It’s not often – if ever – that I use the blog to have a bash at Mr Corporate: I have no need to, and have worked with a number of outstanding corporates in the last 10+ years.
Until today.
The story is concerning Kwik Fit. How they attempt to sell non-required expensive items to trusting customers. How they lie about the work they carry out on customers cars. How, in one case, they even left the car as a death trap and sent the customer on their way.
That unfortunate customer was me.
I’ve given Kwik Fit management the opportunity to address the issues – by email more than 10 days ago, and back in October and November, when the regional director went round all the Kwik Fit Bristol branches to strong-arm the managers regarding their service techniques. He even moved the manager of the branch where my car was turned into a death trap to another branch regionally.
Was I, the customer, contacted at any time then? No.
Have I been contacted regarding the email below? No.
Are Kwik Fit management so concerned about risking customers’ lives they will resolve the issues? No
Customer service which risks lives – it’s always going to be worth reporting. Whatever you do, please do NOT take your car to Kwik Fit for repairs. Unless you’re happy to spend excessive money, have your time wasted, and possibly your life put at risk.
Here’s the email sent 10 days ago, to the regional director and Kwik Fit MD Ian Fraser:
I write to you further to my experiences of Kwik Fit at your Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol branch – I have included the Kwik Fit Managing Director Mr Fraser, as well as the Guardian Money consumer letters editorial contact on this email, to ensure you actually respond externally to the issues. I suspect that much of this information will be news to Mr Fraser, given your previous conduct of sweeping the issues under the carpet and not contacting me, the customer, directly to apologise and resolve this.
As you are well aware, I visited the Whiteladies Road Kwik Fit branch in October 2009, with brake pads and discs needing replacing on the rear of my mini cooper S. This work was completed the same day for £249.64. Your branch manager Robert Sandow also tried to sell me new front tyres at £325, which were, I later discovered, not actually legally necessary at that time.
Having driven my car less than three miles, I was aware of the brake warning light still being illuminated on my dashboard, as well as the rear wheels still squeaking irrespective of braking or not. I returned to the branch, where Mr Sandow informed me the electronic system on the cooper S would reset within 50 miles and that the brake pads and discs were “settling in”. Mr Sandow also informed me that it could well be the caliper needing replacing, which would cost “up to £350″ to replace. All nonsense.
At the time I was commuting to work some 150 miles North each day, and within a further 48 hours the issues had not been resolved. I contacted the Whiteladies Road garage, and was told to bring in the car for a further check.
I gave permission for the caliper part to be ordered, and was told it would be ready to be fitted on the Monday. I took time off work, losing two days’ consulting time (£600), as the caliper item which arrived 24 hours late into the Whiteladies Road was in fact the wrong size. I was told I would have to wait another 24 hours for the correct-sized caliper to be delivered to the branch – which resulted in another day off work on Tuesday.
In the interim period, I also had the work independently checked. I discovered that the brake pads had not been fitted correctly: in fact, one of the brake pads was metal only on one side, with no pad. Hitting metal-on-metal on each contact, which was of course incredibly dangerous. The fact that this work has been cleared and passed as road-worthy still makes me shudder.
Another interesting fact to come from that independent check was that the rear caliper was perfectly fine and did not need replacing. Furthermore, the brake warning light had remained on because the mechanic at Whiteladies Road had not re-connected it – a shoddy example of missing even the simplest details.
On insisting that the replacement brake pads were to be of genuine Mini/BMW quality, and not the lesser-quality pads and discs used from Unipart by Kwik Fit, Mr Sandow informed me via a telephone call he would “see what he could do, but fitting genuine parts was not usual Kwik Fit procedure” which gave me further cause for concern.
Eventually, genuine parts were fitted on the car, a number of weeks after the initial dangerous installation had been noted.
I had posted on my Bristol editor blog around my uncomfortable experiences with Kwik Fit and how dreadful and dangerous customer services were delivered. I am aware that you had read this blog post. I am aware that you subsequently visited all the Bristol branches at this time – October 2009 – and gave clear warnings to your branch managers that work was to be watched carefully, and I understand you were very concerned about the editorial contained in my blog at that time. So concerned, in fact, that at no point did you contact me, the customer.
The matter was brushed under the carpet. Mr Sandow, whom I understand previously worked as a Manager at McDonalds, was moved to another Kwik Fit branch in Filton, Bristol, however you did not contact me at any time leading up to the end of 2009 to ensure the matters were resolved to my complete satisfaction.
I had been hoping to hear from you, as I have been subjected to poor customer service, dangerous mechanical work on my car, no offer of recompense for working time lost, the insult of mis-diagnosis of the faults on my car, not to mention attempts to sell me items for my car which were not needed. You do not seem concerned that your staff had turned my car into a death trap, wasted my time and cost me money, as well as not addressing the issues directly with me, the customer, and offering an apology and some kind of recompense.
Although I have deleted the blog post from October, if I do not receive a satisfactory result from this email, I will re-post the updated experiences on my Bristol Editor blog, covering your lack of customer service after a Kwik Fit branch effectively turned my car into a death trap.
Just so you know, my Bristol Editor is read by approximately 300 people daily, and is featured three times per week on www.journalism.co.uk, the UK’s premiere journalism website, where a considerable number of national newspaper journalists and editors review the content for story leads and articles regularly.
I also have a Twitter feed with more than 1,100 followers – a mix of customers, journalists, editors, online reporters etc. I will have no hesitation in also posting this unresolved story there. As you will see, I have included the Guardian Money editorial contact in this email, so their consumer affairs contact can review the information and contact me directly should they feel the story is of interest. I hope to hear from you within the next 7 days, or unfortunately I will be forced to post the details online.
I will also consider posting my experience on Review sites such as:
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/transport-automobile-services/kwik-fit/1384001/
Please reply in writing only, via this email address, as I am not prepared to engage in unrecorded telephone conversations. I am giving you the opportunity to resolve this with a written email proposing solutions. I hope that you take appropriate action this time, rather than attempting to keep it as an internal matter, and not contacting the customer directly with an offer of resolution.
Not even as much as an apology has thusfar been offered. I am, indeed, ‘amazed at what you do’.
Regards,
So, there you go – I didn’t really want to do this, but as I am sure you’ll agree, when faced with such a blatant disregard for customers’ lives, given the lack of response from Kwik Fit, I have been left with little choice. These are facts which need to be out there.
If you have any similar examples from your experiences with Kwik Fit, please post them here. With my blessing.
I’ve not heard anything positive from Kwik Fit and have an experience of my own.
January or so last year my wife’s tyres went balding after struggling in the ice. I’d told her to ring round and possibly go to a tyre fitter nearby, but she wanted the peace of mind that she could go to a ‘trusted’ company, get them fitted and get out of there. She was looking after our two children and had to take them along.
She’d been on line and noticed the tyres were about £30-35 each, with the most expensive being £80-ish and were available.
When she arrived, they sat her in the waiting room and checked the tyres. They came back and said, yes she did need them replacing and they would check the stock. They came back and said they only had one type of tyre in stock for a Ford Focus, one of the most popular cars on the road.
NONE of the tyres Kwik-fit claim to fit were in stock (the internet claimed otherwise)or were likely to be in stock. The the ‘top brand tyre’ they did have were over £100 each.
“All four needed replacing” when only the front drive wheels needed replacing, but he’d do a deal making it around £95 per tyre (buy three get one free).
My wife declined and said she felt confident in driving home and back when they had the new tyres. This is when it got nasty. The hard sell kicked in and she felt intimidate by the salesman who wouldn’t accept no, frightening her about deliberately harming the children if the car was in an accident and how she’d get severe penalties from the Police on her way home.
She relented and paid but felt cheated. Back at home she checked the tyres on the website and felt she should have paid the price on one tyre for all of them.
We contacted them immediately. The car had barely gone more than 3 miles – they refused to accept anything wrong had happened and refused to accept they had forced a sale my wife didn’t want at any stage. They were rude, ignored us and ignored any negative comments I made.
I was contacted by Kwikfit insurance recently, the poor girl didn’t understand that I’d not be giving a penny to the organisation ever again.
just type Kwikfit into twitter or the search engine, and you’ll find you’re not alone
Disgraceful.
My uncle used to be a mechanic and he always told me to stay well away from Kwik-Fit as he claimed that they are “extremely dishonest, money-grabbers who don’t give a toss about you or your car”!
Hi Thomas
Many thanks for your inputs – another awful example, and I found the hard-sell approach using the potential safety of your children particulary distasteful.
I had a similar “you need to replace the tyres now, if I were a policeman doing a spot check blah blah blah’ on my first visit to the Kwik Fit branch.
All to make an extra sale. Shocking.
The Google search is proving very interesting too – doesn’t the Kwik Fit management care about their commercial reputation? We’ll see.
Thanks again and best wishes
Hi Jake
Many thanks for your comment – I guess my main concern in all of this has been the fact that personal safety was put on the line for the sake of extra sales at the Kwik Fit branch.
The waste of time, poor service, loss of earnings…this is still irritating, but putting the life of a customer on the line? Needs attention.
Thanks for your input.
What really a great post..I put my concern to this blog that you continue writing such a wonderful post..
Many thanks
What do you think was so wonderful about it? I am just concerned with a company risking customers’ lives…
I have worked in the so called “fast fit” industry for 28 years.
I would never entertain working for Kwik Fit.
It is common knowlege within my industry that Kwik Fit centre staff are put under tremendous pressure by the senior Kwik Fit managers to hit targets. The only way you can achieve your target on Kwik Fit, and keep your job, is by ripping people off.
The senior kwik Fit managers telephone the centre managers serveral times every day for “updates” and if they have not sold enough tyres, trackings, brakes etc they are “encouraged” to sell more to the next poor bugger who drives onto the forecourt.
Kwik Fit have what they call “ticket values” which measures how much money the centre staff have taken off each customer. They require a ticket value of around £150 !
So if you go in there for a simple puncture repair, which is around the £20 mark, they then go to work on getting another £130 worth of work out of you, that in most cases you do not need.
Whilst the Kwik Fit area manager may be concerned about the quality of workmanship on your rear brakes, and he may have an internal investigation, dont expect him to care about the misselling, after all that is how he gets his bonus!
Kwik Fit senior management are very good at laying the blame for misselling at the door of the lads in the centres, when in reality if they didnt harass them several times a day they would’nt feel under such pressure to rip people off.
My advice is to give this awful company a very wide birth !!!!
Hi Vic
Many, many thanks for your comments – much appreciated, and incredibly insightful.
Whilst I can appreciate the commercial realities of working in such a competitive industry, I have been struggling since late October to find the justification for the Kwik Fit branch manager and his senior managers for risking a customer’s life by approving poor workmanship. The attempts to up-sell expensive, unrequired parts for my car added insult to injury, I guess, but ultimately, it’s been the blatant disregard for customers’ safety which has forced me to highlight this example of pursuing profit before customer service and safety.
Let’s not forget, Kwik Fit management knew about these issues and never made any direct contact in late Autumn. Kwik Fit management knew of the inconvenience I had put up with, the 2 days’ waiting for parts to arrive, the fact I did not receive genuine parts on the first installation. Kwik Fit management knew more than 10 days ago of the facts in full, following Mr Zanobini’s internal ‘investigation’, and still made no attempt to contact me and resolve it. What message are the directors sending out to customers?
Your factual details highlight the issues within Kwik Fit branches. I am really pleased you’ve added them here, thank you so much.
Nothing will justify the fact that Kwik Fit management are happy to risk lives in grabbing extra sales. And still, no response from the Kwik Fit MD Ian Fraser.
The twists and turns…
It appears, further to my initial email to Kwik Fit management 11 days ago, that Claudio Zanobini has not worked for them for more than 2 years – according to Head of Customer Services Linda Hindle.
Strange that I got his contact details and email address for the complaint from ringing directly the Kwik Fit head office. Their records seem to need updating, as I pointed out.
That aside, the actual divisional director Simon Benson has put me onto the company’s Operations Director Dave Rees, who I’ll be meeting next week to run over the horror story above. More updates to follow, of course, and do please add your further experiences of Kwik Fit here. It needs to be seen.
Psssttt… I think the commenter “Make More Money Online” might just be a spammer…
Great post BTW – dodgy bastards!
Interesting to see that Kwik Fit have decided to engage with Twitter.
Find them on @Kwik_Fit
I noticed, however, that the vast majority of posts are from unhappy customers looking for resolutions. Why not add your comments there, it might help your cause.
[...] 7, 2010 It appears, judging from this last week, that not all companies take their online reputation management that [...]
Hi there,
I have just been directed to your post about the ‘not so’ Kwik fit, so I thought I’d let you know my encounter this week.
I have just finished writing my strongly worded letter to their head office, though from your post, it doesn’t look like I will be getting a reply any time soon.
I was in my local Kwik fit (Fleet in Hampshire)only 2 weeks ago when my car, a relatively old Peugeot 106, has exhaust problems, so I took it there as I wanted my car fixed pretty quickly.
I had a friend of mine who knows what he’s looking for take a look at what needed doing, the box had disconnected from the pipe.
The staff were friendly enough, and carried out the work that day, but I did feel that the £160 to fix it was a little over the top, but they replaced the whole lot. I went away happy enough.
I returned yesterday to the Fleet branch, after having to make an appointment and waiting a week, though they never seemed to be ‘that’ busy.
I took the car in at 8.30am as there was a grinding noise coming from the front breaks. ‘Discs and pads’ I was told at first, but I left it with them to go to work.
The day passed and ‘Not so kwik fit’ hadn’t even looked at it by lunchtime when I called. I was called at around 2 and told it was ‘not good news’. I went down there with my dad in toe, and the guy showed me what needed doing, to be honest, he was friendly and was trying to explain things to me, but if you know nothing about cars then he could have talking in a different language.
I was told, the front and back break systems needed replacing totally, new cylinders, cables, springs, pads, discs, brake fluid the list goes on…. total nearly £1000. The car is only worth about £800!!!
I said I can’t afford it and could he kindly put the car back together so I can get it home. But was assured it was safe to drive.
I have now had 2 other garages look at the car and GUESS WHAT….. Only the front brake pads and discs need replacing, totalling between £100-£175.
NONE of the other things need doing. NONE.
The lovely guy who is now fixing my car, used to work for the awful company, and has told me a few ‘tricks’ that they do. My leaking brake fluid, would have been in fact lots of wd40 sprayed on it make it look leaky. Nice.
I feel like they tried to take me for a total mug, and that so many people must be being ripped off in this way, let alone putting people live in danger. COWBOYS.
Hi Lisa
Many thanks for your comments – much appreciated.
The catalogue of unhappy customers seems to be building, and your experiences are unfortunately another to a lengthening list.
I would advocate writing a blog post or some form on content online, which is visible on the web – and also lodge your unhappiness on their Kwik Fit Twitter account: you’ll find it on Twitter @Kwik_Fit.
This online presence of theirs has currently been pretty much hi-jacked by unhappy customers posting comments.
I will be meeting the Kwik Fit Operations Director Dave Rees tomorrow, and will be posting on my blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Friendfeed social media platforms the outcome of that meeting.
We’ll see.
Pleased that you got decent service eventually!
Bestest,
BE
Latest update:
Well, having had a meeting with Kwik Fit’s operations director Dave Rees today – and, to be fair, he was very attentive, there should be a formal response to my requests for resolution within 72 hours.
I was hoping to upload a link of the full audio version of the meeting, but Mr Rees wasn’t happy for it to be taped…ultimately, of course, this whole story is about ensuring that customer service is addressed, and no further lives are put at risk.
The Bristol Evening post are looking at the story, as well as the Council’s trading standards officers – if only there had been an appropriate response at the right time, this could have all been avoided. Maybe.
Don’t forget to follow Kwik Fit on Twitter and add your comments to them @Kwik_fit so the multiple customer complaint issues can be resolved there too.
And for the record, those requests for resolution are:
1. Compensation in full for all work carried out
2. compensation for working time lost due to delays
3. An independent full check and service of the car
4. A full and public review of Kwik Fit safety reporting
5. A public apology by the MD on this blog
6. The name of the manager responsible for the internal ‘investigation’ in late 2009
Will keep you updated.
Add your experiences here, it needs to be seen.
i was once a manager at a kwik fit depot who has been recently dismissed wrongly and taking them to a tribunal believe me this happens right across the company i now what ur thinking im slagging the company off for being dissmissed i now that all the staff are under that much pressure to get sales they r doing anything to get sales and cars out the same day so it looks like they r having a good day on sales the only blame must lye with is the directors who put that much pressure on the staff i hope the other managers who were wrongly dissmised like me can make some comments good look take them for every penny u can
Hi Brian
Many thanks for your comments – much appreciated.
It’s good to see further confirmation of the sales pressures put on managers at branch level. I also hope your tribunal goes well.
I wouldn’t say you’re being unfair in your assessment of comments here – it’s clear you have grievances, as do I. And many others, as we’re increasingly seeing on this blog platform alone. To be balanced, it’s not so much about taking them for every penny for me, but in my experiences with Kwik Fit, I am keen to see their life-risking practices put to scrutiny in a public arena – and for demonstrable action to then be taken. Any compensation I receive will be welcome for the inconveniences suffered due to Kwik Fit.
Ultimately, they have a duty of care to customers. It’s not being fulfilled. Simple as that – such a shame they appear to be failing in their duty of care to employees, too.
Many thanks Brian, and good luck.
Kwik fit do not care about employees or there customers i am sad to say.also they like to keep things hush hush they have put my family through hell the past few weeks and i am shocked that the oparation managers can lie and run from what they have done.obviously the person who did the investigation about your complaint the first time did yes just sweep it under the carpet and what i would like to no is why is the manager who done your work still is working in filton he should of been suspended as soon as you put in the complant and as the work was dangerous should be dismissed stright away.I just hope that you get all your answers you wont and in the time scale they have givein 72 hours wasnt it? it will be intresting to see if you do get a reply within this time and that no one else has to go through the same problems.
Hi Sandra
Many thanks – we’ll see, indeed.
I have a number of other Press contacts alerted to the story and ready to run further editorials from Monday, should there be a continuation of the previous appalling customer service example already seen by Kwik Fit. It really is in their best interests to ensure they engage, respond accordingly and resolve it now.
Please feel free to highlight further your Kwik Fit experiences here in more detail, and also file your issues on their Twitter account @Kwik_Fit too.
The facts need to be seen. Hiding behind a corporate logo is no longer acceptable business practice.
Good luck.
Here’s the link to comment directly with Kwik Fit regarding your customer services experiences:
http://www.kwik-fit.com/customer-comments.asp
I am wondering if anybody has tried this, and their experiences following using the online contact form?
Please share here, as well as on Kwik Fit’s Twitter account @Kwik_Fit. Is it a useful tool or just a corporate PR exercise?
believe me u can see why they end up having bad reports all the time the way they put pressure on staff to get sales they have 3 conference calls daily to see how much they have done sales update how much brakes and trackings and if they dont like what they here they ask u what are u going to do about it so u can see what happens the next customer is going to have it so it keeps the directors of there back and believe me this happens 3 times a day 7 days a week and so on the way they deal with complaints is shocking they try to hide things and if u do have a complaint made against u and u now ur ops manager ur ok he will try to grt u off it looks like this is whats happened to u
I am completly shocked at what i have heard tonight. And think that now it is time for someone ie from the company to stand up and show just how low Kwik fit are willing to stoop. I myself would love to share what problems we are having but at the moment it is in hands of solistors and would not wont to do anything to jeopardize our case. But we will be contacting the bristol evening post and other press as have been advised that they would be intrested in taking up the story.I will do my upmost to make sure that the people accountable CAN not hide from there involvement and no one else has to suffer the same treatment as us.
Hi again Sandra
Sorry to hear you’ve had to resort to the time, expense and emotional upset of taking legal action. A sorry state of customer relations, indeed.
As well as the Bristol Evening Post, I also advise you to get in touch with BBC Bristol, Bristol City Council Trading Standards, and the newsdesk of a national newspaper – the Guardian money section were the first journalists to receive my story, and I am liasing with them as we speak. The Bristol Evening Post have looked into the story, and contacted Kwik Fit for comments – this should be appearing in the Monday or Tuesday edition.
I should also be hearing – according to Dave Rees, Operations Director at Kwik Fit – from the company themselves by close of play on Monday, regarding my horror story and their offer of resolution. I will, of course, be posting any information and proposals to resolve the situation here.
You can also post your complaint to Kwik Fit on Twitter @Kwik_Fit if you wish. These online channels are far more effective and public than a letter to their Head Office.
I truly hope you engage with the media, local Council and other official industry regulators – these may prove more useful to you than expensive solicitors at this stage.
Good luck.
Hi again,
Just thought I would update, I have had a call from someone at head office just a moment ago. He was calling to let me know that he received my complaint and was going to do a surprise inspection on the branch v soon! (I wont say when just in case!) then he will be in contact! Watch this space!!
Lisa
Sorry, Also, just reading other comments since I wrote mine, I did my complaint online on thier web site and got an reply to say they were looking into it 7 days later. Seems online is the way to get someone to read it.
Hi Lisa
Thanks for your replies – hoping you get the response it so surely deserves.
Hi have you had your reply yet ???
Well, after the meeting with Dave Rees, Operations Director at Kwik Fit, the promised contact point of 72 hours has well and truly passed.
And no resolution offered by Kwik Fit.
I am wondering what Trading Standards and the Guardian Money will be making of this – I am well aware they are monitoring the blog with a view to action.
The Bristol Evening Post are already examining the case, and this post is receiving more than 100 hits daily.
Extremely disappointed that a senior manager in Kwik Fit has gone back on his word, further compounding the already-existing issues firmly unresolved.
Do you have anything to say, Kwik Fit?
The issues are not going away, and your non-response following the meeting nearly a week ago only highlights what you truly think of your customers.
Dave Rees, and Ian Fraser, the MD at Kwik Fit – do you think your company is treating customers well?
That is, by the way, a rhetorical question.
Hi Sandra
See below – just posted on this. The answer is No.
Sadly this seems to be what kwik fit do best.And when you do get a reply it will problely say that they have looked in to your complaint and after careful Consideration do not feel they have done anything wrong. They dont care about how its affected you or anyone else for that matter They seem to think they are above the law and can do what they like well its time they relised that there are policies and procuders they have to follow and as they are the ones who make them you would of thought they would abide them. also i have been informed that the operations manager is on hoilday soon so i hope he has the decency to contact you before hand. good luck sandra
Hi Sandra
Many thanks for your continued support and inputs – much appreciated. I am hoping you get more positive outcomes, too.
Holiday or no holiday, Dave Rees has not resolved the issues within a promised timeframe, and this highlights where they are in terms of treating customers with due care, commercial common sense and corporate responsibility. I have a number of other media interested in the story, and have been informed by a legal associate there is also a strong case to pursue through the Courts. All of these actions would, of course, raise further the negative profile of a corporate lying to customers and endangering lives.
It’s only a matter of time before the impact of such actions deliver results. One which even a holiday cannot escape.
Latest developments…
Rather than actually deal with the issues above and resolve them in a responsible way, Kwik Fit management are utilising the services of their PR Agency to attempt to discredit the story – disgraceful backdoor PR comms tactics.
So, why aren’t the PR Agency making any contact? Begs the question though, really – how DO you defend a client who risks the lives of their customers?
I am not now expecting contact from Dave Rees, of course.
Glad the Times has run my comments though: looks like it’s the start of an ongoing uphill dialogue with Nationals, TV, radio et al.
[...] 16, 2010 This is the extension of a sorry tale – my own experiences here. The story [...]
The next update…..
Someone from Kwik Fit has just arrived at my office to collect my car to take it for its ‘independant’ inspection….
Its a nice thought, though, not sure if its independant if its going back to the Fleet branch!! They have flown an inspector in from Scotland,(I am located in the south east)to give a full inspection to see if the work they SAID NEEDED doing does. (bearing in mind that I have now had some work done on it!)
I have now had 2 other garages check the car, both with the same results, and NOT what kwik fit said needed doing.
Is it too much to ask for to get a honest report of whats wrong?? I just want a safe car to drive!
ALSO, to add to the frustration, kwik fit fitted my exhaust before the brakes fiasco, and the other 2 garages who have checked the car have reported that its not fitted correctly and is soon to fall off again. SIGH.
I have asked Mr Cummings, the guy who just took my car away, to fix that TODAY. Without fail. And I will be taking it back to another place this afternoon to check it.
Mr Cummings did just say to me, ‘the guys at Fleet said that they showed you the problem, it was on the ramp nad you looked at it, so they were telling the truth, we just to to clarify this for you’. A tad patronising I think, and yes they did show me, and spout language at me that I dont understand, or know what im looking at, so how am I to know know that part is broken… I dont know what it looked like in the 1st place.
I’ll update this afternoon……. Lisa
Hi Lisa
Thanks for the updates regarding Kwik Fit’s poor service: it still all revolves around them mis-selling, wasting your time and poor management. Same as my issues. Not forgetting the life-at-risk issue of course.
Look at the comments on this review site of other Kwik Fit customers too – absolutely shocking stuff.
Unbelievable.
http://www.blagger.com/db4/company_id/87/companyname/Kwik-Fit.html
And so the farce rumbles on…latest developments here, from an email I have just sent – having called Dave Rees, Kwik Fit’s operations Manager, to establish why he hasn’t contacted me within 72 hours of our meeting on 11 February with resolutions, as promised.
This has been sent to Lynda Hindle, Kwik Fit’s Head of Customer Relations. Apparently she was supposed to be writing to me on Dave Rees’ behalf. Sigh.
‘Dear Linda
Having just spoken to Dave Rees, whom as you know I met on Wednesday 11 February, he assured me that my issues had been heard and that you had written to me.
I have not received any correspondence from you.
More concerningly, Dave Rees also assured me that he would personally come back to me within 72 hours of the above meeting, which he has failed to do. I have called him today, rather than him ringing me. Once again, a lack of service on Kwik Fit’s part.
I am astounded that even after taking time out to meet a senior manager, my issues and problems have not been met head-on, fairly and squarely with appropriate action. Kwik Fit have been given opportunities to resolve the serious issues in point.
I am aware that one of your consumer PRs attempted to discredit my story with a good Press contact of mine regionally: let me remind you of libel and defamation laws: Kwik Fit’s only defence in the Courts would be one of Fair Comment.
I imagine any solicitor would have difficulty working with this, given the catalogue of dangerous and financially-irresponsible service experiences I have had with Kwik Fit. Attempting to discredit a writer with an honest and reputable standing is dangerous ground indeed, and I would advise against this course of action. I will have no hesitation in engaging my solicitor on this matter.
Returning to the issues which remain unresolved, I would appreciate a telephone call to update me of progress further to Dave Rees’ assurances on 11 February. You can reach me today.’
Well what an end to the week.
Kwik Fit have emailed me a scanned PDF of a letter they allegedly posted on 12 February, the day after my completely fruitless meeting with Dave Rees, Operations Manager for Kwik Fit.
The letter, incidently, never arrived.
And the response? How have Kwik Fit handled the multitude of issues raised in the above blog post? The life-risking mechanical work, the time-wasting, mis-selling, evasion, tardy management and generally contemptible corporate behaviour?
The 2 paragraphed letter ends with this:
‘We take any customer complaint very seriously, as Dave Rees said when he met you to discuss the issue, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. We do feel that this issue has been dealt with fairly and consider the matter closed.
Yours sincerely
David White,
Customer Services Director’
Clearly, here’s an organisation in denial. The last time I saw an organisation in this much denial, Bill Clinton was in charge of it. And his cigar, of course.
Let’s be clear here.
The issue(s) have not been resolved
The matter has not been dealt with fairly
The apology is too little and too late
As for the added insult of Kwik Fit’s PRs trying to discredit the story last week – legal advice is now being taken regarding a separate defamation action.
I have already been advised that there is a separate claim to lodge regarding Kwik Fit’s life-risking, time-wasting and mis-selling delivery to me as a consumer.
Under the Supply of Good & Services Act 1982, Kwik Fit have no defence for their mis-management.
So, despite having been given the runaround by Kwik Fit, having a senior manager deliberately waste my time in the hope I’ll quietly disappear…this only further confirms the actions which need to be taken against this awful corporate organisation.
I will continue to post all updates and experiences of upcoming actions here – and for the management at Kwik Fit who are reading this and not responding?
Please also keep an eye on the growing number of vocal customers joining the Facebook and Twitter groups already established.
This will not go away. You are accountable to us all.
HI came across this site whilst on the internet and felt I had to comment , I worked for Kwik Fit (sorry don’t hate me for it , I was young and needed a job) about 18 years ago having served an apprenticeship as a car mechanic i was out of work and applied for a job with Kwik Fit , where do i start , from the first day it was an education in ripping people off ,every customer that came in for whatever reason was subjected to hard sell , if you came in with a punture you were told the tyre was damaged and could’nt be fixed , reasons ranged from the nail was in the edge of the tread and was dangerous to repair , the tyre had been driven flat ,the tyre was below the legal limit , all crap to get the customer to buy a new tyre , Then you got the car on the ramp and you could really go to town , the shock absorbers were leaking (enter a tin of wd40 spray )and dangerous and you could’nt replace just one all 4 had to be replaced , we noticed your brake pads are worn would you like us to carry out a free brake check where the owner would be told a list of needless work would be required and the car was a death trap unless it was carried out immediately , off course the brakes were fine but when dealing with trusting members of the public who knew nothing about cars you could convince them they were in real danger driving their car . After an hour or so doing free checks you would present the customer with an over priced estimate for work that their car did’nt need and the chances of they getting away without it being carried out were slim , if the customer said they did’nt have the money to pay for the work they were asked did they have a credit card , if they did’nt then the jobs needing done were looked at and the manager would hard sell them in to getting half the work done now and book the car in for the remainder to be done at a future date , all of a sudden the car did’nt need all the work staight away and the dangerous death trap would be fine until payday with half the work done . the staff are all paid a wage but to make descent money they had to reach their targets to get bonus’s . I work for myself now and still have experince of kwikfit ripping people off , an elderly lady bought a toyota yaris of us with 30k miles on the clock and a full mot , in Northern Ireland mot are carried out in government run independant centers so they are done right , took it to kwikfit after a week with a punture and was told it needed the front and rear brakes replaced , she came back to us very upset with her son in toe threatening court action as we had ripped her off , we put the car on the ramp and stripped the brakes to show there was nothing wrong with the brakes ,we phoned the branch she had been to while she was there to speak to the manager and were told he was off and given a number for head office to ring , in other words go away we dont want to speak to you .I could spend all day listing the stories of ripping people off and i only worked for them for a couple of months as i got a proper job with a reputable company .Most of the fitters are good guys but they have no mechanical exams and are self taught and started with the company as floor brushers and picked it up as they went along until they moved up a grade , anyway thats my experiance of Kwik Fit and my advice to the public is avoid them…
Many thanks for your candid comments.
Shocking revelations indeed – and further highlighting commercial practices which Kwik Fit management would rather not have aired in public. Really useful.
Their policy, in my experience, of not engaging and resolving customer complaint issues is making more and more sense when I see your kind of inputs. Thank you.
Any response from Dave Rees or Ian Fraser to this?
I don’t have any KwikFit horror stories to tell because I was told by a mechanic friend some years ago that they are known in the industry as StitchFit and refuse to ever use them. Time for some reputation management?
Indeed Mary
But it appears no public comments are forthcoming.
The customer experience is, simply, overwhelming – how could any PR manage that reputation?
Hi
Due to kwik fit not being able to do a investigation to save there lives i have taken it upon myself to find out what the hell is going on.It really is bad that i am being told by staff that one of the operations managers who i will not name YET but will say that he runs the central aera of Bristol is moveing his centre managers to diffrent centres due to the fact they have been found to be Ripping fleet companyies off. Also help to cover things up when they know what they are doing is wrong.And as for there policies and procedures senior management cant follow them what so ever so how can they expect the lads in the centres too.
Hi Carol
Many thanks for your comments – yet another sorry and sad twist to the Kwik Fit tale.
I suggest you contact trading standards, regional and national media, and demand a full written explanation from Kwik Fit – don;t make the mistake of having an unrecorded meeting with any senior managers from Kwik Fit, it is just an exercise on their part in fact-finding for further denial rather than actual issue resolution – as I found out.
Please also post your experiences on the Facebook Kwik Fit official page, as well as the anti-reputation page established by myself – make the information totally public. And I would also appreciate if you continue to highlight your case on my blog – happy to help publicise it, of course. Many thanks.
Many thanks to all for your comments – please keep them coming.
Also add your experiences to the anti-fan Facebook page on Kwik Fit here:
http://www.facebook.com/thecontentconsultant?ref=profile#!/pages/Kwik-Fit-the-worst-corporate-reputation-in-the-UK/335225647428?ref=ts
An E-book on corporate reputation is being drafted now – in which Kwik Fit will be featuring heavily. For obvious reasons, as listed ad infinitum above.
[...] how Kwik Fit delivered potentially life-threatening work on my car. I wrote about this experience here, and gave Kwik Fit customers the opportunity to also comment on their experiences of Kwik [...]
Oddly, I’ve never had anything but efficient and courteous service from Kwik-Fit (London NW5). I’ve just gone for tyres, though – and maybe once an exhaust. But it’s been a while since I used them (quite a few years).
Here’s an interesting story that was emailed to me by a source today – concerning life-threatening work carried out on another customer’s brakes in Manchester:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1107769_mway_terror_after_kwik_fit_blunder
Your thoughts?