Bristol Lexus - Absolute Rubbish

[F.A.]

I have recently been looking to buy an additional IS 250 and visited my local dealer , Bristol Lexus having had such a good experience buying our first IS 250 2 years ago. This time however, I was completely ignored for 25 minutes and whilst 1 sales woman was busy with a customer, the remaining sales staff were too busy discussing what they would be having for breakfast tomorrow morning. In fact the only other person doing any work was the cleaner. I eventually walked out and will not be returning to purchase my next Lexus. I understand that this may be a one off experience but for a company who prides itself in first class customer service, this is not good enough.

[gordi]

Make sure you complain to the Principal in writing and let us know what happens.

[Exiled]

Since I bought my Lexus I have twice been back to the dealership for servicing. I recognised the salesman on both occasions but he hasn't recognised me. I've been offered a coffee and been dropped off and collected from the nearby city centre where I've passed a couple of hours. No one at the dealership apart from the receptionist and service personel have spoken to me.

My wife is on her second Mini and visits the dealer occasionally, ( 18,000 mile service intervals) she is instantly recognised by the sales exec who sold her both cars and her boss also comes to say hello.

I have no complaints whatsoever with my Lexus it's an outstanding car and I could not be happier with it.

I wouldn't say my dealership were absolute rubbish as the car runs well which suggests they are servicing it correctly. I'd say they were missing a trick as people generally like being made to feel valued.

When I've been sat in reception and other customers have come in they seem to be treated no differently from me. When I was in business I worked on the principal that customer was king.

If I were a dealership principle I'd have a system whereby my sales staff knew which of their customers were booked in the following day so they could speak to them.

I get text messages to remind me of my service appointments, follow up letters asking if I was happy with the service, e-mails telling me what the company is doing, offers of a free car wash, details of free winter checks etc etc, but when I go there they don't seem interested in who I am.

My wife thinks her Mini dealer is great and wouldn't consider going anywhere else, It's a high probability that I'll buy another Lexus but I feel no loyalty towards the dealer.

[JFB2]

@Exiled

You've completely summed up the way I also feel about Lexus dealers in the UK. How can the salesman who sold you a £30,000 asset NOT remember your face when you're wandering around the dealership waiting for your car to be ready. It's not as if they sell thousands of these cars (Lexus are still very rarified in the UK, as we know).

It's almost as if they've been told by Lexus UK not to speak to existing customers. Very, very strange and totally bad for repeat business. The people at MINI have got it sussed - I want to be recognised and welcomed, not as a long lost friend, but as a valued customer.

If it ever happens again, I'll go up to the chappy and say, "Don't you remember me? You sold me a really expensive product not long ago. Why are you ignoring me?"

What do you think he'd say?

[Tango]

@Exiled

You've completely summed up the way I also feel about Lexus dealers in the UK. How can the salesman who sold you a £30,000 asset NOT remember your face when you're wandering around the dealership waiting for your car to be ready. It's not as if they sell thousands of these cars (Lexus are still very rarified in the UK, as we know).

It's almost as if they've been told by Lexus UK not to speak to existing customers. Very, very strange and totally bad for repeat business. The people at MINI have got it sussed - I want to be recognised and welcomed, not as a long lost friend, but as a valued customer.

If it ever happens again, I'll go up to the chappy and say, "Don't you remember me? You sold me a really expensive product not long ago. Why are you ignoring me?"

What do you think he'd say?

What a load of prima donnas. Why would you expect a Salesman to remember you just because you bought a car a while ago? I bought my IS250 SE-L new from Lexus Bristol in 2005 and I cannot remember who the salesman was, so why would he remember me? However, I got to know the service manager very well, and he still remembered me when I visited a few weeks ago, even though I switched to Lexus Cheltenham 2 or 3 years ago.

[Exiled]

I may be unusual, that's for others to decide but I don't think I'm expecting too much. If I think hard I can probably remember most of the salesmen I have dealt with over the years. What they have told me on handover is to contact them should I have a problem and on the odd occasion I have. I can't remember buying a car and not being recognised by the person who sold it to me. It doesn't overly bother me and won't prejudice my choice of car, I just think it's not very professional. If that likens me to the lead female singer in an Italian opera then so be it.

[Simon_D]

If buying secondhand, the salesmen are generally keen to avoid contact as they know the bodges usually applied to tart up used stock.

The best car/dealer experience is one that does not necessitate contact.............. that is to say a well built car that doesn't go wrong.......................