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MERCEDESBENZ
Page 61
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The Mercedes experience started encouragingly enough: we got a recorded message after one ring and a real operator after two more.The booking procedure was e fficient, helped by an operator with local knowledge of Crick's RDC complex. Unfortunately, due to "a couple ofjobs pending", the ETA was three hours.
Two hours later, we had a call extending this by another hour.This came and went, and after a total of four-and-a-half hours the technician called to say he would arrive in half an hour, which he did.Alt hough the total callout time was distinctly unimpressive, at least we were kept informed of progress.
Mercedes' response was"We are bitterly disappointed with this result as it does not reflect the huge investment that our UK dealer network is undertaking. Our current average attendance time is 87 minutes. In this instance, the dealer who responded was handling an unusually high workload with all eight of its dedicated Service 24hr breakdown vans out on calls."
Clearly Robert Ward had been a busy bunny, what with vans as well as heavies to look after. We ventured to suggest that it had been a hell of a day-,he replied with an impressively brave smile:"It's been a hell of a week! This is my sixth job it's been all Sprinters today."
If we had a prize for perseverance Ward would get it. He's one of four technicians on call and by all accounts they're kept busy. Having been informed that our Actros tractor was a non-starter at the D1DC he told us:"It's usually a battery or starter motor. I've got a jump-start pack for flat batteries in the van for both 12 and 24V, and also spare alternators and starter motors for all Mercedes heavy truck models."
Ward also revealed an interesting difference between van and HGV drivers when faced with a potential breakdown:"The lights call you out for everything whereas with the truck driver it's got to be stopped before he'll call."
Duration of initial call: 4min Time to arrive: 5hr 4min