The Ducati dealership in Columbus Ohio still is not providing adequate service . I took my bike in there for an issue and they said it would be looked at on the 14th, so I called the 21st and they still hadn't touched it. I received some lame excuse about two other motorcycles being worked on, and that their engines were tore apart and in the way of my bike getting serviced. That's great, but that's not my problem. I feel that there sincerity and eagerness to work on an individuals bike as if it were there only form of transportation is not there. Yeah I am not going to ride a bike anywhere when it's 26 degrees out, but what if I did want to? There are a few people that ride all year no matter what. I feel at this point if somebody were to ask me where to buy a Ducati I would tell them Motohio, if however they asked me where they could get service done I would not recommend Motohio. Any work on a motorcycle can be done in one day unless parts need to be ordered or certain things need to be sent out for milling. There is absolutely no reason not to be able to provide prompt service to an individual.
This is just an update on the service being received from the Ducati dealership in town. I would like to inform you guys that I received service in a timely and prompt manner, but that is not the case.
How many dealers are in the area nowadays?
I would be hesitant to slander a dealership publicly like this.
There is only one in the Columbus area, and if your hesitant about free speech then you should go live in China or maybe the UK I think they still don't have free speech, but I might be wrong.
Free speech, check out Top Gear, or any of the motorcycle mags I think free speech is alive and well in the UK
Don
And no im not a Pom, I live in Oz
Dealer's find out about who slanders them on the internet or in club magazines. It doesn't help your situation!
I feel like I've been defending dealers a lot lately, I'm probably too close to the situation as an employee of one. But I completely understand your point of view, as I used to be a customer first. Now that I work there, I see the other side of the story. I can't speak for all of them, but they don't generally put off customers with no reason. I know our service depart has things come up and things get delayed. They don't mean to do it, it just happens, especially in smaller shops.
My advice is to kill them with kindness, and I mean KILL. Bring in a 12 pack and just try to be a cool customer. That will go MUCH further for you. The bike still might take awhile, but they'll go above and beyond for you. Dealer employees got in the game because they share your passion for motorcycles. Constantly getting beat down by upset people doesn't make them go above and beyond, it makes them do the bare minimum.
Soapbox just broke...
^^^^^
The Mechs. at my shop always get a bottle of Scotch and the shop Mgr (female) always gets a bottle of wine when I visit. I am always treated like a friend when I go there. I am invited to all of the shop functions etc. I wouldn't want it any other way.
is it too much to expect prompt service without having to grease the wheels?
I would love to bring them a case or a pie, but it would be like giving a kid video game time when they haven't got their homework done.
I wouldn't exactly call that slander. OP seemed to have a very concise, well thought out post about his experience with that dealer. He didn't call them names and didn't say he wouldn't do business with them, just that he wouldn't recommend them for service.
This is really no different than people posting about a good experience with a shop. People need to hear both good and bad about a shop they may patronize...
Quote from: NAKID on November 23, 2008, 06:20:27 PM
I wouldn't exactly call that slander. OP seemed to have a very concise, well thought out post about his experience with that dealer. He didn't call them names and didn't say he wouldn't do business with them, just that he wouldn't recommend them for service.
This is really no different than people posting about a good experience with a shop. People need to hear both good and bad about a shop they may patronize...
+1, my experiences with good and bad shops have been posted hear. As long as the posts are factual and leave the pure emotion out of it, posts about poor service are good contribution to the board. I chose to place mine in the local forum since those are the people most likely to use that shop.
Being a former Audi tech I know that a lot of things can happen and things can change, so I usually am very patient and try to be as nice as possible whenever I have any kind of service done. No matter if it is on my bike or whatever.
That being said, Motohio has just about the worst customer service I have ever came across. You can't even go in for a damn oil filter without getting looks from the parts guy like you are bothering him. I mean do your freaking job dude. This place really is ridiculous! I work about 1 mile from the place and will NEVER go back there again. I will take my bike 1.5 hours away to Akron for Crooked River to work on it. My suggestion is to go there because they are super nice and super helpful.
have you talked to the store manager or svc manager ? Were they not able to make you feel better ? How many days after they told you it would be ready did it take to complete ?
Always surprising to me when I hear about all these bad dealer experiences. I've worked with dealers in 3 cities: Austin was pretty good, Houston good, and New Orleans fantastic. In all cases better than anything I've experienced with Suzuki or Yamaha dealers. I guess I figured it was due to Ducati being a premium brand.
Now, I understand that you don't feel you should have to "grease the wheels," but a personal relationship with people at the dealer really helps, and if you haven't already, +1 on moving up the chain of command letting them know what's going on before you give up on a place. Good Luck.
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 23, 2008, 12:08:26 PM
The Ducati dealership in Columbus Ohio still is not providing adequate service . I took my bike in there for an issue and they said it would be looked at on the 14th, so I called the 21st and they still hadn't touched it. I received some lame excuse about two other motorcycles being worked on, and that their engines were tore apart and in the way of my bike getting serviced. That's great, but that's not my problem. I feel that there sincerity and eagerness to work on an individuals bike as if it were there only form of transportation is not there. Yeah I am not going to ride a bike anywhere when it's 26 degrees out, but what if I did want to? There are a few people that ride all year no matter what. I feel at this point if somebody were to ask me where to buy a Ducati I would tell them Motohio, if however they asked me where they could get service done I would not recommend Motohio. Any work on a motorcycle can be done in one day unless parts need to be ordered or certain things need to be sent out for milling. There is absolutely no reason not to be able to provide prompt service to an individual.
This is just an update on the service being received from the Ducati dealership in town. I would like to inform you guys that I received service in a timely and prompt manner, but that is not the case.
I had a similar problem with my previous Duc and after the bike sitting for 30 days they blamed it on the Italians and said they take forever. Ok then, I thought so 15 days later still nothing. I was fumming by then with "the Italians" again answer and the stealership coudln't even provide a work order so I figured AHA...gotcha. Well I went over to Texas Pacific Group, majority shareholder at the time, and placed my complaint. Withing 24 hours Federico (President of Ducati at the time) sent me an email and the CA office was on it ASAP. Guess how long it took to fix my bike???? 3 days and now it's been there over 40. Ducati made a dent in my opinion of them with about $2000 in Ducati stuff. Turns out the stealer works on BMW more, much more and Duc's are the last ones to get attention. This guy almost had his licensed pulled because I was the second to last nail in that caufin........if you can prove their service is really bad and have been reasonable give this route a shot. Duc USA is in Cupertino
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 23, 2008, 12:08:26 PM
The Ducati dealership in Columbus Ohio still is not providing adequate service . I took my bike in there for an issue and they said it would be looked at on the 14th, so I called the 21st and they still hadn't touched it. I received some lame excuse about two other motorcycles being worked on, and that their engines were tore apart and in the way of my bike getting serviced. That's great, but that's not my problem. I feel that there sincerity and eagerness to work on an individuals bike as if it were there only form of transportation is not there. Yeah I am not going to ride a bike anywhere when it's 26 degrees out, but what if I did want to? There are a few people that ride all year no matter what. I feel at this point if somebody were to ask me where to buy a Ducati I would tell them Motohio, if however they asked me where they could get service done I would not recommend Motohio. Any work on a motorcycle can be done in one day unless parts need to be ordered or certain things need to be sent out for milling. There is absolutely no reason not to be able to provide prompt service to an individual.
This is just an update on the service being received from the Ducati dealership in town. I would like to inform you guys that I received service in a timely and prompt manner, but that is not the case.
I have been doing business w, Motohio since day one and have nothing to say but how nice everyone there has been to me.
I got stranded w, an electrical issue about 80 miles from the Dealership.
I called Ducati Roadside Assistance and got a tow to my place since it was late in the day and the Dealership was closed by the time I got to my place.
Ducati will only pay for a $200 tow and it was $173 to my place . I was going to get a local towing service to tow me to the Dealer the next day but I called Motohio to let them know what was going on and they said they would send an enclosed trailer the next day and pick up my bike.
They didn't charge me anything for the tow and the electrical problem was covered by warranty and fixed in 2 days.
The Dealership changed owners in the Summer and the owner and his wife and son and daughter are new to the business of selling motorcycles.
The rest of the crew are veterans whom I've become friends w, over the years but the new owner hasn't sold me a bike yet.
All my bikes were bought from the previous owner but the salsman I deal w, has been there since '05 or before.
I think alot of how a person is treated is how they represent themselves and how they act around the Dealership.
It helps to be friendly and not demanding from the get go. It helps to beable to communicate with people if something isn't right rather than dismiss the situation as hopeless. Dolph
They didn't look at your bike for a week (their bad, no dispute). But you weren't riding it anyway?!? Then why bother getting all worrked up?
I get that you have a gripe, but get some perspective, mang. Talk to the service manager, tell him you'd like your bike back sooner rather than later and ask--nicely but firmly--for an assurance that the next time, they'll give you an accurate date of when they'll do the work or otherwise give you a heads-up if they're not going to get to it on time. For example, I have an awesome shop nearby that I used, but I try to be really clear with them when my work NEEDS to get done by a certain date. Other times, I just don't care, and sometimes even tell them that. If I have a need for it to get done and have told them, I bug them as the day approaches to make sure. Then it gets done on time. Or I know that it's not going to get done.
It's about having a relationship, not about making demands and then kicking them in the nuts when they make the beast with two backs up. Don't get me wrong. You don't have to treat them like they're doing you a favor by working on your bike. But you also don't need to be quite so rigid about a situation that doesn't sound like it really matters.
Quote from: muskrat on November 23, 2008, 10:55:19 PM
I had a similar problem with my previous Duc and after the bike sitting for 30 days they blamed it on the Italians and said they take forever. Ok then, I thought so 15 days later still nothing. I was fumming by then with "the Italians" again answer and the stealership coudln't even provide a work order so I figured AHA...gotcha. Well I went over to Texas Pacific Group, majority shareholder at the time, and placed my complaint. Withing 24 hours Federico (President of Ducati at the time) sent me an email and the CA office was on it ASAP. Guess how long it took to fix my bike???? 3 days and now it's been there over 40. Ducati made a dent in my opinion of them with about $2000 in Ducati stuff. Turns out the stealer works on BMW more, much more and Duc's are the last ones to get attention. This guy almost had his licensed pulled because I was the second to last nail in that caufin........if you can prove their service is really bad and have been reasonable give this route a shot. Duc USA is in Cupertino
I think with a little research I'll learn the real reason behind this post. Dolph
By the way, not that it really makes any difference, but it hasn't been above the high 30s since the 16th here in and around Central , Ohio except for the 23rd. and that was mid 40s. Next 7 days are to be pretty much the same only more snow.
Quote from: metallimonster on November 23, 2008, 07:27:50 PM
Being a former Audi tech I know that a lot of things can happen and things can change, so I usually am very patient and try to be as nice as possible whenever I have any kind of service done. No matter if it is on my bike or whatever.
That being said, Motohio has just about the worst customer service I have ever came across. You can't even go in for a damn oil filter without getting looks from the parts guy like you are bothering him. I mean do your freaking job dude. This place really is ridiculous! I work about 1 mile from the place and will NEVER go back there again. I will take my bike 1.5 hours away to Akron for Crooked River to work on it. My suggestion is to go there because they are super nice and super helpful.
I have been dealing with the same parts guy you are talking about for going on 4 1/2 years and he can be very frustrating at times but when you are basically the only parts person and you have to keep the Techs supplied w, parts for the bikes they are working on ,answer some question from someone who may or may not know what they want , look up parts in the parts books, call the Ducati Warehouse to see if a part is in stock , unpack all the parts that UPS drops off and sort and inventory them , help customers with counter sales , show apparel to customers , explain all the questions that customers tend to ask about things that they may not have much of an idea of what they are talking about .
Well I think you kind of get the idea. It's a tough job for one person , but the way the economy is small business owners can't afford to hire extra people .
So I say don't expect to be treated like Gold. Just be polite and firm with what you need and don't waste the person's time .
Try putting yourself in their position. Don't you think they get tired of never getting to eat their lunch without being bothered or having people constantly asking them questions and then not buying anything.
I've found that if I can get someone on the phone ,even if it's not the person I want to talk to , I let them know what I am coming in for and it's usually waiting for me when I get there. Dolph
dolph you hit the nail on the head, who'd want to be a parts guy these days and deal with some of the general public. i stand at the parts counter at my local ducati shop and listen to some of the verbal diarrhoea that the parts guy has to put up with and you wonder why he some times is alittle bit touchy. the treatment i have gotten from the team is 1st class but i try to do onto others as one would have done to one's self, infact if they need a bike delivering and are short on staff they call on me to drive the van as i'm retired. [coffee]
it's easy to get annoyed but some times there are two sides to a story, so be cool and hopefully things will work out good.
by the way we do have free speech in the UK, but only if the wife OK's it.
Quote from: DoubleEagle on November 24, 2008, 12:48:19 AM
I have been dealing with the same parts guy you are talking about for going on 4 1/2 years and he can be very frustrating at times but when you are basically the only parts person and you have to keep the Techs supplied w, parts for the bikes they are working on ,answer some question from someone who may or may not know what they want , look up parts in the parts books, call the Ducati Warehouse to see if a part is in stock , unpack all the parts that UPS drops off and sort and inventory them , help customers with counter sales , show apparel to customers , explain all the questions that customers tend to ask about things that they may not have much of an idea of what they are talking about .
Well I think you kind of get the idea. It's a tough job for one person , but the way the economy is small business owners can't afford to hire extra people .
So I say don't expect to be treated like Gold. Just be polite and firm with what you need and don't waste the person's time .
Try putting yourself in their position. Don't you think they get tired of never getting to eat their lunch without being bothered or having people constantly asking them questions and then not buying anything.
I've found that if I can get someone on the phone ,even if it's not the person I want to talk to , I let them know what I am coming in for and it's usually waiting for me when I get there. Dolph
If it's too much to take, I'm sure Walmart is hiring greeters. The parts guy at my local dealer (a member on this board,) is super cool, friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile for every transaction I've ever made there. Come to think of it, he's gone out of his way to help me out in finding out some information about another business unrelated to his shop.
As with any other job, I'm sure that there are challenges. If you're not personally cut out to do a particular job, then find another one. Isn't it reasonable for a person walking into a dealership to fill out an application for employment to expect to deal with all of the things you mentioned?
Is it unreasonable to expect somebody working in a service industry to offer decent service? I feel like we're lowering the bar for service as a society... why should i pay extra to patronize a business when I can get things online for cheaper? It comes down to the relationship I have with the retailer. I'm unwilling to pay extra and drive out of my way to be treated like a minor annoyance.
The problem here is this is not the first problem I have had with Motohio in the passed. I have talked to them it about and they said things would change, but they have not. Here is the deal with a motorcycle, if you have a motorcycle and it is your only form of transportation( most unlikely but possible) then you are very concerned about getting it fixed in time. The other deal is that this dealership seems to treat motorcycles as if they were just 15,000 dollar toys that people don't need in the winter. I ' care if it 30 below and there is three feet of snow on the ground and there is lighting striking the earth next to me, if I want to ride my motorcycle that I paid for, I should be able to, because the service should have been done in a timely manner.
And the issue with understanding and communicating is all a valid point indeed, but if you open a motorcycle dealership next to another motorcycle dealership that is offering better service then people will go there instead. It is called capitalism. If you suck get out of town and quit complaining about how it is the italians or it is another bike that is in front of yours, just quit making excuses and do your freaking job. That is all anyone is asking. You do not even have to do it with a smile or a thank you- just do it.
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 23, 2008, 04:53:35 PM
if your hesitant about free speech then you should go live in China or maybe the UK I think they still don't have free speech, but I might be wrong.
You're kidding me right?? What does the UK have to do with not having free speech?
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Quote from: NuTTs on November 24, 2008, 12:53:09 PM
You're kidding me right?? What does the UK have to do with not having free speech?
Cuz it doesn't even qualify as speech until you fookers learn to pronounce stuff properly. [cheeky] [laugh]
exactly [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 24, 2008, 08:51:28 AM
The problem here is this is not the first problem I have had with Motohio in the passed. I have talked to them it about and they said things would change, but they have not. Here is the deal with a motorcycle, if you have a motorcycle and it is your only form of transportation( most unlikely but possible) then you are very concerned about getting it fixed in time. The other deal is that this dealership seems to treat motorcycles as if they were just 15,000 dollar toys that people don't need in the winter. I ' care if it 30 below and there is three feet of snow on the ground and there is lighting striking the earth next to me, if I want to ride my motorcycle that I paid for, I should be able to, because the service should have been done in a timely manner.
And the issue with understanding and communicating is all a valid point indeed, but if you open a motorcycle dealership next to another motorcycle dealership that is offering better service then people will go there instead. It is called capitalism. If you suck get out of town and quit complaining about how it is the italians or it is another bike that is in front of yours, just quit making excuses and do your freaking job. That is all anyone is asking. You do not even have to do it with a smile or a thank you- just do it.
Why do I get good service at Motohio and you don't ?
I think the answer is in your mirror ! Dolph
Quote from: Takster on November 24, 2008, 08:16:22 AM
If it's too much to take, I'm sure Walmart is hiring greeters. The parts guy at my local dealer (a member on this board,) is super cool, friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile for every transaction I've ever made there. Come to think of it, he's gone out of his way to help me out in finding out some information about another business unrelated to his shop.
As with any other job, I'm sure that there are challenges. If you're not personally cut out to do a particular job, then find another one. Isn't it reasonable for a person walking into a dealership to fill out an application for employment to expect to deal with all of the things you mentioned?
Is it unreasonable to expect somebody working in a service industry to offer decent service? I feel like we're lowering the bar for service as a society... why should i pay extra to patronize a business when I can get things online for cheaper? It comes down to the relationship I have with the retailer. I'm unwilling to pay extra and drive out of my way to be treated like a minor annoyance.
This particular parts mgr. isn't an extroverted person. Dolph
Quote from: DoubleEagle on November 24, 2008, 03:07:05 PM
This particular parts mgr. isn't an extroverted person. ....
And I'm sure he wants his business put out, expecially your opinion on "What's wrong with him"...
Quote from: NAKID on November 24, 2008, 03:26:26 PM
And I'm sure he wants his business put out, expecially your opinion on "What's wrong with him"...
It's just my opinion of an observation.
All I know is he hasn't been himself lately but he still does right by me. Dolph
Quote from: metallimonster on November 23, 2008, 07:27:50 PM
Being a former Audi tech I know that a lot of things can happen and things can change, so I usually am very patient and try to be as nice as possible whenever I have any kind of service done. No matter if it is on my bike or whatever.
That being said, Motohio has just about the worst customer service I have ever came across. You can't even go in for a damn oil filter without getting looks from the parts guy like you are bothering him. I mean do your freaking job dude. This place really is ridiculous! I work about 1 mile from the place and will NEVER go back there again. I will take my bike 1.5 hours away to Akron for Crooked River to work on it. My suggestion is to go there because they are super nice and super helpful.
Did you work on my TT at MAG about 8 years ago ? It was Denim Blue . If so I have a bone to pick with you. I'm sure Pryor could tell me. Dolph
People should leave their personal problems at home, if he wants to have problems that cost the dealership money then he should be fired or laid off for certain period of time to regain composure. And if you feel that you get such good service why don't you be a good customer and comment about this stuff on the site.
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 24, 2008, 05:55:51 PM
People should leave their personal problems at home, if he wants to have problems that cost the dealership money then he should be fired or laid off for certain period of time to regain composure. And if you feel that you get such good service why don't you be a good customer and comment about this stuff on the site.
People are people. You're entitled to your opinion, but jeez... this approach won't get you far, not anywhere, not with anyone.
Quote from: Spidey on November 23, 2008, 11:48:03 PM
But you weren't riding it anyway?!? Then why bother getting all worrked up?
Sorry, but that's B.S. If I'm paying for a service I expect it to be completed when quoted. I don't buy into the whole "it's ok for you to make the beast with two backs me over as long as I don't feel it" mentality.
I'm sure the shop would have a big gripe if I decided to only pay %80 of the bill on a job that took %20 percent longer than quoted.
Quote from: CapnCrunch on November 24, 2008, 08:33:06 PM
I'm sure the shop would have a big gripe if I decided to only pay %80 of the bill on a job that took %20 percent longer than quoted.
They would have no gripe at all. You on the other hand would have no bike.
Quote from: CapnCrunch on November 24, 2008, 08:33:06 PM
Sorry, but that's B.S. If I'm paying for a service I expect it to be completed when quoted. I don't buy into the whole "it's ok for you to make the beast with two backs me over as long as I don't feel it" mentality.
Why did you snip the very part of that addressed your concern?? Here, I highlighted it for you.
Quote from: Spidey on November 23, 2008, 11:48:03 PM
They didn't look at your bike for a week (their bad, no dispute). But you weren't riding it anyway?!? Then why bother getting all worrked up?
Actually, since we're here, let's play that game.
Quote from: CapnCrunch on November 24, 2008, 08:33:06 PM
it's ok for you to make the beast with two backs me over as long as I don't feel it
Hell no, it's not! Why the f*ck would you make such a crazy-ass statement!?!? WTF is wrong with you!?!?! [cheeky]
Kidding aside, I was just saying that it's a matter of perspective. He wasn't "make the beast with two backsed over." He just didn't get the service he expected and/or deserved. But they didn't screw his wife or or his dog or anything. They didn't steal his bike or blow it up or scar it. They just kept it for longer than promised. Wrong, but not Hilter/Stalin/Teletubbies type of wrong.
Quote from: Spidey on November 24, 2008, 10:02:52 PMWrong, but not Hilter/Stalin/Teletubbies type of wrong.
Que the make the beast with two backs? [popcorn]
You know. It's the really, really, really bad stuff. Like chicken on pizza. And genocide. The stuff that matters.
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 24, 2008, 05:55:51 PM
People should leave their personal problems at home, if he wants to have problems that cost the dealership money then he should be fired or laid off for certain period of time to regain composure. And if you feel that you get such good service why don't you be a good customer and comment about this stuff on the site.
I have made good comments about Motohio , just not on this site . But when somebody starts running them down here I will speak up and mention my good experiences with them . Dolph
Wrong stays wrong no matter what jam you spread over it [thumbsup]
Quote from: Spidey on November 24, 2008, 10:22:58 PM
You know. It's the really, really, really bad stuff. Like chicken on pizza. And genocide. The stuff that matters.
I felt the same way for years. Then I finally tried a slice of BBQ chicken pizza, it was really good.
Quote from: Spidey on November 24, 2008, 10:02:52 PM
Why did you snip the very part of that addressed your concern?? Here, I highlighted it for you.
Actually, since we're here, let's play that game.
Hell no, it's not! Why the f*ck would you make such a crazy-ass statement!?!? WTF is wrong with you!?!?! [cheeky]
Kidding aside, I was just saying that it's a matter of perspective. He wasn't "make the beast with two backsed over." He just didn't get the service he expected and/or deserved. But they didn't screw his wife or or his dog or anything. They didn't steal his bike or blow it up or scar it. They just kept it for longer than promised. Wrong, but not Hilter/Stalin/Teletubbies type of wrong.
I hear you, but when they say "you can pick it up on friday" I make plans to do so. in every situation I would be far happier to hear a long quote and get a call a couple days early that the bike is ready, than vice versa. dissapoint me upfront and make me happy on the backend rather than the other way around.
I actually feel sympathy for these shops, because as a previous poster noted, things are often easier to get online, and there is a DIY video for just about anything on youtube.
In the past certification has been there to marginally control quality (doctors, lawyers, mechanics, air traffic controllers) but mostly to limit supply and thus garner a higher price for services.
the internets is making it so any chucklehead with a wrench, the time and inclination can do most things for themselves, and this is for the better I think, but it means that shops are going to have to step it up on their end of things if they want to continue doing business in a meaningful and profitable way.
Quote from: R2 on November 24, 2008, 11:21:48 PM
I felt the same way for years. Then I finally tried a slice of BBQ chicken pizza, it was really good.
with or without sour cream, did it have red onions?
Quote from: R2 on November 24, 2008, 11:21:48 PM
I felt the same way for years. Then I finally tried a slice of BBQ chicken pizza, it was really good.
best...pizza...ever...
with red onion [thumbsup]
Quote from: wii2me2 on November 25, 2008, 03:08:41 AM
with or without sour cream, did it have red onions?
There wasn't any sour cream on it, but it did have red onions. It was a bit spicy too.[thumbsup] I'm not sure if that's normal or not. I'll have to try another piece sometime in the near future, like maybe for lunch today.
Quote from: DoubleEagle on November 24, 2008, 04:46:06 PM
Did you work on my TT at MAG about 8 years ago ? It was Denim Blue . If so I have a bone to pick with you. I'm sure Pryor could tell me. Dolph
Sorry, worked at Byers Imports. We got A LOT of cars from customers that MAG couldn't fix or gave bad service to. I loved working on the cars and especially driving them but man does the way techs get paid suck. I just couldn't hack it on flat rate so I went back to school and got into accounting. Couldn't be happier!!
Quote from: Spidey on November 24, 2008, 01:05:01 PM
Cuz it doesn't even qualify as speech until you fookers learn to pronounce stuff properly. [cheeky] [laugh]
;D bastid [beer]
Ah communication.
Shop screwed up. Shop should have kept customer in the loop, and customer could have told shop when dropping the bike off that he'd rather have a realistic if looong estimate of when it'll be done than think a couple times it'll be done when it won't.
For some people it truly doesn't matter and for some it does. Yes, a shop should assume it matters to every customer, but it's nice to help them out with that as well. If I need my bike for a track day or a specific ride I'll tell the shop the date. If I don't need it until Spring I'll tell them they can take emergencies first and I'll check in from time to time to see where we are during the snow.
These things can be sooo easily fixed early on with a conversation versus saying nothing up front and then complaining how the other guy did something wrong later down the road.
I also feel it's just polite to tell someone your preferences of how you like things done if you're going to smear them later for what they did wrong too. But that's a personal quirk of mine.
I sometimes think by not communicating very well we are looking for people to screw up so we can then tell the world how bad they are when we could have avoided the problem with a little effort ourselves. This isn't just Duc shops...It's everywhere....traffic, where you could let off the gas just a little to let someone merge, but because we see they aren't looking and gabbing on their phone we speed up specifically to be able to yell at them for not signalling...
one person in my life helping smooth things over is worth ten pointing out where people screw up in order to 'save' me from the idiots.
WTF?? Am I their DAD and supposed to address every concern that I feel that they should already know as a dealership??? If I bring my bike in to get it looked at on the 14th (as scheduled) and they don't look at until the 21st (which was a friday and they would not have have gotten to it until the 25th), it's my fault for not calling them everyday to check up on them??? So I go pick the bike up so I can take it to another dealership to get it worked on. It doesn't matter when I need the bike back, it's none of their business when and what I need it back for, I might just like to have it to look at.
Quote from: rettrodoll on November 25, 2008, 12:27:32 PM
WTF?? Am I their DAD and supposed to address every concern that I feel that they should already know as a dealership??? If I bring my bike in to get it looked at on the 14th (as scheduled) and they don't look at until the 21st (which was a friday and they would not have have gotten to it until the 25th), it's my fault for not calling them everyday to check up on them??? So I go pick the bike up so I can take it to another dealership to get it worked on. It doesn't matter when I need the bike back, it's none of their business when and what I need it back for, I might just like to have it to look at.
you are absolutely correct. I was trying to point out that for less effort than this thread, the problem could be avoided, that's all.
People choose to put their effort in different places. Of course you shouldn't
have to do anything...everyone should do their jobs well without being told or asked how. You are 100% correct.
When I can avoid aggrevation down the road by doing a little extra now, I do. That's all. Just like the extra ten minutes to write something up at my dealer with an estimate and a "call for permission over X amount" and 'written permission needed over Y amount" which solves the problem of getting a bigger bill than told by phone or in person...that happens all the time and shouldn't...but it's such an easy fix why not do it?
Certainly if talking to them more up front aggrevates you more then it's not a good option for you. But then you also should expect a bit less sympathy when posting to the world about the outcome.
There are a lot of things in life I do to make it happier and easier that in an ideal world I shouldn't have to do and certainly there are days that it is frustrating.
I am sorry you weren't happy with the dealer. I hope you find one that lives up to (correct) expectations that you are content with.
Quote from: metallimonster on November 25, 2008, 09:46:08 AM
Sorry, worked at Byers Imports. We got A LOT of cars from customers that MAG couldn't fix or gave bad service to. I loved working on the cars and especially driving them but man does the way techs get paid suck. I just couldn't hack it on flat rate so I went back to school and got into accounting. Couldn't be happier!!
Actually I never had a problem with MAG. Have dealt w, them since '92.
Their workshop floors are clean enough to eat off of. Did have a problem w, a certain BMW 330Ci. Dolph
Quote from: Statler on November 25, 2008, 01:12:43 PM
you are absolutely correct. I was trying to point out that for less effort than this thread, the problem could be avoided, that's all.
People choose to put their effort in different places. Of course you shouldn't have to do anything...everyone should do their jobs well without being told or asked how. You are 100% correct.
When I can avoid aggrevation down the road by doing a little extra now, I do. That's all.
Dead on, Statler. I don't think anyone in this whole thread said the OP didn't have a valid complaint, simply that there are ways of avoiding similar situations.
For my .02 - I think my second or third trip to the dealer resulted in a longer than expected repair timeline. Whatever, stuff happens (and fyi, my primary transportation is the bike and where I live there is no off season, so they didn't have the "it's 30 degrees out and snowing so he probably wouldn't be riding it anyway" excuse).
So I called the day I was supposed to pick it up to check if it was ready, called the next day and stopped by just to shoot the shit and try to get a feel for when it might be ready. I think having a positive intereaction, smiling, saying oh, hey, I know stuff happens, really goes a long way. Did I want to actually have my bike to ride when it was 60-70 degrees? hell yeah! Should my bike have been ready? hell yeah!
On another occassion I had to drop the bike off for a warranty issue (blown seal leaking oil). The guy scheduling was a little out of sorts saying how I wasn't scheduled and he didn't know when they could get to it, ect. I just said to get to it when they could, no worries, I understand. And I got the most grateful response just for showing some empathy. (and got my bike back the next day).
Again, not saying this isn't a crappy situation, but you've vented already and being pleasant to the folks in the shop will do much more for you in the end than being righteous.
Sooooooo. To the OP. Has doing all this got your bike out of the shop any faster? If you find people in life disappoint you with great frequency maybe it'd be best to learn these skills yourself. I can assure you nothing will build your sense of confidence in your bike than doing your own work. Plus... it sounds like you could use a stress relieving hobby. You got all winter to learn. I actually do know what you are talking about and I used to be the same way, to the point of physically threatening people, you won't change them. You'll only get yourself in trouble.
Off topic here but relavant, I went to some anger management classes. There is a lot of huggy BS there but there are some valuable tools as well. One that I think may be of benefit to you is to learn to recognize your inner dialog. The voice in your head that starts chasing it's own tail getting you worked up. It's probably saying something like " these sons-of-pregnant doges said they'd have it done and now it's two weeks later. I'll give them a piece of my mind! And I'll let everyone else know what asses they are too!" and so on and so forth down the rabbit hole. It's easy to shut that voice down once you learn to hear it. The trick is to pay attention to it and realize where it's leading you. I'm not saying you do or don't have anger issues that isn't my place and I don't know you. You DO sound like you're getting worked up over something that is ultimately inconsequencial. Look at the grand scheme of you're life and where does this fit? Family, work, home, a bike that is taking a couple extra weeks to get done... not that big of a deal. Sit back and sing the Pina Colada song, you can't help but smile.
It seems that there have been a number of local riders who over the past few years have had less than satisfactory service experiences at this Dealership and at the same service department under the previous owner.
I for one ( and going by the responses on the DesmOhio site ) am in the minority of having good experiences since 2005 with this same service crew under 2 different owners.
The good news is that the disgruntled riders are supposedly communicating with the new owner in trying to get the issues worked out .
Incidentally if anyone visits the desmohio Forum be advise that it is a very un PC Forum . Dolph
Quote from: DoubleEagle on December 01, 2008, 11:37:18 PM
I for one ( and going by the responses on the DesmOhio site ) am in the minority of having good experiences since 2005 with this same service crew under 2 different owners.
Hmmm...Go figure! But I think I know why. I have a similar relationship with my shop and it is almost
universally given lousy reviews.
Practically EVERYONE in town complains about the cranky shop manager and how it takes forever to get anything done.....they never have the right parts..... the shop is disorganised...blah..blah..blah. Truth is, a lot of the time these people are absolutely right.
I'm no diplomat (just ask anyone who knows me!!) but over the past 8 years I've gotten great service in spite of this shop's reputation. The guy who runs it isn't a bad guy...just a bit cranky and usually overwhelmed. If you look past that and put yourself in his shoes he suddenly becomes a peach of a guy. When he says he is backed up for 3 weeks I sympathize with him. If he looks busy, I don't waste his time. Other times I may just stop in and chat with him for 10 minutes or so. If I'm booking regular service I ask him when he thinks he might be slow and I book well in advance.
If I don't plan on using the bike for a while I don't push him to get it done yesterday. When I do bring the bike in, I give him detailed but to the point instructions and descriptions of the problem. He knows that I want things fixed properly and in a timely fashion but that I also realize he isn't superman and will cut him some slack
when I can. In a nutshell, he's decided that I'm an OK guy and he can work with me.In return I've had situations where he tells the guy before me he can't look at their bike for 2 weeks...and then he squeezes me in for a tire change or a safety inspection the next day. Preferential treatment you say? Maybe.....but it works!
This shop is pretty much the only game in town so it's in my best interests to work with the guy. In a perfect world he would be waiting for me (and everyone else) with clean coveralls and offer me a cappucino on arrival. But I make do quite well with the cards I've been dealt.
Now having said all this, some guys really ARE just lazy jerks or arrogant elitists. Usually their work matches their attitude. If that's the case you are probably best just side-stepping the place. Judging from Dolph's comments though, this isn't the case with the shop you are talking about. As someone wise once said: "You can accomplish a whole lot more with a little honey than you can with a whole truckload of sh!t" ;D
Ok Pizza Monster I have some questions for you.
1) How many motorcycles have you bought from the shop?
2) How many motorcycles do you have?
3) Do you ride your motorcycle everyday considering weather is ok?
I think Double Eagle forgot to mention that he has bought six bikes from that dealership and a 1098R as well. Of course he is going to get better service, he has given the dealership not honey, but lots of money. If we could just put the PC on the side for now and tell the truth about how much money you really spend at these places maybe the truth will shine through. Because if everybody is getting bad service and your not, then you must either be the nicest person in the world or the have a lot of money to throw down. I am not saying spending a lot of money is a bad thing, but sometimes people with a little extra cash then the rest of the world forget how people treat them.
Quote from: rettrodoll on December 06, 2008, 06:50:31 AM
Ok Pizza Monster I have some questions for you.
Ummm..Okay...Now that you've asked.....Let's see. I bought a bike there in 2002. So did my wife a year or so before that. Both bikes are long gone. Did have 3 bikes for a while but now I'm down to just the Duc. No more Hundas, or Kowasookees, or Suzyookis in the family any more. Yes, I do have a car that I use for daily driving and all winter long.
Oh BTW. This shop is not a Duc dealer. But I've actually got a shop manual for an S2R that they use for reference though.
Yeah. I suppose I've spent a few bucks there over the years but I've also bought bikes and gear elsewhere. I suppose I could throw money at them to get service. Never tried it that way though. Is that how you do it? [coffee]
And you know what? Sometimes this shop really pisses me off. But I deal with it in a manner that will get me what I need without starting a war.
I'm really not the nicest guy in the world. Actually, I've been called a prick quite a few times. Like I said though. I work
with the guys there. Not
against them. I've never pissed in their cornflakes. I've even helped one of the owners out of a jam at a track event a couple of times when he needed me. I try to cut them some slack when I need repairs. I have reasonable expectations when I'm looking for warranty. I don't BS them. Just normal courtesy stuff. It seems to work both ways.
Maybe you should try it some time and see how it works. ;D
Quote from: WannaDucBad on November 27, 2008, 12:36:32 PM
Sooooooo. To the OP. Has doing all this got your bike out of the shop any faster? If you find people in life disappoint you with great frequency maybe it'd be best to learn these skills yourself. I can assure you nothing will build your sense of confidence in your bike than doing your own work. Plus... it sounds like you could use a stress relieving hobby. You got all winter to learn. I actually do know what you are talking about and I used to be the same way, to the point of physically threatening people, you won't change them. You'll only get yourself in trouble.
Off topic here but relavant, I went to some anger management classes. There is a lot of huggy BS there but there are some valuable tools as well. One that I think may be of benefit to you is to learn to recognize your inner dialog. The voice in your head that starts chasing it's own tail getting you worked up. It's probably saying something like " these sons-of-pregnant doges said they'd have it done and now it's two weeks later. I'll give them a piece of my mind! And I'll let everyone else know what asses they are too!" and so on and so forth down the rabbit hole. It's easy to shut that voice down once you learn to hear it. The trick is to pay attention to it and realize where it's leading you. I'm not saying you do or don't have anger issues that isn't my place and I don't know you. You DO sound like you're getting worked up over something that is ultimately inconsequencial. Look at the grand scheme of you're life and where does this fit? Family, work, home, a bike that is taking a couple extra weeks to get done... not that big of a deal. Sit back and sing the Pina Colada song, you can't help but smile.
Do you have a ducati?
Quote from: PizzaMonster on December 07, 2008, 12:17:02 AM
Ummm..Okay...Now that you've asked.....Let's see. I bought a bike there in 2002. So did my wife a year or so before that. Both bikes are long gone. Did have 3 bikes for a while but now I'm down to just the Duc. No more Hundas, or Kowasookees, or Suzyookis in the family any more. Yes, I do have a car that I use for daily driving and all winter long.
Oh BTW. This shop is not a Duc dealer. But I've actually got a shop manual for an S2R that they use for reference though.
Yeah. I suppose I've spent a few bucks there over the years but I've also bought bikes and gear elsewhere. I suppose I could throw money at them to get service. Never tried it that way though. Is that how you do it? [coffee]
And you know what? Sometimes this shop really pisses me off. But I deal with it in a manner that will get me what I need without starting a war.
I'm really not the nicest guy in the world. Actually, I've been called a prick quite a few times. Like I said though. I work with the guys there. Not against them. I've never pissed in their cornflakes. I've even helped one of the owners out of a jam at a track event a couple of times when he needed me. I try to cut them some slack when I need repairs. I have reasonable expectations when I'm looking for warranty. I don't BS them. Just normal courtesy stuff. It seems to work both ways.
Maybe you should try it some time and see how it works. ;D
I think you have befuddled Clint, I mean Rettrodoll. Dolph ;D
Quote from: din425 on December 08, 2008, 08:00:13 PM
Do you have a ducati?
I do... why do you ask? ??? Ah... are you referring to the "complexity" of the machine? Let me be clear, I built my Ducati from a totalled/wrecked/destroyed bike. I've had it completely apart, and it is the best designed machine I've ever worked on. It makes sense to me, maybe not to everyone.... but it makes sense to me. I prefer working on it to any of the Honda's or Suki's I've had.
My club was mentioned so I have to set some things right. I posted this on the DesmOhio site and it pretty much settled things but I don't figure everyone here left to read that thread.
Sorry to be so late in getting in on this thread. I have been traveling.
Rarebird;
Glad to see that you are participating in the Desmohio community again. If you hang out more you will start to get the different personalities. Clint can be a tard but he is our friend, a regular contributing/participating member and despite his shortcomings we more or less like him. You probably would too if you got to know him, more or less.
Five0 was trying to say that DesmOhio has a reputation for being "Politically Incorrect". This is because we have a history of telling it like it is with no sugar coating or bullshit. I was almost fired from Cycle Cat over a letter that I wrote to the AMA as president of this club. That is actually when we were branded with the politically incorrect thing. If someone wants a to be in a club where everyone kisses evryones asses and just goes with the flow like a bunch of sheep then this is not the one. This is an unmoderated forum. We do not censor what our members have to say unless it is slander which we have never had a case of. Since this forum was started five plus years ago we have deleted three or four threads and at least two of thoes were mine. We do not have the problems of the DML or Speedzilla because of the very high likelyhood that our members will meet each other face to face. I am not saying that you should not have called Clint an asshole, he is, but when you did you took it to that level. We are all big boys and girls. We play rough so you better have thick skin. There is also no one in this club that I know of who would not give you the shirt off their back, or pick up your bike after a crash or breakdown if you needed the help including Clint. DesmOhio was started to make Ducati ownership easier on everyone including the dealers.
MotOhio and DesmOhio have a long history. The two previous Columbus dealers were droped by Ducati and Bruces shop was opened based in part on a meeting that DesmOhio members had with our area sales manager at the time. We have always wanted what has become MotOhio to succeed and for us to have a great relationship with them. This did not happen with Bruce but we have high hopes with Mike Allen, his family and staff. Mike is our friend. He has tipped beers with us at Mid-Ohio and at our clubhouse functions. He is a hardcore rider and racer. We like that. Mike is also a sponsor of this site. We do not let just any dealership or business have this privledge.
MotOhio is getting better but there are still some issues. Mike Allen is still working his real job and is not at the dealership full time. He may not be fully aware of all of the situations that happen at MotOhio. Posting here is one way of letting Mike see how our community sees his shop. There are also posts on this board praising MotOhio for their service and telling of how they went above and beyond to get the bike back under the rider. Posting the experience you have with a dealer here should be taken as constructive input to the community and dealership. If you are unaware that there is a problem then you can not fix it. Think of it this way. If your wife keeps asking if her ass is getting fat and you keep telling her that she looks great, don't be suprised when you wake up with a fat assed wife. We want MotOhio to have a great ass!
I read this thread a few days ago and though I did not have time to post myself, I did send mike Allen a text to let him know of its existance. What he does with the information is up to him. It will take time to get it perfect but I have faith that Mike is working to get it as close as possible.
_________________
Chris Calovini
Founder/President
DesmOhio
Quote from: Takster on November 24, 2008, 08:16:22 AM
The parts guy at my local dealer (a member on this board,) is super cool, friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile for every transaction I've ever made there. Come to think of it, he's gone out of his way to help me out in finding out some information about another business unrelated to his shop.
Are you referring to Duey at Riverside? If so, I agree their parts department is top notch.
Quote from: Takster on November 24, 2008, 08:16:22 AM
As with any other job, I'm sure that there are challenges. If you're not personally cut out to do a particular job, then find another one. Isn't it reasonable for a person walking into a dealership to fill out an application for employment to expect to deal with all of the things you mentioned?
Is it unreasonable to expect somebody working in a service industry to offer decent service? I feel like we're lowering the bar for service as a society... why should i pay extra to patronize a business when I can get things online for cheaper? It comes down to the relationship I have with the retailer. I'm unwilling to pay extra and drive out of my way to be treated like a minor annoyance.
Well said Tak.
Contact Chris at DesmOhio. Take your bike Indianapolis, those guys are awesome.
Quote from: Monstermash on December 11, 2008, 09:35:49 PM
Are you referring to Duey at Riverside? If so, I agree their parts department is top notch.
Well said Tak.
Yup,
Duey is the bomb