Anonymous

Shocking Customer Service

This is my 2nd experience with Car Store Norwich, both of them being dreadful. I should have learnt the first time which was about a year ago when I visited with my son who wanted to test drive a car. Despite being a qualified driver, they wouldn't let him test drive it on the road, only in their private car park, going round in circles. They actually expected him to make a decision to buy on the basis of driving it in first and second gear only. Pathetic. Needless to say he didn't buy it. Then my latest experience started last Saturday when I found a car online which I liked. I spoke to a salesman that evening and agreed to pay £99 to reserve it. I was taken in by all the blurb on the website about guarantees and 104-point check etc - what could go wrong? The next day I took 3 hours out of my Sunday to visit. I immediately spotted several scratches and scuffs on the bodywork which had been bodged with touch-up paint. Given the price was £13.5k I really wasn't happy buying a car in that state. It revealed the 104-point check to be a gimmick without substance in my case. The salesman admitted it wasn't good enough. I liked the car so I asked him what they could do to professionally repair the damage. He said he would need to speak to his boss on Monday morning as he didn't work Sunday, then he'd call me. On that basis I didn't ask for a refund of my reservation fee, rather choosing to keep it in place until we reached agreement on how to handle the damage. I would then either buy it, or cancel the reservation and ask for my fee back. Monday came and went, no call. I waited till lunchtime Tuesday, no call, so I called them. I spoke to a colleague of the salesman who, by sheer coincidence, was tied up speaking to his boss at that exact moment about the car. His colleague said the salesman would call me back after the meeting. By 5pm no call so I called again. This time I spoke to the salesman who said his boss agreed the damage should be repaired. He said a bodywork technician would visit the following morning (Wednesday) to evaluate the damage then he'd call me with news on what they would do. Wednesday, no call. Thursday, no call. I waited until Friday lunchtime, no call, so I called again to find out what was happening. I spoke to the receptionist who told me the salesman was on leave. She asked if she could help so I told her my story. She seemed very concerned and was very apologetic. She took my details and assured me she would speak to the boss immediately and get him to call me that afternoon. I waited till 5pm, no call. By then I'd had enough so I called that evening to request a refund of the £99 reservation fee. I spoke to a different colleague who processed the refund. Whilst talking to him he revealed that they had already removed my reservation prior to my call...REALLY??? So to summarise, I pay £99 to reserve the car, they admit the car is not in a fit condition to sell to me but that they would work something out, they don't have the courtesy to call me or keep me informed of their decisions, I'm waiting without a clue about what is happening but thinking the car is still reserved, but at some point they remove the reservation and remarket it without the decency to inform me, so anyone could test drive or buy it whilst I'm thinking I have it reserved, AND THEY KEEP MY RESERVATION FEE! If you want to roll the dice with this (in my view) amateur outfit, then good luck to you. I can see that some customers will be happy if everything goes smoothly... you visit, you test drive the car, you like it and buy it, take it away and there are no problems with it. I believe this is their business model and you might be content with it. But, if you want to deal with an organisation that actually cares for its customers, that won't make you feel completely worthless, that does what they say they will do and communicates with you, then go somewhere else. I'm just glad I didn't buy anything from them - the way I see it, if they can't be bothered to pick up the phone and return my call when I'm ready to hand them £13.5k, what will they be like if I actually buy a car and have a problem with it? As I said, I should have learnt the first time round, but I was hoping it was just an isolated one-off bad experience. Apparently not, so never again.