Emil - good post, good picture, and good clarification. I for one appreciate your opinion, based on your experiences and observations, and even more I appreciate your sharing it. And I hope that we can all do this as freely as possible, without worrying about someone else here getting pissed off about someone's opinion on one place or another. If someone from one of the shops is getting pissed off about someone's opinion, then like Emil says they should take it as a sign something went wrong, and be thankful that having it come up again somewhere else gives them a chance to address it. Most businesses that screw up somewhere in their customer service never get that chance, indeed a lot never even know something got screwed up. At best they notice some of the people who used to come in regularly don't come in any more. At worst they don't notice anything and underperform as long as whatever market they're in lets underperformers survive. And if someone else who isn't from one of the shops is getting pissed off about someone's opinion, well you'll just have to separate your experience from theirs, and realize that they're not talking about your experience with that shop, they're talking about theirs. By all means if you have something to contribute about yours, do it, you'll be helping us all out just as much as the other guy. And remember there are different people inside each of these shops, and sometimes one of them treats their customers differently than another one of them does (which is often a problem for that business to examine, by the way). And other times the same person treat different customers differently. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but it shouldn't be happening arbitrarily... again, something for the business to work out, and that's easier to do when you know about it than when you don't. So again, thanks for sharing, Emil. And oh, by the way, I've had somewhere between one and three dissatisfying experiences with FoLI service over two years, and the one that made me decide I'd start shopping around other places again was actually pretty petty when I look back on it. It was more about the way I was made to feel through the experience (like the lemon in the picture, basically). The other ones (also pretty small) I noticed only because I went back and looked more closely at my old invoices... now I try to pay a bit more attention up front than I used to.
Good observation. I think the fact that there are so many customers dissatisfied with each of them (and a decent number of customers who aren't happy with any of them) indicates a weakness in how all of them conduct what is a customer service/customer experience business. Why is this? Probably because the market is a good enough one for all of them that they can get a way with weaker performance than what the rest of the business world accepts and still make good money. And because of byzantine policies Ferrari passes onto all of them. Business cycles, market forces, competitive forces, and all that stuff almost inevitably wreak havoc on segments where the norm is to be profitable even though business execution is poor. I can't say when, but someday it ain't gonna be pretty for these guys.
well i was told that if i get a few of my friends to come in and get some work done and also buy a car or too even tthough i never even bought a car from them. they said i will be first in line for my 430. sound familiar i have never even got a service there but they prommised me a 430 so i wont talk shiit on them i have gotten a 30k from them and they messed up my exhaust but they are getting me a 430 to so thats why i like them i bought a car from them my first fcar to and they prommised me a 430 also so thats why i am standing by them. hey guys i also bought a stradale from them already so im first in line for the 430. seems like these guys must be getting in a lot of 430's if everyone on ny tri state area is getting 1 come on guys i cant believe your this succesfull and yet so gullable.....STOOPS
They told me if i bought a 612, stardale, 575 i could get the last car because the had already promised everyone else the first car which would be the whole production cycle except for the last one.
Well boyz, I'm not buying a 430 or any other new Ferrari in the foreseable future for that matter, simply because I have been misstreated in terms of customer service and/or service to my car by every dealer I have ever been to with my current Fcars. If they don't get with the program, they'll lose a lot of customers, but most importantly the young ones like us who could theoretically be buying Ferraris for anther 40+ years. Think about it, how many in our EC group are considering (or just bought) a BMW M, Porsche or Lamborghini...
I'm careful on what I post (no really!). There are limited places to turn for things Ferrari. If you dump on one business, your future options are greatly reduced simply because they won't want to deal with you. Also realize it would not be in the best interests of the business for them to respond to gripes on-line where good-will can be destroyed in a phrase. An analogy? How about your doorman for those NYC ECers.... The doorman has a job to do. He'll do it or get fired. simple. But what's his job? To open doors? When you need a cab, will he be responsive to you if you never say "Hi"? But you can say you don't care. It's not his primary job Will he help you first if you are in a dire rush? How friendly are you to him? Do you respect him? How much and frequently do you tip him? Do you talk bad about him? How good are you Xmas gifts? Don't get good service from the doorman? Hmmmmm. Don't get good service from a Ferrari busniess? Hmmmmmmmm. What should be (outstanding customer service) isn't always what is (profits & human interactions). Make no mistake, I'm all for outstanding customer service. But then, I'm the customer. Oh well.
I agree 100% At first I was all arrogant, like, "Hey I am spending thousands of dollars on Ferrari repairs at your shop, can you at least answer the phone?" But they straightened my a$$ out, and I don't give them any Sh*t anymore. I am just so grateful to have the opportunity to be serviced by any car dealer, most specifically a Ferrari one. I am lucky that they will have me, and I enjoy being had.
I'm still out of the loop. Anyone care to "cut and paste" and fill me in?! I've had some situations that make for some nice FoLI stories as well...
Figured I'd get heat. And justly so. BTW: I'm not on any 430 list. And the alternative is???? to air grievances on open forums??? before you give a resounding "Yes!".... How about to band together and use our purchasing power to influence those businesses we utilitize? Well, I think we have the banded together down, but the "use our purchasing power" is not working. We have people going for repairs all over the board. so, where's Vik to pull us all together? (if you want to get my opinions/reviews, catch me off-line at any EC event. I'm happy to share the posative & negative.)
Well said Clyde!! I agree 100%. I'd also like to add another quote that is relevant; "The toe you step on today, may be attached to the arse that you have to kiss tomorrow." Buddy Ridell (Former Mayor of Providence, R.I.)
