Customer for 10+ years. - Patty M
Customer for 10+ years. Multiple vehicles bought, dozens of referrals, courteous, and never asked for special treatment. And my “thanks” was to be treated like… dirt. Sales rep Mary Lou provided so little guidance that I had to amend my sales contract from a Kona Preferred to a Luxury—11 days after initially signing—because she simply didn't explain the trims.
Further, from the start, help was sorely lacking.
Despite having purchased vehicles from her before Mary Lou provided little information about other models I asked about. Telling me there are “plenty of options” for EV rebates is not help.
Nor is telling me an IONIQ 9 is “twice the price of a Tucson” and nothing else—not even would I consider a hybrid—help.
Insulting actually, as she NEVER asked my budget (I bought a new 2027 Kona Luxury in full, no financing or lease, for $50,000—not to brag, but to illustrate how misguided assumptions are).
And while I did lose my patience as it was one issue after another (delivery day, am told some accessories may not be on time for example) over 20 odd days, I apologized for it.
Yet never once did I hear “we're sorry.”
Further, I appreciate the dealership is busy, which is why I repeatedly said if they needed more time, let me know.
I wasn't asking for perfection, merely common courtesy and communication.
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Now to be fair, the staff are good at friendly conversation. But friendliness is not the same as respect, and making a customer feel welcome is not the same as making them feel valued.
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And I'm not sure what management can do to make things “better”—not that I'm asking.
Because even the tire discount offered by the GSM, Anthony, due to the initial problems required me to follow up. Three days after he'd offered it, I decided to buy tires and called him over. He said nothing about the discount.
The subsequent $600 refund only came after I questioned him about it. Now money wasn't the issue; it was the fact he'd offered something that he didn't appear to want to honour.
So, honestly, what can management do to "make things right"?
Because what should've been a simple purchase of two vehicles instead became 20-odd days of stress—while already stretched thin caring for disabled parents, opening a business, overseeing another business, and managing other personal and professional obligations.
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And problems extended beyond sales.
Their parts department told me I couldn't order Rally mud flaps—supposedly not available for the Kona—yet another dealership can apparently order them.
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Really, if nothing else, I honestly think showing up at the dealership in an old dress shirt, capris, and shoes with the backs broken down so they're more like slippers, carrying a $35,000 money order toward the Kona, was the most fun I had here.
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