General Motors Eagle Canyon Cresta

On Saturday morning 4 November 2012, I received an unsolicited SMS from General Motors Eagle Canyon in Cresta. It was advertising a car, inviting me to test drive it, and telling me to reply with 'STOP' to unsubscribe.

I replied with 'STOP' as well as a call to their receptionist, who told me that the dealer principal was unavailable. I left a message for him to get back to me so that I could confront and advise him on what he certainly already knows is shady business behaviour.

I did not get a return call but I did get a second SMS that afternoon, this time saying that I could have my Opel, Isuszu or Cherolet serviced for R699 and win an iPad. I didn't reply with 'Stop' this time but I called again to find the dealership closed. I left a voice message for them to call me back, making it two messages.


Follow up

Today, which is Tuesday 6 November, I had to call them again, as I had heard nothing. I told the receptionist that I was going into a meeting and that I wanted the dealer principal, and only him, to call me back. I got three calls during my meeting from the sales manager.

When I called him back, I got the receptionist again, and I told her how she had not listened to my instructions. I asked to speak to the sales manager, Dieter Ehlers, and she put me through. I explained all of the issues to him. He apoligised and explained that he did not know how my number got onto the system. He undertook to take it off.

I explained that apologies without change are worse than useless, and that my number should not be on the system in the first place, so he was being of no help. He asked then what I want him to do. "Run your business properly," was my sharp reply.

He explained that he is only the sales manager, and said that he would get the dealer principal to call me. I asserted that this was my original request four phone calls ago. I explained, too, that I would have to explain everything to him again and that I would be invoicing them for the interactions. Dieter said that would be fine. So that is what I have done (see below).

The issues are:

• unsolicited text messages are not good business practice
• incorrect data and shoddy database management cause brand damage
• not returning calls is bad business
• not listening to instructions is bad business
• not researching the people you send messages to is bad business (I live across town and am not in line for any of their products, probably ever)
• sometimes your customer, who you treat like a number on a list, is more of a CEO than your CEO. If I can be available four times to their zero, they are in need of fixing.

When they pay, maybe they will be more respectful of my time and suggestions.
____________________

Dear Raymond

I left two messages for you on Saturday and called twice today. The rest of the story is on my blog, which forms part of my 'Suing for Service' campaign: http://suingforservice.blogspot.com/.

Attached, please find an invoice for my time and services, as discussed with Dieter. A consultation with you is included, so I look forward to your call. You may even be able to talk me into including a talk to your team.

All best wishes

Robin