A little help: what is the customer perspective?

[GottleibDaimler]

Why not get your owner to look at this and respond then?

sent from my Galaxy Note 8 via Tapatalk

Unfortunately, my owner is I think the biggest vehicle distributor in the world.

 

[st4]

It's offered as a direct alternative to going to an independent for a minor service. It's for people who are blinded by the fact that they're at a main dealer, and don't care about what's actually done on the service.

I agree re: labour rates.

Most indies will service the car closely to the schedual and use ASSYST to do this.

I'm very happy with my indie, but a dealer charging £80ph would be more competative and good value considering mobilo and courtesy cars.

But, the biggie is, bar John R Weir Grangemouth I've had issues with dealer servicing from silly prices, to poor jobs, damaged wheel bolts, swapped wheels, etc. Admitabbly all resolved by the dealer

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Most indies will service the car closely to the schedual and use ASSYST to do this.

I'm very happy with my indie, but a dealer charging £80ph would be more competative and good value considering mobilo and courtesy cars.

But, the biggie is, bar John R Weir Grangemouth I've had issues with dealer servicing from silly prices, to poor jobs, damaged wheel bolts, swapped wheels, etc. Admitabbly all resolved by the dealer

A good indie who specialises in MB would hopefully have access to ESS and would use this.

I'd charge you £80ph but if you don't ask, you don't get.

 

[The Pan Man]

Sonny you are speaking to a maintenance engineer with 48 years experience. If I responded to my superiors and said "I can't find anything wrong" they would respond along the lines of "Why is it not working then?"

Man up chappy and reveal you identity.

 

[Frontstep]

Any Independent Garage that repairs and service cars for £60 PH is charging too much except in central London.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Sonny you are speaking to a maintenance engineer with 48 years experience. If I responded to my superiors and said "I can't find anything wrong" they would respond along the lines of "Why is it not working then?"

Man up chappy and reveal you identity.

I don't care if you're Karl Benz himself! The fact is, there are intermittent problems, there are 'problems' which are features of the car, there are 'problems' which are actually questions which can be answered by reading your manual. We can't fix a fault that's not there when the vehicle is with us.

Your attitude towards me stinks, for no reason. If you've got nothing constructive to say, post on another thread because I'm done responding to you, old man.

 

[Andy.M]

I must say it's refreshing that a MB service advisor is calling a spade, a spade and not just want people want to hear. Prehaps that's why they are rattled!

I think the general sway of things is that MB's labour rates are seen as excessive, not only by the public but also by the dealers operatives as well?

The value service idea seems a bit daft, yes it's cheaper but we do less and offer less peace of mind with it? So basically you are paying the same labour rate as a normal service?

 

[st4]

A good indie who specialises in MB would hopefully have access to ESS and would use this.

I'd charge you £80ph but if you don't ask, you don't get.

They do, and they can also take a pragmatic approach and say, well, those pads which are normally due still will make it to the next service, you changed the brake fluid a bit prematurely so its not due again yet this is the schedualed service etc.

Dealers, IMHO are very change a part happy that still could last longer. A more interactive model where you speak to the chap working on your car who says what needs done, what can wait in the short to medium term would be ideal.

Or indeed the service advisor relay this.

I've no issue with STAR being chargable, but in reality, £60 or whatever it is is a tad much, perhaps maybe charging merely the labour time used plus a tenner is fairer?

The don't ask, don't get is what caused someone here to stop using another indie, prices should be the same for everyone and clearly transparent and clear to work out.

 

[EmilysDad]

Sonny you are speaking to a maintenance engineer with 48 years experience. If I responded to my superiors and said "I can't find anything wrong" they would respond along the lines of "Why is it not working then?"

......

There is such a thing as operator error Many many time I've been called to machines that weren't working properly .... you get to know the operator, those that routinely have problems within 10 mins of coming on shift when there's been nothing wrong with it all morning, they have problems because they nothing about the machine & 'tweak' because they think they know what they're doing. I've taken covers/guards off many times, made a noise of some description or sprayed a bit of WD40 in there. ''Great'' says the operator .... ''that's it''

(but I've only been in maintenance 35 years )

 

[Andy.M]

Another thing that springs to mind, we have all bought a MB as we percieve them to be a superior luxury brand (maybe - maybe not, thats another topic) but expect to run them on Vauxhall/Ford cost's. So maybe we should take a step back and smell the coffee (Me included!)

Had my VX van dealer serviced this week £300 for a 24 month service, not exactly cheap as chips either.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

I must say it's refreshing that a MB service advisor is calling a spade, a spade and not just want people want to hear. Prehaps that's why they are rattled!

I think the general sway of things is that MB's labour rates are seen as excessive, not only by the public but also by the dealers operatives as well?

The value service idea seems a bit daft, yes it's cheaper but we do less and offer less peace of mind with it? So basically you are paying the same labour rate as a normal service?

Thanks. I agree we charge a lot as a brand. All main dealer groups seem to. I don't know where it goes, because it's not in my wallet. But then as I say, we do lots of deals. If someone's getting their SBC pump done with us, our labour rate is always south of £90/hour if I'm invoicing it. It's a big job, it helps our figures, so I'd like to help the customer a little bit.

We slash our labour rate to about £60/hour and halve the price of oil on the value. It's the Service A with another name, and without Mobilo or Rust Through (yeah right) Guarantee.

 

[EmilysDad]

Another thing that springs to mind, we have all bought a MB as we percieve them to be a superior luxury brand (maybe - maybe not, thats another topic) but expect to run them on Vauxhall/Ford cost's. So maybe we should take a step back and smell the coffee (Me included!)

......

As said, a B service for mine is over £600 from MB, not a bad mark up on a couple of gallon of oil and a couple of hours with a tick sheet.
I could buy another road worthy car for that ... & have done.

 

[Aitch55]

It's a pity that here is an opportunity to glean some insider knowledge of MB dealership procedure, philosophy and structure. The OP is getting a seriously hard time being the whipping boy for disgruntled forum members who have had a poor experience with another dealer.

Your shooting the messenger. Give him a chance imo.

Maybe we could have a new section 'Ask Gottleib'

Be good to know which dealership he represents though.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

They do, and they can also take a pragmatic approach and say, well, those pads which are normally due still will make it to the next service, you changed the brake fluid a bit prematurely so its not due again yet this is the schedualed service etc.

Dealers, IMHO are very change a part happy that still could last longer. A more interactive model where you speak to the chap working on your car who says what needs done, what can wait in the short to medium term would be ideal.

Or indeed the service advisor relay this.

I've no issue with STAR being chargable, but in reality, £60 or whatever it is is a tad much, perhaps maybe charging merely the labour time used plus a tenner is fairer?

The don't ask, don't get is what caused someone here to stop using another indie, prices should be the same for everyone and clearly transparent and clear to work out.

Our job is to follow the schedule. Otherwise we cause the customer to lose their MobiloLife. It's dictated by MB. If a customer told me they didn't care about that, and asked what was most important to do on a Service, I'd tell him. If he asked how to cut costs, I'd tell him. But most people who come to us have younger cars, or have older ones which they want maintained to exact spec.

For me, keeping Mobilo is worth more than NOT changing an air filter, or your brake fluid, or whatever it might be. A free loan car, for as long as it takes to get yours fixed, if it breaks down, is invaluable imo.

We don't charge for use of STAR. We charge £66/hour for any diagnosis, whether it requires STAR or not.

Prices can't be the same for everyone imo as it depends on the size of the job, the loyalty of the customer, how much we need the work...etc.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

As said, a B service for mine is over £600 from MB, not a bad mark up on a couple of gallon of oil and a couple of hours with a tick sheet.
I could buy another road worthy car for that ... & have done.

Ridiculous price if that was just the Service B.

Unless you also had brake fluid, fuel and air filters etc. If that was just the oil and filter change and inspection, you've been 'ad!

 

[GottleibDaimler]

It's a pity that here is an opportunity to glean some insider knowledge of MB dealership procedure, philosophy and structure. The OP is getting a seriously hard time being the whipping boy for disgruntled forum members who have had a poor experience with another dealer.

Your shooting the messenger. Give him a chance imo.

Maybe we could have a new section 'Ask Gottleib'

Be good to know which dealership he represents though.

That's why I came on here. To give a bit of balance. People who appreciate it makes it worthwhile.

I get accused of selling though. Fat chance on here, eh?

 

[toby1]

Fair play to the OP - taken a bit of sh*t and he's still here. Good man

(Your prices are still too high though)

 

[st4]

We slash our labour rate to about £60/hour and halve the price of oil on the value. It's the Service A with another name, and without Mobilo or Rust Through (yeah right) Guarantee.

£60ph is expensive indie rates, so competative and they give no car, breakdown and body work warranty so sounds ok

Its the cost of oil etc you charge, and indies do offer this cheaper. If I were you, I'd do a mysetery shop on a few indies, get a car with a couple of jobs needing doing, get the price, then cross reference with what you charge.

Post it up here?

Personally, I like speaking to the actual person working on the car and seeing them do it, not something a dealer lets you do. I like the interactive touch and being able to spot jobs (a bit of rust proofing here and there) they they do FOC.

 

[EmilysDad]

you've been 'ad!

I wasn't ..... I just asked how much! :lol:

 

[GottleibDaimler]

£60ph is expensive indie rates, so competative and they give no car, breakdown and body work warranty so sounds ok

Its the cost of oil etc you charge, and indies do offer this cheaper. If I were you, I'd do a mystery shop on a few indies, get a car with a couple of jobs needing doing, get the price, then cross reference with what you charge.

Post it up here?

Personally, I like speaking to the actual person working on the car and seeing them do it, not something a dealer lets you do. I like the interactive touch and being able to spot jobs (a bit of rust proofing here and there) they they do FOC.

Again, at our place, if you want to speak to the tech, or go on road test with him, or anything like that, you're always welcome. Our master tech, Ian, is great at chewing the ear off the customer for half an hour.

Pointing out FOC jobs on the invoice is something that I mentioned I want to start doing; it looks a bit more personal than just a standard invoice, and hopefully will make the customer feel they got a bit more than just a standard hello-goodbye service.