[red herring]

Fraud by Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai

Originally Posted by red herring

Hi All,

This post is to get some help and advice from you all.

I booked a Safari XZA+ from the TATA dealer My DSM, Kurla in Mumbai in April. I paid an initial booking amount and was informed that the delivery would happen around 10th June. I started following up for the chassis allocation around 1st June and closer to the date of delivery the delivery date was moved and kept moving forward every one week. In early July I got a call from My DSM Kurla to pay some deposit amount so as to secure a vehicle. Hesitatingly I gave some deposit amount (big mistake) for which I received the receipts. All this while the dealer kept refusing to give final delivery date on mail - all verbal communications which were never honored.

Finally around 10th July after much wait, I decided to write emails to the company and also tweeted to Ratan Tata citing a default of payment. Finally things started moving and I received some mail communication and a call from the company - no final date of delivery yet.

While delayed deliveries are a norm, it's not where I need your help. Once I spoke to the company official, he informed me that My DSM is not authorized to sell a Tata Safari as he has some funds crunch at his end. And he is trying to source me a Safari from another dealer. This spooked me out - not sure why but it did. May be the lack of transparency or the outright lies that the dealer kept telling me.

Since this piece of information, I been have insisting on a refund or a mail from a official Tata Motors email ID that what My DSM is doing is an allowed practice and all future commitments of return/service will be honored. My worry is in case the Safari I get develops issues right at the outset and has to be returned, My DSM cannot do jack. The dealer from which he has bought the car wouldn't be able to help me either and I will be stuck with a lemon for life.

What would be the your view here? What would you do - insist on a refund or take the car if Tata's confirm on mail that all's fine with this practice? IMO, this sounds like a compliance issue for which heads should role if it gets caught in audit - its something which would happen in the companies where I've worked. Not sure how strong Tata's compliance practices are.

Looking forward to some help here.

Thanks

Sadly this got escalated to a full fraud from Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai.

DSM as I had mentioned is not authorized to take bookings of Safari as per TM (Tata Motors) guidelines but they went ahead and took my booking. They were to service my booking by purchasing the car from another dealer without really informing me of this arrangement. Whether it was mal intention or sheer incapability to manage their cash flows, they couldn't provide me with a vehicle within the committed timelines and now have gone absent with my initial deposit amount. DSM hasn't refunded my amount yet and doesn't seem like they intend to.

Why I think Tata Motors is also involved in this - well this arrangement of inter dealer car transfer wouldn't have gone unnoticed by TM infact they might have actively encouraged this. Anyways, for a group that prides itself on propriety, this is gaping compliance and integrity issue.

I am thinking of sending a legal notice to DSM and TM. In all this I'm hoping I am able to salvage some of my money. TM asked me to transfer my booking to another dealer so that I can get my car sooner. Now I'm not even sure I want to do that and ever buy a Tata car - a company which makes you grovel for your own money imagine what would they do if there is some issue with my car. They will immediately wash their hands off the issue.

Lesson learnt for me and hopefully others will think twice before doing a transaction with Tata Motors & DSM, Kurla.

You'll notice that the booking is for a Tata Harrier - which is what I had booked earlier, but then asked them to change it to Safari. They never sent a booking receipt for Safari, except for the WhatsApp confirmation. Now I understand why they didn't send a revised booking for Safari - they were just not authorised to sell it!!

[charade]

Originally Posted by red herring

Fraud by Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai



Sadly this got escalated to a full fraud from Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai.

Sorry to hear this. Have you tried tweeting your experience to Tata Motors, Ratan Tata et al?

On a related note:
Given the outsized impact that individual dealers have on the car ownership experience (especially for Tata Motors where they seem unable to implement any basic service levels), it may not be bad idea to create a list of dealers with reviews / ratings. Maybe specific call outs for staff who are helpful so that it creates a positive feedback loop.

[red herring]

Originally Posted by charade

Sorry to hear this. Have you tried tweeting your experience to Tata Motors, Ratan Tata et al?

On a related note:
Given the outsized impact that individual dealers have on the car ownership experience (especially for Tata Motors where they seem unable to implement any basic service levels), it may not be bad idea to create a list of dealers with reviews / ratings. Maybe specific call outs for staff who are helpful so that it creates a positive feedback loop.

Hi Charade

I just did. Thanks.

Hoping to see some benefit comig out of it but considering the hands off approach of TM so far, I doubt. Legal recourse seems to be the only way out.

[red herring]

Originally Posted by red herring

Fraud by Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai



Sadly this got escalated to a full fraud from Tata Motors & its Dealer DSM Autos, Kurla, Mumbai.

DSM as I had mentioned is not authorized to take bookings of Safari as per TM (Tata Motors) guidelines but they went ahead and took my booking. They were to service my booking by purchasing the car from another dealer without really informing me of this arrangement. Whether it was mal intention or sheer incapability to manage their cash flows, they couldn't provide me with a vehicle within the committed timelines and now have gone absent with my initial deposit amount. DSM hasn't refunded my amount yet and doesn't seem like they intend to.

Why I think Tata Motors is also involved in this - well this arrangement of inter dealer car transfer wouldn't have gone unnoticed by TM infact they might have actively encouraged this. Anyways, for a group that prides itself on propriety, this is gaping compliance and integrity issue.

I am thinking of sending a legal notice to DSM and TM. In all this I'm hoping I am able to salvage some of my money. TM asked me to transfer my booking to another dealer so that I can get my car sooner. Now I'm not even sure I want to do that and ever buy a Tata car - a company which makes you grovel for your own money imagine what would they do if there is some issue with my car. They will immediately wash their hands off the issue.

Lesson learnt for me and hopefully others will think twice before doing a transaction with Tata Motors & DSM, Kurla.

An update to this saga.

Not really an update as the needle hasn't moved at all. The dealer has refused to return my money and after multiple tweets tagging multiple Tata handles including Mr Ratan Tata himself, I still don't have my money back.

TM had removed the dealer from its website a few days back because of impropriety but the dealer is back on the website as an authorized dealer. And there is no mention at all that the dealer is not allowed to sell Tata Safari. So it seems that the reward of defrauding a customer is reinstatement of your dealership - well done TATA. For a group that prides itself on integrity, this is a real low. People in Mumbai looking to make a purchase from my DSM - please note. People looking to buy a vehicle from TATA - please note as well!

What's next for me? Well for starters no TATA car for me ever again. Two, sending a legal notice to the dealer. Third, continue to create a noise on social and local media. Let's see where this leads.

[GTO]

Thanks for sharing, red herring! Moving your post out to a new thread so as to warn others. A new thread means 100X the views & 100X the visibility in search engines, including Google. Will add to homepage later this week .

I will also be sending this link to some people @ Tata who I know.

@ BHPians, if you should spot any post in an existing thread that deserves its own new thread, please report the post and we'll move it out for greater visibility.

Thank you!

[VKumar]

Things really can't get worse. XUV7OO has created a massive hype, and at the same time, bad-luck for Tata Motors, we have this thread highlighted on the T-BHP. If Tata management and marketing teams have even slight of the sense (which they don't have), this is the crisis which can be turned into an opportunity of coming out, stepping up and show how much concerned they are about the customers.

Lapses are quite normal in product or services delivery, what you do post that defines you as an organization, loyalty rate is normally good in the cases where the crisis is perfectly managed.

That said, Tata motors is responsible for this in every manner. There is no scope of saying that the dealer isn't allowed to sell the car. You have the money, the customer has informed you over a month back of the same, and now there are you behaving like an absolute idiot and ignoring the ailment of the customer, which is actually because of your lax attitude and poor control over your dealer principles.

No wonder, it takes a lot of effort in building the brands, and these small touches work in terms of the penetration depth in the market. Maruti is a market leader, there is a reason for the same, their dealer principal won't ever dare to get into this type of a situation.

Highly disappointed, seriously. This thread is going to cost dearly to Tata, because the timing is just wrong for this to happen - what a colossal failure of their customer service!

Shared the link with someone seated in Bombay House. I wish they get it resolved ASAP and make sure to properly compensate the customer too.

Hence Proved: People go to B-Schools for 'salary packages' and not to learn the real management! These are the people who shall be termed as 'termites' and shall be sacked, they eat your brand and its reputation slowly from inside given their lax attitude and poor decision making.

[red herring]

Originally Posted by VKumar

Things really can't get worse. XUV7OO has created a massive hype, and at the same time, bad-luck for Tata Motors, we have this thread highlighted on the T-BHP. If Tata management and marketing teams have even slight of the sense (which they don't have), this is the crisis which can be turned into an opportunity of coming out, stepping up and show how much concerned they are about the customers.

Very well said VKumar. What is really surprising is that TM has reinstated the dealer knowing very well that the dealer has defaulted on payment. If a prospective customer doesn't have that information they also run a high risk of getting their payments stuck.

Unfortunately even with all the options available today we are still a sellers market in many segments and that's the weakness that manufacturers take advantage of.

[warrioraks]

I will go against the tide and say that calling out Tata Motors as a complicit in this fraud is an exaggeration.

- Does Tata Motor’s response to your predicament seem pathetic - Yes
- Do you deserve a better treatment when you are buying their premium car in their stable - Yes
- Have you been defrauded - Absolutely Yes
- Did Tata Motors defraud you - Most probably NO. It was the dealer trying to pull a fast one on you

Despite this, Tata Motors could have handled this way better. I hope you get a resolution and a car (XUV700? ) soon.

[ronford]

Frankly, I feel all the Tata dealerships are the same, pathetic to say the least.

Wanted to TD Nexon EV but no, they won't even schedule a TD at the showroom let alone get it home (which is 3 km from the dealership).

No wonder they are posting record losses quarter after quarter.

[SRT_Dwarka]

When a little success gets to your head!! Right when TML was starting to look like a viable option.
For a company who isn't even sure about having a full time CEO (Apparently the old one has reluctantly agreed to stay for a while and the last replacement they made a public announcement about pulled out) this sure is not a great sign.

[red herring]

Update 2:

Received a message from a TM employee informing me that the payment will happen by Monday. Honestly, I find it hard to believe as I have already got atleast 5 such commitments in the past which have not been honored. But I'm ever hopeful.

Also got a call from the dealer who wants me to visit his office to talk to him on the refund. What is there to talk here? Just wire the money mate! This is something I find hard to understand - he wants me to go to his office to talk to him to get my money back! Not happening sir.

Nonetheless, some movement ever since this thread has gone up - power of community!

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by red herring

he wants me to go to his office to talk to him to get my money back! Not happening sir.

When people present the classic examples of "Riding the high horse", had it been Maruti Suzuki, these guys would have been after your life to get an appointment and have a tea with you at your place or office. I have seen their officials visit a customer over 60 kms away with dealership management team after the sunset - no wonder, they earned all three, the customer, the loyalty, and the word of mouth.

And here are these (un)gentlemen, who have with held the money of the customer and now want the customer to visit their office. The rule simply says:
"A person who has the decision making authority shall visit the customer at his place of comfort and negotiate a solution which is in favor of both the parties". The brands shall start roping-in the qualified BHPians for their teams instead of such people, it will help them immensely with market penetration at least!

My Suggestion: No need to visit their premises, either they visit themselves or they make a wire transfer. Just get the money and pass it to some other brand (Yes that one only) if they still have no clue of the car now. It is because of their lax attitude, the customer's money is stuck for months (interest income loss), along with the exposure of the customer to price hikes (Dearness loss) for the customer, how are they going to compensate the loss due to price hikes? Something that is entirely because of the wrong people they have put in right place.

[condor]

One question - did you take TD of the Harrier / Safari at DSM ? Or was it another place ?

[SulemanP]

In cases where any Automobile manufacturer Ceases business in Part or Full with its dealers should declare about its decision in all the leading newspapers/Tweet through official handle so that customers are aware about it.

Hopefully TATA is going through this thread and we expect them to do the needful at the earliest, they should know how to safe guard their customer's interest.

Cases like these will only leave a dent on their image, which will then prove a much difficult issue to deal with.

[red herring]

Originally Posted by condor

One question - did you take TD of the Harrier / Safari at DSM ? Or was it another place ?

I took a TD with DSM. It was peak Covid so they brought the TD vehicle over to my house. It was a Harrier. From placing an inquiry to getting a vehicle at my place, it took them less than 3 days. I was also pleasantly surprised by their responsiveness. But then who was to know!