[225]

Is fecking impossible at the moment. Two lots of 25min on hold yesterday only for a receptionist to answer to take my number to get someone to ring me back, which no one did.

Apparently its the busiest time of the year due to March new regs but clearly lack of staff!

[xenon]

Busy time for March regs? It's the 12th of Jan!

I tried calling a few days ago and gave up. Useless.

[JLR1969]

I had the same issue when looking to clear my finance, took 45 mins

[225]

Got through but had to speak to 3 different people!

Just a fyi but
They wont let you to switch payments to a credit card (for points gathering!)
They wont refinance a 3yr pcp to a 4 for example or change anything until 6months before current end date.
You can only just pay a lump sum in.

[rjberry]

I phoned them this morning and was on hold for an hour before I spoke to someone. They really need to change their hold music, the current playlist doesn't help the wait pass by!

Have they moved to an overseas call centre recently? I'm sure it never used to be more than about a 5 minute wait and then you'd get through to someone with a broad Yorkshire accent.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by 225

Got through but had to speak to 3 different people!

Just a fyi but
They wont let you to switch payments to a credit card (for points gathering!)
They wont refinance a 3yr pcp to a 4 for example or change anything until 6months before current end date.
You can only just pay a lump sum in.

Hmm, inflexible. Escalate to management, and say you are going to clear it and switch to another lender if they won't do the new terms you want. Maybe they will be more flexible if they think they are going to lose you altogether.

[Archer-s]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Hmm, inflexible. Escalate to management, and say you are going to clear it and switch to another lender if they won't do the new terms you want. Maybe they will be more flexible if they think they are going to lose you altogether.

I tried this, didn't work, ended up switching to a new lender with a lower rate

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Just email them, it's simpler anyway.

The finance teams seem to be in Farnborough near me or Capita in Leeds.

[Canary_Yellow]

Originally Posted by MarkG_M50d

Just email them, it's simpler anyway.

The finance teams seem to be in Farnborough near me or Capita in Leeds.

They are very slow at the moment. I emailed them on 3rd Jan and only got a response today.

When I chased them yesterday, the automated resposnse said that they're going through changes at the moment and hope to be back to usual service levels soon (or something like that).

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by Canary_Yellow

They are very slow at the moment. I emailed them on 3rd Jan and only got a response today.

When I chased them yesterday, the automated resposnse said that they're going through changes at the moment and hope to be back to usual service levels soon (or something like that).

Wow, that's not good.

I was surprised about the Capita address one of my docs came from (or was returned to). Perhaps something has been tendered and they're switching contractors.

[mikeoz]

Oh god tell me about it gave up 3x after 16mins wait each time. Have emailed but no reply...?? Total sh#t

[AndyEssex330d]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Hmm, inflexible. Escalate to management, and say you are going to clear it and switch to another lender if they won't do the new terms you want. Maybe they will be more flexible if they think they are going to lose you altogether.

Really? Why should they be flexible? You signed the agreement with those terms...

[Rbrown]

I emailed them last week.....still waiting!

Looks like all not well with their customer service at the moment!

[Rev77]

I need to contact them to up my mileage on my pcp, job role change means I'm smashing the mileage, be interesting to see what the additional costs will be... if I get through of course...

[ajfoggy]

They are really poor, emailed 14th Dec - no reply. Tried for 90 mins to get through the other day because I'm at point of rejecting my car, couldn't get through.

That was the final straw! Sent email on 5th rejecting car and finally got a call back from them on Monday or Tuesday this week.

The worst customer service I have ever had in terms of response.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by AndyEssex330d

Really? Why should they be flexible? You signed the agreement with those terms...

Customer retention. I'm not for one second suggesting breaking the agreement. What I was referring to is exiting the agreement under the contractual terms, i.e. paying off the finance as you can do with any loan.

Faced with this option, a lender may choose to offer a switch in terms to whatever you are asking for (and I have no idea what that was). Or they may not. Either way it's a simple business discussion and decision, but one that the initial call handler may not have the discretion to take - hence, escalate to be sure.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by 225

Got through but had to speak to 3 different people!

Just a fyi but
They wont let you to switch payments to a credit card (for points gathering!)
They wont refinance a 3yr pcp to a 4 for example or change anything until 6months before current end date.
You can only just pay a lump sum in.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never heard of any finance company allowing you to use a credit card to make the payments. Surely they would see it as you using debt to pay debt??

[225]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never heard of any finance company allowing you to use a credit card to make the payments. Surely they would see it as you using debt to pay debt??

Thats true but I am on an airmiles bender at the moment so just trying my luck!

I thought I had read somewhere they were willing to turn a 3 into a 4yr pcp somewhere? If you switch providers I guess the main thing will be gfv as well as headline apr they will charge.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by 225

Thats true but I am on an airmiles bender at the moment so just trying my luck!

I thought I had read somewhere they were willing to turn a 3 into a 4yr pcp somewhere? If you switch providers I guess the main thing will be gfv as well as headline apr they will charge.

BA exec club card or something different? I've been toying with getting one for a while, currently we pump everything we can through a John Lewis card which gets us quite a good stack of vouchers.

It would seem good business sense to allow a customer to turn a 3 year into a 4 year PCP. It's clearly going to be another year of profit from the interest. OK, you defer the opportunity to sell another car for 12 months, but arguably by saying no you are risking losing that opportunity completely by losing customer goodwill.

[If I was running BMW FS I would perhaps allow a limited percentage of customers to lengthen their PCP. You wouldn't want everyone doing it and killing the future revenue flow, but the numbers asking must be small enough to make a case for it]

[AndyEssex330d]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Customer retention. I'm not for one second suggesting breaking the agreement. What I was referring to is exiting the agreement under the contractual terms, i.e. paying off the finance as you can do with any loan.

Faced with this option, a lender may choose to offer a switch in terms to whatever you are asking for (and I have no idea what that was). Or they may not. Either way it's a simple business discussion and decision, but one that the initial call handler may not have the discretion to take - hence, escalate to be sure.

Yes fully agree, I deal with it on a daily basis myself, and retention these days being a big issue for any company who sell on any time of rental or lease agreement. I would think this would be a bigger issue for them on AUC rather than new, due to higher rates.

I get two types of customer in my world, one who would want to exit or change and it becomes about retention, and one who demand and expect companies to write off/pay off amounts and expect better deals etc, as a business it's hose customers you are better off without.

I've called BMWFS recently and I must say hey have been very good over the phone, I've made contract changes they have agreed to. Did take about 6 years on hold though!