Yamaha Thailand ?????

Oct 16, 2011
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Initially posted this on my Facebook and got a heap of replies saying yes they too had less than adequate service from Yamaha
Ive written to Yamaha riders club on this but don't expect a reply... Watchara Marine Yamaha... well I dont believe a word i hear anymore and when the boss their starting rattling of about taking FZ1 club on rides into laos and Myanmar i just shut down as this is NOT the bike for these areas...apart from the fact that it wasnt addressing my situation....
Maybe Yamaha only interested in selling scooters and thats fine

Post as below

4 months its taken to get new fairings for my FZ1 after the altercation with a cyclist in January.. Watchara Marine blame Yamaha Riders club,
Yamaha riders club blame Watchara Marine.. boss at Watchara Marine rattles on how he is going to set up a FZ1 riders club.. who the f$% cares..

I could have paddled to Japan got the spares and paddled back in the time its taken... why would anyone buy a Yamaha here when they are so useless at providing basic parts like fairings etc....what gets me even more is when I dropped the bike off I was told three weeks which became end of March which become mid April which was soon changed to end April which was then changed to 15th May which is now become May 24th.... the 15th May was told to me as an " I promise you".. well i tell you what I promise not to bad mouth Yamaha Thailand over this to all and sundry... I promise you..
Do I have a comparison / reference point.. yes Ducati. They got new engine belt from Ducatii Italy in three days..... Yamaha Japan out of stock I hear you say.. no problems I gave Watchara Marine when I dropped the bike off all the details of Yamaha USA who had all the parts in stock.... what is it about Thailand and service levels such that they can't or wont call you up and tell you the issue and give you options.......

Ok rant over now breathe 2, 3 4.. there all better.. I promise you
 
Sep 4, 2007
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The big bike market is a much younger one and has developed from the small bike dealers being taken on and 'trained' to deal with big bikes, these franchises are not owned by the manufacturer and the service element depends on local staff attitudes. Yamaha got off to a good start in Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai, with caring and interested staff and many customer contacts and activities, this has deteriorated over the last 5 years. The bikes were imports, manufactured to Californian regs, and sometimes spares were a problem, especially, non routine ones, but if you stayed upright on the road, as I have been lucky enough to do, I have never had a spares issue. The most dissapointing experience has been with the 2 BMW dealers I have purchased from, not that it was any worse than the other dealers, but one expected more from BMW and got less, probably the best experience was with Kawasaki Udon, Kawasaki took on a well respected, successful Udon Suzuki dealer. They were always helpful friendly and even proactive, even procured parts from Givi Italy for me at a time when the 650's were new in the market and accessories not available.
Developing a friendly, non confrontational relationship with the local staff, brings better results than the load voice approach, but in the end change will be very slow here, and the worry is that with that change will come all the unwanted regulatory changes which drove us away from our home countries, I do love living here and I have changed my approach to many things to 'do in Rome' as I would rather fit in here with a peaceful mind, than be a catalyst for change, and be constantly unhappy with the daily status quo. That is easier for me as I long ago left the pressures of earning a living behind, and have not been out of Asia for 3 years, so am pretty domesticated.. That does not mean I will put up with repeated second rate service. I also aim to be as self sufficient as possible and look after my bikes myself, with time one finds local sources for the neccessary tools, fittings and spares, and someone who will help with the ocassional more difficult job.
So sympathies for the frustrating and time consuming dealings with your local Yamaha, and who knows maybe someone who can do something will take note and initiate some positive change,.......maybe.......
 
Oct 16, 2011
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From the dialogue on my facebook and your comments John it would seem to me that the custodian of the customer relationship for big bikes brands is very much at dealer level and not defined and regulated from the manufacturer. Interesting that Yamaha is of course Japanese and they post war went on a huge quality and customer feedback drive which still dominates their thinking and practices yet out here in the antipodies it seems to be all relegated to the dealers.
I guess some of the answer here is to be found in your first line above.. basically most delaers were/ are scooter sales oriented and if they sell a big bike Ok but its not their main bread and butter....
 

KenYam

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Nov 2, 2007
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John's comments are spot on, unfortunately Yamaha are not as successful in Thailand as Kawasaki have been so there big bikes sales and their service seems to have fallen, in Chiang Mai at least. Therefore I don't look at dealers to get things done I use other sources and must do all the homework myself, I too have been lucky and have remained upright so have not needed to order anything from Yamaha. I have a 2001 FZ1 with 40,000 k's all in mint condition but hardly ride it anymore as I now have a second big bike which is flavour of the month at present.
Many big bike owners complain about their respective dealer service but alas its seems to be normal here - good luck and enjoy Thailand.
 
Sep 4, 2007
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monty1412;290507 wrote: From the dialogue on my facebook and your comments John it would seem to me that the custodian of the customer relationship for big bikes brands is very much at dealer level and not defined and regulated from the manufacturer. Interesting that Yamaha is of course Japanese and they post war went on a huge quality and customer feedback drive which still dominates their thinking and practices yet out here in the antipodies it seems to be all relegated to the dealers.
I guess some of the answer here is to be found in your first line above.. basically most delaers were/ are scooter sales oriented and if they sell a big bike Ok but its not their main bread and butter....
I believe that the Manufacturer, (Yamaha etc) will start by picking a good prospect for their big bike dealership and will provide some resources and training, maybe a little initial stock as well, but from there it depends how many bikes get sold wether the relationship develops or deteriorates and Yamaha Thailand do not appear to have the resources to supervise, police, control the quality aspect of the dealer customer service.
Honda have just set up their Big Wing big bike dealerships, it will be interesting to see if they fare any better. In Chiang Mai they have chosen a company which used to be a franchise for Triumph, but were dumped, due to poor customer service, a year or so ago in favour of Britbike taking on their own Chiang Mai business under closer control. This is still not Triumph, but at least is the official Triumph 'importer' and dealer. Things have improved for Triumph owners in Chiang Mai, due to good local staff. Not sure if that is being maintained, maybe some local owners can comment.
 
Oct 16, 2011
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Thanks KenYam.. I think my stars at present are in some sort of ultra idealistic and optimistic orientation... after my dealings at Watchara Marine Yamaha yesterday all i could see was a huge opportunity for Yamaha to revamp its customer service and customer liaison operations... maybe Im blinded but from what I understand scooter sales pay for the rent lighting and staff wages... having a good big bike trade and developing customer relationship management will help sell big bikes, help get big bikes in to service and those who ride big bikes are generally more likely to buy accessories and safety gear than those on scooters....
Imagine if you will you buy a big bike from a dealer or even take a big bike into a dealer for service. lets say a yamaha.. they get your name / phone and email... one week after you are contacted to make sure you are happy with the product or service, then at end of month you get your first newsletter with some gear specials in it and some stories of interest and relevance.. perhaps a little Get to Know section where the newsletter introduces the head mechanic at the dealer and gives a little bit of info about him and his training... a story or two about yamaha developments etc etc. Then next service when you go in they enter the odometer reading and from this the cust relationship software figures out roughly when your next scheduled service is.. you get a letter a few weeks prior detailing this and suggesting you make an appointment, in the meantime you have had 2-3 editions of the monthly newsletter and you have gone back to the dealer to get that new yamaha leather jacket that was offered as a special in the monthly newsletter.... when you go in for your service they list everything on a work order go through it all, have a look at the bike and then perform service and deliver the bike cleaned. They make you aware that probably at next service you will need a new rear tyre and then you drive away and get a phone call a week later asking you was everything Ok and is their any suggestions you have for improvement. the CRM soft ware they have on an ever expanding list of big bikes details that within the next 2months there are possible 30 big bikes needing new rear tyres so the next monthly magazine offers a special offer on a rear tyres ..... Ok Im being idealistic and utopian but its not hard to do it right and if done right then they could build up a steady profit from service and accessories... want the alternative.. do nothing don't care and all you have is a group of folks who wont buy Yamaha again as their service is crap. Now I have to go cant apare any more time as Ive got a lump of lead on the workshop bench that I need to turn into gold... cheers
 
Oct 16, 2011
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well Im sure your all bored with the FZ1 saga that this note originally started off with but here is the latest.. as your will recall or maybe not the bike was promised for tomorrow as parts due into Watchara Marine this morning.. rang them at 4.45pm just to check... Ohh Mr Robert parts come in but wrong colour.. they order wrong its black.. will be OK.??

.. Now I read all the nice notes and suggestions about keeping your cool, this is Thailand.. don't get mad.... I really read them... twice even but I chose to ignore then and exploded over phone... when they realised it was wrong color this morning they sent email to Yamaha and haven't heard back yet.. have you phoned them I asked... no answer to that one.... why didn't you contact me about this.. no answer to that one...

what simply astounds me was the question " will be Ok".. sure black fairings on a gun metal grey body bike....like hell.

Im writing to Websters to have the definition of INCOMPETANT AND FU%^KING USELESS bolstered with the words WATCHARA MARINE YAMAHA... while Im at it I might include SH*T FOR BRAINS in there as well. So dear reader in keeping with the preferred Thainess of noit creating a scene ( or rather creating more of a scene) im going to suggest they pick up the baht 15,000 excess on the insurance policy as compensation... by the way conversation was left with my big boss will call you back in 5 minutes.. its been 20 minutes now..... URGGGGGHHHHHHH
 

KZ25

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Nov 19, 2011
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monty1412;290501 wrote:

Ok rant over now breathe 2, 3 4.. there all better.. I promise you
I learned (the hard way) to stay calm in Thailand because complaining, yelling and screaming and calling names and insults does not help any. Simple as that.
It doesn't improve the situation, often it is the opposite, Thais clam up and don't want to deal with you at all. Because you make yourself look like a fool.
This is Thailand. TIT. Things go wrong. Monkeys fall out of trees. That's normal. Understand that. Deal with it. If you can't, nobody wants to hear it.
When I came to Thailand I opened a coffee shop. I ordered paper cups. They didn't arrive. I called, sent emails. After some time someone called and told me that they had paper cups made of plastic.
Paper cups made of plastic - I almost went ballistic! I yelled and screamed and they hung up.
Next day I called them again. I asked them nicely if they had paper cups made of paper. Yes. The box arrived a few days later.
You just have to stay calm!
Of course the paper cups came without lids, but that's a story for another day.
And five minutes in Thailand always mean at least half an hour. :)