Hanslow

Paul,

Officially a doley now so will give you a call sometime tomorrow to explain

Unless you are still up and I can call you now ?


[Edited by Hanslow - 4/2/2003 10:55:44 PM]

r5obbo

after a 90 mile trip to pickup a rear spoiler that was not ready when it was meant to be (last sat ) and promised to fit free of charge being a new customer, i set off tonight to pick it up , i was told they would not be able to fit it tonight, but thought i would fit it myself then. when i arrived the old man went off totally on one, at me the customer. so i let him know the promises for fitting, the promises for calling me back,when it was meant to be ready etc. he then lost it completely, saying forget the spoiler then, so i gladly agreed not to give my hard earned money to them (as they put in their new ad).i was shown the spoiler, which to my opinion was not properly prepared, before being painted.now if they like to treat customers like this willing to spend £700 on one item good luck to them, but it certainly won't be me anymore, no apology at all from them.TIP fellow people BEWARE. asked for my details back and they couldn't find them ??

Hanslow

Who had promised you the stuff would be ready and who had promised the fitting?

Just curious

r5obbo

the son promised both, but had to remind him about the free fitting, his dad also said about the free fitting .

Hanslow

Funny that, no disrespect to them, I would class Paul as a mate, but he can promise some things that sometimes Graham (the old man ) doesn't quite agree with. It happened to me, and I sorted my issue myself which cost me an hours time instead of the 50 odd quid I was to be charged for something I was told that could be looked at no problem free of charge.

Word of advice to Paul (if he reads it ), become more business oriented mate, or get your dad to soften up a bit

I've had no problem with any of the work that the crew did to my car when I had it though

Trouser @TSL

Mark

sorry about the misunderstanding here.

Perhaps I can put my side of the story in.

You were kind enough to order a spoiler a week ago last saturday. At the time I told you this would take around a week to turn around and that we would make every effort to get this ready for the following saturday.. when you understandably wanted it for the arrival of your new car.

When I went to collect your spoiler for saturday, from the bodyshop it had imperfections in the paint which i was not happy with and we spoke about it on the phone. I asked if we could have a day or two to sort it as we all wanted it to be right. You kindly agreed.

At this point i mentioned to you that you might like to call me at your convenience in the week and we would fit it for you.. asking you to call first, naturally.

Today you called me just before 5pm and said that you would like it fitting today. Sadly we were already fully booked until close of business and I asked if we could go for another day. I would have really like to have had a go at fitting this, but we obviously have obligations to customers who are already here

Then you turned asking for it to be fitted after 5, when we had already said that today was impossible. So I was an still am a little confused.

As i say.. sorry if we have lost something in our communication between us. I'm not sure about the point you are making about your details.. but as I mentioned on your visit.. As soon as we no longer require someone's credit card details we shred them.. for fairly obvious reasons. This was done the moment after you left.

I hope this helps

kind regards

Paul
TSL

Trouser @TSL

.. sorry.. forgot to add..

Steve

wasn't aware of this mate.. would like to get it sorted.. perhaps you could call or mail if you get a mo and let me know .. thanks!

cheers

paul

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Er keep things sensible chaps.

Hanslow

I thought we were? Just to clarify my issue as I've been on the phone to Paul.

It is only a minor issue in that down the pub we happened to mix a bit of business with pleasure (so to speak). I had sheared off a bolt on a fixing to the intercooler that Paul said they should be able to sort out quickly, and I think he said it would be free (although not 100% sure on that).

Took the car up there and was subsequently told that it would be an hours work and would cost about 50 quid. Didn't want to pay that so sorted it out myself quite quickly. I can understand Graham wanting to charge as he is running a business and not a charity.

I know I should have said something at the time to Paul and Co. but chose to sort it myself.

On the positive side, Paul did ring me about my comment, and although a very minor trivial issue, has taken on board what I have said and listened to the customer, i.e. me. He's not happy that I was a little disgruntled, even though I never said anything at the time. All credit to him for following up on it, and I offered to take back my comments above in case they were slanderous/libellous and all the other ous's.

We're both happy about the situation and hope that my comments above do not put anybody off, but help them realise that they can follow up grievances as long as you tell them about them!

In hindsight I should have said something at the time, and shouldn't have relied upon some statement mentioned down the pub over a glass of coke (honest).

Hope no harm has been done, I've never had an issue with the quality of work carried out on my car and would still go back there

Just giving a fuller picture of my story so that people know why I made the comments.

Cheers

Steve

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Hanslow, you are, someone else was not (post deleted)

Steven

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Bedroom Motorpsort, can you please email me with your views please. You obviously have a problem with something that has been posted on this bbs. If you would car to point me to the specfic problem, then i will look at addressing it.

In the mean time, can you refrain from posting such posts.

Regards

Steven

r5obbo

trouser,CHAP,
why would i make a trip of 90 miles to pick up my spoiler then insist it to be fitted, when you already told me you couldn't fit it. i came for the sole purpose to pick it up only,until the old man lost it, it was him that said forget it ,so i did. there is no need to start false accusations as you are the one who could not deliver as promised, end of story, point made, CHAP !

Trouser @TSL

Mark

I can only apologise as I said

In common with many specialists we do not have our own body shop facilities. This is something that we sub contract.

The firm that does this for us, normally being rather good, turn most painted items around in a week.. give or take a day or two.

On the odd occasion when work is collected that in our opinion isn't good enough to pass onto customer. It's an unenviable position where we miss our delivery deadline (unacceptable, i know) or pass on sub standard work..(also unacceptable) . It's difficult.

All we can do is to explain to the customer the situation and hope that they understand. In an ideal world, the bodyshop would produce a perfect job every time. Sadly in the real world, there is a small percentage of cases where we have to have it re-done. And occasionally this means that we miss deadlines that both ourselves and the customer would dearly like to see met.

Once again .. I'm sorry that's what s happened here. Stuart the Owner of the body shop has also asked me to pass on his apologies to you for the wait and hassle

Cheers

Paul
TSL

r5obbo

apology accepted, thanks for that paul.

BoxerFlat4

Just goes to show, size ain't everything ....

Captain Coconut

Mighty interesting thread this. Just how many of you out there have had a bad experience with this company but have not bothered to post up about it?

The acid test of a true customer focussed company is just how well and how quickly they can deal with customers who have a genuine problem and have been badly let down.

It's not enough to shell out copious cups of tea, closely followed by hyper-enthusiastic sales chit-chat, if one cannot delight the customer and go the extra mile when that is the required, sensible step to take.

A dissatisfied customer, for whatever reason, is lost business at the very least, and seriously bad PR at all times. Not what you want as a small company working in a very competitive marketplace.

This is not a dig or a poke, just my penny's worth based on my real life experiences with this company who, even now, I find myself wishing every success to. Why? Because when they get it right it can be more than you expect, but when they get it wrong....oh dear.

Maybe it's time to hire a professional customer services manager with the absolute authority to do whatever it takes to keep genuinely disenfranchised customers on-side and sorted?


The Captain

chiark

Captain, I take it you're a regular hiding behind anonymity? If so, why? That post makes perfect sense!

In my view, the true mark of a company lies in how they sort out a problem when something arises. Every company, no matter how near to perfect they are, will occasionally slip. You know you're dealing with a good company when they immediately rectify your problem to your satisfaction, and you know that something's awry when you can't get it sorted out.

My "ethos" is that I'll give the company fair time to sort it out, and if they don't then I'll start considering what the next steps are. Be reasonable, give the company a chance to sort it, and hopefully you won't need to do anything else.

IMHO, kudos to TSL for sorting this.

Nick.
(my opinions, not scoobynet - as if I have to say that! )

ZIPPY

All companies can have a slip in service but it is how they overcome the slips that count.

Myself and another BBS user have both had the 'Take it or leave it'comment from Graham and as a potential buyer of some expensive parts it does leave a sour taste.(We both left it)

I no doubt think that for every unhappy possible customer there is several very happy customers as previous good comments about TSL prove, but me personally i would try never to deal with a company who didnt handle my initial contact to my complete satisfaction.

Remember,first contact,if handled incorrectly can be fatal for future business.

Zippy

Captain Coconut

Zippy, Chiark,

It's the take it or leave it bit that sucks. It should not have to take someone to gripe on Scoobynet about unacceptable customer service before one can get the company concerned to take a more concilliatory and customer oriented approach to solving the problem.

This company has masses of potential, spoilt by experiences similar to the one described in this thread.

I really don't want to say much more on the subject as I simply wanted to contribute constructively to the debate.

Sad to say but I will never darken their doors again.

TC

RRH

I have had several experiences of TSL, none of them bad. Graham has been off-hand on occassion, paul always helpful.

IMHO there is something rearing its ugly head here in response to the lastest front page on the TSL site.

I am sure I am not alone when I ask myself why an otherwise successful and reputable organisation lower themselves, unnecessarily, by trying to damage the reputation of their (often also reputable) competitors.

Everyone has there weak points. the quickest way to find your own is to expose those of your competitor. what happened to fiendly and professional rivalry?

Shocked and surprised by the events of the last week or so,
simon (note the absence of the usual smiley)

LoFi

Hadn't seen the site until now and I think that is a bit close to the mark. Surely TSL's reputation relies on the workshop angle not the postage sales, or have I got this wrong. We all know which companies have built a reputation (or otherwise) simply on mail order services. I've always found paul very helpful and Graham occassionally off hand but in the end people go back because they trust them to do the work.

LoFi

[Edited by LoFi - 4/4/2003 8:21:55 PM]

r5obbo

bloody hell ,
i didn't expect this, but it does go to show it does matter on the service from a supplier ,that the service is genuine. i think what i wanted to say was what coconut said ,but more professionly.
i told you Paul its your'e dad . he's lost the plot mate

BL

R5obbo

Thats not nice saying those things mate!!!

I think you should keep that sort of opinion off the board!!

Ive used them quite a few times & never had any problems whatsoever, they've always been very helpful (both Paul & Graham) and recommended whats best for me rather than the hard sales push!!

ADP

Never been there in my life, but any company whos front man is described as "off hand" or "lost it" needs to put him out the back in the workshop and not dealing with customers..........unless they want to scare more customers off, and any good company knows repeat business is the most important

DrEvil

Captain Coconut

There is something WACKY about your posts, and although you have put it quite professionally, I think you are BANANAs for hiding behind an assumed user name!

REMEMBER, there are always two sides to a story.

And chaps, can we please stick to the rules.

Rgds, Alex

[Edited by DrEvil - 4/6/2003 12:51:42 PM]

[Edited by DrEvil - 4/6/2003 12:54:25 PM]

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Strange thread, that keeps going off in different directions.
I've dealt with TSL on a number of occasions, and have found the same as some people on here: Paul is always amiable, and Grahame is sometimes offhand.
But let's remember: Grahame is running the business, with the stresses and strains that that implies, and ANYONE can have an off moment!
The other side of the story also happened to me last week, when Paul was offended at a joky comment I made to him over the phone. I was at pains to point out that I had NOT meant to offend, (come on, who'd want to offend Paul, for heaven's sake?), and even popped in later that week when I was in the area to make sure that everything was OK. My point is that it's easy to get wires crossed, but not always easy to uncross them.
TSL will continue to get my businesss, as what they have done for me and the car has been professional, and I do believe that they ARE a set of nice guys!
Alcazar

RRH

I think alcazar makes a very good point and maybe the thread is best left at that.