1 /5 Gerald Ventrice: I am writing to formally express my deep concern and total disappointment regarding the appalling behaviour and poor treatment my daughter received during her recent interactions with some of the staff at Essendon Hyundai. Unfortunately, the experience was far from satisfactory, and both my daughter and I are extremely upset by the way we were treated.
Initially, the customer service seemed acceptable, but as soon as we encountered significant issues with the vehicle, everything quickly turned sour. The treatment we received can be best described as unprofessional, rude, unhelpful, and downright condescending. What is especially troubling is that my daughter felt uncomfortable, unsupported, and disregarded throughout the entire process. It is completely unacceptable that a customer, particularly one who has just made such an important purchase, should be treated in this manner. Each time we visited the dealership, we felt disrespected, which caused unnecessary stress.
We were made to feel as though we were bothering the staff, and the following points illustrate some of the feelings we experienced:
1. Lack of Attention and Communication: Despite the numerous issues we faced with the car, including it being in the service department for almost eight weeks, we received no communication unless my daughter proactively followed up. We were repeatedly told, “we will call you back,” yet no such calls were made.
2. Dismissive and Condescending Attitude: It became evident that the car had several issues, and each time we raised these concerns with the service department, we were made to feel as though we were lying or exaggerating the situation. This was especially frustrating, as the vehicle we purchased was brand new and we had owned it for only one week before problems began to arise. After minimal resolution provided, we had received a call from the Sales manager advising that if we were wanting to purchase the same car after the buy back that we would be required to pay an additional $6,000 above purchase price. When we had rang other dealerships, we were told that they can sell us the same car for the original price we purchased this for in November. This made it evident that Hyundai Essendon were making a markup on the vehicle to ensure we did not return as we were advised on the phone to purchase elsewhere.
3. Failure to Provide Information: When we raised concerns about the issues with the vehicle, we were often told that these were standard features of the car. I found this response to be entirely unprofessional, and it made us feel as though our concerns were being dismissed. No detailed information was provided at the time of purchase about potential issues with the vehicle. This should have been addressed upfront during the sales process.
4. Unnecessary Stress: The lack of empathy and compassion shown by certain staff members was staggering. At one point, when it seemed like we were finally nearing a resolution, we were told we should go and buy another car from another dealership. This suggestion was not only rude but completely inappropriate.
