martinreinhardt wrote:I feel the pain, I have been there. It appears to be a problem with PCNA dealers. I never was treated like a number at a Porsche dealer in europe.
Unfortunately, Martin hit it on the head, IMHO. It's been my experience in the 10 years owning a business, and more than 26 years doing business with other American businesses that "ethics" and business don't always meet.
Examples?
- Almost every medical insurance company will "blanket" refuse claims for medical cost reimbursement unles you press-press-press them to pay on the very policy you pay for each month. Even the automatic payment to the MD's is occasionally refused. Again, you have to press, press, press. Meanwhile, the MD's are threatening to sue for the balance and/or report you to credit agencies for failure to pay, ruining your credit rating.
- Advertizing in America is ... at best deceptive:
"New AutoPista Grand Blowismo's for $49595.00
(One at this price ..... sold three weeks ago) Ah.. but you drive down to the AutoPista dealer to look at, and possibly buy one at the quoted advertized price; only to find out that it's "only one at that price" .... and it's gone.
That's American business advertizing. Not a lie .... but surely not the truth by any means.
[size=12] - Fees for services: You take your car/boat/motorcycle/washing machine/bicycle in for service and/or repair. You're given an estimate and a time of completion. Days later..... "not done yet. Parts didn't come."
(Well great. I'm being penalized because someone else dropped the ball on the parts delivery. If you'd have called me the day the part was due and missed, I'd go get the D@#n thing myself and bring it to you. I have lots of resources for parts, and I can get them FAST.) So, 3 days later than due date the call comes to get the vehicle/device back. You have the receipt from the original quote. The bill/final invoice, however, is exponentially more! You look on the details page and see all kinds of "
Stuff" you didn't need or
authorize place/replaced/installed! Part PLUS labor to install the parts you didn't need or authorize? Gee, how'd that happen?
"Well, I could see you really needed these new parts, so I figured I'd take care of them for you now ... especially since I had those parts here in stock.
It's not that much more, and I only charged you half the labor." WHAT?!?!?!
Look if I needed/or thought I needed you to replace spokes/spark plugs/bicycle tires/tie rods/oil and filter/recharge A-C/ replace washer belt I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU! I can do those other things myself, with my parts, for no labor fee .... just a sixpack, a good set of jackstands, and a sunny afternoon with a little Adreas Segovia playing in the background ..... for crying out loud! Instead I gotta pay you $75.00 to $90.00 per hour to do what
I LIKE doing myself.
- Business Ethics as Cirriculum: you know the American business mind-set is askew when they have to
teach ethics to business students at the local universities. That in itself speaks volumes about the mentality of American business professionals today.
For me, the moral of the story in doing business with many American businesses: keep your guard up, think like they might think in terms of maximizing
their profits from
your wallet, and don't be afraid to ask lots and lots and lots of questions (Excuse me mister Manager: can you give me
your definition of "warrantee?"
Jad, more than ever, I feel your pain. I will say, in defense of Pioneer (and I can't believe I'm saying this..) I was given very good service at the parts department by Tim Prest, Parts Manager. It helped, quite frankly, that I "dropped" the fact that I was the VP of the Club.
Okay, off my soap-box....