In October 2012, when Coscharis Motors, one of the leading automobile companies in Nigeria officially opened its new, pace- setting, state-of-the-art office located in Lekki, Lagos State, for business, customers would have thought that their services would also be improved upon to suit the World class edifice. In the media, the company boasted that it was the first in Nigeria to establish a breath- taking edifice with showrooms & workshops where the uniqueness of the auto brands it represents via the awesome environment could be felt. The company said the edifice was created with the intent to have every walk-in customer or prospect feel right from the moment they step into the showrooms, to delivery and even after delivery services. About nine months later, the company’s services appear far from satisfactory, at least to one customer, Oluwademilade Kola- Mustapha, who is aggrieved by the services of the company. Ms. Kola-Mustapha, who works in a financial institution in Lagos State, said her vehicle, a Ford Edge, which she bought from the same company, Coscharis Motors in July 2011, has been stuck with the company for about four months, for repairs and replacement of a few body parts after an accident in March 2013. The complaint Ms. Kola-Mustapha said she made a report to the car dealer on March 8, after the accident which occurred on the 5th of the same month. She was requested to make some deposits, running to a total of about N350, 000. On March 26, she paid 50 per cent, N170, 000, with the intention of paying the balance of the charges on delivery. Delivery of the car was agreed on within two weeks, after payment. “I kept getting feedback that they are still expecting the parts for the repairs they ordered for, even though even though Coscharis Motors had initial coupon payment of the repair estimate deposit. They promised delivery within two weeks of payment and additional one week for repairs,” the finance official said. “In May, I was told they had completed repairs except for replacement of the sensors and side mirror. I was asked to make payment for the balance of the parts that have been replaced and repaired and pick up the car. I was told that I would be informed when the outstanding two parts (sensor and side mirrors) are received, so that I can arrange to drop the car (again) for repairs. I refused, insisting that all the initial agreement on repairs and body part should be completely done and replaced accordingly before final payment and pick up is done”. Ms. Kola-Mustapha said she could not agree to that because there was an agreement and they had already wasted so much time, much more than they promised. She said the company denied her the option of ordering for the parts herself, based on ‘company policy’, even when meet up with their deadline. She lamented that the lack of access to her vehicle caused her financial upheaval and discomfort. To worsen the situation, the organisation was no longer speaking with her on the condition of her vehicle. Coscharis’ response Mr. Nwameme, the corporate affairs official PREMIUM TIMES was directed to, at the organisation’s Lekki head-office, did not as much as go through the documents available to show him the evidence of the developments on the case. He dismissed the issue, stating that “It is for Amaka to handle”. Amaka is the staff of the organisation that Ms. Kola-Mustafa has been liaising with since the issue came up. “Amaka should be at our Maza-Maza workshop. Since she has been talking to her, she should handle it”, Mr. Nwameme said, nonchalantly. When contacted, Amaka said the side mirror, one of the parts due for change, which the company got for the vehicle was ‘not holding’, that is why after the repairs, they informed the owner to pick up the car. “We sent the car to a branch for her to pick it up; pending the time we would get the one that fits. I just got a message that some goods have arrived. I think the parts we need for her vehicle should be among the goods we have just received,” she said, over three months after the vehicle should have been delivered to the owner as agreed. The repairs were supposed to have been carried out at Coscharis’ State of the Art facility. The facility During the opening ceremony, Ifeanyi Nihe, the head of marketing of the Coscharis, is quoted to have said that the state-of-the-art facility offers proximity to the majority of the company’s customers and therefore, eases accessibility to its services. He said the workshop is structured to ensure faster and efficient service delivery and after sales service, which objective is to decongest the workshops as fast as possible; and this is with the aim of being proactive, timely, and giving value-for- money; since effective and high-quality after-sales service is the key to maximizing sales. He said that Coscharis Motors is committed to guaranteeing every customer quality service that will go much deeper than just owning a luxury or premium brand while assuring all stakeholders that they would feel the positive impact of the company and its products’ presence in the facility. The firm said its Technical Managers and Service Personnel were all designed for customer comfort with the aim providing the human resources to match the facility, who would reflect professional and dependable level of service with the overall purpose to experience the showrooms, the service-centre and engage the customers and prospects. The facility, which is reportedly valued at over N3 billion, was expected to be the symbol of the firm’s commitment to quality service and customer satisfaction. Coscharis Group has evolved over several years as a car dealing company. It was birthed as Maduka Brothers Company and was incorporated in 1977. The company then metamorphosed from Maduka Brothers Company to COSDAV Motors and later to the Coscharis Group. The company deals in a number of brands, ranging from BMW, MINI, Jaguar, Landrover, Ford, MG, Joylong, Hongyan, Yueijin and Wuling, ABRO among others. Friday promise As the story was about to be published, Amaka called PREMIUM TIMES reporter and said she has confirmed that the outstanding parts for the vehicle are among the set of ordered vehicle parts the company has just received. “I have confirmed that her vehicle parts have arrived. By Friday, her vehicle will be ready to be picked up. I have tried to reach her but she is not picking her calls. I think she is really angry now. Please, help us calm her down,” she said.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:27:06 +0000