Free Service woes at Rohan Motors, Dehradun. Review on Choosing a Car Dealer

When I gave my WagonR for the second free service in May 2005, I had faced some problems like half an hour late delivery, no attendant to check out my vehicle etc. I had then written to M/s Rohan Motors, Dehradun, regarding this and added that the service centre resembled a busy, disorderly market, as indeed it had. Their representative had then assured me that nothing of this sort would happen again. Now six months later I realised that it was just a routine assurance given, so as to close my complaint and he was forecasting worse things to come.

On this day, 21st September, 2005, as per previous appointment, I presented my car at 0845hrs. The supervisor after noting down the car complaints, which included hard gears, low mileage, sound from the front wheels, wobbling, low performance air conditioner & car stereo audio problem, gave me a delivery time of 1530hrs. Ever punctual, I reached there on the dot and then onwards my woes started. The car was not ready for delivery. Full stop. Wheel balancing & alignment, interior cleaning, car stereo complaint attending etc were left. The supervisors were mostly out on test drives and so I had a tough job getting someone responsible to look into the jobs. During this time, I had noticed dust and grease marks all over the car and had informed them. A labour was put on the job of cleaning When all the above said jobs were complete it was 1645hrs and the car was stated to be ready.

It was then, on closer examination, I observed dried dust everyway on the car and dirt in every nook and corner. The car appeared to have just been given a shower. I think a better washing would have been done by standing car in a slight drizzle. The car also had two scratches which were not there earlier(thoroughly checked by the supervisor). Also the cloth rug above the spare tyre was found to be torn. There was also dirt/grease on the car seat covers. I had noticed the attendants working in the car without suitably covering the car seat covers.

After facing a lot of dilly-dallying, I had to speak to more representatives(supposedly higher rung). The rug was then replaced, scratches were given a work-over and I was asked to present my car later for a re-wash later. Even though it was a free service, I had to foot a bill of Rs 957/- for items, service and labour supposedly not covered by the warranty. By then it was 1710hrs, and after 100 minutes of hardships, I had had enough and just got into my car and drove away. Even though I had asked for it, no wheel alignment report was given nor was I briefed on whether they had attended all by complaints and if so, how.

The bottom-line is that, Ms Rohan Motors have sold more cars than they can handle for servicing. So components of service would have to be overlooked to complete the day’s target. Those in any business would do well to remember that, “It never costs as much to fix the problem as it does to not fix the problem”. The loss of business due to the bad publicity would be incalculable. Also two quotes of Henry Ford will be in context'It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the product/customer that/who pays the wages.' And “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”.  The faster M/s Rohan Motors learns these valuable lessons the better it will be for their business.