[sa_kl14]

Today I had a strange experience at SKS Automobiles, Bannerughata Road, Bangalore. I had taken my Scorpio there today to get a fix on the recurring problem of AC Gas getting leaked. This was my 3rd visit to the service station to get this problem arrested. The people at the service station were courteous and friendly as usual. While a mechanic was looking into the problem, we came across this strange behavior from a visiting M&M Engg. from Nasik who was also at this service station to get some work on a Bolero he had brought there.

Two bays away from my car was the Bolero that was getting some under body check raised on a lift. I could see at least 6-8 mechanics checking and tightening all possible nuts and bolts under the body of this vehicle. My car was parked next to the ground pit in the workshop area and the mechanic had disconnected the AC pipeline connected to the condenser to check the leak. He had also connected a working lamp from the battery and had kept some tools as well as the unbolted parts and nuts etc. on the engine bay / area near the wind shield.

Meanwhile the Bolero was brought down from the lift and suddenly this M&M Engg. comes to my car that was being checked and asks one of the mechanics attending to his vehicle to move my car so that the Bolero could be placed on the ground pit. He then pulls out the lamp connection in a hurry and in the melee drops a spanner and some nuts kept on the top in to the engine bay. This Engg. didn't care a bit about the vehicle that was being repaired and was not willing to wait even for 2-3 mins so that the mechanic working on it could return before the vehicle is moved from there. I did question the restlessness he was showing and asked him to wait for the mechanic to return. My car was moved immediately on the return of the mechanic.

A little later this M&M Engg. sends a service adviser to ask me leave the workshop area immediately stating that customers are not allowed at the floor. This was in total contrast of the information displayed at the customer service lounge, which encourages customers to ask in details about the work required and inspect their vehicle if needed during repair. I felt that this particular M&M Engg. do not understand even the basics of Customer Service and was really surprised by his behavior towards a customer. If the company representative discharge this kind of treatment to a customer I wonder how can M&M expect their service stations to provide a happy customer experience?

I would like to see this off as a one-off incident, may be just happened because of the behavior of this particular person, as this was a first time I had an unpleasant experience with an M&M employee at their service outlet. Also, I hope at least this time the AC leakage problem will be put to rest.

[f1head]

This happens everywhere, most service centers do dole out special treatment to influential people. If I were you, I would have noted down the name of that engineer and tweeted it to Anand Mahindra

[pawan_pullarwar]

Originally Posted by f1head

This happens everywhere, most service centers do dole out special treatment to influential people. If I were you, I would have noted down the name of that engineer and tweeted it to Anand Mahindra

I agree with you, I would have never leave that guy.

My suggestion would be to file a compaint through Mahindra website. Such incident happen because we do not complain, they think like they are the boss of the company they are working.

[noopster]

It's quite obvious that he didn't realise there was a customer in the service area when he was pushing his weight around. The moment he realised it, he made a pretext of customers NOT being allowed in the service area to protect his backside. Do get all his details (name, vehicle number, etc.) and as someone suggested it, tweet it to Mahindra and drop them a courteous email pointing out that this is not expected as well.

[mjothi]

Yes. Very usual stuff. But again, we should be carried away with the "chaltha hai" attitude. Do make a fuss about this. Send emails to service guys, M&M and also in their websites, if possible.

I am sure, every management tries to make the work environment better, but with some guys like this, it fails.

EDIT: You did a perfect thing of putting it in this one of the powerful auto forum.

[condor]

Originally Posted by sa_kl14

A little later this M&M Engg. sends a service adviser to ask me leave the workshop area immediately stating that customers are not allowed at the floor. This was in total contrast of the information displayed at the customer service lounge, which encourages customers to ask in details about the work required and inspect their vehicle if needed during repair.

It is a standard practice to not allow customers into the service area. This is for safety of every one concerned. Also imagine the situation if customers had a free-for-all into the service area - there will be more problems & interference in the servicing/work and fewer happy customers.

Imagine if your customers were let to roam around your work area.

Before you object, pls note the line in the above post by OP: the dealer has displayed a board encouraging the customer "to ask questions". They have not said the customer is allowed anywhere in the premises.

Originally Posted by noopster

The moment he realised it, he made a pretext of customers NOT being allowed in the service area to protect his backside. .

I dont think that was a pretext - it is a standard practice. But yes, from what OP has said, the engg seems to have thrown his weight around. I'm not commenting/ condoning that part.


Note:
My A.S.S also displays a notice that customers are not allowed in the service area. But if my SA takes me inside, then I do go. Else I dont want him to be at the receiving end from his managers and so I dont go inside at other times. This is inspite of being on good terms with other SA's & some mechanics.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by condor

It is a standard practice to not allow customers into the service area. This is for safety of every one concerned.

+1 to what condor says. The official policy in at least Tata and M&M ASCs is that customers are not allowed in the service bay area. They can watch work being done on their vehicle through a transparent glass in the customer lounge. It is not only a question of the customer being in the way of the technicians, but also one of liability if some accident occurs and he/she gets injured.

So, even if you are allowed to stand by your vehicle in the service bay when it is being serviced, it'll be totally a goodwill gesture, and not something that can be demanded.

Cheers,
Vikram

[sa_kl14]

As I have mentioned in my original post the CSEs at SKS are always helpful and friendly. During my last 7 years of experience with M&M A.S.S this would be hardly a 2nd or 3rd time that I would have gone into the service bay with the SE. Please do understand that this was the 3rd time I was visting the A.S.S to get the recurring AC problem fixed and this time I wanted to understand the problem from the mechanic. And what appeared to be a certain 'Condenser Unit Replacement' ended up as a 'replacement of a faulty O'ring at the connector pipe' after discussions with the mechanic at the shop floor.

Also, the objective of my post was to point out the behavior of the M&M Engg. irrespective of the fact that whether customer was present in the shop floor or not.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear sa kl14 - thanks. The incident is noted and action is started. Whatever may be the root cause, this should not happen. I apologize. Please PM me the details if any.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[sa_kl14]

Dear Behram Sir,

Thank you for your attention. And I strongly feel that you need not be apologetic about this incident as I still perceive it as a one-off incident. Thank you for your support.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

@Satheesh, do you recall the name of this guy, how does he look? What Bolero was this guy having, did the car have any stickers on it (e.g. ON TEST) ? If ON TEST what was the red registration no.? Had I been in your place, I would have taken his pic and posted it here.

Spike

[bantejas]

@spike/Behram sir: But why would you want to speak to your engineer? I just want to know. The customers shouldn't be taken to the Service Bay unless and until the A.S.S asks us to come and we don't have any right to question the way the A.S.S works, isn't it?

Regards,
Tejas

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Tejas, your point ^^ is well taken. Whatever may be the protocol, there is a minimum level of decency expected from "human beings", no point in saying we are educated unless we practice it.

I would prefer not to talk with this guy whoever he may be. Period!

Spike

[rajeshchand]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Yes. Very usual stuff. But again, we should be carried away with the "chaltha hai" attitude. Do make a fuss about this. Send emails to service guys, M&M and also in their websites, if possible.

I am sure, every management tries to make the work environment better, but with some guys like this, it fails.

EDIT: You did a perfect thing of putting it in this one of the powerful auto forum.

This reminds me about my experience with Mahindra Service Center at Hyderabad.
My scorpio of 3 years started giving me repeated problems of clutch, i had to replace clutch 3 times within a span of 6 months and 20k kilometres, now each visit for clutch replacement costs about Rs 12000/-. The fourth time clutch gave away i religiously took the vehicle but had made some decisions in my mind to how to deal with it. Once they had replaced the clutch, i asked for a full report in writing regarding why this repeated clutch damage is happening and i refused to take the vehicle without this report. Now the service center guys had the audacity to tell me there is not even a kilometer of guarantee for even a new clutch, for which i replied that what is if the fitment mistake is there, i am not a technician but that too can happen, for which they replied that there fitment is correct to which i replied give me the same in writing and then i will take the vehicle for an external check up with third party technicians and forward a full report and file a consumer court complaint, to which they replied they cannot give anything in writing. I said in reply to this that they can keep the vehicle to themselves till they answer my queries satisfactorily. Now here the problem was they have blocked money and lost parking space of one vehicle and this hurts them most, nothing else. I also send a mailer to M&M with all the details, nothing came up for the next 3-4 days. neither from M&M nor from the service center. They kept pestering me to collect the vehicle which i refused completely and meanwhile i send a reminder of in the form of a registered letter to both M&M registered office as well as copy to service center and one copy to my lawyer with a note for lawyer notice to be generated after 5 days in case no reply is received from the company or service center. It worked, after around 5 days (by which time both might have got the letter), i was called to the service center, where i found an M&M engineer having a look at the vehicle and he convinced me that this problem will not re-occur and if it happens within such short span of time they will repair it at their cost, also they didnt bill me too, they just asked me to drive away the vehicle. It has been 2 years and 35000 kms till date and no problems with the clutch except for the usual wear and tear sluggishness. So, i assume there might have been some problem which the engineer resolved which the service center guys could not. I deal with these service center guys with a pinch of salt, i dont take anything on their face value, neither should you, ask questions and get answers, you are a customer and you need to be heard.