No surprises here from Coachman!!!

[Auvergne]

Hi,

I wrote to Coachman asking them to partake in the forum, rather like Swift and Bailey do from time to time and take more interest in resolving issues from disgruntled customers. My request was as a result of the lacklustre performance of our new Coachman van and Coachman's total disinterest in taking responsibility for their product and marketing material.

I have now had a reply.....

Thank you for your email of 26 June.

We, together with our dealers, have on going communications with our customers.

All emails, telephone recordings and letters are dealt with and responded to within 48 hours. We genuinely welcome comments, suggestions, criticisms etc and can assure you that all our customers are encouraged to advise us of any problems they have.

While I am sure that the forum you refer to does provide a service, we believe that it would only dilute our efforts to provide customers with the best possible service and instead of spending time doing this, we would prefer to encourage our customers to contact us and their dealers direct.

Yours sincrerely....

Think of that what you will!

Val.

 

[davedee]

Well,well,there's a suprise,eh val!

Firstly,well done to you for at least getting a response from Coachman.But what a disappointing response it is though,as I say, hardly unexpected.

"All emails,telephone recordings and letters are dealt with and responded to within 48 hours." OH yeah??? So how come I'm still waiting for the Operations Manager to reply to my email of the 12th March re the microwave modification.???

"While I am sure that the forum you refer to does provide a service......" Condescending git!

".....we believe that it would only dilute our efforts to provide customers with the best possible service...." Prompous prat!

".....and instead of spending time doing this....." Can't be arsed!

".....we would prefer to encourage our customers to contact us and their dealers direct." Have I trodden in something cos there's a strong whiff of Bullsh*t!

This just about sums up Coachman's attitude and is just an example of the contempt that they have for their customers.

My next van? Swift,Explorer group,Bailey...anything but a Coachman!

Thanks for your efforts,Val.

Dave

 

[MichaelE]

I would think it is better to deal with customer direct than on a forum,Swift do tend to say call customer service most of the time to deal with consumer problems.

 

[davedee]

Hi Michael.

The point is,Swift 'appear' to be interested in their customers whereas Coachman 'appear' not to give a stuff.

Dave

 

[MichaelE]

I personally never had a problem with Coachman getting back to me when i owned one.

All questions were answered and problems sorted,just because they dont particpate in the Forum it doesnt mean they dont care.

 

[davedee]

Really pleased for you Michael.

That has not been our experience;in fact,quite the opposite.

Dave

 

[MichaelE]

No need for saracasm?

Theres good and bad to all manufactures,i had awful service from 2 makes(wouldnt take responsibilty) if i list them i will get people saying how good they are.

Mine was a personal opinion.

 

[davedee]

Michael.There was no sarcasm intended in my reply and I'm sorry you took it that way.

 

[Auvergne]

Fess up Michael, you're really that cad from Coachman aren't you??

Its always easier to reflect on situations with rose tinted glasses once you've moved on, when you have just paid mega money for a substandard product and the manufacturer doesn't give a sh*t its not so easy to be philosophical!

The only responses I've had within 48 hours have run along similar lines - and the second word is off.

Val.

 

[Dustydog]

Dave

I have a hypothesis that Michael just may be your man from Coachman, ha ha. Sorry Michael.

I suggest that Swift , Bailey etc who respond openly on this forum to members enquiries are doing themselves a world of good.

So , yes Coachman, everything Dave said is proberbly the image you seek to portray??? That's a shame.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Auvergne]

Well,well,there's a suprise,eh val!

Firstly,well done to you for at least getting a response from Coachman.But what a disappointing response it is though,as I say, hardly unexpected.

"All emails,telephone recordings and letters are dealt with and responded to within 48 hours." OH yeah??? So how come I'm still waiting for the Operations Manager to reply to my email of the 12th March re the microwave modification.???

"While I am sure that the forum you refer to does provide a service......" Condescending git!

".....we believe that it would only dilute our efforts to provide customers with the best possible service...." Prompous prat!

".....and instead of spending time doing this....." Can't be arsed!

".....we would prefer to encourage our customers to contact us and their dealers direct." Have I trodden in something cos there's a strong whiff of Bullsh*t!

This just about sums up Coachman's attitude and is just an example of the contempt that they have for their customers.

My next van? Swift,Explorer group,Bailey...anything but a Coachman!

Thanks for your efforts,Val.

Dave

I know it would get you going Dave, lol.

 

[Auvergne]

Dave

I have a hypothesis that Michael just may be your man from Coachman, ha ha. Sorry Michael.

I suggest that Swift , Bailey etc who respond openly on this forum to members enquiries are doing themselves a world of good.

So , yes Coachman, everything Dave said is proberbly the image you seek to portray??? That's a shame.

Cheers

Alan

Great minds think alike!

 

[davedee]

Dave

I have a hypothesis that Michael just may be your man from Coachman, ha ha. Sorry Michael.

I suggest that Swift , Bailey etc who respond openly on this forum to members enquiries are doing themselves a world of good.

So , yes Coachman, everything Dave said is proberbly the image you seek to portray??? That's a shame.

Cheers

Alan

Cheers Alan.Sounds like you understand.

Dave

 

[Parksy]

It's a shame that Coachman and other caravan manufacturers feel that forum participation would dilute or compromise their level of customer service in some way. Perhaps thay don't see the benefit of having a focus group who comment on their products without the fact that they are 'being interviewed' influencing the customers points of view.

Internet use can only become more widespread as time passes and at some stage in the future it will be a brave manufacturer who chooses to ignore the growing use and influence of forums such as this one.

Swift and Bailey the two leading caravan manufacturers in Britain have forseen the power of the internet and one can hardly be surprised that manufacturers who possess such foresight are market leaders.

Well done Val for contacting Coachman and getting them to reply.

I wonder if one of the two big clubs would like to investigate levels of customer service from caravan manufacturers and dealers, after all we the members are the reason for the two clubs existence.

Similarly would the editorial staff of Practical Caravan Magazine ever consider a feature that investigates this subject? I've noticed a change for the better with the articles featured in the magazine seeming imo to relate more to 'real' caravanners. I liked the article in which the writers went to various supermarkets to buy caravan bits and pieces, something many of us have done for years.Why pay through the nose at a caravan shop?

If Nigel is looking for undercover investigative reporters please form an orderly line here behind me...

 

[Gumbo]

I filled in a survey sometime ago from PC I never saw any results. Is it any wonder manufactuers can't be bothered when our "leading" mag dosen't publish results. They couldn't care less it's just a product be it a mag or a caravan

 

[davedee]

Hi Parksy. Very well said. Your point re the involvement of either of the two main clubs and/or PC Magazine is brilliant.These customer satisfaction tables are regularly compiled for the car market and must play a part in improving standards.

Come on,Nigel.How about it?

Dave

 

[Auvergne]

Here here, who knows where it could all end? Mystery campers, watching "Parksy Investigates" or "This is your Coachman", its all so exciting.

Seriously, there is a wealth of information out here and its just being missed, or is that more like ignored? At no time have I been asked to evaluate my dealer, manufacturer's customer service, the actual van itself, no feedback has been requested whatsoever.

V

 

[davedee]

Here here, who knows where it could all end? Mystery campers, watching "Parksy Investigates" or "This is your Coachman", its all so exciting.

Seriously, there is a wealth of information out here and its just being missed, or is that more like ignored? At no time have I been asked to evaluate my dealer, manufacturer's customer service, the actual van itself, no feedback has been requested whatsoever.

V

How about 'WATCHMOD'

Dave

 

[MichaelE]

Maybe i do look through rose tinted glasses,but having to fight to reject a van which was more expensive than a coachman and having to get an independant report and threaten court action at my cost to prove to another manufacturer (that is raved about) that the body came away from the chassis due to poor manufacture,not by going over speed bumps too fast!!

Coachman were always helpful and supportive,maybe that has changed,but dont think its just them.

 

[Auvergne]

How long ago were your Coachman days Michael?

 

[Parksy]

HeHeHe,

I love the comments especially the one from Dave - Watchmod indeed :0)

When you look at it we on this forum are all mystery customers in one sense. We share our caravan buying experiences good or not so good with a wide and ever growing interested captive audience that's represented on this and other forums. Not only manufacturers but dealers should be harvesting information from forums and putting it to good use. If I was a caravan dealer or even a salesman I know for a fact that I would.

I'm sure that many will have seen the television programme where Ruth Badger who should have been the winner on 'The Apprentice' if Alan Sugar hadn't shot himself in the foot by choosing the prettier candidate went to the caravan dealers in East Anglia to find out why they seemed to be struggling.

Their main fault was imo the general attitude that prevailed amongst the sales staff who had scant regard for their product and even less for their potential customers.

I've seen this sort of thing for myself. Throughout our time as caravanners we've trawled round dealers looking at caravans, searching for our next one whether it was

 

[davedee]

Quite right Michael,it probably isn't just them.But at this time,both Val and ourselves own Coachman vans not any other.And we are being ignored and palmed off by Coachman,not anyone else.

Doubtless other manufacturers will have their problems,some serious.But at least two of them 'appear' to take an interest in their customers' gripes.

Dave

 

[MichaelE]

How long ago were your Coachman days Michael?

Hi Val 3 and 1/2 yrs ago,my other problem vans have been since then.

 

[davedee]

More common sense,Parksy - your full of it tonight!

But it put my reply to Michael completely out of sinc.

Never mind,eh.

Dave

 

[Parksy]

More common sense,Parksy - your full of it tonight!

But it put my reply to Michael completely out of sinc.

Never mind,eh.

Dave

I'm sorry about the timing Dave

The worlds most useless typist strikes again

It takes me ages to type stuff, I'll have a look by pressing refresh next time