Tag: auto

A media agency, Starcom Media Services, is battling auto giant R.T Briscoe Ford for allegedly selling it faulty vehicles. The case has been taken to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

Brand switching is a common phenomenum in marketing. Commonly referred to as brand jumping, analysts say it is  the process of switching from the routine use of one product or brand to the steady usage of a different but similar product. Much of the advertising process is aimed at encouraging brand switching among consumers, thereby helping to grow market share for a brand, or a set of it.

However, experts believe that convincing consumers to switch brands is a difficult task.To encourage switching brands, advertisers often use price and superior quality, among other factors. Irrespective of strategies adopted by advertisers, consumers often take the final decision based on circumstances beyond the premise of advertisers.

But in switching to one brand or another, consumers’experience, whether good or bad, come into play. For Starcom Media Services Limited, a media planning and buying agency, the decision to switch from a leading brand to Briscoe Ford seemed to have gone awry.

The Managing Director, Starcom Media Services Limited, Mr. Ayo Kupoluyi, told The Nation that based on  strong recommendation, his agency decided to explore a new automobile experience. It ordered seven cars from Briscoe Ford Showroom at 20, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, Ikeja, Lagos, between February and August 2013. Since the purchase, he said the brand experience had not encouraged the company to make further purchase, saying the firm has been asking for replacement  because of various degrees of malfunctioning.

He said the firm made its stance known in a letter to the Area Manager of Briscoe Ford, a division of RT Brisoce Nigeria Plc, dated November 26, 2014.

Kupoluyi said: “Starcom Media based on recommendation from someone very close to the Board of your company (Briscoe) opted to change her official cars from a popular competition to Ford and purchased one Focus, 4 Escape, one Edge and one Explorer in 2013. Since then, it has been stories of woes. In particular is the Ford Exporer. The first one had to be changed due to factory fault, or an error that could not be fixed.

“In less than one and half years, we have had to replace some parts which never happened with the previous competition we moved away from. At a point, the car broke down mid-way and had to be towed to your garage for repairs staying there for weeks. This can’t be the situation with Ford in other countries. Why Nigeria?”

For instance, in a diagnosis, according to Kupoluyi, which was carried out at Coscharis Service Centre, one of the cars, 2013 ESCAPE purchased on February 25, 2013, had unresolved Airbag Alert fault, brake pad noise, battery, steering rack, AC vent, smoking-back fires, water shortage, steering assistant, fuel pump, injectors, ignition coil and spark plug faults.

Other cars diagnosed were said to have recorded various faults which, accordingly, have not been resolved by the automobile firm.

Also, in a letter to the auto firm  dated January 26, this year, Starcom Media also noted that the agency had  reasons to bring all the brands at one time or the other to Briscoe, but while some of the faults had been resolved, there had been no week the agency hadn’t a reason not to visit Cosharis Group or R.T Briscoe for repairs.

He said further that apart from the Ford Explorer, almost all the cars it purchased have had one major problem or the other.  ”This is very worrisome and disturbing for the pedigree that Ford Company commands outside this shore,” said Kupoluyi.

However, the agency said it had complained to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), saying it is regretable that there has been no reprieve.

“We have reported to CPC, SON but they have not responded promptly. They said they were investigating the issue but we cannot see any result of their efforts. Our correspondent at SON in a terse response via text said the report was for SON’s use unless otherwise directed by the SON Director General,” he said.

Meanwhile, Starcom is asking for a trade-in for a new car but yet to receive any response in the last two years. “My plea, this time, is very simple. Since I have lost faith in this car due to its perennial faults and inaccurate diagnosis, I am proposing that I trade it in for a more reliable and trustworthy car. In less than two years, we have had more than four major repairs. I no longer feel safe driving this car. I can’t explain the embarrassment and emotional trauma this has caused me, my family and business. I have to make a special request for pool car to move around. I had scheduled to travel on Saturday, but it was cancelled because there was no vehicle. It is unfortunate that this is happening to me who ensured that our Board changed their position on Toyota cars and opt for Ford cars. I feel very stupid telling them my plight,” said Starcom.

Also, the agency lawyer, Mr. Temitayo Kareem, said: “They (BriscoeFord) should also not forget that the trade in was necessitated by the recurring faults of the vehicle, and not out of choice for a new ride. Hence some consideration should be put into the figures being presented for the new vehicle. This will be presented to the regulator (CPC/SON) as the case may be for mediation/arbitration.”

CPC, in a response to the agency last January, said it had commenced investigation into the problem, but the agency said the probe was not bringing immediate result.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Briscoe’s Lekki office, Lagos, Mr. Olorunfemi Eguaikhide, said the company had ensured that Starcom media got the required repairs on some of the cars it complained about as covered by warranty.

He admitted that the company had not been able to get some parts to fix other faults because of scrcity of forex.

He noted that the auto firm valued its customers and would not do anything to undermine their interest in their brands.

“When manufacturers give a warranty there are conditions. If you take the car outside authorized dealer you violate the warranty. However, the Explorer in question has covered more than the required mileage. The issue of Ford Focus semi-automatic transmission is a global issue. Ford is meant to address that. But we do what we can within the available resource and expertise to fix complaints related to that.

“Starcom has given half truth. They have not adopted every level of engagements they should. The reason why there are delays in addressing some of the complaints is because Ford does not have a warehouse in Nigeria. We rely on their central warehouse in Dubai which services some African countries,” he said.

He also added that some of the cars developed those fault as a result of usage. “You don’t expect a car that has covered 57,000ml not to develop faults. “Therefore, we have done we hat we can within our customer care to address the issues. And once a car has been taken to a third party it no longer enjoys a warranty,” he said.

While Ford appears to be making lots of effort to address the ill-feelings of its customer, expert believe the bad experience of the customers may continue to linger and prevent repeat purchase, a situation most brands spend huge marketing budget on to prevent.