This is an old review I had written for my blog site. recently my friend also experienced the same issue so I thought I woud upload it.
I know as customers all of you are aware that so many companies in the Indian market are terrible at customer service. But what is surprising and actually most pathetic is that even the better ones – known to have a good service record are actually horrible in their approach and executing their service policies.
One Such Company is Hyundai – Even if you have not bought a Hyundai product, you would know them as a successful company that not only makes good cars but also provides good service. It’s perhaps not something they have advertised, but something we just know(something the ingliss speaking Delhites call Mouth to Mouth publicity). And that is the very reason why, me in my pragmatist best decided to go with Hyundai. Besides I had done my research and zeroed down to the i10 Kappa.
Overall Experience: Far from Satisfying
Improvement areas: Realise the importance of a dealer visit and monitor sales staff
So what were my expectations before I visited their showroom(Company showroom - Mathura Road, New Delhi) Simple – Given the slowdown in the auto sector and the economy in general, they would be quite desperate to sell now. The staff will be quite obliging and eager to give us details about their schemes and offers. They will ask questions like can I book it for you sir. when would you be purchasing the car. Most importantly I wanted them to educate me about Automatic Transmission(AT) since I was undecided whether to go for an AT or a Manual.
Lesson 1 – learned quickly and promptly: DONT EXPECT! The experience of interacting with their staff was disappointing from the beginning. Before I went to the showroom I tried to dial in and fix an appointment, and ensure that they have an AT available for a test drive. None of the calls were received. Few kept ringing and few were simply wrong numbers(non existent). On reaching the Showroom I found out that their numbers have actually changed. and the company has not done anything to update that in their website! This is the authorised Company showroom I am talking about – not a small dealer here and there.
Anyway I called their helpline number and shared my frustration, I was given the contact number of the Yusuf Sarai Showroom. After giving me the number, the girl on the phone said – Sir hasn’t the Yusuf Sarai showroom shut down due to the sealing drive?
What? Is she asking me this question? How am I supposed to know. I am the bafoon who cant get through to any of your showroom numbers and is still trying. I really gave that girl a piece of my mind. I think(I hope) she is contemplating an alternative career as we speak.
Salesmen experience: Think of a car salesman archetype - A Young guy, driven and very enthusiastic about his job – someone who is more than willing to share his knowledge and expertise about the category and divulge product details. At the showroom the salesman that served us was young. . . . . . and that’s pretty much it. All he did well was to hand us a pamphlet and a print out of the price list. When we went for a test drive he comfortably sat in the back seat and attended calls on his cell phone. He did not even start talking positive about the car. When I urged him to compare the car with the Suzuki Swift he said – “Well the swift is also a very good car”. He was so disinterested in selling us the car, for a moment I felt like we are doing a crime by troubling him. and that we should allow him to get back to his job. But wait a minute, isn’t this EXACTLY HIS Job. Maybe I should have banged the car. That surely would have prompted him into action.
In the showroom things are as bad:
We returned to the showroom for a final word – no closing statement from our dude. We did not even discuss finance options. This after I told him I would want to buy the car within a week. Also after a little inspection we saw that the only i10 they have on display in their showroom is actually not even the Kappa version. When I enquired about the model I was told this model is out of stock. Really? Why is it on display? So that means there are workers who come into this showroom every morning, clean and mop this car till it is spic and shiny, even though it is not selling in the market anymore.
While on my way back home I did not know what to make of the whole visit. I like the car, but then is the sales staff is so disappointing, how eager would the after sales people be to serve us? I think I would have to bribe them to get my work done. Maybe this is a tactic employed by Hyundai across the country. Maybe they want to act nonchalant so that they don’t come off all needy and desperate. Maybe they want to give the customer a fair chance to evaluate their offerings and not bias him with any favouring statements about their products. hmm maybe