Recall regrets
Over a pizza, a colleague of the current Mrs Sward bemoaned the fact that his Astra had been recalled. I emphasised that he had to look at this realistically. Given he didn’t buy the Astra new and from a non-franchise dealer, then wasn’t it admirable of Vauxhall to have tracked him down and made good its commitment to ensure its cars perform as intended? This was a commitment the first owner had bought into, not the second or third. His car was running fine, but Vauxhall was going to pay for a Product Enhancement programme to ensure it remains fine in everyone’s eyes. Would such recalls have happened 20 years ago? No. I was in full Warranty Consultant mode here (and, in fairness, in vino veritas).
These days, recalls are a part of life. The most publicised bulletins of late have been for VAG emissions (horrendous) and Japanese airbags (sweet), the customer satisfaction of which varies immensely. Recalls should be embraced by a dealer because they get people through the door, already committed to the brand. They should be loved while you’ve got them trapped.
I remember getting hauled across the coals over the Nissan Note airbag recall. I had figured a four-bay workshop could replace five airbags and make a Vehicle Health Check in 45 minutes, so I would arrange this to maximise bonuses and add on sales such as wiper blades, while minimising downtime and – importantly – courtesy car usage. The fitters would all be lined-up in clean overalls as it would be their first job of the day, then we’d swing into action. It was like a Miner’s Welfare meetup at times in that service reception – and with yours truly serving as compère, I made it good fun.
Apparently this was unprofessional, according to Franchise Standards. I asked the Dealer Principal if putting on bingo or a meat raffle would make it more professional and appealing to the demographic, but this was met with severe blood pressure and the type of reply where spit forms in the corner of your mouth. Regardless, I was happy this recall had been an enjoyable