Excellent BMW Customer Service Rep

[stealth.pilot]

My car arrived yesterday, and though it was later than I wanted, it was much earlier than I expected.

The BMW NA Customer Service rep was really fantastic, and once she was engaged she got me the car in a week and a half and also took charge of compensation. It made a world of difference, and I wished I had engaged her earlier.

Over the past few weeks I had been getting progressively disappointed with my re-delivery experience:
- Delays in scheduling for export
- Slow processing at VPC
- Oil Pump recall and delays
- BMW ED department not answering my emails at all

The mistake I had made previously was calling the BMW ED department. They really lack the empowerment to do anything - they can't even pick up the phone and call the VPC. However the Customer Service department is quite powerful, and if they are on your side, things will move quickly.

So heres the rule for ED customers: Don't call BMW ED department, call BMW NA Customer Service.

[krispykreme]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Over the past few weeks I had been getting progressively disappointed with my re-delivery experience:
- Delays in scheduling for export
- Slow processing at VPC
- Oil Pump recall and delays
- BMW ED department not answering my emails at all

So a few days after my car reached Brunswick, I wrote to BMW Customer Service to raise these issues. They assigned a lady to this, Donna, who really made a massive difference and showed a lot of empathy. She was very friendly, listened well, sympathized, proactively communicated throughout, and was empowered to lobby Brunswick on my behalf. And she certainly succeeded in accelerating redelivery and in the resolving issues. While I haven't received a credit for the oil pump, she also has been pretty transparent about the process and I am confident she will resolve this too.

In fact now that I know this, I wish I had known this earlier. In fact my initial escalation should have been to BMW NA CS, and not BMW NA ED dept. In contrast to the CS team, the ED team seem to lack empowerment and therefore disengage. I am not saying the ED people don't care, just that their lack of empowerment leads to non responsiveness.

Welcome to the BMW ED and VPC circus.

[lllwlf]

I've been told my car escaped the VPC.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by krispykreme

Welcome to the BMW ED and VPC circus.

I think you misinterpreted my post. I am commending their customer service. The car arrived in perfect condition, they fixed the bumper too and the oil pump and they turned the car around really quickly.

It's the BMW ED people I am saying are unable to help, the customer service people can be very effective.

My advice is reach out to the customer service department, be constructive and positive, and they will move heaven and earth.

[mdernst]

My personal experience is that the first tier of customer service people aren't that helpful either. Probably not their fault - I suspect they are not empowered to do much and have to make a judgement call as to when to escalate to tier 2.

Now the 2nd tier customer service people I have found to be extremely helpful, empowered and able to get things done and make decisions.

I suspect that because you had issues with the "ED customer service" people you were sent directly to "tier 2" customer service.

I suffered with poor customer service during most of the oil pump fiasco. After many weeks of frustration I got elevated to a nice lady named Liz who was helpful, informative and made things happen quickly. As soon as she got involved I started getting follow up calls from my dealer's service manager and she followed up by calling me everyday until everything was resolved.

Mike

[PatrickC23]

It's nice to hear some good stories as most people tend to just rehash the bad. My experience so far has been very good, but Im only past Step 1.

[Bimmer6]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

My car arrived yesterday, and though it was later than I wanted, it was much earlier than I expected.

The BMW NA Customer Service rep was really fantastic, and once she was engaged she got me the car in a week and a half and also took charge of compensation. It made a world of difference, and I wished I had engaged her earlier.

Over the past few weeks I had been getting progressively disappointed with my re-delivery experience:
- Delays in scheduling for export
- Slow processing at VPC
- Oil Pump recall and delays
- BMW ED department not answering my emails at all

The mistake I had made previously was calling the BMW ED department. They really lack the empowerment to do anything - they can't even pick up the phone and call the VPC. However the Customer Service department is quite powerful, and if they are on your side, things will move quickly.

So heres the rule for ED customers: Don't call BMW ED department, call BMW NA Customer Service.

Good to hearmine was great as well. Took care of compensation, and M school when I picked up my car. She was located in New Jersey, and called me with updates every two days. I sent BMW corporate a very nice letter on her service and then need to read this board and see some of the not so good situations. Good luck to the others still waiting.

[chillin4now]

Stealth
I am curious what was your basis for compensation. How long was your car delayed and by what measures did you use to determine the delay and resultant compensation.
I felt mine was delayed based on 21 days from VDC arrival to delivery (3 hours from VDC here). Also, it took 15 days from drop off to get on a boat.
However, when you look at the whole picture, this falls within their stated 8 week time period, so I am having trouble seeing where I can ask for compensation.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by chillin4now

Stealth
I am curious what was your basis for compensation. How long was your car delayed and by what measures did you use to determine the delay and resultant compensation.
I felt mine was delayed based on 21 days from VDC arrival to delivery (3 hours from VDC here). Also, it took 15 days from drop off to get on a boat.
However, when you look at the whole picture, this falls within their stated 8 week time period, so I am having trouble seeing where I can ask for compensation.

I don't think you can claim compensation within their stated time. My compensation case was based on the notion that the oil pump recall may affect resale value.

[chillin4now]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

I don't think you can claim compensation within their stated time. My compensation case was based on the notion that the oil pump recall may affect resale value.

So that would include everybody on the "hit-list" then, correct?

[Bimmer6]

My 2 cents for what it's worth we are seeing the power of the Internet with owners sharing what they received. The oil pump recall has no merit for a legal claim unless there was personal injury. As we know Barry had the first and only failure we know of? BMW did the right thing with the recall clearly to isolate the bad part.

M school was a good gesture to say thanks for being a good customer, and we're sorry case closed. But some of us, and including myself made personal calls and cut deals for various failures. Some members were waiting for BMW to offer them a deal when there was no deal on the table. Many members are completely satisfied, and no harm done. My deal was I planned a trip to drive my car from Michigan to Atlanta around my confirmed delivery date which this ordeal changed thus my compensation.

Again this is the power or the Internet, but also the confusion it can cause. Honestly not sure how BMW could solve for everyone's problem, but a recall is a recall not a design flaw we are all stuck with. If a recall is the cause for compensation I think we all would have compensation from most of the cars we have purchased. Good luck, and enjoy your cars.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by chillin4now

So that would include everybody on the "hit-list" then, correct?

They told me they are sending an M-School certificate to everyone on the hit list. The problem is I already purchased the 2 day M School, so they agreed to give a check of the same value as the one day M-School.