letter of the month
After spending £130,000-plus on a new motorhome, I am appalled at the shocking aftermarket customer care experience that I have received.
Our dealer waits weeks for warranty approval decisions, then it takes months to get parts. They say the manufacturer does not give parts delivery times.
At the moment, the market is buoyant and it seems that all parts are prioritised to production lines, rather than supporting customers who have been loyal to the brand. If manufacturers think this is best practice, they are horribly wrong.
I believe the first manufacturer to announce a comprehensive customer care programme with parts delivery guarantees will build on their brand perception and expand their market share over time.
Lastly, I have not received a satisfaction survey from the dealer or manufacturer; this tells me they have no idea what customers think of their ownership experience, so how can manufacturers build a strategy without this info? It seems that manufacturers are complacent and many customers accept shoddy service. Unfortunately, the only way to influence change is for customers to raise their expectations and ask for certain guarantees as a condition of purchase. Nicholas Rose
Sarah Wakely replies…
Sorry to hear this, Nicholas, and we know you’re not alone in your frustrating experience. It was with this in mind that we created our annual Owner Satisfaction Awards many years ago: to help recognise the best dealers and manufacturers out there, and highlight those who do listen and respond to their customers.
You can read the results of our latest awards in the next issue, but do have your say in our 2024 awards (held with our scheme partners, The Camping and Caravanning Club), the survey for which opens soon.
Please rest assured that we will continue to push manufacturers and dealers on the fact that customers deserve to be treated fairly, and the importance of feedback from our annual Owner Satisfaction Awards.