Michele- Vendor Relations
March 22nd, 2005, 09:40 AM
A Limos.com member wrote to me and asked what sort of compensation her should ask for. His letter is below. Any suggestions?
To Whom It May Concern:
My partner and I came to Blank on February 10, 2005. We were flown in by the best salesmen I have ever met. I am speaking of Blank Blank, who put us up in a hotel for that night, picked us up the following morning, and brought us to your Plant.
Upon our arrival we were introduce to employees and were treated to a tour of the facilities. Our purpose for the trip was to finalize our deal, and do all the paperwork, by bringing in a check for roughly $67,000, take a look at how your company puts together these amazing vehicles, and to get to know Blank. We met Blank at the Limo Show in New Jersey back in November 2004, and were impressed with his presentation and knowledge of the vehicles.
After we returned home from the Limo Show we went to work on evaluating the different companies we had come in contact with. We narrowed the field to three companies (Blank, Blank, and Blank). My only experience buying a limo had come a few years earlier when I purchased a “100 Grand” from Blank Coach Builders. After asking a couple of questions I ruled Blank out. So, that left Blank and Blank. The final question posed to the salesmen was “why should I buy a limo from you as opposed to this other coach builder”? I asked that question to the salesman from Blank first, as he was my salesman the first time I purchased a limo. His answers while shocking, stuck with me. He said “the difference is the quality and that a limo from that other company would start to fall apart in a couple of year. That stuck with me, because the limo that I purchased from them earlier is still in great shape, and has never given me a problem. I still have it today. Then I asked blank the same question, he said “I don't make my living by badmouthing the competition. We both build a good solid vehicle, both have been around for a long time, but that Blank could give us a better price, and we are here for our customers after they buy from us”. That really stuck with me, because I hadn't had any contact with that salesman from Blank since I bought my last limo from him, not even a hello. So we decided to go with Blank.
So while on our trip to Blank we had Blank (great gal) arrange to have our new $70,000.00 limo shipped to us. We didn't want to drive it to Virginia, to avoid putting over 1000 miles on it. So we agreed on a price of $1000 for the shipping of the vehicle on February 28, 2005. So on March 01, 2005 I get a call from Blank saying that the transport truck had broken down, and that now we wouldn't be able to have it delivered on a transport truck for a least a week.
Well, that was not acceptable, considering we had work scheduled for March 4, 2005. So Blank arranged for one of their employees to drive it to us, and the limo arrived on March 2, 2005, however it still cost us $1000 and we still put over 1000 miles on the vehicle. We were also told all the paperwork would be in the limo when it arrived. The driver had us sign paperwork, which he took it back with him. It’s now two weeks to the day we received the limo and still no paperwork. We need to register the vehicle in the state of Virginia. Save the paperwork for the new car.
Then, on March 4, 2005 our first customer in this new $70,000 limo tells us that water leaking in the vehicle on her head. The driver checks out the complaint and notices the limo has a couple of leaks in the passenger compartment. Now after bragging to this customer, telling them that they will love our new limo, that they would be the first clients in the new vehicle, water is leaking in on their heads. Well you can just about imagine the embarrassment we felt. What do you say to the client when they say to you, “I thought you said this vehicle was new”? Words can't explain what I felt when I heard that.
To make a long story a little shorter, I have tried to have the leaks repaired without success. I have my 2ND appointment scheduled today to try and have the leaks stopped. If this vehicle leaks again, I'm going to drive it back their personally and expect to have a new limo waiting for me when I get there. There is no way a new limo should ever leave your plant with a leak. This really looks bad considering I secured the deposit in December 2004. The company had from January – March to get this right. I am appall.
Well, I took the vehicle in for the 2ND appointment, dropped it off. They sealed the vehicle again on both sides by the emergency windows. They let it sit over night to give it time to dry, and wet it down this morning. They showed me where it’s leaking still in both places. They said they have done all they can do, besides take the vehicle apart.
We are finished with this headache. We no longer want this vehicle. It’s our busy season, water is leaking on peoples heads, and we don't feel comfortable with this vehicle. The joy that we felt coming to the plant and shaking hands with Blank has been replaced by feelings of disgust, and this has us questioning our decision to choose Blank in the first place. We need a new limo that we can proudly put our customer in. We want a vehicle that is problem free, a vehicle we feel secure riding our valuable clients around in. Either we can drive it back there or you can have someone come pick it up. Either way we want a new 140 Excursion, just like this faulty one we are turning back into you.
Respectfully,
To Whom It May Concern:
My partner and I came to Blank on February 10, 2005. We were flown in by the best salesmen I have ever met. I am speaking of Blank Blank, who put us up in a hotel for that night, picked us up the following morning, and brought us to your Plant.
Upon our arrival we were introduce to employees and were treated to a tour of the facilities. Our purpose for the trip was to finalize our deal, and do all the paperwork, by bringing in a check for roughly $67,000, take a look at how your company puts together these amazing vehicles, and to get to know Blank. We met Blank at the Limo Show in New Jersey back in November 2004, and were impressed with his presentation and knowledge of the vehicles.
After we returned home from the Limo Show we went to work on evaluating the different companies we had come in contact with. We narrowed the field to three companies (Blank, Blank, and Blank). My only experience buying a limo had come a few years earlier when I purchased a “100 Grand” from Blank Coach Builders. After asking a couple of questions I ruled Blank out. So, that left Blank and Blank. The final question posed to the salesmen was “why should I buy a limo from you as opposed to this other coach builder”? I asked that question to the salesman from Blank first, as he was my salesman the first time I purchased a limo. His answers while shocking, stuck with me. He said “the difference is the quality and that a limo from that other company would start to fall apart in a couple of year. That stuck with me, because the limo that I purchased from them earlier is still in great shape, and has never given me a problem. I still have it today. Then I asked blank the same question, he said “I don't make my living by badmouthing the competition. We both build a good solid vehicle, both have been around for a long time, but that Blank could give us a better price, and we are here for our customers after they buy from us”. That really stuck with me, because I hadn't had any contact with that salesman from Blank since I bought my last limo from him, not even a hello. So we decided to go with Blank.
So while on our trip to Blank we had Blank (great gal) arrange to have our new $70,000.00 limo shipped to us. We didn't want to drive it to Virginia, to avoid putting over 1000 miles on it. So we agreed on a price of $1000 for the shipping of the vehicle on February 28, 2005. So on March 01, 2005 I get a call from Blank saying that the transport truck had broken down, and that now we wouldn't be able to have it delivered on a transport truck for a least a week.
Well, that was not acceptable, considering we had work scheduled for March 4, 2005. So Blank arranged for one of their employees to drive it to us, and the limo arrived on March 2, 2005, however it still cost us $1000 and we still put over 1000 miles on the vehicle. We were also told all the paperwork would be in the limo when it arrived. The driver had us sign paperwork, which he took it back with him. It’s now two weeks to the day we received the limo and still no paperwork. We need to register the vehicle in the state of Virginia. Save the paperwork for the new car.
Then, on March 4, 2005 our first customer in this new $70,000 limo tells us that water leaking in the vehicle on her head. The driver checks out the complaint and notices the limo has a couple of leaks in the passenger compartment. Now after bragging to this customer, telling them that they will love our new limo, that they would be the first clients in the new vehicle, water is leaking in on their heads. Well you can just about imagine the embarrassment we felt. What do you say to the client when they say to you, “I thought you said this vehicle was new”? Words can't explain what I felt when I heard that.
To make a long story a little shorter, I have tried to have the leaks repaired without success. I have my 2ND appointment scheduled today to try and have the leaks stopped. If this vehicle leaks again, I'm going to drive it back their personally and expect to have a new limo waiting for me when I get there. There is no way a new limo should ever leave your plant with a leak. This really looks bad considering I secured the deposit in December 2004. The company had from January – March to get this right. I am appall.
Well, I took the vehicle in for the 2ND appointment, dropped it off. They sealed the vehicle again on both sides by the emergency windows. They let it sit over night to give it time to dry, and wet it down this morning. They showed me where it’s leaking still in both places. They said they have done all they can do, besides take the vehicle apart.
We are finished with this headache. We no longer want this vehicle. It’s our busy season, water is leaking on peoples heads, and we don't feel comfortable with this vehicle. The joy that we felt coming to the plant and shaking hands with Blank has been replaced by feelings of disgust, and this has us questioning our decision to choose Blank in the first place. We need a new limo that we can proudly put our customer in. We want a vehicle that is problem free, a vehicle we feel secure riding our valuable clients around in. Either we can drive it back there or you can have someone come pick it up. Either way we want a new 140 Excursion, just like this faulty one we are turning back into you.
Respectfully,