Why aren’t MG UK listening to our concerns

[Noel]

A few days ago, I had a conversation with a member of the MG UK team, he asked me to send him an email listing my concerns.
Today I received his response, which I’ve copied verbatim below:

Good morning,
Thank you for getting in contact,
I’m sorry to hear that the mudflaps are not available for your vehicle.
I have taken your feedback regarding the user manual and logged it within our internal system.
Have the dealership since been in touch with you regarding the warranty outcome for the vehicle?
If you have any form of concerns with the vehicle, then I can only recommend taking the vehicle to your local MG dealership so they can inspect your vehicle and provide confirmation on its drivability.
Thank you,

I take his curt response as “there’s nothing I can do, stop troubling me.”

On the 6th of December I emailed Guy Pigounakis MG UK’s Managing Director, asking for his help.
His email address is [email protected]
(if I have the wrong email address, perhaps someone could correct me and I’ll have another go)

To date I haven’t received a response.
Perhaps I’m expecting too much, the problems quite a number of us are experiencing, aren’t exactly deal breakers, but we have paid for a car, and it should be fit for purpose.

 

[WigglePig]

Have you tried to get spare parts for your vehicle from third party suppliers at all? I'm talking about things like shock absorbers, small standard parts, etc.

MG have provided no information to the maintainers of the parts databases so none of them can indicate which entirely standard parts can fit your vehicle.

Grr.

 

[Noel]

If only had the car for a couple of months, and apart from water in the NS door mirror, which I’m hoping will soon be sorted, I haven't needed anything else.

 

[Anon70]

You will probably find from a quick search of the internet that this is not unique to MG and not unique to any large organisation. In fact the instances of any company listening and doing something in response to customer feedback are very few and far between.

What you will find are instances of individual sales/service staff going above and beyond to provide excellent customer service but again they are usually fighting internal systems that are against them.

Look at a TV series like Airline where EasyJet staff would follow all the company rules regarding delays, lost luggage etc and then Stelios waltzes in and overrides all of that to give the customer the solution they want, making the staff seem like idiots.

 

[Shrink Proof]

You will probably find from a quick search of the internet that this is not unique to MG and not unique to any large organisation. In fact the instances of any company listening and doing something in response to customer feedback are very few and far between.

Nonsense! I've had personal experience of dozens of companies spending hours telling me over and over again that my call is important to them.

 

[Noel]

Nonsense! I've had personal experience of dozens of companies spending hours telling me over and over again that my call is important to them.

I must agree with this.

I’ve found that if I’m friendly, and polite, customer facing staff usually are very helpful. I think that MG UK staff are frustrated by their inability to help customers. When you speak with them, you can detect this. After all it can’t be very rewarding to have to prevaricate all the time.

Recently Guy Pigounakis, Commercial Director at MG Motor UK, was named one of the UK’s outstanding automotive leaders.
One would therefore have expected, he would be ensuring every one of his employees were focused on providing excellent service. Surely the last thing he would want is disenchanted staff, due to them being unable to provide this. But then perhaps he isn’t aware? And you can’t inform him, as he doesn’t look at emails sent to [email protected].

I had a few problems with my previous car, a Skoda, which the supplying dealership were unable to rectify. I emailed Skoda’s CEO, and within hours one of his team contacted me. He took ownership, and arranged for another dealership to investigate, and they rectified the problem within a couple of hours. In addition I was offered compensation of several hundred pounds, for the inconvenience etc, which I graciously accepted.

When the Skoda was due for its first service, in November last year, I booked it in with this dealership. However, when I arrived, I discovered that although they still serviced Skoda cars, they had become an MG dealership, and I was tempted by the ZS Hybrid+ and the rest is history.
I know that the staff at this dealership are disillusioned, they are now trying to provide the same excellent service as they did previously, but instead they are having to make excuses, and fob people off.

The basic rule of business is to have happy customers, if you have happy customers they tell others, and you have more happy customers, and a thriving business. If however you have disgruntled customers, it gets around, and you have fewer customers……..

 

[Busman]

I’ve found that if I’m friendly, and polite, customer facing staff usually are very helpful. I think that MG UK staff are frustrated by their inability to help customers. When you speak with them, you can detect this. After all it can’t be very rewarding to have to prevaricate all the time.

Recently Guy Pigounakis, Commercial Director at MG Motor UK, was named one of the UK’s outstanding automotive leaders.
One would therefore have expected, he would be ensuring every one of his employees were focused on providing excellent service. Surely the last thing he would want is disenchanted staff, due to them being unable to provide this. But then perhaps he isn’t aware? And you can’t inform him, as he doesn’t look at emails sent to [email protected].

I had a few problems with my previous car, a Skoda, which the supplying dealership were unable to rectify. I emailed Skoda’s CEO, and within hours one of his team contacted me. He took ownership, and arranged for another dealership to investigate, and they rectified the problem within a couple of hours. In addition I was offered compensation of several hundred pounds, for the inconvenience etc, which I graciously accepted.

When the Skoda was due for its first service, in November last year, I booked it in with this dealership. However, when I arrived, I discovered that although they still serviced Skoda cars, they had become an MG dealership, and I was tempted by the ZS Hybrid+ and the rest is history.
I know that the staff at this dealership are disillusioned, they are now trying to provide the same excellent service as they did previously, but instead they are having to make excuses, and fob people off.

The basic rule of business is to have happy customers, if you have happy customers they tell others, and you have more happy customers, and a thriving business. If however you have disgruntled customers, it gets around, and you have fewer customers……..

Instead of emailing dealerships or ringing them on the phone,all owners need to go into their showroom on a busy Saturday morning and make a big scene and woute the sale of goods act in front of potential buyers.

 

[AlexB1988]

Haha true! Though my dealership in Leeds were very very good so wouldn't to them, I'd choose another

 

[salty]

Nonsense! I've had personal experience of dozens of companies spending hours telling me over and over again that my call is important to them.

Yep, but it's Bullshit!

 

[Anon70]

I emailed Skoda’s CEO, and within hours one of his team contacted me. He took ownership, and arranged for another dealership to investigate, and they rectified the problem within a couple of hours. In addition I was offered compensation of several hundred pounds, for the inconvenience etc, which I graciously accepted.

Which goes to my point about company policy and CEO's and Social media departments having the ability to override this where employees cannot.

An employee will be disciplined or lose a bonus for not following policy, a CEO just cares about the optics for a single customer.

I have been in a similar situation with a mobile phone company, 3 months of issues and lots of nothing we can do about that. Within 1 week of posting to the CEO on social media everything was resolved.

 

[Lollipopman]

Perhaps someone could contact him on social media about the PD052 update MG are refusing to install into UK vehicles. Sorry i don't do social media or i would have done it by now.

 

[KeithS]

A few days ago, I had a conversation with a member of the MG UK team, he asked me to send him an email listing my concerns.
Today I received his response, which I’ve copied verbatim below:

Good morning,
Thank you for getting in contact,
I’m sorry to hear that the mudflaps are not available for your vehicle.
I have taken your feedback regarding the user manual and logged it within our internal system.
Have the dealership since been in touch with you regarding the warranty outcome for the vehicle?
If you have any form of concerns with the vehicle, then I can only recommend taking the vehicle to your local MG dealership so they can inspect your vehicle and provide confirmation on its drivability.
Thank you,

I take his curt response as “there’s nothing I can do, stop troubling me.”

On the 6th of December I emailed Guy Pigounakis MG UK’s Managing Director, asking for his help.
His email address is [email protected]
(if I have the wrong email address, perhaps someone could correct me and I’ll have another go)

To date I haven’t received a response.
Perhaps I’m expecting too much, the problems quite a number of us are experiencing, aren’t exactly deal breakers, but we have paid for a car, and it should be fit for purpose.

You make some very salient points regarding MG UK and in my case at least, my selling dealer.
Whilst I don't have the ZS HYBRID + Trophy, but a MG3 HYBRID + Trophy, which I understand has the same drive train.
Over the last seven months it's become apparent that the UK business model is to attract buyers with amazing value for money. In this respect in the case of the MG3 they provide a great deal of car for the money, and the car itself aside from a quirk of the software, engine and gearbox, where the 3 speed auto changes to second on steep gradients to help charge the battery to propel the car - making the engine unduly noisy, it's a very accomplished package.
However the downside is the clear intention, undoubtedly for reasons of profitability, to provide almost no customer after sales service, particularly if there is a potential cost involved. Of course they have to remain within the law, and as a result are obligated to deal with unavoidable failures of components within the terms of the warranty, but if there is anything else they will do absolutely nothing about it.
They are well aware of their awful Trust Pilot rating, and are happy to point out plenty of other manufacturers meet the same low standards.
I'm certain this is a top down policy to avoid any unnecessary cost, and thereby maintain the maximum profit margin per unit. Probably why you received no response from the Chief Exec...
The lousy reputation garnered from this approach is clearly something there not bothered about.
My advice to anyone asking about MG, is to go in with your eyes wide open. The product is fit for purpose, and great value, but if you expect any service afterwards- FORGET IT!
Over in the MG3 HYBRID part of the forum I have detailed a horror story of an issue following a puncture, where even the sales manager at the selling dealer, and initially an MG UK Customer Service advisor (although the next day, IMO due to his boss telling him 'to change his tune' resulted in the promised call the next morning failing to materialise, and then when i did call him there was a complete U Turn - I expect he will be more careful next time in agreeing that a customers has been left in a disadvantaged position) both agreed the situation was unacceptable! At least the sales manager was honest and upfront, and told me there would be no assistance offered whatsoever!
The other issue with an emissions warning light, caused by a failed component was eventually fixed after two to three months, and three visits to the dealer. Like I say the emissions fault was not something they could wriggle on, as that would have left them in breach of warranty, so they had to fix that. Anything in shall we say the 'grey area' will I believe always will be rejected. I expect their legal dept keep a close eye on warranty claims to make sure something that definitely didn't need doing under warranty doesn't slip through the net!
Finally, and in conclusion to show the difference between manufacturers. My other car albeit at around £80k (Genesis Electrified G80) and being sold by a premium brand, who have in the past 2 1/5 years gone out of the way to keep me a happy customer. Unlike MG UK here is a business which being new to the UK/Europe are keen to build a solid foundation for customer satisfaction within the premium sector, and who i have no hesitation in recommending.
As I commented to Steve Cropley at Autocar magazine, Genesis are like a Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental hotel, MG are a 1 star dive!!!
Sorry for the long post btw!

 

[Pete M]

A few days ago, I had a conversation with a member of the MG UK team, he asked me to send him an email listing my concerns.
Today I received his response, which I’ve copied verbatim below:

Good morning,
Thank you for getting in contact,
I’m sorry to hear that the mudflaps are not available for your vehicle.
I have taken your feedback regarding the user manual and logged it within our internal system.
Have the dealership since been in touch with you regarding the warranty outcome for the vehicle?
If you have any form of concerns with the vehicle, then I can only recommend taking the vehicle to your local MG dealership so they can inspect your vehicle and provide confirmation on its drivability.
Thank you,

I take his curt response as “there’s nothing I can do, stop troubling me.”

On the 6th of December I emailed Guy Pigounakis MG UK’s Managing Director, asking for his help.
His email address is [email protected]
(if I have the wrong email address, perhaps someone could correct me and I’ll have another go)

To date I haven’t received a response.
Perhaps I’m expecting too much, the problems quite a number of us are experiencing, aren’t exactly deal breakers, but we have paid for a car, and it should be fit for purpose.

In the first instance, that's surely a matter between you and the dealer you paid for it.

 

[Noel]

Really? The dealership are very good, the car goes in tomorrow, when they will investigate a problem with water in the near side door mirror.
However, when I ask them about the PD052 update, they have said that they are aware of the problem, as their demonstrator exhibits it. But the update has not been made available in the UK, yet
Regarding my concerns, lack of information regarding the update, the online manual, and accessories not being available. I think the dealership is being placed in an invidious position when trying to deal with their customers.

 

[Busman]

Really? The dealership are very good, the car goes in tomorrow, when they will investigate a problem with water in the near side door mirror.
However, when I ask them about the PD052 update, they have said that they are aware of the problem, as their demonstrator exhibits it. But the update has not been made available in the UK, yet
Regarding my concerns, lack of information regarding the update, the online manual, and accessories not being available. I think the dealership is being placed in an invidious position when trying to deal with their customers.

They are aware of the problem and they never considered contacting SAIC for the solution, which is the update.You must be a very placid person, to put up with response.

 

[DavecUK]

I'm unusually lucky or something...I should perhaps enter the lottery. Any problem I have ever reported to a large corporate company about their products.....I am always the first and only person, to ever experience such a problem.

 

[Lollipopman]

Your definitely not the first to experience the problem with the car nor writing to the company about it, so I wouldn't bother wasting your money on the lottery.