I been in the market for a new Phantom or Cullinan for... - B530e
I been in the market for a new Phantom or Cullinan for the past year now. During my time quarantining, I hit the configurator for a couple hours a day almost to find that perfect Bespoke car. Once I narrowed It down, I decided to give O’Gara Rolls Royce Westlake another go. In the past, I had an issue with the Rolls Royce manager due to his asinine and offensive attitude towards anyone who doesn’t walk in and throw their money on the table. Well, I see some habits are the norm.
Initially when I pulled up to the dealer, I immediately noticed the abnormal amount of Genesis and Alfa Romeo’s in front of the dealer with a couple Rolls Royce dotted in. I felt as if I pulled into a Car Pros Kia dealer. Upon walking inside, there were three Rolls Royce models on the floor, one of which was sold. The showroom was sparce and unwelcoming and so was the staff. I remember this dealer and others I’ve purchased from resembling museums and the cars are the art. Clearly there’s a disconnect between what Rolls Royce sells as a brand and what this dealer thinks the customer should have.
Nevertheless, I sat down with my favorite person and began commissioning my dream car. After approximately two hours, I had a visual of what my potential car would be. It was later in the day, so I decided to have the other car built the following day. I left excited knowing one of my commissions would come true. My only issue was Cullinan or Phantom. I actually own a 2018 Phantom and know it in and out. The Cullinan is new to me, so I wanted to test drive it. Spend a few minutes behind the wheel to solidify in my mind which car Is perfect for me.
I was immediately hit with a “No, Absolutely Not”. I instantly felt “Here we go again” and was immediately discouraged. I understand you can’t go piling miles on these types of vehicles however I wasn’t asking for a mad dash down the freeway or anything unreasonable. I just wanted to go around the block. When spending 400k plus on a car, you want to make sure it’s perfect for you. Especially if that test drive is the deciding factor between which car you commission. I also don’t like being treated as if I’m an inconvenience. The manager should be able to differentiate between who’s window shopping and who’s ready to slap down a deposit and order their dream car.
I’m not asking for O’Gara to roll out the red carpet for me, however you aren’t just buying a car. You’re building a relationship and expecting an experience that once again, this dealer fell short of. Walking into this dealer, there’s an extreme bias among the staff that translates to the customer and towards the type of customer they cater to. Not only do I no longer feel welcome, the idea of ordering that dream car feels like a pipe dream vs. a reality. Way to go O’Gara. It seems the managers, including the general manager is clueless about highline vehicles and their customers. This experience is all too common and is unfortunate because Rolls Royce is a brand that inspires creativity, individuality and is the pinnacle. The people put in place representing that have picked the wrong career path.
SIDEBAR: My salesperson is one of the best in the industry. She has a way of making you feel like family vs. another business transaction. She should definitely be in a position to coach the rest of the staff on simple customer service for starters.
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