Awkward phone shops. Ideas?

Has anyone else worked on the BMW car dealership phone shops? You are supposed to call the service department and tell them you're having a specific car trouble. They ask you when you would like to schedule an appointment, and then you're supposed to tell them you can't make the appointment right now. Well, why would you be calling if you're not going to make an appointment! I find these very awkward, and yet I have signed up for many of them. Anyone come up with ideas for finessing this assignment?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Phone Shops

You could be calling hoping they can tell you the fix over the phone, but that would depend on what problem you're reporting. Or you could tell them you wanted an idea of when they would be able to take you, but you need to check with your husband's schedule to see if any of their openings works for him.

"Say, I'm just trying to find out if it would be immediately or several days before we could get an appointment. I need to make arrangements for alternate transport first."

If they offer a loaner car, "I'm really not comfortable driving cars that don't belong to me; I have a friend who offered to pick me up and I need to check with her first."

Time to build a bigger bridge.

My go-to line is that I'm heading out of town in a few days but don't know exactly when, that I'm waiting to hear back from work.

Basically, just say your schedule is crazy right now and you don't know when you can commit to an appointment.

------------------------------------------------
Plan the work. Work the plan.

make it really awkward and ask why you have to bring the car in to get it fixed?

Sometimes less information is better. I think it's a mild condition of "Shopper Paranoia" (that should be included in the DSM-VI) making it awkward. There could be any number of reasons you're not ready to make an appointment, so don't give them a reason at all and they won't think anything of it.Just say, "I'll have to call you back on that. Thank you for your help. Goodbye."

There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.

dspeakes, I just used your "check with husband's schedule" approach and it felt better. You're right, LJ. I do try not to overthink things most of the time.

I tell them that I suddenly realize I don't have my datebook with me, and "ha ha", had better not rely on my memory. Signed - Night Owl.

I use the have to check with my husband excuse when I can. I know that one is not permitted to say that you need to check with your spouse or someone else on some shops, especially car dealerships.

**********************************
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
**********************************
Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. -Frank Clark
**********************************

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Awkward phone shops. Ideas?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine