Sytner BMW Coventry

[z4mmonkey]

After purchasing my Z4MC through Mike Symmond at Hereford Cotswold (see my other post re: this excellent experience), I had to book my car in locally to have a replacement O2 sensor fitted under warranty.

From the point of booking in, through to collecting the car and leaving the car park, the experience left me feeling like I owned a Rolls Royce.

Bearing in mind I have never owned a 'premium' car, certainly not a BMW before, so was expecting Honda/Nissan levels of customer service.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by a very smartly BMW dressed gentleman who led me to 'my' parking space. It was slightly drizzling, and he offered a spare BMW umbrella so I could walk to main reception reasonably dry.
No sooner had I entered their spotless reception area, I was again greeted by my surname, and taken to meet the service representative who was looking after my car for the day. With her business card in hand and printed summary of works to be done, I left to go to work.
Throughout the day, I had two phone calls. The first to confirm the original diagnosis, stating parts were on order ready for the following day. The second was to say that I could collect my car, and considering the delay in obtaining the parts would I mind if they fully valeted my car prior to collection. I was speechless.
Upon arrival the car had been prepared to the condition I remember seeing it in when I collected it from Hereford BMW when I bought it. Immaculate and waxed thoroughly.
The following day, the entire experience was repeated, with the car being washed and cleaned again.

Very impressed.

However. how can one brand be so different. I later had to visit BMW Sytner Birmingham (closer to work this time), and the reception, service, communication and resultant charges for warranty work were appalling in comparison to Hereford.
No reception before 8am. Write out everything but your birth address and great grandfathers middle name on an envelope. Put your keys into the envelope and post into an anonymous post box and walk away.
First phone call was at 9am, to state that they had received the car ok (I delivered it!), and wanted to know why it was in and what needed doing (i.e. everything that was previously discussed and noted by the service representative face to face the day before and earlier that morning, written by me on the envelope!).
At 430pm, I was instructed to collect the car.
Upon arrival I was presented with a £90 bill for diagnostics involved with rectifying the complaint I bought the car in for under warranty (snatching / squealing and intermittent handbrake operation).
I refused to pay this bill, as I was not previously informed of this cost prior to point of collection.

The car was also booked in to have a small scratch on the offside wheel 'smart repaired', but they stated that although they said it would be done that day, they didn't realise until midday on the day of the work, that the contractor who performs these repairs didn't work that day! Great.

Unfortunately, I will most certainly not be spending my M Tax money with Birmingham Sytner. In future, I will instead (at considerable expense to me - day off etc) take my car to Sytner Coventry or back to BMW Cotswold Hereford, as I have found that although more expensive than an independent, I will get the customer experience that should come with owning a BMW.

Just my pennies worth, hope it helps.

Michael

[AlanJ]

What we often seem to forget is that BMW dealers are themselves private enterprises who franchise their dealership from BMW to agreed common standards. It's a fact that some dealers only operate to those agreed common standards - others far exceed them to the benefit of the customer and indeed repeat custom and this can occur in delarships in the same company group. Sometime we forget this and tend to lump all dealers as 'bad' when we experience 'bad' service from one dealer. Good to hear the Coventry end of Sytner provided excellent service in comparison to the Birmingham end. Of course the letter you write to Sytner HQ in complaint with regard to Birmingham will also reflect the excellent service from Coventry.

[wegras]

last September Sytner had "Anneka" monitoring Sytner feed back across all BMW forums .....she didn't seem to last very long ....pity

[cj10jeeper]

last September Sytner had "Anneka" monitoring Sytner feed back across all BMW forums .....she didn't seem to last very long ....pity

I was just thinking that. She used to step in and take the sting out of a fair few issues.

Always suprises me the difference in attitude between dealers of the same group. Sytner Sutton is really good. Birmingham I have found to adopt big city approach (too busy, etc.)

[flimper]

Sytner Sunningdale looked after me well, after intervention from Anneka

[original guvnor]

I've always found Nottingham to be good as well on the whole.

[Anneka @ Sytner]

Sorry for the delay in responding, had a very busy weekend.

It is as others say a pity that you have received a level of service poor in comparison to our other branches. I will relay the feedback to Sytner Birmingham so that they can see where they have gone wrong.

Have all the issues you had originally bought the car in now been fixed?

[AlanJ]

Welcome back Anneka!

[Zed Five]

I can give another thumbs up for Sytner Coventry. Great service all round.

[Anneka @ Sytner]

Thank you, things have been really busy recently so I've not had much time to post. On a positive note I've just bought myself a MINI Convertible, next step Z4. Has anyone seen the baby Z concept images?

[AlanJ]

Thank you, things have been really busy recently so I've not had much time to post. On a positive note I've just bought myself a MINI Convertible, next step Z4. Has anyone seen the baby Z concept images?

This one.....

http://brisbanetimes.drive.com.au/motor ... 1ap0k.html

[Anneka @ Sytner]

Thank you, things have been really busy recently so I've not had much time to post. On a positive note I've just bought myself a MINI Convertible, next step Z4. Has anyone seen the baby Z concept images?

This one.....

http://brisbanetimes.drive.com.au/motor ... 1ap0k.html

Close, but not quite...

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478781

You can see the resemblance between the Z2 vision and BMW's Vision Connected Drive.

[Zed_Steve]

I can give another thumbs up for Sytner Coventry. Great service all round.

+1

[SpikedJuice]

I have to say, that's really good to have someone monitoring the feedback for Sytner's service departments! Keep up the good work, Anneka!

[Anneka @ Sytner]

Thanks SJ . We've been doing this for a while now and feel that it's realy helped to improve the overall customer experience.