Skoda Auto India has undoubtedly been seller of some of the fun-to-drive cars in the mainstream market. From exciting cars like the Rapid DSG to the utterly bonkers Octavia vRS – we need to give it to the carmaker for bringing fun to (relatively) affordable cars. There’s no denying the highly attractive character of most Skoda cars but one of things that keeps many away from these vehicles is the expensive maintenance and the dealership attitude. In fact, there have already been many horror stories about the authrised dealership taking the customers for a ride. Fortunately, however, things are slowly but surely changing, especially since the appointment of Zac Hollis as the carmaker’s Director of Sales, Service and Marketing. That said, the recent incident that took place with a potential Kushaq buyer will leave you wondering if things are actually bound to improve.
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This incident has been reported by one Vickram Aadityaa, who writes – “I’ve possessed 2 Skodas in the past but with Kushaq – Skoda dealer Asking for 18-20k for accessories (not even worth the price) and insisting that you buy them is ridiculous. Also dealer shouldn’t insist of taking their insurance which in any case is higher compared to other insurers.” In his post, the potential customer tagged Zac Hollis and typical of the head honcho, he was quick to replay with an explantion.
Zac Hollis said – “Accessories are not mandatory but highly recommended. The kit contains elements designed specifically for the Kushaq and not available outside. In my opinion it represents excellent value for money. I would also recommend buying insurance through the dealer as this will enable a smooth claim process but again this is up to you. If you have any concerns then please write to me Zachary.Hollis@skoda-auto.co.in.” To this, Aadityaa replied – “Zac Hollis I may agree with you as far as your insurance explanation is concerned. Dilemma is that the dealers cannot be forceful on customers to buy accessories. My dealer rudely asked me to cancel the booking if I refuse to buy the accessories! Infact I was on the verge of canceling the booking the same moment but I thought before I do that I raise a hand / question to Skoda or you in particular. He was arrogant enough to tell me that Skoda made it mandatory for all dealers and have dumped huge amount of accessories stock with them. What will we do with our accessories stock if customers don’t buy the kit – he asked. The Accessories kit that he showed me contains many things I don’t need – a skoda Keychain, a scent bottle, a car cover or a set of square pillows which can’t be highly recommended.”
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From above, it’s clear that the particular dealer has been trying to sell the optional accessories pack as something that’s compulsory to buy and by doing so, it’s been trying to offload the high inventory of accessories it has apparently been forced to purchase from the carmaker. Also, it’s clear from Zac’s response that Skoda encourages usage of only genuine accessories, which is something that isn’t particularly a bad idea as it helps you protect your warranty. However, purchase of things like a key chain and cushions is something that shouldn’t be pushed as mandatory. Also, ideally, the buyer should be free to purchase insurance from any source. But it isn’t uncommon to see claims on insurance procured from a third party taking much longer to be cleared. Once again, Zac Hollis has demonstrated his dedication towards the company through his prompt response but that doesn’t take away the fact that dealers selling accessories pack as something compulsory is nothing but a malpractice.
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