Problems with Woodhouse frame recall, Details inside.......

[Janni]

As most of you know we do our best to deal with each of our clients in as professional manner as possible. Do we make mistakes, absolutely!
I am sorry I have been out of town. In my last conversation with Paulo, by phone, involved a request for substantiation of the $400.00 he asked me for. I need a photo, a repair invoice and/or a shop name to support any refund request. Today I spoke to Paulo and he agreed to send me the photo I have been waiting on.
This issue will have a simple common sense resolution.

There's your answer from Woodhouse. Situation will be resolved as soon as requested substantiation is provided.

What you see above is a classy response from a classy business. There is ALWAYS 2 sides to every story. Note that nothing derogatory was said about the customer. (And I am sure he's not 100% clean - no one is). Note that Bob took responsibility for some mistakes being made, and never bad mouthed anything the customer did / said, etc.

This is a no win situation for a dealer. If he were to get into a ******* match with the customer (even IF the cusomter was in the wrong) it would look like bullying and sour grapes. So instead, you see a reputable business person owning up to a mistake, resolving to fix it, and doing so with complete professionalism.

It would serve no further purpose for Bob to respond to every nuance in Paolo's original post.

I have known Mr. Woodhouse for several years now, as well as Bill, Rick and Nancy. My personal experiences have been 100% exceeding my expectations, and I trust that if any changes need to be made regarding this situation, he will handle it. Bob is a consummate professional and will run his business to the highest standard.

He's much more aware of the situation that any of us here, and he's in a much better position to deal with it - as it's his name on the door - and ultimately reflects 100% on him.

 

[Janni]

Interstingly enough - I'd like to hear it!

I have never called you - I don't know your number.

Why would I call you? Jeez - get a grip. You've been had and apparently, so have I.

<font color="red"> Edit - Ya know - whatever pathetic, slimeball, loser, pinhead, sorry excuse for a human being that did this needs to get a real life and stop being a faceless, balless, classless waste of a social security number and get a real life. Grow some and tell me who you are - ***** waste. </font>

 

[SJT97GTS]

Interstingly enough - I'd like to hear it!

I have never called you - I don't know your number.

Why would I call you? Jeez - get a grip. You've been had and apparently, so have I.

<font color="red"> Edit - Ya know - whatever pathetic, slimeball, loser, pinhead, sorry excuse for a human being that did this needs to get a real life and stop being a faceless, balless, classless waste of a social security number and get a real life. Grow some and tell me who you are - ***** waste. </font>

DUN, DUN, DUN! The saga continues....

I think Colonel Mustard did it in the kitchten with the knife....

Someone needs to get a life!

 

[Paolo Castellano]

Janni, please call me @ 630-878-3907. I will let you hear the message. Paolo

 

[GARY J]

If things happened the way Paolo said they did he has every right to react the way he did. I would not have been that patient.

 

[SapphireGTS]

Sorry about your experience Paolo.

Dealers stink. Some owners may be good - but alot of their mechanics are drunken hillbillys.

Its amazing how tough people are over the phone.

 

[Paolo Castellano]

I just spoke w/Janni Cone and her voice is not the voice on the voicemail. Obviously someone is playing a game with us. I have to say Janni is a cool girl who is a Viper enthusiast to say the least. I hope to meet her in person someday!

 

[Mike Brunton]

Janni's cool - and I heard the voicemail too (and I never heard Jannis voice) and it sounded legitimately like someone calling him to [******] him out, so it sounds like someone is playing a joke here.

If it was a guy that left it, I wouldn't be too proud of the fact that you sound like a chick!

 

[JGarrett]

Errors and mistakes will always happen with people involved. It seems most dealers or vendors don't reply to negative comments (whether valid or not) as it would tend to add fuel to the fire. It's good to see positive progress on all sides and the fact that Woodhouse would reply with how he will resolve it is evidence of being a stand-up businessman.
Best to all the parties!
Jim

 

[viperdrummer]

This must be an abberational situation at best. Bob and Bill have always bent over backwards for me, and there are hundreds of posts to that effect on this board. This may be like the e-bay seller with 2200 positives and then a negative slips in. I could be wrong (heck, I would have never thought Rush was on drugs), but I will continue to believe that Woodhouse would be the last place to have an unresolved problem.

 

[NCVCA]

"For a woman doing a man's job, she's not bad at all, you know?"

I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time listing to your complaints with such stupid comments intermixed...

How about an apology? No one works for Bob as long as she has without EARNING IT.

 

[Paolo Castellano]

"For a woman doing a man's job, she's not bad at all, you know?"

I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time listing to your complaints with such stupid comments intermixed...

How about an apology? No one works for Bob as long as she has without EARNING IT.

NCVCA, one of my friends told me that some people might take the part you quoted the way you did.

It is too bad you do not see that as a compliment.

For every single thing I have ever purchased for the Viper or done with upgrading the Viper, I always deal with men, never women.

You have to agree the Viper tuning business is a man's world to say the least.

Dealing with Nancy was obviously a different, and not too bad, experience for me. Understand?

I would not have jeopardized the integrity of my post with "such stupid comments intermixed..."

If that offends you or anybody else, I apologize. I have already explained my viewpoint.

P.S. If you go to the Viper Alley "Problems with my Woodhouse Frame Recall" In the Viper Discussions section, You will see me defending Janni from some middle eastern guy giving her a hard time about being a woman who is into Vipers and racing Vipers.

 

[99 R/T 10]

"For a woman doing a man's job, she's not bad at all, you know?"

I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time listing to your complaints with such stupid comments intermixed...

How about an apology? No one works for Bob as long as she has without EARNING IT.

Why are you have a hard time "listing"? Sorry, to easy

 

[malcoll]

Interstingly enough - I'd like to hear it!

I have never called you - I don't know your number.

Why would I call you? Jeez - get a grip. You've been had and apparently, so have I.

<font color="red"> Edit - Ya know - whatever pathetic, slimeball, loser, pinhead, sorry excuse for a human being that did this needs to get a real life and stop being a faceless, balless, classless waste of a social security number and get a real life. Grow some and tell me who you are - ***** waste. </font>

SCORE... Janni.....

 

[Matt M PA]

96R/T 10..."Sorry, to easy", is just "Too" Easy..sorry.

 

[DEVILDOG]

This is very upsetting to hear. I'll reserve judgement until Woodhouse answers this post. However, it does not appear to me that the evident very poor mechanical work that was done on the car is in dispute. If you are the #1 Viper dealership in the USA you should return that customer patronage with the #1 repair service in the USA. Not securing a tie rod is inexcusable and just plain criminally negligent in my opinion. Woodhouse is very luck Paolo was not injured or killed as a result and obviously so is Paolo. To get the car back the second time with the alignment off horribly and the frame rail with a welding hole in it is just bad. I'd suggest that all the Viper Techs there be fired and start over from scratch. Also, service this bad reflects on the management and ownership. Apparantly they are not doing a good job either. Selling is one thing....reliable and safe service is another. There is no excuse for the crappy, unsafe repairs that were made or apparantly NOT made. Management is responsible to ensure appropriate checks are in place to ensure that the work done is correct and safe....PERIOD! I'd be extremely pissed if I and my car were treated with this crappy repair work...which is what caused this whole situation. If the person working on Paolo's car was not fired then I question management's ability to run a business properly.

DoucheDog - You're way out of line. Who pissed in your Wheaties today?

The service that was performed stunk and was dangerous. People that don't or can't or won't do their jobs correctly need to be held accountable. If I'm out of line for thinking that then tuff $hit if you don't like it....DeanieWeanie.

 

[Torquemonster]

I have to second you on this one Devildog.

Paolo had every right to be angry and showed more restraint than many would have. The bad work was not just bad - it was dangerous - end of story.

Everything is forgiveable when someone fesses up and fixes a problem. That's all it takes.

Glad Bob sounds like he'll now take care of Paolo - he needs to, no matter how embarrassing that his workshop was so bad twice. That is the real issue as imagine the liability if incompetent staff led to a customer having a serious accident that was traced back to faulty work done at that service center?

Especially now this issue has been brought to his attention.

It is just plain not acceptable for much lessor cars - but inexcusable on a car as fast as a Viper! A correct alignment can be done by any competent person with good gear in a 1000+ towns and cities across America. What Paolo got was work done by someone so slap happy they'll actually kill somebody one day if that kind of work continues to come out of there.

If I were Bob that would make it a major priority to develop a competent workshop staff that took pride in their work and had some kind of quality assurance check. Given the car sales side is rated as the best there is in Viperland - I'm confident efforts are being made to get the workshop up to similar standards. Good workers can be made - all you need in staff is to select those with basic aptitude, reasonable intelligence, and a great attitude - then resource them, look after them and treat them well. But if the worker attitude is negative or suspect - no amount of training or competence level will make them worth anything as one bad job on a bad day could undo everything they ever contributed and worse. Attitudes in the workplace are everything yet in my experince VERY FEW business owners/managers would have a clue as to what the real attitudes and morale were in the workplace behind their backs. I know - because part of my business involves reviewing other businesses and finding out what is going on in peoples minds right across an organisation. I know what it takes to get people to open up and they won't do that for bosses. But when business owners get that information - it provides an invaluable window of opportunity to leap frog ahead. Sloppy work is a sure sign of deeper problems - fortunately one that Bob will have more than enough wisdom and experience to fix now he is aware of it.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Viper/ebay
Woodhouse 1000 Million Gazillion Positives
1 Negative corrected
Nuff said

 

[garolittle]

Viper/ebay
Woodhouse 1000 Million Gazillion Positives
1 Negative corrected
Nuff said

I agree. Gentlemen, let's move on.

 

[NCVCA]

I was 'listening'... all along. Even though I wasn't spelling worth a flip!! Now I have also 'heard' Paul on the sexist issue and am glad I took it the wrong way.

Thanks for your post, I, and hopefully others, are not confused anymore.

Defending Janni doesn't buy you any points though... because she's as good a driver as anyone I've raced with and even a better crew chief. I'll never forget driving into the red mist behind her at Putnum Park Turn 9 as she sped through and I spun off trying to keep up.

Ah, the good 'ole days. Anyway, thanks for the clarification.

So, this thread should be officially dead now.

 

[DEVILDOG]

I have to second you on this one Devildog.

Paolo had every right to be angry and showed more restraint than many would have. The bad work was not just bad - it was dangerous - end of story.

Everything is forgiveable when someone fesses up and fixes a problem. That's all it takes.

Glad Bob sounds like he'll now take care of Paolo - he needs to, no matter how embarrassing that his workshop was so bad twice. That is the real issue as imagine the liability if incompetent staff led to a customer having a serious accident that was traced back to faulty work done at that service center?

Especially now this issue has been brought to his attention.



It is just plain not acceptable for much lessor cars - but inexcusable on a car as fast as a Viper! A correct alignment can be done by any competent person with good gear in a 1000+ towns and cities across America. What Paolo got was work done by someone so slap happy they'll actually kill somebody one day if that kind of work continues to come out of there.

If I were Bob that would make it a major priority to develop a competent workshop staff that took pride in their work and had some kind of quality assurance check. Given the car sales side is rated as the best there is in Viperland - I'm confident efforts are being made to get the workshop up to similar standards. Good workers can be made - all you need in staff is to select those with basic aptitude, reasonable intelligence, and a great attitude - then resource them, look after them and treat them well. But if the worker attitude is negative or suspect - no amount of training or competence level will make them worth anything as one bad job on a bad day could undo everything they ever contributed and worse. Attitudes in the workplace are everything yet in my experince VERY FEW business owners/managers would have a clue as to what the real attitudes and morale were in the workplace behind their backs. I know - because part of my business involves reviewing other businesses and finding out what is going on in peoples minds right across an organisation. I know what it takes to get people to open up and they won't do that for bosses. But when business owners get that information - it provides an invaluable window of opportunity to leap frog ahead. Sloppy work is a sure sign of deeper problems - fortunately one that Bob will have more than enough wisdom and experience to fix now he is aware of it.

WELL said Torquemonster!

 

[DEVILDOG]

Viper/ebay
Woodhouse 1000 Million Gazillion Positives
1 Negative corrected
Nuff said

I seriously doubt that this is the only service complaint Woodhouse has ever received based on the degree of incompetance that was evident not once...but TWICE on the same repair. As Torquemonster so eloquently explained this is reflective of serious root problems. Hopefully, management will address the root problem by seriously addressing the issue with the mechanics involved and put supervisory quality checks in place before another car leaves their shop in a dangerous condition. I suspect that those of you that wnat to gloss this over are not successful business managers and you probably accept whatever level of customer service you receive no matter how poor it is. To each his own! If I got my car back as Paolo did that put my life in danger ther would be attorneys involved to ensure it never happened to me or anyone else again. For a car to leave Woodhouse in that condition is seriously incompetant and criminaly negligent. What has Woodhouse done to ensure this dosen't happen again? I don't know...do you? I had a similar experience once and the mechanic was fired and the supervisors were reprimanded. Oil overfilled by 2 quarts, oil spilled on front bra, alternator mount broken and tried to cover up with an improper weld which no one was informed of, hood not completely closed, one valve cover had chipped off paint. You want that kind of service...then gloss it over when it happens and you'll get it again and so will everyone else...Thanks. If Woodhouse is #1 IN Sales they should be #1 in SERVICE or at least provide safe, competent repair work. I truly wish Bob the best in resolving the core issue.

 

[joe117]

"would be attorneys involved to ensure it never happened to me or anyone else again."

Exactly how would that case work?
What would you claim for damages?

 

[DEVILDOG]

"would be attorneys involved to ensure it never happened to me or anyone else again."

Exactly how would that case work?
What would you claim for damages?

Mental pain and anguish, time without car, phone expense, my time expense and exposure to incompetent morons (Woodhouse Viper Tech and Service Supervisor)! If I had been injured in an accident because of the non-secured control arm the dealership would be mine.

 

[Fast Viper Dan]

If I ever have a need to replace my Viper, my first call will be to WoodHouse, Bill P. or Bob if Bill is busy.
I can believe something went wrong, but I can't believe Woodhouse holds all the blame.
I do hope you will find resolution to your problem.
Dan

 

[joe117]

"Mental pain and anguish, time without car, phone expense, my time expense and exposure to incompetent morons"

I'm no lawyer and I'm not making any excuses for poor work by anyone, but I don't think you would have any case, not even on judge Judy.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Well, I guess that was a shot at me so I'll respond to the "glossing over successful business managers" crack.
I don't know what you do but I'm CEO of my own business, ex CEO of a successful business with other investors, and ex senior VP of a fortune 50. Now if you think you have superior business knowledge how can you refute the point that I tried to make in a quiet way with an ebay reference. In any sensible business decision you look at the FACTS, NOT THE EMOTIONS. In this case we have a vendor who has been in the Viper business for many years and who appears via the internet to have a stellar reputation. I challenge anyone to do a search here and come up with a negative. Now one individual comes on and makes comments negatively, the other side capitulates and fixes it. Woodhouse chose, perhaps not wisely, to NOT tell their side of the story, but that might have seemed to them the best public relations way to go, as Paolo was acting very much the gentleman and agreeing that all was well now. Now how the HELL does a gazzillion positive comments and one negative comment consist of "glossing it over" in terms of good business sense. Gimme a break!

 

[NCVCA]

This thread is causing me "Mental pain and anguish and exposure to incompetent morons".

Who can I sue? I'm ready to spend some time on the phone so I can add that to my list...

But seriously, I've owned in whole or part 4 past businesses and 2 currently. I only wish my employees loved me and working for those companies as much as Bob's employees do him and his dealerships. How does a guy sell about 3000 cars a month in a town with just inder 3000 people? hmmm. I don't think I'd venture all the way out to what I assume is near the middle of nowhere kneeeebrasssska to buy a car without a reason. But thousands of people do.... every month. hmmm.

Have any of you ever met the man? Have you talked to his employees? I'll say I'm very very impressed.

If it's been said once it's been said 100 times even in this thread, mistakes happen - should be expected when your one of the biggest dealers in the country!! There's not a single dealer OF ANY BRAND within driving distance that I haven't heard 10 horror stories about.

Why all this excitement? Maybe it's the first ***** in the Woodhouse armor. Well maybe it is, but I don't think any less of the man or the organization for it.

I hope everyone will consider measuring the dealership against the average, not against 100% perfection - that's just not realistic -- or fair.

My .02

 

[Torquemonster]

On that note - I'd like to hasten to add despite my comments about the servicing etc - I'm still more than happy to deal with them in purchasing a Viper - new or used.

There are too many positive experiences to allow one negative to cause me to lose all perspective on this.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

"There are too many positive experiences to allow one negative to cause me to lose all perspective on this"

Torgue....great comment and hopefully supporting what I have said, it's just about business statistics, you're a senior level consultant, I think you get it.