it was the converter I would ask for a 50/50 cost split. I had no bargaining power, but I would ask.

After about 30 minutes, the Service Manager came to the waiting room and said that both o2 sensors AND the catalytic converter were bad - this was an absolute worst case scenario. My research indicated that the parts alone would be about $1,000. Labor could almost double that, it’s a 4 hour job. She (yes, the Service Manager is a she) said it would take them 3 days to get the parts. A bit stunned, I asked how all of that could have gone bad in less than 24 hours. She said that on rare occasions the fuel additive they used could cause those issues in the make vehicle I bought. There was no way to tell if that was the case for sure but, since it could have been their fault, they would cover the entire repair - and replace a burned out marker light and rear windsheild wiper blade they noticed during their inspection!

Do what??? They had no legal obligation to fix anything, that’s what “as is, where is” means, afterall. Of their own accord (no, I didn’t buy a Honda), they stepped up and made it right even though I could never prove it was their fault. Because of that they will lose money on this vehicle, a substantial amount. I profusely thanked the Serv. Mgr., the salesman, and the used car manager who OK’d the repairs. I will give them rave reviews whenever the opportunity presents. I had not bought a car from a dealer in 20 years, preferring the lower price I could get from an individual. You can bet money that next time I’m in the market for a car, I’ll go see them first!

2

I don’t know if mine tops yours but it’s pretty close (and similar) to yours.

In 2009 I bought a 1994 Ford F150 4x4 pickup for $3,600 from a dealer. It came with a 30-day 3,000 mile 80/20 split warranty on parts (and maybe labor). I took it to another dealer to have the 120,000 mile service done and they said they couldn’t do it all because the front end was basically shot. I took it back to the original dealer to get it fixed under the limited warranty. When I talked to the salesman he said to come to him when I got the estimate from the service department. The estimate came in at over $1,900. He and the finance manager talked for a bit and said they would do a 50/50 split on parts and labor! It saved me over $950. Needless to say, they probably blew all their profit on that, but I’ve been a customer ever since. Of course that part is also in part because my cousin’s husband works there but was not the salesman in the above scenario.

3

Was this a Lexus dealer, by chance? Some years ago, I bought a used Taurus from the local Lexus shop. They took it as a trade-in, and desperately wanted that …thing… off their lot, so it was about three thousand below book.

More or less the same as the OP, it was “as is, where is” but they still gave it the 57-point inspection. Two days after I got it, the driver’s window decided to stop working. With nothing to lose, I called them and they said to bring it by. I did and two days later, they’d replaced the window regulator and motor.

Nowhere near as dramatic as two O2 sensors and a cat, but definitely appreciated, especially since they had to step a bit outside their normal box to get a different make’s parts.

4

Are you going to use their service department now too, Doctor?

5

They will get first shot at all of my car buying needs, but I do most of my own repair work!

6

I worked for a company for 14 years. The company moved me between locations, and thus, I had to change bank accounts. Because of the new bank information, and the difference of cost centers within my employer, I had to set up my direct deposit again, with new routing and account numbers of my new checking and savings accounts.

My first new direct deposited paycheck in my new location did not go through. My first instinct was to call the bank to find out why. A very pleasant and determined bank customer service agent answered my phone call. I explained the situation, and she was completely determined and committed to solving this problem.

After going back and forth on whether they have the correct direct deposit information, she said, “Let’s get your payroll department on the phone. We’ll fix it.” I did not even know the phone number to my payroll department.

After fumbling around through telephone directories within my own company, and having her on hold for several minutes, I finally got through to the correct person in my payroll department. I conferenced him in with me and the customer service agent at my new bank.

Over the phone, she sent him through several steps and confirmed several points of information. Come to find out, my payroll department did not realize that I was splitting my paychecks between a checking and savings account. The mismatch in the data rejected the paycheck altogether.

She corrected my payroll guy over the phone, and the problem was fixed. The missed paycheck was deposited into my account that same day. I was floored. I think I said something like, “thank you”, to the customer service person - I had to, because I’m a very polite person but, I really should have gotten her name and complimented her to her manager.

I still think about that exchange to this day.

The kicker? I recently left that company that I worked at for 14 years, and I now work at that very same bank.

7

I had been traveling for a while in different locations.

I was at O’Hare, scheduled to fly to Louisville. Flight got cancelled, but I was able to get rerouted to Dayton. Which was awesome except my rental car and hotel were waiting for me in Louisville.

I needed a car and a hotel room in Dayton.

About this time my card gets shut off because of possible fraud from all these charges all over the country. I have about $500 in cash, but that’s not going to help with a rental car, and maybe not even a hotel room.

I call my bank, but the shut down is part of a central system, and they can’t do anything until tomorrow.

The bank rep gives me her own personal visa number, and says, “No problem, I know you’re good for it.”

That’s right, her personal credit card number. They’ve been a great bank for me and the company, but this was extraordinary.