New VW Live Chat Policy on Updates?

[Lyc]

Hi all,

Been a while since I last posted, though I have been reading all the posts here every few days.

My order (placed back in July) has now been built and is in transit to Emden, after which I assume it will come to the UK and be delivered to the dealer.

I'm trying to coordinate the sale of my current car to minimise the amount of time between my car being sold and the new one being delivered, so I reached out to VW live chat to see if they could tell me which vessel my car was on, and when it should arrive as many others have had luck here doing so before.

However, it took a whole three days of trying before I could even get a representative, and even when I did, they claimed they couldn't tell me anything as it was their policy to redirect any queries regarding order updates to the dealer.

I challenged them on this asking if it was a new policy, and they claimed it was, and it was intended to strengthen the relationship between the dealer and the customer?

Has anyone else come across this or are others still getting updates OK from live chat?

It's a little frustrating being told this when my dealer takes ages to reply and when he does, he does so with one or two word responses... and somehow this guy has 5* reviews with people lauding his excellent communication and customer service skills on carwow...

[johnpolo2]

Yes, I've experienced this. VW chat clearly batting delivery questions back to the dealership.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

[allye]

I've noticed this to. Live Chat just refers me to dealer who has no information at all. I thought there would be movement this month but its not looking to good at the moment.

[S_94]

Same here. Was referred back to my dealership but they don't have a clue.

[roywolfey]

That sucks. The my VW app updates were flaky to say the least and have to say the VW chat team were great at giving me updates including the vessel my car was sailing on and lead times at every leg of the journey. I suppose that the dealer should at least have access to the same information that the VW chat guys and girls do.

[silverhairs]

I don't think you can really blame the "Live Chat" guys and girls (If your allowed to call them that now? bit like no more man sized tissues".
They can only tell you from the information that VW allows them. It's VW you should be turning your frustration at

[RUM4MO]

So you are sourcing your new VW through CarWow, that should not make any difference from you sourcing from your local dealer, this dealer has just won the auction to supply you with a new VW - so treat them the same as your local dealer and so kick their backsides until they give you an answer - that is unless any/all CarWow deals are being treated as a lower class of customer/urgency.

That car should not be hanging around in Emden for much time at all - where is your dealer located and find out which port of entry VW uses for that area.

[Lyc]

Sad to see this seems to be normal procedure now. Definitely not blaming the live chat people, but it really doesn't help improve VW's image IMO if they have such long delays and don't keep customers updated.

Not a problem I guess for those with dealers that actually take an interest and provide updates, but leaves the rest of us out in the cold.

My dealer in Scotland (40 miles from Glasgow) - not sure which dock that means but hoping to get the car soon.

Have been chasing the dealer for updates but it's like pulling teeth. Sadly I think he knows full well I'm halfway through the process of selling my current car and need the new one pretty desperately, so he has the upper hand at the moment lol

[mike sel]

yea I probably got all the information on my Polo delivery from the Vw chat people. IF they are not going to give this info out and the dealers remain as clueless as they seemed at the time, then I do think I would probably have cancelled my polo as at the time there was talk of delays of months on my delivery (as far as my dealer was concerned) where as VW online chat knew that my cat was at Sheerness just 10 days away from the dealer!

If they want customer / Dealership relations to become closer then I think their dealers need to show an interest after you have signed to purchase the car.