Old Lewisville, TX Volkswagen did it again, and again, and again. Go read Car-toons to see where this all started. I have had my GTI VW serviced twice with the same shameful display as was experienced at the purchase. They brag on their web page how they are diamond pin award winners for customer satisfaction. One of only four awards in the US.
The reason they earned the award is because every employee at Lewisville VW will beg to me on figuratively bended knee for nothing but “tens” on a survey that will follow from their contact with me. It is truly pitiful. I am embarrassed that they see fit to beg for a 10 rating. The fact is they really do a good job, but then spoil the whole experience with the request. I don’t like to be told how to vote. This is the USA not Nazi Germany for God’s sake.
I am sure it is part of their compensation and personal review. It is a pity that a corporation would stoop so low to force this kind of program on their employees. The worst part is that such action is not needed. If Volkswagen thinks it builds better customer relations, well with me they are dead wrong.
Like I said the people are great but is it ONLY because of the pressure that VW puts on them to beg perfect 10’s and not the fact they LIKE what they do and enjoy doing it for the sake of joy to provide great customer satisfaction? I am forced to think it is the program and not the will of the people. It could be way they ask. Instead of begging which is how it appears, it would be far better if they would say, “I (we at…) take your complete satisfaction very seriously. I want to do eveything I can to earn a perfect score in your mind. Is there anything else I or anyone else here can answer or do for you today?” See. No begging. What they really do is WARN me about the survey and beg that I score them with nothing less than 10’s. Tisk. The impression is it is the score that matters and what it means to them, not me.
The really bad part of this is the unceasing hounding and harrasment by the survey company to make contact with me to complete the survey process. They called every phone number I ever gave to VW but never once left messages as to who they are and what they want. I had to do a phone number (541-617-9144) look-up on the Internet. Sure enough, VW survey with about a hundred complaints about the unceasing phone calls from other “victims”.
Many times when I did answer, I received a recording that stated. ” We have a very important message for you. However all our agents are tied up on other calls. Please hold on until an agent is free to talk with you.”
WHAT! Ask me to hang on to a call I did not originate until a agent has time to talk to me! You have to be kidding. The recording doesn’t even say this is Volkswagen calling… What kind of survey tactic is that? I recognized the calling number (by the way) so I knew who it was. (541-617-9144)
After awhile it became a game. I got calls all hours of the day. Mostly on my cell at work while I was in a meeting. Probably 30 to 40 calls total before I finally could talk to them. That is a totally unreasonable amount of harassing unidentified phone calls. They do not leave a message because they have no way to accept an incoming call. Heck, they can’t even handle an originated call (read paragraph above again).
So when I did talk to a live person, I let her explain who she was. Then when she asked for the first response, I said I refuse to participate and very bluntly told her why, the begging for the 10 by the dealer person and what a disgrace I felt the entire process had become for the customer (me) and the dealership. I said they deserved the 10 without all the crap but that I wasn’t going to play the game. (I know it was only her job, but in my opinion it is also her job to take the harangue. I just laid the facts upon her.) Since she told me at the beginning it would be recorded, I hope it gets played back a hundred more times for her and VW’s management. Little hope.
I am involved with customer satisfaction surveys where I work. I told her I will use Volkswagen as the prime example of how NOT to do employee (VW) compensation and rewards based on scores from a survey. No one should have to beg for a ten. Consumers should not tolerate that kind of abuse.
Update: Just got another call on my cell while driving the V-Dub home from work at 7:15 PM not more than a half hour after posting this. They called my office number when I talked to them. I don’t talk on the cell while driving in Dallas traffic but it is the same number (514-617-9144). Again, no voice mail.
Update update: Chalk up another 6 calls on my cell. The last one I got through again and demanded she cease and desist, do NOT call me again! It’s not VW but an outside service they hire. Obviously they didn’t tie the two numbers they had for me to one person, must be a low tech boiler room operation… Is this the end? Stay tuned to car-toons!