1-800mercedes - tell me how I'm doing....... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ML Dude · #1 09-17-2002, 09:43 PM

Is it just me in a bad mood, or is the 1800mercedes help line a useless waste of time?

First of all, let me say that in 17 years of driving MBZ, I've only called them 3 times. Each time they could not provide the information I needed. Lately, I've called about the babysmart seat and after waiting 10-15minutes to get someone. The arrogant assh@!e on the other end of the line refused to ask or escalate my question about seat availability.
Then, Friday on my way to Mexico, somewhere between San Clemente and San Diego the check engine light came on in my CLK 430. The car seemed to stumble a bit, so I pulled of the road and killed the engine. The oil was fine, no fluids on the ground....etc. I tried calling for roadside assistance, after 10 minutes on hold, I hung up and then called the customer service. I started the car and drove on, everything seemed fine but after burning another 15minutes off my cell phone plan, I hung up. All I wanted was the location of the MB dealer in San Diego and I could'nt get through....

You know if DC can't do this service right, they should do it at all! I'm sure someone will get on my case about how great this service is, but, what I just vented, happened!!!
Anyone see what I'm talking about...

mark cummins · #2 09-17-2002, 11:34 PM

Ed

I Also Have Cancelled my Tel Aid on Both of my Mercs
I Have Tried to use it..Was Put on hold ..And The Dumb A$$
on the other end must have been Employed At A Fast food drive thru..Because the Customer service SUCKS!!!
The Person did NOT have a Clue as to my question..Dah
Mercedes better get with the program..Cause I Have Seen this is the norm on response re tel aid..Or Include it with the Warranty.
If you have GPS and a Phone ..who needs them!

placo1 · #3 09-18-2002, 11:03 AM

Seems like most companies out there are floundering on customer service. Nearly every week we have a poor customer service expierience. Doesn't matter if your talking about cars, cell phones or whatever, just the way it is lately.....

By the way, send me a PM and I'll let you know exactly where all of the MB dealerships are in San Diego. My personal recommendation is Hoehn Motors in Carlsbad (Palomar Airport Rd. Exit off of 5 South) They have excellent customer service and always seem to go the extra mile.

Another suggestion as Mark said, drop TelAid and just use 411 on your cell phone, I've used AT&T to get locations and numbers and they work well.

ML Dude · #4 09-18-2002, 06:43 PM

Hi Afshin,

I did consider using directory assistance, but the car showed no malfunction and was running right. Just the CE light was on...

My point is that over the years they have been useless and they remain mostly so.....now the new low is you don't get someone to answer!

I'm a big champion of Benz automobiles, friends and family have purchased on my recommendations. I need to feel good about this recommendation and the customer service line as well as the pushy sales people don't make me comfortable continuing to promote the company.

My other fear is that the business model for DC has changed to profit over quality. You know, if they break down after the warranty runs out, the cost will pass on to extended warranty companies or the owner will get tired of paying for service and buy again! So the game is make them last for 4yrs, after that, who cares?

Well, if they don't play the game well, maybe we'll buy elsewhere..

aldedmon · #5 09-19-2002, 10:22 AM

I don't know about newer models, But my 92 400E and 93 500E came with a booklet included in the owners packet that listed every "Authorized" MB Dealer in the USA

ML Dude · #6 09-19-2002, 12:53 PM

Albert,

My booklet is probably alot more current than a 10yr old one but not something I carry around in the car. The new models come with quick-ref booklets that show most useful commands specific to a vehicle and I carry each of those. My owners manuals are in my garage where I'm most likely to need them. 1800mercedes is supposed to be there for emergencies or occasional needs like I experienced...

seacoast_benz · #7 09-19-2002, 02:22 PM

>I don't know about newer models, But my 92 400E and 93 500E
>came with a booklet included in the owners packet that listed
>every "Authorized" MB Dealer in the USA

And MB does update that book yearly. They will send it to you on request. I found that there had been enough changes in the dealer network since the early 90s that an update was sensible when driving long distances.

My own experiences with the 800 number have been merely okay: not disastrously bad, but not reflecting an elite level of corporate competence, either.

Having been in the business world, I'd say that DaimlerChrysler (still hate that name, and the idea in general) are suffering from the exact disease which afflicts most corporations with regard to customer service.

It's a labor-intensive job, but what's more, if it's to be done really well, it requires expensive labor. Polite individuals who know what they are doing are invariably in short supply and command a high price.

The usual business response is to instead hire the cheap people and throw occasional shake-and-bake courses at them. Those folks do sometimes manage to learn "please" and "thank you", but the subtler manifestations of mannered behavior do continue to escape them. Nor do they usually learn the small critical details pertaining to the matters which they are expected to handle, beyond picking up some trade buzzwords.

MBAs are trained to run companies by the numbers. I'm not ready to badmouth this: companies live and die by numbers. Firms that don't pay attention to numbers aren't around for long. But soft non-numerical attributes like quality are difficult to quantify, as is long-term customer satisfaction.

I know I'm dealing with a company that doesn't understand quality when I have some rank-from-one-to-ten satisfaction checklist shoved at me. Have not taken the time to bother to fill one out in years.

By contrast, one of the best run firms I have ever seen was one of those places where the founder's name was on the sign and the man himself still ran the joint. He told me that he personally read and responded to every single customer complaint. And spent one full hour of each working day chatting with randomly selected customers.

Very impressive. Not many of our current cadre of technocratic "professional" business managers do that. And it shows.

s/b

aldedmon · #8 09-19-2002, 03:39 PM

to expect the unexpected. Your car is never(rarely) gonna breakdown when/where its convenient. Not only would I pack all those reference books back into the car but I'd also carry an emergency tool kit with minimal metric wrenches/sockets(I got a 124pc set at Sears for $25) and a floor jack($40 at Sears). I DO!
That way I can at least put a bandaid on it till I can get at real good.

ML Dude · #9 09-19-2002, 04:21 PM

Seacoast,

You've pinpointed one of the major reasons this type of service rarely lives up to it's potential, staffing issues.
As far as car quality is concerned, I'd to try at take a stab at quantifying it by the longevity of the vehicle, making many assumptions of course..... but when they come off the assembly line with rattles and small malfunctions, you add in the drivetrain abuse of 12K mile maintenance intervals....well you have to wonder what the bean counters are counting.

Albert, I'm not disagreeing with you, when I had a 300E, I also carried my manuals and a simple toolkit. Well I've divorced her and now spend time with a sexy cabriolet and she doesn't like baggage... alternatives are not the point of my post.

What I'm really suggesting is that our favorite manufacturer do it right or not do it at all! This point goes far beyond a helpline.....

P.E.Haiges · #10 09-20-2002, 01:41 AM

One good thing about Lexus is that they have brought down the prices of new MBs.

Do you think MB would have reduced some of its prices if Lexus wasn't giving MB competition?

P E H

seacoast_benz · #11 09-20-2002, 03:08 AM

>when I had a 300E, I also carried my manuals and a simple toolkit. Well I've divorced her and now spend time with a sexy cabriolet and she doesn't like baggage...

Ed, may I commend to your attention the extended-range towing option offered by AAA? I've owned cars where a kit would not fit, and that package can be a lifesaver.

I believe that they'll tow up to 50mi, but I have had a tow operator go outside that range without billing me extra. Standard AAA tow option is pretty short-legged for people who drive anywhere outside of the sprawlopolises.

In fact, I've invoked extended-range tow on a vehicle that would accomodate a kit, but in circumstances where tools wouldn't have helped at roadside (a timing belt let go -- fortunately on a noninterference engine).

s/b

The Warden · #12 09-20-2002, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by seacoast_benz
I believe that they'll tow up to 50mi, but I have had a tow operator go outside that range without billing me extra. Standard AAA tow option is pretty short-legged for people who drive anywhere outside of the sprawlopolises.

Actually, I believe it's 100 miles. I upgraded to that a few months back, after my truck needed to be towed about 20 miles and I had to pay out the nose.

I actually got lucky once; had to be towed about 25 miles, but the tow location was right next door to the truck's home base, so I wasn't charged the extra beyond-5-mile fee