Picture this:
You walk into a company authorised service centre (ASC). The Manager-in-charge, steps out to greet you warmly. You explain that your motorcycle was stranded due to the lockdown & have come to check on a few critical spares. He responds positively, walks along to the spares counter and instructs the spares in-charge, to take down the list & issue all that’s available, while sharing a timeline on the out-of-stock spares being available again. So far so good, right? Absolutely!

Complying with the request to step outside while the spares availability is checked, half hour passes by. You walk in to check, only to know that there’s been no progress. The in-charge was busy serving the spares issue requests for the in-workshop bikes. Understandable, so you step outside. The fourth time doing this, you stay put and slowly the nightmare begins to unravel.

You realize that spares are stocked in a very haphazard manner. The person concerned is fishing around the computer to pull up the related parts manual and identify the spares request. Part & bin numbers are noted on a paper pad, before checking. There is a visible mismatch in stock levels, from what is displayed in the system, to what is actually present (or can be found easily). Everything is buried under piles of unrelated spares. Things proceed at ‘DMV records check in Zootopia’ pace.

Communication & understanding the spares requirement is all gibberish. Three frustrated hours later, you’re told that most of the stuff you’d requested isn’t available. Some are available at their other ASC but no attempt is made to close the deal. Of the four spares received, two are incomplete (with no sub-parts). Two of the four, are with packets torn open (one of these has been re-stapled). While all this is on-going, the in-house bikes for repairs aren’t faring too well either. Mechanics sounding off on spares being unavailable leading to delayed turn-around times there as well.

Paying for the spares available, you collect the receipt and walk out – straight to your friendly neighbourhood mechanic. Who, given a day, manages to source all but a couple of (cosmetic/non-essential) them at the local market.

Repairs will get done, a motorcycle will be back on the road, rides will continue…What’s changed is the brand-experience. The Authorised Service Centre has lost revenues (counter-sales & future in-house repairs).

More importantly, the faith and trust in the company authorized service network is broken.

Image Reference Link (Creative Commons licensed): https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-sewnr