Following, for whatever interest it may be, is a copy of my correspondence with the dealer who recently sold my my new Interstate (which, incidentally, I am rapidly learning to love).
Charlie Power
Vice-President
Holiday World of Katy
28909 Katy Freeway
Katy, TX 77494
Dear Mr. Power:
This responds to your recent, undated letter, in which you say that I shall soon be receiving a questionnaire about your firm’s performance. This letter will serve as my response; I won’t be responding separately to your questionnaire. This seems to me the best way to establish a good working relationship with Holiday World – a relationship that will be necessary to secure good continued maintenance of the unit.
Your firm handled all the essential steps in my acquisition of my Interstate efficiently and effectively. Price negotiations were straight-forward, financing arrangements were satisfactory, and the unit was ready (more or less) for me to pick up on the agreed schedule. Beyond the essentials, however, I think most buyers would have felt, as I did, that they were a nuisance intruding on your staff, who had a lot better things to do than to deal with me.
On pick-up day I rented a car to drive to Katy, and your salesperson kindly picked me up at the car rental office and drove me to your location, where he left me seated on a stool next to your reception desk until it was convenient for your folk to deal with me. After about a half hour your no-doubt very capable technician took me to my unit and gave me a very comprehensive, and very quick, introduction. I have since come to regret that I didn’t insist on repeating myse3lf his actions so I’d have better memory of all he sought to teach me. I still can’t find the breaker box and main switch. It doesn’t seem to be where the Airstream book says it should be. I can hear the main switch operate when I actuate its solenoid, however, so when I have a helper I should be able to track it down by its sound.
After my brief orientation the technician took me to a coffee room where I cooled my heels for another half hour until your finance officer was ready to see me. My eventual interaction with him was direct, straight-forward, and in every way satisfactory. I now learn, however, that one of the required bits of paper was overlooked; I have just returned from the FedEx pick up point where I sent the signed document back to you.
After finishing the paper work I wandered unaccompanied to the back of your building and found my Interstate parked nearby with every imaginable electrical device turned on. I did my best to turn them all off, but later, when I found the house batteries run down flat, discovered that I had overlooked the two refrigerators. The drive home was pleasant and uneventful. That is because I am an experienced truck driver. I’d imagine. however, that a buyer who has never driven anything bigger than a Honda Accord might do with a bit of orientation before being turned loose in five-o’clock freeway traffic in a five-ton vehicle.
Your sales person promised me during our negotiations that he would provide me, gratis, what he called a “starter kit.” The essential components of this kit were to be a water hose and a 30 a. – 15 a. adapter. I assumed when I left your place that the kit had been put aboard, but when I looked for the adapter so I could recharge my flat batteries I found that it was missing. Your people had given me the name of a young lady to call if I had a problem, so I called her. After a few minutes checking she called back and told me I hadn’t paid for and therefore was not due said starter kit. I must admit I became a bit frustrated and angry at that point. I called the sales person and asked him if he recalled promising me a starter kit. He said, “No,” and, to contain my frustration and avoid behaving unprofessionally, I quickly but politely terminated the conversation. The next day I received an email from the person saying that he now recalled his promise. I responded that it was too late; I had already purchased the stuff. I must say that I was surprised that at no time did the sales person apologize for his oversight or offer any sort of compensation for his error.
A couple of days later a young lady from your place called me to find out if I was satisfied with my transaction. I told her about my problem with the starter kit and, to my great satisfaction, she actually apologized and offered to send it to me. I thanked her but told her that I’d already bought the stuff. She did not offer to reimburse me. She did say, however, that she would inform “top management” about my difficulties. I gather from the fact that you didn’t mention it in your undated letter either that you are not a member of top management, or that she didn’t inform you about it, or that it just didn’t seem to you to be important enough to mention.
In the past few days I have driven the unit about 1000 miles, and I finally checked inside a box your folk left in the back. To my surprise it contained a carpet for the driver’s compartment. I installed it. The thing looks a lot better. But I have to comment that that. too, seems a sign of your firm’s lack of interest. Have you ever bought a car where installing the carpet was a do-it-yourself project? I must have bought fifty cars in my lifetime and this is the first time I’ve had that experience.
You will realize, of course, as I do, that all my little complaints are trivial, and don’t really amount to a hill of beans. The only reason I articulate them in such detail is because they cause me to worry about how much attention I may receive from your firm when issues of maintenance and repair come up. I’d be very grateful for your assurance, in writing, so I can wave it around when necessary, that my maintenance and repair needs will receive at least as much attention as those of your other customers.
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Power
Vice-President
Holiday World of Katy
28909 Katy Freeway
Katy, TX 77494
Dear Mr. Power:
This responds to your recent, undated letter, in which you say that I shall soon be receiving a questionnaire about your firm’s performance. This letter will serve as my response; I won’t be responding separately to your questionnaire. This seems to me the best way to establish a good working relationship with Holiday World – a relationship that will be necessary to secure good continued maintenance of the unit.
Your firm handled all the essential steps in my acquisition of my Interstate efficiently and effectively. Price negotiations were straight-forward, financing arrangements were satisfactory, and the unit was ready (more or less) for me to pick up on the agreed schedule. Beyond the essentials, however, I think most buyers would have felt, as I did, that they were a nuisance intruding on your staff, who had a lot better things to do than to deal with me.
On pick-up day I rented a car to drive to Katy, and your salesperson kindly picked me up at the car rental office and drove me to your location, where he left me seated on a stool next to your reception desk until it was convenient for your folk to deal with me. After about a half hour your no-doubt very capable technician took me to my unit and gave me a very comprehensive, and very quick, introduction. I have since come to regret that I didn’t insist on repeating myse3lf his actions so I’d have better memory of all he sought to teach me. I still can’t find the breaker box and main switch. It doesn’t seem to be where the Airstream book says it should be. I can hear the main switch operate when I actuate its solenoid, however, so when I have a helper I should be able to track it down by its sound.
After my brief orientation the technician took me to a coffee room where I cooled my heels for another half hour until your finance officer was ready to see me. My eventual interaction with him was direct, straight-forward, and in every way satisfactory. I now learn, however, that one of the required bits of paper was overlooked; I have just returned from the FedEx pick up point where I sent the signed document back to you.
After finishing the paper work I wandered unaccompanied to the back of your building and found my Interstate parked nearby with every imaginable electrical device turned on. I did my best to turn them all off, but later, when I found the house batteries run down flat, discovered that I had overlooked the two refrigerators. The drive home was pleasant and uneventful. That is because I am an experienced truck driver. I’d imagine. however, that a buyer who has never driven anything bigger than a Honda Accord might do with a bit of orientation before being turned loose in five-o’clock freeway traffic in a five-ton vehicle.
Your sales person promised me during our negotiations that he would provide me, gratis, what he called a “starter kit.” The essential components of this kit were to be a water hose and a 30 a. – 15 a. adapter. I assumed when I left your place that the kit had been put aboard, but when I looked for the adapter so I could recharge my flat batteries I found that it was missing. Your people had given me the name of a young lady to call if I had a problem, so I called her. After a few minutes checking she called back and told me I hadn’t paid for and therefore was not due said starter kit. I must admit I became a bit frustrated and angry at that point. I called the sales person and asked him if he recalled promising me a starter kit. He said, “No,” and, to contain my frustration and avoid behaving unprofessionally, I quickly but politely terminated the conversation. The next day I received an email from the person saying that he now recalled his promise. I responded that it was too late; I had already purchased the stuff. I must say that I was surprised that at no time did the sales person apologize for his oversight or offer any sort of compensation for his error.
A couple of days later a young lady from your place called me to find out if I was satisfied with my transaction. I told her about my problem with the starter kit and, to my great satisfaction, she actually apologized and offered to send it to me. I thanked her but told her that I’d already bought the stuff. She did not offer to reimburse me. She did say, however, that she would inform “top management” about my difficulties. I gather from the fact that you didn’t mention it in your undated letter either that you are not a member of top management, or that she didn’t inform you about it, or that it just didn’t seem to you to be important enough to mention.
In the past few days I have driven the unit about 1000 miles, and I finally checked inside a box your folk left in the back. To my surprise it contained a carpet for the driver’s compartment. I installed it. The thing looks a lot better. But I have to comment that that. too, seems a sign of your firm’s lack of interest. Have you ever bought a car where installing the carpet was a do-it-yourself project? I must have bought fifty cars in my lifetime and this is the first time I’ve had that experience.
You will realize, of course, as I do, that all my little complaints are trivial, and don’t really amount to a hill of beans. The only reason I articulate them in such detail is because they cause me to worry about how much attention I may receive from your firm when issues of maintenance and repair come up. I’d be very grateful for your assurance, in writing, so I can wave it around when necessary, that my maintenance and repair needs will receive at least as much attention as those of your other customers.
Yours sincerely,
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire