s**t Customer service from Westfield

[Carl]

QUOTE

Not really - it is just a shop like any other

Shops don't design, manufacture, assemble, comply with various EU regs, need traceibilty on products, etc.

Don't get me wrong there's little excuse for poor customer service, but to call a "car manufacturer" a shop is a bit unfair.

[zoso]

Not really - it is just a shop like any other

Shops don't design, manufacture, assemble, comply with various EU regs, need traceibilty on products, etc.

Don't get me wrong there's little excuse for poor customer service, but to call a "car manufacturer" a shop is a bit unfair.

But at the end of the day they are a company selling a product.  

That means they live and die by their customers.

So to simplify it by saying "they are just a shop" IS fair, if only to point out to them that without customers they are completely f****d....

There is nothing difficult about designing and manufacturing a simple car like a westfield/caterham...  The tricky bit is keeping the business going long enought to sell any!!!

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

Not really - it is just a shop like any other

Shops don't design, manufacture, assemble, comply with various EU regs, need traceibilty on products, etc.

Don't get me wrong there's little excuse for poor customer service, but to call a "car manufacturer" a shop is a bit unfair.

the parts department is a shop just like any other - it will have an ordering dpt, a stores/goods in dpt and people to serve and sell just like any other shop or trade counter ...

if you walked into or phoned any other shop and there was nobodyto serve you or the phone wasn't answered you would probably never bother to go again

Westfield should make a margin on their products, why not! if they are bespoke they can within reason charge a premium rate (which they do) - the problem lays when you charge a premium rate and give quite frankly P**s poor service ... customers will not stand it

I really feel for the guys that care at westfield - the other option is they are so strapped for cashflow they can afford to do nothing about the lack of sales support -

the manufacturing side of the business is separate inc the spares that they manufacture

Just my opinion ...

[samcooke]

QUOTE

the other option is they are so strapped for cashflow they can afford to do nothing about the lack of sales support

Which is probably very likely.

I can't afford to employ enough staff to give as good a service as I would like to at present, it breaks my heart but there's no option if I want to stay in business. Though I hope it's still a bit better than the OP has experienced...

[tonyl42]

What's so frustrating is that it's relatively simple to run a smallish business well - we're not talking General Motors here...  

The customer base is small enough for WSC to maintain a personal relationship with each one if they choose.  The benefits in repeat business and referrals should be self-evident.

Yet there is absolutely no sign of any responsiveness to the many issues raised on the Board.  This will quickly drain the goodwill that many of us still have, with the inevitable eventual outcome...

As a former senior manager in the automotive business, (yes, some do make it to retirement ), I am particularly interested in this situation.  I do not like what I see....

TonyL

[stewart pickles]

how about putting a section up on this site detailing all the parts of a westfield and where to source them from,then if you can't get what you want in the time scale you want it you would know other suppliers where you could get part's quicker.As for any questions on build sva/iva etc you could try here http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=SF;f=3    

[carpetstu]

I have a shop!

I sell carpets and flooring's. (and no this isn't a half hearted attempt at a cheap advert LOL)

In my shop you can see, feel and smell (if you are into that) the said samples of the relevant floor coverings.

Last time I was a the WSC factory they had one car in the "SHOWROOM".

It was the electric Jobie that doesn't work!  

There was no shiny come and buy me SEIw or any other of there brands like the GTM.

A car show room with no cars?    

I went in the showroom after the parts department, sorry what was a parts department but is now goods inwards / outwards.

Parts is now a shared office behind the main reception desk. A mistake in my opinion, it should be separate from the new sales area for many reasons.

I have to say the staff at Westfield are always great to see and chat too, and make you feel at home, but Julian what happened to all the promises.

Improved customer service?

Come on - You must have paid a small fortune for WSC and GTM and and and ...............

At the end of the day, Julian, we can not tell you how to run YOUR company/s but on the other hand surely this sort of thread must make you think "what the hell is going on ?"

Come to think of it, if the WSC was my company I would have posted a reply on here by now!

Right rant over, I need a cuppa!  

[samcooke]

QUOTE

The customer base is small enough for WSC to maintain a personal relationship with each one if they choose.

Really? I think car sales at their peak were at least 500 per year. Since they've been selling for over 20 years, there's a good chance there are 5000 cars out there that people will need parts for from time to time.

[Mark Stanton]

Carl I agree with your comment re the manufacture and design aspect and was not intending to make light of that area do bear in mind that only chassis and such is now manufactured on site - fibreglass, trim and all specialist parts like brakes etc is out-sourced, that'll be stock control.

What I was referring to are the ever continuing issues and complaints raised re parts and components supply i.e. The Shop and perhaps we all appear to agree that the guys who work there really do their best to help everyone as much as possible -

Gotta say if I had staff like that they sure would get my full support - they're long term and very knowledgeable and surely understand and appreciate the market more than anyone and what sells and how to sell it attractively ...................... but whoever is in charge and has final say on matters perhaps needs to work alongside the guys at the sharp end for a few months.  

As for promises and comments made to the WSCC by various management - no comment          

Last time I was at the factory I thought much same as Stu - for a showroom it has very little to stimulate anyones wallet and never has new special offers the displays are old and dated - and yet there is a captive audience waiting to spend - Thankfully the friendly faces of Chris, Russell, Gavin and Dave are around   albeit only for alternate saturdays  

[Mark Stanton]

Sam

There are a lot more than 5000 cars out there      

However .................. many of those cars parts are no longer available "off the shelf" but it does highlight the potential for upgrade-itus subject to correct marketing and cost  

[James]

Last Thursday I was almost at the point of putting a for sale ad on here as I was so fed up with the whole car.

I know exactly how you feel because ive been feeling like this as well, Im not sure that I want to fly the flag for Westfield any more, I have always wanted a Caterham and a big part of me feels like this may be the right time to cut bait and run! but I also know that if I got top money for my car and put a big chunk towards another car I would only have £14 - 15,000 this would buy me a car that is twice as old done around 35,000 miles and has none of the expensive parts which I have fitted.

So what do you do?

The ONLY thing I would say is wait until you drive the car for the first time and then make your decsion but remember this is YOUR car not Westfield's and its been built to your spec.

As for the shocks there is noexcuse for sending the wrong shocks twice!!!!!!! unbelivable

I think Mark is correct Westfield is nothing more than a big shop and there reputation for manufacture is a little dubious these days as they same intent or farming most of there manufacturing out to other companys! I would say they assemble the components.

I dont think that we will get a responce to the questions raised here and if we dont recive some sort of satement surley this shows that those resposible for the company simply dont care about there reputaion or the problems that numorous customers are having And if this is the case this for me will seal the deal.

I see that more than 1200 people have viewed this thread thats 1200 potential customers who may be put off Westfield because of others experiances who how much money could they have lost due to these silly and very fixable issues?

I for one am going to have an interesting chat with Westfield at Stoneleigh thats if there brave enough to come

[James]

What I was referring to are the ever continuing issues and complaints raised re parts and components supply i.e. The Shop and perhaps we all appear to agree that the guys who work there really do their best to help everyone as much as possible -

I have alway's got on brilliantly with Dave and Gavin top men IMO and they deserve a rise for all that they do!

I have noticed that in the last what is it two years that Potenza has owned Westfield now? I have NEVER seen Jullian in the factory you alway's used to see Chris on the shop floor getting involved and this concerns me.

I think Jullian going back to the floor for a few months would be the perfect way for him to understand the problems that the everyday guy's are having to contend with and also the the customers as well.

As for design and development go Mmmmm not sure here I havent really seen any new products that have been down to Westfield to design in the last two years but I am willing to be proved wrong.

What amazes me is that they have Westfied and GTM and yet there are no GTM cars on display or any nice trick bits in the showroom to tempt the moths out of your wallet? are Protenza considering winding up Westfield as we know it and out sourcing ALL elements of the manufacture? efectivley making them an intermedietry but charging a kings ransom for the privelige?

I have just found this extract from a letter I sent to Chris Smith just before he sold the company.

" I would like you to be aware that I have always been very impressed with the overall quality of Westfield both in terms of the product and the customer service, your parts department especially have in the past gone out of there way to try to assist me and I know there are many others with similar experiences of your company, due to this I have been proud to own what I perceive to be one of the highest quality products available in the market place, I have concerns over the future of the Westfield brand as in my experience when a company changes hands more changes than merely the ownership, continuity is lost and whilst adjustments to the operation of the company are inevitable they may not be to  the long term benefit of the brand."

How things have changed in two years

[Pew]

Are we to expect a PR / customer relations session by Julian at Stoneleigh again this year....?

He best prepare for allot of honest feedback.... of all the improvements he promised last year.... and the year before....

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

Just out of interest i wonder how many sales calls they take in a day - surely cannot be that many -

I run a retail/trade outlet and virtually every member of the team answers the phone including myself - yesterday I took 4/5 incoming calls to help the crew out

How many staff are there on site - do they all help out with the phone? -

Cannot understand anyone who is just happy to let the phone ring

i must reminding myself that the end manufacturd product is pretty darned good -   shame it is not so easy to order parts

[Mark Stanton]

QUOTE

Westfield is nothing more than a big shop

How is it big ........ compared to many its small fry but perhaps with big potential.

I wouldn't anticipate a response from WSC Ltd. as whatever reply made here would surely bring in many more responses pointing out other issues and questions - so don't blame them in keeping their heads down out of the way - making any reply would be a no win situation and again merely words, not actions.

Often if actions were undertaken it says far more with some tangible direct offers and support for its client base.

No company is perfect and under the previous management there were very similar comments made with respect to cost of parts, stock etc etc ..........

Perhaps some of these have been inherited and when the MD made such bold and impreshionable statements about a bright new future with support and product availability and expectations have been dashed somewhat -

Now more than two years into the change of management for a car and company so close to all of us with such heartfelt feeling and comment - and whats changed ??

Well GTM has arrived, a new Cobra is hopefully to be launched, a vauxhall engine has been transplanted into a Westfield chassis, the BARC race series has dwindling numbers, still issues with parts for availability and cost, customer service problems being noted.

But on the bright side   the dutch race championship is very strong with large number of entries and cars, new dealers have been taken on board.

Are parts and service more readily available via the dealers ?? rather than via Kingswinford.

With Westfield, GTM and soon a Cobra car launched the demand for parts and complexity of quantity will be ever increasing.

I noted earlier that perhaps some of the management should spend a few months at the parts counter and answering calls - Maybe some of us WSCC members should also do the same and then we may appreciate the problems and pitfalls.

Stoneleigh will provide those with complaints an opportunity to discuss these direct - the WSCC marquee is available all weekend for anyone wishing to bring together like minded individuals wanting answers, do be careful of the old chestnut "you're the first one ever to raise that problem"