Innovative ideas to take the hassle out of car ownership

There's an old saying in the motor trade: the showroom sells the first car; the workshop sells the second. In South Africa, one of the main reasons for buyers leaving a brand is bad customer service.

- Brendan Seery

We've all been there; kept waiting for hours after the promised completion time; parts of the car left grubby; work charged for but not carried out; sudden wallet-numbing shocks when the alleged deeper defects and correction thereof are added to the bill.

The car makers and their dealers sometimes seem to live on different planets: the former wanting to get return trade, the latter wanting just the here-and-now quick buck from servicing and repairs.

It's something Kuda Takura, customer experience head at Ford South Africa, is only all too aware of, and he's trying to build brand loyalty through innovative service options that aim to take the hassle out of servicing a vehicle.