PERSONAL ATTENTION: THE NOT-SO GOOD
On the opposite side of the spectrum, our shopper received a few emails and Tweets that were of little use, such as this one from Wells Fargo Dealer Services: “While we make every effort to assist our customers who contact us by email, there are certain situations, which require a conversation with a customer service representative. Please call in for your request.”
The company’s website said that a new, redesigned and user-friendly website was “coming soon.” General Motors Financial Co. sent a surprisingly apologetic email: “We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced recently with your online account. If you are needing assistance with your message below, please contact Customer Care at the number provided below.”
Ally Financial Inc. took a full week to get back with a standard “thank you and here’s a phone number.” Ford Credit responded in full within minutes — after we had to provide a security question in order to submit a general inquiry and then access the response. VW Credit Inc. sent an initial email with some online resources to utilize, promising to send a follow-up email with a full answer within 48 hours — which never happened.
Most lenders responded to our tweets, except for Santander Consumer USA, Kia Motor Finance, TD Auto Finance and Ford Credit. Hyundai Motor Finance swiftly responded to our tweet, which brought up the average score for Hyundai Capital America that serves both Hyundai and Kia brands. The Kia side of the house didn’t respond to our Tweet.
When asked for an email address, the Twitter account for Honda directed our shopper to the Facebook page for “GradDad,” a fictional advertising character who endorses Honda Financial Services’ $500 college graduate incentive. Maybe that was well-intentioned, but “GradDad” never responded to our inquiry. BB&T featured an online live chat, but the person on the other end didn’t seem very interested in handling a general inquiry: “You visit a branch office and talk with any loan officer. We are not loan officers here,” they said. The company’s Twitter handle also directed us to a branch bank.