[GT3]

Possibly one way to avoid these kind of activities would be to allow the owners in the service area. I have seen a pathway on the center and there are service bays on either side in almost all service centers. Owners can be told strictly to not cross the pathway. Bhpian's give your suggestion on this idea.

[H_Dogg72]

Absolutely lovely to see the dealership trying their best to cover this up.
Maruti will definitely take strict action against this particular dealer, but I have a very strong gut feeling that cars with dashcams will have the SD card go mysteriously "missing" or have a rag put over the camera, and just in maruti dealerships, but in other ones as well.
Honestly we as consumers dont have a choice, In India, you get only sales, no after sales.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by GTO

Not so today. This thread is on no.1 position. Screengrab from Google Analytics:

And this youtube video is at 2,32,000+ views .

[Brumby]

Hi !

this is a common phenomenon happening across all authorised service centres of all car manufacturers. Nobody understands that once the trust is breached no matter what corrective action you take suspicion will always be there in future. Lots of offers are given to customers who have caught such incidents with proof and officially lodge a complaint.

Following is the link to my ordeal with MASS with no confirmed reply from MSIL so far.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ive-thane.html

Recently went to the same MASS for a 6-monthly service, estimate was given around INR 2200 (it was a general service without any oil change or any issues). I informed the advisor that I will wait and take the car after the service is completed. I waited for 2 hrs for the car to come into the service bay, there were a lot of cars and the service advisor kept insisting that I must come later at around 4-5 pm and the car will be ready. I bluntly replied that I don't want to pay INR 2200 for washing and asked them to return my car without service. I could read the change in the expression on their faces.

Unless you take the legal route nothing will happen, MSIL & MASS will keep on cheating unsuspecting customers. The MSIL employees working to help the customers are hand in glove with the MASS and the issues and complaints never reach MSIL head office. If they do then MSIL has turned a blind eye towards it.

Mind it there are a handful of customers who go into details of the service and that is a very small number as compared to the masses who have blind faith in the brand. MSIL is taking full advantage of the situation.


Regards.

[rageshgr]

Shocking!

They already have this "good customer service " tag so now they are complacent. Coz there are so many cars. This is why I hate this pseudo eye wash free service within a few months. Either ways it is unacceptable. Having lunch inside your car? Seriously? Even you would have not done it.

One thing I am wondering is, they seem to be aware of the camera?? Still they pull this stunt ?

[VishnuNarayanan]

Originally Posted by srikanthns

Since you are based in Trivandrum, you can comment on this or share your experience of Trivandrum MARUTI service centres!

I have been availing the services of MASS (Indus, Popular and Hercules ) for running repairs and periodic services of my Alto K10 and Swift Diesel(now sold). From my experience Indus is far better followed by Hercules. The worst ever service is from Popular.

[aerohit]

Just one clarification - video starts at 9:45 and ends at 15:15, but your duration is only 30 min. There is no way to verify what happened during remaining 5 hours.

It is possible that car was inspected with keys off, but the fact that they have already admitted guilt will not help them now.


FYI: Not everyone can do that but I never go to service centers anymore, and do 90% service myself, and my cars have been running like new for several years. no thanks.

[ROG_AK]

Originally Posted by aerohit

Just one clarification - video starts at 9:45 and ends at 15:15, but your duration is only 30 min. There is no way to verify what happened during remaining 5 hours.

It is possible that car was inspected with keys off, but the fact that they have already admitted guilt will not help them now.
..

The car never enters the workshop except for the initial few moments and it's pretty much in the wash line throughout. Now I highly doubt they would have checked anything in the wash line (never saw any mechanics there, it was mostly the service advisor and the boys washing the car). At least if the car had entered the workshop after the wash, I would have given the benefit out of the doubt to them and not posted this.

[speedgun]

This news is spreading like any thing here in Cochin, Kerala. I could cross hear even non petrol heads discussing over this video. As a Maruti customer I too was surprised and feels this shows the lethargic approach taken by service center and Maruti regional service head with respect to conducting audits or having any check list. As per the conversation in video it's seems it was not an odd case but a regular practice . Maruti should stop blindly believing their service partners and conduct surprise visits for service quality or conduct third party audits.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by ROG_AK

The car never enters the workshop except for the initial few moments

I concur with your view.

But, had Maruti (and the dealer) wanted, it could have claimed that all the checks were done as per procedure during the close to 300 minutes of time that the car stood in the service centre with its dash camera off. The lone CC camera could have been said to have malfunctioned on that particular day and hence they couldn't provide proof of service. Also that since all fluids were at the prescribed level, they hadn't drawn any supplies from the store. They could have issued a simple apology for the mechanic's carelessness in keeping the AC running and for not treating a customer's car with respect.

However, they went the whole nine yards, recognised and acknowledged their mistake, apologized to the customer and tried to take some corrective action. If they wanted you to take down the video and delete this thread, it was to ensure that the reputation of the company gained over the years doesn't bite the dust because of the reckless behaviour of one of their partners. A lone prodigal son doesn't make a family bad. And the emperor, once he realises that he is actually naked in front of the world because he blindly trusted his tailor, would surely like to protect his modesty first. The noose would find the tailor for sure.

But first, the nakedness!

I can hazard a guess that the service advisors and the mechanics were grilled thoroughly in order to extract the truth from them. Once they realised their own culpability in the matter, they rushed to you - not to threaten, blackmail or entice you - but to request you politely to forgive them for their collective sins of omission.

That humility and eagerness to solve a problem is the hallmark of a successful customer centric business. And that's why, in spite of not being a six sigma level of operation, Maruti is the choice of millions.

I am not a fan boy of Maruti. Have personally had many issues with their service centres too. Still, in light of the way that the company has reacted after being aware of the facts, I think we must try to be pragmatic in our comments and not keep beating the dead horse. Even a devil deserves its due!

I stand with you completely in your firmness not to erase traces of Maruti's wrongdoing. However, I am curious to know at what stage will you forgive them, or more simply, what will be that action from Maruti which will compensate you for the deceit that you have been subjected to?

[VinsWagen]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Once they realised their own culpability in the matter, they rushed to you - not to threaten, blackmail or entice you - but to request you politely to forgive them for their collective sins of omission.

That humility and eagerness to solve a problem is the hallmark of a successful customer centric business. And that's why, in spite of not being a six sigma level of operation, Maruti is the choice of millions.

I am not a fan boy of Maruti. Have personally had many issues with their service centres too. Still, in light of the way that the company has reacted after being aware of the facts, I think we must try to be pragmatic in our comments and not keep beating the dead horse. Even a devil deserves its due!

I stand with you completely in your firmness not to erase traces of Maruti's wrongdoing. However, I am curious to know at what stage will you forgive them, or more simply, what will be that action from Maruti which will compensate you for the deceit that you have been subjected to?

Polite request was clearly, just to save their own jobs - there was no indication of any moral courage or a honest, professional corrective action. And that politeness was returned well by ROG_AK in all the further dealings as described here.

Salute to him for dealing with this in such a noble, level-headed, mature manner. He could have accepted the apology and got concessions for himself and even ensured that his car gets preferential treatment each time hereafter. Instead, he puts this up in the net with all the details without any arrogance or bad words exchanged anywhere. The feel I get from this is as if he has done this for you and me.

I'm sure the positive impact that this will have is much greater than what it may seem like. As customers, we will be much more careful and no company, however great the perception about them is, will take us for granted without thinking twice. It is in fact a service to Maruti and its dealers too- they would be much more careful and stringent about such things in the future, which will eventually make them better.

Thank you ROG_AK!

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

...However, I am curious to know at what stage will you forgive them, or more simply, what will be that action from Maruti which will compensate you for the deceit that you have been subjected to?

In the posts were he's provided updates, he's mentioned that he only wants them to ensure this doesn't happen again.

He's forgiven them & has let the matter go. Actually such things happen in all branded ASCs, not just Maruti. How Maruti Suzuki reacts will set the benchmark of how mass market car companies should deal with such ASC malpractices.

IMO This topic & thread is probably kept open for us to realise how taking a few precautions would help us owners from being misled by tricky service center's.

Example: A Tata ASC had opened fake job card for my Nano, while the car had never been for service! I tweeted & E-mailed Tata Motors with all the proof necessary, but received no reply even after posting details & links here.

So, Let's see.

[sathru000]

Well Done Bro!!!!Quite a bunch of Retards who loots our hard earned money.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Felt bad after reading this incidence. But not surprised.

I had once given my SX4 Zxi VVT for a free service. Oil change was due at that service. The ASC had oil pipelines coming into the workshop and they would fill-up the oil from overhead hanging nozzle.

I was sitting in the waiting lounge while the car was under service. I noted the color of the pipe from which the mechanic filled-up the oil. Out of curiosity, I traced the pipe physically and this process took me to their basement. The pipe originated from a 210 lit oil barrel but it was not 5W30, which my car needed. I checked it once again and brought it to the notice of the SA. He somehow defended saying that the drum contained 5W30 only and even if not, I shall not worry because they do this everyday!

After this, I changed the ASC, motinored every service from the waiting lounge, went to shop floor to check before they moved the car.

After switching the ASC, I started knowing the GM and few SAs personally. They all had honoured all my requests for personal check during the service. All jobs were done to my satisfaction and I was never overbilled. They never carried out any extra work (like polish etc.) which I had not authorised.

I stuck to ASC till the warrantee period was over. After that I have been purchasing the engine oil, the oil filter and the air filter from Maruti Genuine Spares myself. I go to an FNG and get the oil (& filter) changed in person by paying them Rs. 150. I do the following tasks myself (at home, in leisure time): air filter change, wiper blade change, brake oil top up, coolant top up, battery check. I get the car washed at a good washing centre, which raises the car on a lift for underbody wash.

What I save by not going to ASC: time. It takes a looong time to make a job card and hand over the car. And again a looong time in the evening. Secondly, the ASC does not wash the car underbody. The washing centre does, by raising the car by 6 feet.

When I need some repairs other than routine service, I will happily go to the ASC but sit there whole day. Touchwood, during the 85000 km so far, SX4 has not demanded anything else. Such a lovely, reliable car.

[ROG_AK]

Originally Posted by VinsWagen

.. Salute to him for dealing with this in such a noble, level-headed, mature manner. He could have accepted the apology and got concessions for himself and even ensured that his car gets preferential treatment each time hereafter. Instead, he puts this up in the net with all the details without any arrogance or bad words exchanged anywhere. The feel I get from this is as if he has done this for you and me..

Thank you ROG_AK!

Thank you for your kind words! As humans we all make mistakes. However, it is the reaction to the mistake that defines your character. Maruti could have twisted this several ways to try and save their backside, but they owned up and I commend them for that. One can only hope that they will take corrective measures.
That said, the careless attitude displayed in the video definitely has to stop in all service centres from all manufactures. Any sort of failure in a car can potentially lead to grievous injuries or even death, they need to understand this and stop taking things for granted.
The overwhelming response to this thread should be an eye opener to all manufacturers and I hope they all make a conscious effort to make things better.