THE PROBLEM: I don’t know about you, but a lot of people won’t be happy to lose a whole day of work waiting for their car to be serviced by AN authorized dealer for a procedure that literally takes around 30 to 40 minutes to complete. This has been my experience the past three times I visited Mitsubishi Motors Quezon Avenue branch. I’ve informed them of their slow service but I guess they don’t value time (theirs and mine) that much.
THE INCIDENT: The procedure for servicing vehicles is identical to most manufacturers’ service centers. Drive your car in the service bay, they tag it with a number and then you’re directed to a service reception where you tell them what kind of service to perform on your car. Once, you’ve both agreed on the terms and costs you car will be then turned over to the mechanics for service.
The problem isn’t with the procedure because I’ve experienced other services centers and their practice was acceptable. But in this particular dealership, Mitsubishi Motors Quezon Avenue Branch, it took me over an hour to wait for my turn to speak to a service advisor only to relay to him that I’m having scheduled changed oil which only takes about 30 to 40 minutes tops!
And it’s not like I was not there early, I was there 7:30am, only 30 minutes after they opened, and then the service advisor goes, you’re car will be done around 4pm. Say what?! You’ve received my car for service at around 9am and you’re telling me it will take you until 4pm to finish it.
“Can I just go buy the original manufacturers parts from you and have a competent mechanic perform the oil change because it seems you’re fully booked,” I ask. His reply: “It’s up to you sir, but it may void the warranty of your vehicle if you do.”
At this point I was literally pulling my hair to relieve myself of the headache they’ve caused me. Now I’ve been to service centers of other brands, and I’ve never experienced having to wait more than an hour just to relay what needs to be done to my car.
Now compare that, to having your service in a gas station, where you park your car at the service bay, tell your trusted mechanic you need change oil, give your keys, and sit back and relax in the customer’s lounge while you see him work on your car. If not for this entrapment about voiding your warranty, I’ll never consider having to service my car in this dealer ever.
THE SOLUTION: Admittedly, some automotive works require quite some time to finish, like flushing a radiator, changing transmission oil, etc. However, the most common cases in service needs are just the regular service maintenance and regular change oil.
Having dedicated two or three service bays for quick maintenance jobs easily solves the problem of having to wait behind another customer whose vehicle needs a half day to finish the job.
The setup will be simple, bring your car to the quick service area, inform the service advisor what you need to be done, and the dedicated mechanic on duty performs the job, if it’s an oil change, he’ll be free after 30 to 40 minutes to work on another car, heck he can even simultaneously do other cars.
If they still cannot perform this, maybe they should just authorize non-dealer service centers to do oil changes or minor service work, without having to void warranty. I guess Red Tape isn’t isolated to government service only.
Photo: Morguefile.com
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