Author Topic: Honda UK and Customer Service  (Read 2190 times)

dfconnolly

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Honda UK and Customer Service
« on: November 21, 2021, 10:06:15 AM »
I currently have an issue with the infotainment system on 2021 Jazz EX which my dealer North Wales Honda is currently investigating in conjunction with Honda UK Technical guys.

I’ve been scanning forums and reviews to see if anybody else has a similar problem and came across Trust Pilot reviews which are frank but disconcertingly worrying.

Seems that Honda Customer service is now based in Budapest!!!

I must say that the dealer is brilliant in trying to resolve my infotainment connectivity issues but the response so far from Honda Technical is inconclusive and sluggish.

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.honda.co.uk

Feedback and discussion appreciated….
From the advert "Who knows where you’ll go?"

olduser1

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2021, 10:10:30 AM »
Put your concerns in writing take copy hand it to the service manager. I'm sure they will want to help you.

dfconnolly

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2021, 10:18:40 AM »
Thanks for that, incidentally I had a 2011 hybrid which I just traded in at £5500 for our new Jazz…….never had any problems with it…..this new Jazz is a bit disappointing at the moment with the infotainment system issues.
I’ve prompted my dealer to give me a copy of the ongoing job sheet with this just in case there is a failure to resolve and I have to take some legal redress through small claims etc.
From the advert "Who knows where you’ll go?"

Kremmen

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2021, 11:38:32 AM »
What is the issue ?

Someone here might have had similar and solved it.
Let's be careful out there !

Jayt43

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2021, 12:13:28 PM »
Seems that Honda Customer service is now based in Budapest!!!

Honda appear to be using Concentrix for their customer service calls, with employees being hired in Sofia, Bulgaria not Budapest, Hungary.

dfconnolly

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2021, 12:31:17 PM »
Hi “Kremmen”

I have a permanent orange info light on the infotainment screen and keep getting a message saying “ Owners manual will be installed” but it never installs . Further issue with WiFi connectivity means I can’t set up the My Honda+ App or access any of its features, dealer says unit keeps dropping WiFi connection with them, also my home and BT hotspots. I’ve asked for a copy of the job sheet to get to the bottom of what all the issues are and what has been attempted to fix. See what this week brings….car due it’s 3rd visit to dealer soon.
From the advert "Who knows where you’ll go?"

Karoq

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2021, 04:32:31 PM »
Since ordering my HR-V, I have been in contact with HUK(??) C/S on multiple occasions and they are cr@p.
With, as OP says, lots of eastern European sounding names.
OP send me PM and I will let you have Honda EU CEO's 'Rotweiller's' email.
I'm not prepared to publish it here, or the poor girl may be snowed under.
Dip Mech Eng (automotive)

dfconnolly

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2021, 04:54:47 PM »
Thanks
« Last Edit: November 22, 2021, 05:28:28 PM by dfconnolly »
From the advert "Who knows where you’ll go?"

Rory

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2021, 05:31:08 PM »
Honda UK CS used to be good but they've been disinterested for a few years.

To be fair, it's the same as other manufactuers - all the VW group in the UK use a call centre whose sole purpose seems to be to fob you off.   

Honda used to be better than that, but not any more.  It's a sad change, used to be that you'd be looked after if you bought a Honda.

Expatman

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2021, 06:03:25 PM »
Very sad to say but Kia and Hyundai now provide a far better service than VAG or Honda.

Jazzik

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2021, 01:45:07 PM »
It seems we are still lucky here in Poland. Contact with Honda Poland is possible via 2 (Polish) telephone numbers and e-mail.
Never needed it though. We have a very cooperative dealer who, in case they don't know, I think has even more direct access to Honda Poland.

This is how they present themselves on the website:

CONTACT HONDA
Honda Contact
How can we help you?
We want you to think, "Excellent customer service" - we do our best to make sure you do.

We are waiting for your opinion.

Call us: +48 22 545 7 999 *
Helpline: 801 811 711 **
Or write an e-mail: honda@honda.pl


As said: Never needed and hoping it stays that way... :D
If nothing goes right, go left!

Steve_M

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2021, 02:20:49 PM »
I have a permanent orange info light on the infotainment screen and keep getting a message saying “ Owners manual will be installed” but it never installs

That's only because the WiFi connection has not been made.

Further issue with WiFi connectivity means I can’t set up the My Honda+ App or access any of its features.

My Honda+ does not use WiFi, but it does need the TCU activating. Has the dealer done that? Is the TCU icon (Car with radio waves) on the home screen white and not grey?

dealer says unit keeps dropping WiFi connection with them, also my home and BT hotspots.

Is data sharing turned on?

Are you using Apple car play?

Was the connection mode changed to network when setting up the WiFi connection?

Does it actually connect and then drop or actually never connect? can it find the network?

Lord Voltermore

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2021, 03:49:18 PM »
I dont know if its a benefit or a curse that english speaking call centre staff can be recruited around the world  while presumably Polish and Hungarian speakers are more likely to be locals. 

Then again if its an agency, with limited Honda knowledge  who is likely to be better  ,a university educated call handler in Sofia,  or someone working from home in their dressing gown and slippers surrounded by pets and children.

Bean counters  have ruined many a company. 
  Trust a dog to guard your house  , but not your sandwich

Jayt43

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2021, 04:14:02 PM »
I dont know if its a benefit or a curse that english speaking call centre staff can be recruited around the world  while presumably Polish and Hungarian speakers are more likely to be locals. 

Then again if its an agency, with limited Honda knowledge  who is likely to be better  ,a university educated call handler in Sofia,  or someone working from home in their dressing gown and slippers surrounded by pets and children.

Bean counters  have ruined many a company.

Agree with all your comments. I have a feeling there's a bit of an echo chamber going on at Honda. Everything seems fine and dandy over on Reevoo: https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/honda-dealers-achieve-top-reevoo-rating-sales-experience-03-05-2017.

To an extent, Honda can control how this content is referenced on their website.

But completely ignoring their Trust Pilot rating is a huge mistake. I do this sort of thing for a living (driving digital improvements within companies) and recall a few years ago benchmarking traditionally well-regarded companies who  were failing online in terms of customer support. Miele, was one. Now, they've completely turned that around:
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.miele.co.uk

Trust Pilot does have its own issues but someone at Honda should be taking ownership of this issue and, with their teams, working diligently to improve the rating (it takes about a year to get things on track). This means answering each and every comment on the platform and routing / escalating via the relevant dealer as needed.

This is harder to do if a third-party is handling the day to day running but not impossible. I would be banging heads and bringing this into my weekly metrics to measure. After all, on social media and the Internet, every negative comment potentially drives away buyers, especially if there's critical mass on certain issues (i.e. reliability, expensive servicing, crappy dealers, poor customer service).

With less than 1% market share in the UK (and falling) they really need to pull their fingers out. Likely they will be saved for the next 2-3 years by an increasingly good model range (new Civic seems like a corker, great new HR-V+ new CR-V to come). But with the likelihood of selling more models, they really need to fix the underlying issue with customer support. And I see nothing to suggest they will...

« Last Edit: November 22, 2021, 04:19:47 PM by Jayt43 »

Jazzik

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Re: Honda UK and Customer Service
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2021, 04:24:57 PM »
My opinion: a good helpful dealer with staff who know what is expected of them is worth its weight in gold.
Once you have found such a dealer, you don't need to contact any customer service at all!
If the dealer does not know themselves, THEY will contact the sources of information available to them...

This is how it works at our Honda dealer.  :D
If nothing goes right, go left!

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