Conference terri::cars_uk

Keith,
   I have just come back from car fleet after chasing some quotes
I requested 5 weeks ago.  They were sat in a pile of quotes 3 inches
thick and nothing had been done with them!!!  Fleet say that they
will process them today, and I should get the results back in
about 5 days.
cheers
Kevin

    Kevin,
    
    Yes, I had to chase them up before they "found" my quotes. I'm glad I
    didn't wait indefinetly!
    5-days ay.....we wait and see.......
    
    Keith.

Don't tell me about fleet backlogs! I got my new road fund licence from them on
the 18th January and only because of a personal visit (it ran out on the 1st
January).

Dave.

    I have to defend Fleet and say that my new tax disc arrived right at the
    end of November, in time for its 30 November expiry....
    
    Stephen

    The stories aren't all bad,
    
    I put in 2 quotes on 	1-sep-1992
    got the acknowledgements   15-sep-1992
    got the quotes back	       21-sep-1992
    send order to Fleet	       22-sep-1992
    PHH receives order         24-sep-1992
    
    Then wait months and months, including hassling the garage, and car
    turns up on 8th Jan (minus floor mats, which I'm still awaiting!).
    
    Huw. (who's tax disc turned up 3 days early) 

    I've just put 2 quotes in this week. When I get a response I'll post
    another reply.
    
    Dave.
    

The secret of succesful quoting/ordering is to hassle them every step of 
the way.

When I actually ordered I rang them to 'check' they had received the form, 
then rang again to be told it was lost!
Then I rang again and again, until I was given an anticipated date, which I 
didn't believe, so I rang PHH, then tracked down the garage itself, 
explained that as my car was over 60,000 I was trying to get the new one 
asap, and got it 2 months before the fleet anticipated day!

Greg

    
    What's all this about car fleet not being part of Digital? Is this
    true?
    
    Richard

	Huh, I sent quotes to car fleet, when I rang to find out where
	they were, they said they had e-mailed them to me

	..................unfortunately their badge number/name database was
	over three years out of date, and they had sent them back to my
	maiden name - I suppose it was hard-copy printed somewhere and then
	thrown away.

	So, beware, they don't look at the name on the quote request, only
	the badge number - and they don't do much of a job of keeping it 
	current.

	Heather

    I wish I saw this yesterday ;-)
    
    I was in DECpark so I paid Fleet a visit.  Yep!  There is a stack of
    quotes about 3" thicks and mine was found half way down (submitted four
    weeks ago) - it's now on the top and this morning there was an All-in-1
    acknowledgement.  I shall await with interest to see how long the quote
    is coming.
    
    So it just goes to prove, he who shouts loudest.... with apologies to
    all those whose quotes got leap frogged.  What a way to run a business!

Last time I looked, Ray Bird was responsible for Purchasing, try sending your
comments to him.

Dave.

	If you have to wait ages for a special quote then soon everyone 
will give up and take a std quote....but if someone complains process 
them in order to keep the level of noise down.

Just to let you all know ...

i have just had a phone call from someone who is going to attempt to
get the "free beer for a day"!

Lets wish him/her all the best (i can't name them)

Cheers,

Martin

    It should be remembered that even if you ordered from the preferred
    list, car fleet will still have to put in a quote. It just means that
    you will pay the price on the list if the quote is higher.
    
    Roy

Don't you mean you'll pay the price on the list regardless of whether the
quote returned is higher or lower?

Ian

    Oh Dear! I didn't realise I'd be stirring up this much of a hornets
    nest when I wrote .0! Looks like there is a lot of dissatisfied
    cutomers out there!
    
    Re .12. Martin....Is it a manager that has taken up your challenge?
    
    If not whose going to be brave enough to copy this whole note to a
    senior manager!
    
    My quote acknowledgements arrived with me on the 18th. I'll let you all
    know when the quotes come through.
    
    Keith.
    
    P.S. Perhaps when I booked my ferry crossing for August '93 I should have
    given them my current registration!                        

Keith,

yes, it is a *manager* who has taken up the challenge, and one who is
(hopefully) in a position to do something about the current problems.

This person specifically asked me to maintain anonymity, but rest assured
that they are fully aware of the problems, and _constructive_ comments in
this notes conference can only help to improve things!

I just hope that this person isn't a heavy drinker ;-)

mb

    
    Question...
    
    How long does it take to get a quote acknowledgement back???
    
    
    Sharon

Mine took about 10 days for the acknowledgement, then 7 days for the
quote.

I think they've got a backlog now though so it may take longer.


	Ian

    I sent my quote on 14/12/92. Still no sign - not even an
    acknowledgement. This despite ringing and being told things like "I'll
    move it to the top of the pile", "I'll do it today" on more than one
    occasion.
    
    My patience is running out.
    
    Andrew

    Perhaps someone's trying to tell you something Andrew ;^)

    
    That makes me feel a lot better, I phoned the chappie in Car fleet 
    yesterday and he said "I'll do these quotes today"...and there was me
    thinking he meant it.  I must be so gullable (sp?)...probably goes with
    phrases like:
    
    "Of course I love you" and "The world is flat"
    
    Who is that masked man/woman who is going to save us from all this???
    
    Sharon

    QUOTE(s) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TOOK 1 MONTH
    QUOTE(s) TOOK 5 DAYS AFTER CHASING
    
    I rejected both on expense grounds and got the guy to work on another
    quote I had put in coz I though the first two were lost(yes that's 
    3 so far) He did this in real time while I dictated it to him on
    the phone. 

    C.
    
    

    Just to let you know that I had my second qoute back 8-days after
    acknowledgement.
    
    Now to place an order! The quote says that its only valid for 30-days
    so I guess that they have got to submit it by
    then........................haven't they?!
    
    Keith.

I wouldn't be surprised if our car scheme adopted a similar approach in the
near future. I wouldn't like it, but it would save the company a lot of
money.


	Ian

    Roy,
    
    Olivetti get GIVEN extra money by Vauxhall for every car they buy,
    because all fleet cars are Vauxhalls. This is on top of the discount
    they get from the fleet buyers.
    
    BTW IF you think that's bad, they've now all been told that their
    choice is Vauxhall DIESELS only! Many unhappy SRI drivers just about to
    renew their cars ;^)
    
    Now you can see why the company would be better off!
    
    Greg                

    
    Things are looking up, I received two quote acknowledgements this
    morning (nearly 1 month after sending them in).  Now how long did we
    say from acknowledgement to quote...was it 8 days or 80???
    
    Sharon

    OK 
    
    Here is my Constructive feedback.
    
    Mid December I sent two quotes off to car fleet.
    
    Mid January contacted the chap in car fleet who deals with quotes, he
    told me that there was a massive backlog and that if I didn't hear from
    him, then he had found my quote and started processing it. I didn't
    hear anything so was confident my quote was being processed.
    
    1st February 1993, 14:00, called the same chap, he wasn't there, but I
    was told he would call me back this afternoon.
    
    1st February 1993, 17:20, called car fleet - NO ANSWER FROM ANYONE
    
    1ST February 1993, 18:25, still have not heared anything.
    
    My car has now done 60250 miles, the lease expires on 6th or 9th of
    Feb. I had better not get a reminder from car fleet that my lease has
    expired.
    
    I will let you all know what happens.
    
    Regards
    
    Ken De Carlo
     

    
    May I add to this litany of despair!
    
    Quotes I put in 6-7 weeks ago haven't been acknowledged never mind
    prices being returned on, although they are believed to be in the
    system somewhere, as my name is remembered as sticking out a bit!
    
    I have also asked for a price on my current car whose lease expires
    in less than a fortnight, and I'm still waiting 3 weeks down the 
    line, although vtx dutifully informed a response will be forthcoming
    in 5 working days. On enquiry I was told 10, now we're up to 15 and
    counting!
    
    I'm not necessarily feeling angst at car fleet, as they are caught
    in the middle with the lease companies, and have tried to be helpful
    when I've called. Perhaps we need a Service Level Agreement with the
    lease companies, or even better to shop around a lot more with a response 
    to a quote request needing to be responded to within x days or a bid for 
    the business is lost. That might buck a few ideas up!
    
    Gordon (Calland-Scoble)
    

But just think of all the money that has been saved since the September 1991
overhaul!


	Ian

    I am only too well aware of the quotes backlog problem in Fleet.  I
    am taking action today, to try to radically reduce the backlog.
    
    You can help us by making sure that the car you request a quote for is
    the current model, that you are clear about the options you want and
    you allow the people doing the work an opportunity to do it.
    
    Please restrict yourself to the two quotes we have traditionally given. 
    At the moment we are being asked to give quotes at the rate of 4,000 a
    year.  For a company that only changes about 1,200 cars a year, that is
    more quotes than is neccessary.
    
    In the last few weeks, we have had some successes in CarFleet and we
    have an agenda for getting it right.  I am determined to succeed in this,
    but cannot do it without my customers' help and goodwill.
    
    Doug

    Being very careful Roy, (.39), I might say that you make a very valid
    point.  With the benefit of hindsight, it looks as though we have,
    albeit with the best intentions, produced something which is too
    complex to be managed properly.
    
    Doug 

    I would like to commend .40 as the most honest note from a person with
    responsibility, that I've seen in a long time. If my assumption that
    Doug is a new(ish) appointee, then there seems to be hope for the
    future.
    
    Secondly, opening a direct dialogue with your user community is a
    sensible decision. Feedback is instant and honest, and as such,
    valuable. Notes is a powerful tool, a good friend, and a deadly enemy.
    
    Laurie$not_a_permie.

	Also, now the "recent quotes" have gone, people like me - who take the
	money - put in their two quotes to decide whether to continue to stay 
	out, or join.

	So its not just dependent on the number of cars coming up for renewal.

	Heather whos_thinking_of_changing_her_car

Car Fleet have handled my quotes and order without any problems. They
have given me details of the new car, and the supplying dealer...

so sometimes it does work well. Mind you, they also couldn't tell me anything
about the tyre replacement policy, and said both lease companies have the
same rules.... 

Peter.

    
    Well having read the catalogue of woes in this note it was with much
    trepidation I put two quotes in the week before last. I got quotes back
    within 7 days!
    
    Richard

Well, surely tnat goes to show that whinging in Notes conferences does
have some effect.


	Ian

    
    This depends on how loud you Whine I suppose...
    
    I got my two quotes back this morning after much chasing and a visit to
    car fleet by my husband (who was chasing his as well) and one of them
    has been rejected!!!
    
    Only if you have had a quote rejected can you understand how
    frustrating this is because you do not get a reason, instead you have
    to phone up and find out why.
    
    And the reason was.... 
    
    One of the optional extras is no longer an optional extra!
    
    
    ** FLAME ON**
    
    WHY THE H**L COULDN'T THEY JUST RING AND TELL ME THAT!  I NOW HAVE TO
    HAVE THE SAME QUOTE RESUBMITTED, MINUS THE ONE OPTIONAL EXTRA AND
    START THE WHOLE GAME AGAIN.
    
    I THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS SORTING THIS MESS OUT - PERHAPS THEY OUGHT TO
    START WITH THE BASICS LIKE "HOW TO USE A TELEPHONE!!"
    
    ** FLAME OFF ***
    
    FWIW the other quote was zero priced but no options.
               
    
    Sharon
          

    re .44
    
    I put a couple of quotes in two weeks ago, (to the day) and have heard
    nothing yet. Oh well, maybe I'll have some mail waiting for me tomorrow
    morning !.
    
    Dave
    (The wishful thinker !!!).
    

        re .46>
        
        Someone in this office had their quote for a Citroen BX
        rejected because he specified it as a hatchback but it's 
        actually a saloon. The fact that the BACK of the car consists
        of a wacking great HATCH is immaterial, Citroen call it a
        saloon and so must you.
        
        His second quote for a TGD SALOON was also rejected because
        it's now a TZD!
        
        Ian.

        Having just added a whinge, I'd like to wish Doug Arnold
        good luck in sorting the mess out. My own constructive
        suggestion is to return to the previous system.
        
        Ian.

I too, would like to wish Doug all the best in sorting out fleet, even
though it is going to cost me a crate of beer (although he would prefer
Dom Perignon)  ;-)

I just hope that he gets the _authority_ to do what he feels necessary
to improve things (all things, costs, quality of service, morale of
his staff etc), and isn't battered down by the bean counters.

If a few more higher level managers took note of what said in conferences
such as this, rather than branding us as "whingers", then perhaps changes
in the organisation and business practices would reflect the real issues,
and not those of deck-chair attendents!

Good luck Doug,

mb

I thought another major revies of the car scheme was already underway
and has been for some time now. Does anyone have any details? Will
we return to more public access to quotes? Will we all be driving Sierras/
Mondeos? Will driver prices increase?


	Ian

    On a side issue. I mailed Sally Fountaine (Car fleet takeovers) asking
    to take over a car until fleet process my quotes and added the request
    that if the Passat I'd asked for had gone please tell me what was left.
    Sally would not tell me, mail or phone, what was left and said that I
    should wait for the new list later this week.
    
    So I'm driving my car with the miles mounting and Fleet won't tell me
    what's left - it makes me want to cry. Well almost.
    
    Andrew

    Are the people who are currently revising the car scheme
    
    a) the same as the cretins who devised the fiasco in place today?
    
    and
    
    b) asked the users for feedback both on the problems and suggested
       solutions?
    
    Angus

Re .40 asking for all quotes to be up to date correct model etc , would it	
not seem reasonable to have all old models removed from the Preffered Car
List and the list to be updated with the current models/options .

At the same time it would seem quite sensible to add in the most popular
makes/models that have been requested or ordered , this would surely save a 
lot of wasted time both for car fleet customers and car fleet themselves.

							Stuart

    Two weeks ago I ring up fleet and ask when my lease expires: 2nd Feb
    1993 came back the answer. Note this is the original expiry date for 30
    months. I complete two quotes and submit them. Not trusting the system,
    I mail fleet to confirm the expiry date; I want it in writing. Fleet
    responded the next day (yes, don't fall off your chairs, you did read
    it right, the next day) to confirm that the lease expires on 2nd August
    1993. So, hwo do I believe?
    
    Today, I put my car in for repairs to the clutch. The garage ring up
    Hertz to get authorisation for the repairs and for a 30K service; I
    didn't ask for the service (forgot) but the garage were on the ball.
    
    Guess what? As far as Hertz are concerned, the lease expired two days
    ago (2nd Feb 1993) and they were expecting the car yesterday.
    
    I assume fleet have ripped up my quotes, but its a big assumption.
    
    Angus                      

    
    Reading all this stuff makes me even more glad that I never opted in to
    the "hassle free motoring" available under Digital's car lease
    scheme...
    
    Trevor

    Angus
    
    We were all informed some time ago that our leases would automatically
    be extended to 36months if we already had a car on a 30 month lease.
    
    I don't know how this was done, but your car appears to have been
    overlooked. Maybe the leases weren't extended on all cars.
    
    For anyone with a car that was originally for 30 months and is clocking
    up a high mileage, you can advise fleet and change your car at the end
    of the original 30 month period. This is what I am doing.
    
    Roy

    Your not the only one who has been overlooked.
    
    I phoned up PHH about two weeks ago to determine when my lease was
    due for renewal and they still had the 30 month date, whereas Fleet
    said it was the new 36 month date. The person I spoke to at PHH did
    say that Fleet can change the length of the lease period at any time
    before expiry.
    
    I also asked PHH if there were any penalties for late return, but they
    said they didn't speak to drivers and I'd have to take up the matter
    with fleet.
    
    Ian.

    The other thing to check if your car originally had a 30 month lease
    and you are keeping it for 3 years, is to check the fleetcard expiry
    date.
    
    You may need to ask for a new one. You will get problems if you try
    using for repairs after the expiry date.
    
    Roy

>is to check the fleetcard expiry date.

Mines 09/95 and I've had the car two years!

Dave ;-)

    
    I've just had National Breakdown out cos my petrol cap got stuck, lucky
    they didn't ask for the fleet card as it ran out 09/92 when the car was
    originally due to expire - never thought of it till now but the car
    only has a month to go now so it's a bit late to get a new card.
    
    Sharon

    >> I've just had National Breakdown out cos my petrol cap got stuck, lucky
    >> they didn't ask for the fleet card as it ran out 09/92 when the car was
        
        I doubt whether National Breakdown are that bothered about
        fleet cards. We have them on a "pay-as-you-use" basis, i.e.
        Digital is billed for each callout.
        
        Ian.

    Waiting for me in my mail this morning was an Acknowledgment from car
    fleet, two and a half weeks after I submitted the quote. The odd thing
    is I submitted two quotes in the same envelope and have only had one
    acknowledged !.
    
    Still maybe tomorrow ?.
    
    Dave.
    

    Sorry folks, I've been on leave so I haven't kept up with this note.
    
    I contacted fleet about my 'over due' car. They said that all cars had
    been automatically extended and that Hertz/PHH were informed of this.
    They then went on to say that the operation was so huge (3700+ cars)
    that it was inevitable that some cars would be missed. It never occured
    to the managers of Fleet to get a list of 'modified' lease dates from
    Hertz and PHH and cross check that all had been extended. A souless
    boring task I'll admit, but it could have been done in a couple of
    days. Already my boss and I have wasted a day on this.
    
    When I first phone Fleet, four weeks ago, it was Fleet who informed me
    that my car was due for renewal on 2nd Feb. Not trusting Fleet a
    micrometer, I sought verification in writing and was duely told 2nd
    August. Then Hertz inform the servicing garage that it was due on 2nd of
    Feb. I'm now back to being told its the 2nd of Aug.
    
    Fleet also said that although my Prime card had expired, this should
    cause no problems. We'll see.
    
    I asked about penalties for overdue cars i.e. if Hertz reckon my car
    was overdue would they hit my cost center with charges. Fleet said
    there were no penalties. Again, we'll see.
    
    I can deal with the leases being extended, in fact its somewhat
    advantageous as it gives me a chance to see what Lamont (have I got it
    right :-) has in store for us and what the diesel Espace looks like.
    What I can't deal with is all this running around in a process that is
    supposed to have saved us money.
    
    Angus

	4 jan 1993 - submit first quote
	3 feb 1993 - quote acknowledged
	
	8 feb 1993 - submit second quote
	8 feb 1993 - quote acknowledged!
	
	jack 

    Re: last
    
    I think he must be, I got my "resubmitted" quote back this morning. 
    Although I think the credit has to go to Hilary Bailey who dealt with my
    re-quote personally because the other chappie was training.
    
    This one was also zero priced so the order went straight in...now I
    wonder how long...???!!!
    
    Sharon

    Sharon,
    
    I posted my order from home, directly to REO F3 on Thursday 28th Jan.
    (I don't trust internal mail!)
    Allowing for the fact that it probably didn't get to DECPark until
    Monday 1st Feb, I guess Fleet should have had it by Tuesday 2nd. I had
    confirmation that the order had been placed with the leasing company on
    Wednesday 3rd.
    
    Can't beat that really, can you.
    
    Keith.

    
    
    I sent in 2 quote forms about 3 weeks ago......not even an
    acknowledgement yet.
    
    Still waiting
    
    Richard (Young)

    I sent 2 quotes in at the beginning of December '92. I was told in
    Jan'93 that they were on the system. I have since found out that they
    are still not in the system ...!!
    
    My car ran out yesterday, and is due a 63,000 service ....!!
    
    How long are quote supposed to take ....!!!??
    
    Mark
    

    The replies to this note have been very informative.
    
    It would seem that the sensible thing to do is phone car fleet if you
    haven't had a quote acknowlegement within 7 to 10 days.
    
    Roy

    I would say it was a must cos if you don't and all the other people
    waiting for quotes are ringing them, your's just gets nearer and nearer
    the bottom.
    
    Sharon
    

    In my reply (.38) I said I was taking action to deal with a backlog of
    quotes.  This has happened but has inevitably taken longer than I
    anticipated owing to the size of the problem and the need to put in an
    additional administrator who needed system training.  
    In terms of response, I have stated that quotes will be dealt with in 
    strict "received  date" order and in two sections (2 Admin people 
    2 sections geddit glenda ?) one section from the Preferred Car list 
    and t'other for car outside the PCL.
    
    I intend to keep you updated as we progress (YES that was PROGRESS !!)
    Doug
    

    Thanks for keeping everyone informed Doug!
    
    Greg

    Doug
    
    Are you in a position to comment on the following ?
    
    Note 1538 and its replies has always been useful for getting an idea
    of driver costs for cars not on the preferred list. However, it is
    understood that as these are personal quotes then nobody else can order
    from them.
    
    Is this still true ? Only it seems that some people have had
    authorization to order from someone elses quote. 
    
    Could you explain why it is a problem to order from someone elses valid
    quote as this seems a good way of cutting down on the number of quotes
    that are generated.
    
    The other thing is that someone has had a quote rejected because he
    wanted a quote for a car with the option of locking wheel nuts and
    told to order from the preferred list. As you have to get a
    seperate quote for an order off the preferred list anyway, what is 
    the problem with submitting a personal quote with a locking wheel nuts ?
    
    
    Thanks
    
    Roy

    	While I'm sure Car Fleet are doing their best I would like to point
    	out that I submitted my quote request in mid December (92). I finally 
    	received an acknowledgement back on the 11th of February after the 
    	usual phone calls to hurry the system up. Today I received a ridiculous 
    	price notification which being 1000 pounds dearer than I expected 
    	prices the car completely out of my league. I wish I understood the
    	system they used for arriving at the price because I can't work it
    	out !

    	It has taken just over two months to get this far and I've got five
    	weeks before my current car runs out.
    	
    							Andy

>     I wish I understood the
>    	system they used for arriving at the price because I can't work it
>    	out !

	Whatever PHH and Hertz can lease it at to make a reasonable (excellent?)
	profit!


	Something like    cost of financing car over x months
			  plus costs of servicing (new exhaust/tyres)
			  plus admin
			  plus profit
			  less estimated recovery value of car when sold-on
	
	The idea of the preferred list, is so they can do a better deal on the 
	cost of those cars.

	
	Heather

    
    I dropped a couple of quotes into the office on Monday afternoon and
    as if by magic Thursday morning the acknowledgments were waiting in
    my Inbox having been mailed Wednesday evening.
      The only strange thing is both quotes acknowledegments are saying
    36 months/36000 miles, is this something new , does it mean the lease
    cost will be cheaper????
    
    
    
    Regards Martin

    How many miles per year did you put on the quote form?  I put in one a
    couple of weeks back with 20k per year and it came back as 36m/60k.
    Seems about right.  (changed from 30 months about 3 years back, soon
    after I got the current car).
    
    Jc

    I stated about 12,000, But in didn'y think they did 36,000 mile leases.
    
    Regards Martin

    When I put in a quote for my car I put down 12000 mile pa, and the
    quote came back for 36 months, 60000 miles which is a good thing as
    I've done 12,000 in 7 months.
    
    Andy  

    
    	How come the "Prefered" car list is not being updated ??
    
    	How many Ford mondeo's are being quoted, and how many show up on
    the list...
    
    	Come on. UPDATE the list..
    
    		

    
>    	How come the "Prefered" car list is not being updated ??
    
It gets done once a year, June I think.