Columbus Ohio Dealership Motohio-not recommended

[DoubleEagle]

The Ducati dealership in Columbus Ohio still is not providing adequate service . I took my bike in there for an issue and they said it would be looked at on the 14th, so I called the 21st and they still hadn't touched it. I received some lame excuse about two other motorcycles being worked on, and that their engines were tore apart and in the way of my bike getting serviced. That's great, but that's not my problem. I feel that there sincerity and eagerness to work on an individuals bike as if it were there only form of transportation is not there. Yeah I am not going to ride a bike anywhere when it's 26 degrees out, but what if I did want to? There are a few people that ride all year no matter what. I feel at this point if somebody were to ask me where to buy a Ducati I would tell them Motohio, if however they asked me where they could get service done I would not recommend Motohio. Any work on a motorcycle can be done in one day unless parts need to be ordered or certain things need to be sent out for milling. There is absolutely no reason not to be able to provide prompt service to an individual.   
   
This is just an update on the service being received from the Ducati dealership in town. I would like to inform you guys that I received service in a timely and prompt manner, but that is not the case.

I have been doing business w, Motohio since day one and have nothing to say but how nice everyone there has been to me.

I got stranded w, an electrical issue about 80 miles from the Dealership.

I called Ducati Roadside Assistance and got a tow to my place since it was late in the day and the Dealership was closed by the time I got to my place.

Ducati will only pay for a $200 tow and it was $173 to my place . I was going to get a local towing service to tow me to the Dealer the next day but I called Motohio to let them know what was going on and they said they would send an enclosed trailer the next day and pick up my bike.

They didn't charge me anything for the tow and the electrical problem was covered by warranty and fixed in 2 days.

The Dealership changed owners in the Summer and the owner and his wife and son and daughter are new to the business of selling motorcycles.

The rest of the crew are veterans whom I've become friends w, over the years but the new owner hasn't sold me a bike yet.

All my bikes were bought from the previous owner but the salsman I deal w, has been there since '05 or before.

I think alot of how a person is treated is how they represent themselves and how they act around the Dealership.

It helps to be friendly and not demanding from the get go. It helps to beable to communicate with people if something isn't right rather than dismiss the situation as hopeless.    Dolph

[Spidey]

They didn't look at your bike for a week (their bad, no dispute).   But you weren't riding it anyway?!?  Then why bother getting all worrked up?

I get that you have a gripe, but get some perspective, mang.  Talk to the service manager, tell him you'd like your bike back sooner rather than later and ask--nicely but firmly--for an assurance that the next time, they'll give you an accurate date of when they'll do the work or otherwise give you a heads-up if they're not going to get to it on time.  For example, I have an awesome shop nearby that I used, but I try to be really clear with them when my work NEEDS to get done by a certain date.  Other times, I just don't care, and sometimes even tell them that.  If I have a need for it to get done and have told them, I bug them as the day approaches to make sure.  Then it gets done on time.  Or I know that it's not going to get done. 

It's about having a relationship, not about making demands and then kicking them in the nuts when they make the beast with two backs up.  Don't get me wrong.  You don't have to treat them like they're doing you a favor by working on your bike.  But you also don't need to be quite so rigid about a situation that doesn't sound like it really matters.

[DoubleEagle]

I had a similar problem with my previous Duc and after the bike sitting for 30 days they blamed it on the Italians and said they take forever.  Ok then, I thought so 15 days later still nothing.  I was fumming by then with "the Italians" again answer and the stealership coudln't even provide a work order so I figured AHA...gotcha.  Well I went over to Texas Pacific Group, majority shareholder at the time, and placed my complaint.  Withing 24 hours Federico (President of Ducati at the time) sent me an email and the CA office was on it ASAP.  Guess how long it took to fix my bike?  3 days and now it's been there over 40.  Ducati made a dent in my opinion of them with about $2000 in Ducati stuff.  Turns out the stealer works on BMW more, much more and Duc's are the last ones to get attention.  This guy almost had his licensed pulled because I was the second to last nail in that caufin........if you can prove their service is really bad and have been reasonable give this route a shot.  Duc USA is in Cupertino

I think with a little research I'll learn the real reason behind this post.  Dolph


By the way, not that it really makes any difference, but it hasn't been above the high 30s since the 16th here in and around Central , Ohio except for the 23rd. and that was mid 40s. Next 7 days are to be pretty much the same only more snow.

[DoubleEagle]

Being a former Audi tech I know that a lot of things can happen and things can change, so I usually am very patient and try to be as nice as possible whenever I have any kind of service done.  No matter if it is on my bike or whatever. 

That being said, Motohio has just about the worst customer service I have ever came across.  You can't even go in for a damn oil filter without getting looks from the parts guy like you are bothering him.  I mean do your freaking job dude.  This place really is ridiculous!  I work about 1 mile from the place and will NEVER go back there again.  I will take my bike 1.5 hours away to Akron for Crooked River to work on it.  My suggestion is to go there because they are super nice and super helpful.

I have been dealing with the same parts guy you are talking about for going on 4 1/2 years and he can be very frustrating at times but when you are basically the only parts person and you have to keep the Techs supplied w, parts for the bikes they are working on ,answer some question from someone who may or may not know what they want , look up parts in the parts books, call the Ducati Warehouse to see if a part is in stock , unpack all the parts that UPS drops off and sort and inventory them , help customers with counter sales , show apparel to customers , explain all the questions that customers tend to ask about things that they may not have much of an idea of what they are talking about .

Well I think you kind of get the idea. It's a tough job for one person , but the way the economy is small business owners can't afford to hire extra people .

So I say don't expect to be treated like Gold. Just be polite and firm with what you need and don't waste the person's time .

Try putting yourself in their position. Don't you think they get tired of never getting to eat their lunch without being bothered or having people constantly asking them questions and then not buying anything.

I've found that if I can get someone on the phone ,even if it's not the person I want to talk to , I let them know what I am coming in for and it's usually waiting for me when I get there.    Dolph

[geoffduc]

dolph you hit the nail on the head, who'd want to be a parts guy these days and deal with some of the general public. i stand at the parts counter at my local ducati shop and listen to some of the verbal diarrhoea that the parts guy has to put up with and you wonder why he some times is alittle bit touchy. the treatment i have gotten from the team is 1st class but i try to do onto others as one would have done to one's self, infact if they need a bike delivering and are short on staff they call on me to drive the van as i'm retired.
it's easy to get annoyed but some times there are two sides to a story, so be cool and hopefully things will work out good.
by the way we do have free speech in the UK, but only if the wife OK's it.

[Takster]

  I have been dealing with the same parts guy you are talking about for going on 4 1/2 years and he can be very frustrating at times but when you are basically the only parts person and you have to keep the Techs supplied w, parts for the bikes they are working on ,answer some question from someone who may or may not know what they want , look up parts in the parts books, call the Ducati Warehouse to see if a part is in stock , unpack all the parts that UPS drops off and sort and inventory them , help customers with counter sales , show apparel to customers , explain all the questions that customers tend to ask about things that they may not have much of an idea of what they are talking about .

Well I think you kind of get the idea. It's a tough job for one person , but the way the economy is small business owners can't afford to hire extra people .

So I say don't expect to be treated like Gold. Just be polite and firm with what you need and don't waste the person's time .

Try putting yourself in their position. Don't you think they get tired of never getting to eat their lunch without being bothered or having people constantly asking them questions and then not buying anything.

I've found that if I can get someone on the phone ,even if it's not the person I want to talk to , I let them know what I am coming in for and it's usually waiting for me when I get there.    Dolph

If it's too much to take, I'm sure Walmart is hiring greeters.  The parts guy at my local dealer (a member on this board,) is super cool, friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile for every transaction I've ever made there.  Come to think of it, he's gone out of his way to help me out in finding out some information about another business unrelated to his shop.

As with any other job, I'm sure that there are challenges.  If you're not personally cut out to do a particular job, then find another one.  Isn't it reasonable for a person walking into a dealership to fill out an application for employment to expect to deal with all of the things you mentioned?

Is it unreasonable to expect somebody working in a service industry to offer decent service?  I feel like we're lowering the bar for service as a society... why should i pay extra to patronize a business when I can get things online for cheaper?  It comes down to the relationship I have with the retailer.  I'm unwilling to pay extra and drive out of my way to be treated like a minor annoyance.

[rettrodoll]

The problem here is this is not the first problem I have had with Motohio in the passed. I have talked to them it about and they said things would change, but they have not. Here is the deal with a motorcycle, if you have a motorcycle and it is your only form of transportation( most unlikely but possible) then you are very concerned about getting it fixed in time. The other deal is that this dealership seems to treat motorcycles as if they were just 15,000 dollar toys that people don't need in the winter. I ' care if it 30 below and  there is three feet of snow on the ground and there is lighting striking the earth next to me, if I want to ride my motorcycle that I paid for, I should be able to, because the service should have been done in a timely manner. 

And the issue with understanding and communicating is all a valid point indeed, but if you open a motorcycle dealership next to another motorcycle dealership that is offering better service then people will go there instead. It is called capitalism. If you suck get out of town and quit complaining about how it is the italians or it is another bike that is in front of yours, just quit making excuses and do your freaking job. That is all anyone is asking. You do not even have to do it with a smile or a thank you- just do it.

[NuTTs]

if your hesitant about free speech then you should go live in China or maybe the UK I think they still don't have free speech, but I might be wrong.

You´re kidding me right?? What does the UK have to do with not having free speech?

[Spidey]

You´re kidding me right?? What does the UK have to do with not having free speech?

Cuz it doesn't even qualify as speech until you fookers learn to pronounce stuff properly.       

[rettrodoll]

exactly

[DoubleEagle]

The problem here is this is not the first problem I have had with Motohio in the passed. I have talked to them it about and they said things would change, but they have not. Here is the deal with a motorcycle, if you have a motorcycle and it is your only form of transportation( most unlikely but possible) then you are very concerned about getting it fixed in time. The other deal is that this dealership seems to treat motorcycles as if they were just 15,000 dollar toys that people don't need in the winter. I ' care if it 30 below and  there is three feet of snow on the ground and there is lighting striking the earth next to me, if I want to ride my motorcycle that I paid for, I should be able to, because the service should have been done in a timely manner. 

And the issue with understanding and communicating is all a valid point indeed, but if you open a motorcycle dealership next to another motorcycle dealership that is offering better service then people will go there instead. It is called capitalism. If you suck get out of town and quit complaining about how it is the italians or it is another bike that is in front of yours, just quit making excuses and do your freaking job. That is all anyone is asking. You do not even have to do it with a smile or a thank you- just do it.

Why do I get good service at Motohio and you don't ?

I think the answer is in your mirror !   Dolph

[DoubleEagle]

If it's too much to take, I'm sure Walmart is hiring greeters.  The parts guy at my local dealer (a member on this board,) is super cool, friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile for every transaction I've ever made there.  Come to think of it, he's gone out of his way to help me out in finding out some information about another business unrelated to his shop.

As with any other job, I'm sure that there are challenges.  If you're not personally cut out to do a particular job, then find another one.  Isn't it reasonable for a person walking into a dealership to fill out an application for employment to expect to deal with all of the things you mentioned?

Is it unreasonable to expect somebody working in a service industry to offer decent service?  I feel like we're lowering the bar for service as a society... why should i pay extra to patronize a business when I can get things online for cheaper?  It comes down to the relationship I have with the retailer.  I'm unwilling to pay extra and drive out of my way to be treated like a minor annoyance.

This particular parts mgr. isn't an extroverted person.    Dolph

[NAKID]

   This particular parts mgr. isn't an extroverted person. ....

And I'm sure he wants his business put out, expecially your opinion on "What's wrong with him"...

[DoubleEagle]

And I'm sure he wants his business put out, expecially your opinion on "What's wrong with him"...

It's just my opinion of an observation.

All I know is he hasn't been himself lately but he still does right by me.    Dolph

[DoubleEagle]

Being a former Audi tech I know that a lot of things can happen and things can change, so I usually am very patient and try to be as nice as possible whenever I have any kind of service done.  No matter if it is on my bike or whatever. 

That being said, Motohio has just about the worst customer service I have ever came across.  You can't even go in for a damn oil filter without getting looks from the parts guy like you are bothering him.  I mean do your freaking job dude.  This place really is ridiculous!  I work about 1 mile from the place and will NEVER go back there again.  I will take my bike 1.5 hours away to Akron for Crooked River to work on it.  My suggestion is to go there because they are super nice and super helpful.

Did you work on my TT at MAG about 8 years ago ?  It was Denim Blue . If so I have a bone to pick with you.  I'm sure Pryor could tell me.    Dolph