Customer Care at Mahindra

[hvkumar]

Just to supplement, the ASCs have a practice of making customers sign off

(a) satisfaction reports at the time of billing, even before the customer sees his car, but apparently after the Service Advisor has explained what work has been done

(b) a feedback form which asks inane irrational questions like "Did they get the work done right the first time?"

I know some customers refuse to sign on the satisfaction voucher.

ASCs do not complete all the work customer has asked for, and do not always explain this to the customer.

If a part is not available - as is becoming very common nowadays, now that Mahindra seems to be "re"launching their Scorpios every other month - they are not indented for even if you place a request for them. In most cases, the design has changed and the parts are no more available. I have several such parts that need to be changed in my Scorpio, but am unable to. I nowadays scrounge the used parts bins in the ASCs and try to cannibalise them from accident-repair cars! Mahindra wouldn't care any the less.

ASCs are plugging away services like - upholstery cleaning, car polishing, underbody coatings, AC service - but do not bother, even when the customer wants, about crucial belt changes, engine foundation replacements, etc, all of which rejuvenate the car, are very crucial preventive maintenance measures.

In short, ASCs do not have a culture of recommending preventive maintenance schedules to customers, many of us who are not concerned about how much money we spent on the cars, but are worried about safety and good maintenance. They do not follow good practices in the ASCs.

I have brought all these to the attention of Mahindra over the last 4.5 years I have owned the Scorpio, but I have seen little improvement - needless to say, there are more posters in the workshop floors and customer lounges!!! As though that brings about change!

Mahindra ASCs do not have standard parts like fasteners! During my recent visit from Bombay to the North east (a 12,000 kms over 21 days), bad roads in Bhutan and Assam meant that my steering balancing rod assembly came off (the nuts were totally off in the LHS, and teh whole rod was held there by the RHS nuts!) and the Guwahati ASC did not even have the correct nuts to fit such a crucial part, and neither does my Bombay ASC. What more can you say?

They do not check oil leakages even when you point out to them and suggest solutions.
There are no power steering tanks, no oil separators, no differential flange oil seals. Why, they changed my clutch plate without changing the release bearing - and this after I had taken an appointment after an assurance that all the parts were available (I connected to their store to check before taking my car across). Needless to say, my first clutch plate lasted 95,000 kms (and I changed on my own, it was still going strong). The second one did not last even 50,000 kms.

Any more horror stories - I have lots of them, but neither the patience nor the time to recite them. I have spent over 4 lakhs in maintaining my car (all paid for by me, not warranties) to keep my car running the way it does.

Should I say, With You Hamesha! (that is the Mahindra slogan!)

[ported_head]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The Scorpios are well-engineered, but they have monkeys in their service centres who have poor workmanship and are callous in their approach to following good work practices.

It is bound to happen, in a industry where the service advisers are paid twice as much as the mechanics themselves. It takes years of practice to be able to diagnose accurately. Skill notwithstanding, where is the motivation to apply good workmanship for such measly pays.

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Folks, i used to visit one particular ASC in chennai until a very well known Supervisor was there , after he left i either use MY TVS(because the senior mechanic is well known to us) or the ASC engineers who come home and do privately, i do not trust ASC any longer.

tnx