Another Hair Brained Idea...

[TheNissanMan]

After reading various posts about members having problems with Toyota Dealerships, recently the 3 gearboxes and the Rav4 windscreen and the post of Toyota's Customer Care number on the line, another idea sprung to mind....

How feasable would it be for one member of TOC to act as a point of contact for problems relating to Toyota Dealers problems with Toytoa GB.

I was thinking that if members had problems they could communicate with 'The Chosen One' with all information related to the case who could then get in contact with Toyota GB Customer Care. If one person acts as a go-between we might get more clout with Toyota as a club than various individuals contacting them, a single point of contact always helps build up a stronger relationship and helps clear the way through....

We don't appear to get that many problems at the moment so shouldn't involve to much work....

Any idea's from people here ?

[+Steve]

do you mean like our Dealer reviews on LOC? these pack alot of punch!

This is around the corner! I shall be adding this to the forums soon.

[Ken]

It would work and i am willing to give it a go.My days are pretty free at the moment only work 6hrs for 4 days on a local dredger so rest of my time is free.Whenever i have had a problem in the past with maindealers i always go over their heads anyway and leave the maindealer with egg all over their shiny red faces.I take it you have noticed i am not keen on maindealers so ideal for taking them on.Also this idea could work better if whoever does get it has a direct line to 1 person at either head office 0845 275 5555 or customer relations(01737)367600,ken

[Ken]

soz 4 putting on twice freeserve cut me off and had already put it on when i thought they hadn't.

[TheNissanMan]

Steve,

Dealer review would also be a good idea but not 100% along the same lines.

I was thinking as Sorted Avensis pointed out if we had one contact from TOC, I would also like to put my services forward who would contact Toyota GB on members behalves if they had a problem with a dealer.

I feel by having one club contact who could deal with Toyota GB we maybe able to help members out more than if they had to contact Toyota GB themselves, single point of contact so to speak.

All a member owuld have to do is forward the TOC Head Office Contact with ful details of the problem they were having with the dealer and the contact could then try and resolve the issue for them on behalf of TOC.

Similar lines, using TOC as a collective group of people and as you say haveing more clout with T-GB....

[Ken]

yep,one contact from toc to one contact in t-gb high enough to sort out any problems that arise.

[+Steve]

how about... direct email to the direct person.. moderated of course.

[Ken]

That would work but can get a bit drawn out and is a bit impersonal.You really need to get the other guy onside to make him want to do things fast for you because while all this is happening somebodies car is sat at the back of a garage busted.But e-mail would get you there eventually.

[TheNissanMan]

Email is all well and good but not as effective as personal contact.

Only problem I can see with personal contact is that the person from TOC would have to be trusted as it would be very easy to give the club a bad image if the wrong person is chosen.

Email would be a very good second alternative as a record copuld also be kept on the forum though...

[Ken]

Rhaines should do it as you know him a lot better than me,it should be somebody you know well and trust to do it,i haven't had chance to meet you all yet and was hoping to make gaydon but the car will still be in the bodyshop but definately ready for jae :D ,ken

[TheNissanMan]

SA, didn't mean that you weren't trusted, I hope you didn't take my comments the wrong way...

It was after all just an idea for the club. I would be more than happy to take oin the job if it was deemed a worthwile function for TOC, but in making the suggestion don't want to be stepping on anyone's shoe's...

[Ken]

Not taken the wrong way at all,definately should be done by someone trusted and well know and who better than a moderator.Get to meet you at jae i be the one drinking your stellas. :D

[TheNissanMan]

Can't wait, I'll be the one collapsed in the corner surrounded by the slabs of bitter...

Oh, should I bring some Sambuca for the evening's entertainment :D :D :D

[Ken]

Most definately and i shall concoct a nice big artillary punch,it's absolutly lethal.

But getting back we have raised a few interesting points for the admin team to mull over and it will be interesting to see how this developes.

[+Steve]

would probably need a committee forming on TOC then.

I certainly would not have the time to do this. But if we had a committee then it might work.

In reason to the dealer reviews.. you'll be very suprised how much impact that has. I have been told that dealers have asked members to not place a review... as one messed up and was orried that the member was going to place the bad review.

[TheNissanMan]

Why do you say a committee Steve ?

I was thinking of one person with the time and commitment who could accumulate all the facts provided from the individual with the problem, draft the notes in a form that could be posted on a thread with a title on a seperate forum section before the conversation with Toyota in order that the individual and other moderators could review facts first and then place the call.

All data recieved from the call/dealer could then be ammended to that thread...

Reviews also sound like a good idea, would that be something that could be setup easily or would that involve a fair amount of work, is there anything I could do to help ?

[Carlgolsby]

I vouch for Rhaines ;)

[Starensis]

I may be a little slow here, but how will all this work??

So, If I have an issue with my car, report on TOC site & then what?

Will moderator arrange contact with Toyota GB or is this something that will only be initiated IF dealerships do not solve issue?

I think a procedure is required here and/or some in-depth guidelines.

I have recently experienced a crappy dealership & reported them to TGB. Everthing seemed to move quite quickly after & they were VERY polite & accomodating after.

Another area that needs to be explored ( or exploited ) are service charges by Model. This varies quite substantially between dealerships!! Maybe negotiate discounts for TOC members.

;)

[Ken]

Both sound excellent ideas and i think rhaines has covered the the need for a committee brilliantly that way you all get to see the individuals problems and still speak through one voice to T-GB to avoid confusion and build up trust between rhaines and T-GB'S customer relations manager. :D

[GIDDLEPIN]

The best of luck to you if your dealings with Toyota UK and the agents are anything like mine.

I have the unfortunate experience of being shafted by both of them, when I get the time I will relate the story of my three clutches, two flywheels etc etc and this was in the space of about three months, one of which was spent in the dealership.

[+Steve]

i like the idea ryan... but all i could see is that it would be under special circumstances... cannot start defending peoples issues willy nilly.

Should be a 3 stage complaint. Personal complaint to dealer then to customer services, then a formal letter from TOC to Toyota GB

We oursleves are not really a lage body to start throwing our weight around with Toyota. It works for us in little ways with Lexus as we are a much bigger body in terms that Lexus already know we exsist and being the only Lexus club in the UK we actually have a voice.

I would say there are more Toyota forums floating around the UK that have more membership than we have.

Our plans are the be the largest Toyota club whithin the UK and Europe and when we reach that status then we will have the majority of members who may express their views here on the forums.

Cracking idea... and I am willing to write to Toyota GB as soon as my stationary arrives.

:)