# Swift - Need for inventories to stop cannibalizing!



## bigspaces (Sep 23, 2007)

We have a new 2009 Swift Mondial RL.

Turns out, that only by contacting others through forums like these, that a large number of standard accessories were missing.

Even the dealer is surpised by our revelations about what is missing, as he expressed annoyance that even they do not get an inventory from Swift!!

This is unacceptable.

No radio antenna (hence no radio reception at all), no cig lighter, no ashtray, no shower curtain, no wire shelves or wire drying rack for the kitchen - all stuff others have in their Mondial RLs, but we didn't.

At 35 grand I expect a bit better.

We just tried telephoning Swift. The lady who answered seemed a bit unhappy we were even asking...said we shouldn't have a shower curtain (WHAT THE..) When we explained we should, and that the dealer sent us one, from Swift, erm, she went a bit coy. She could not even answer the other questions at all. Is this 'customer relations' when they cannot even access a basic inventory of accesories for new sales and bullsh*t you on things like the shower curtain?

...

It seems to me that when vans are in the showrooms, over the weeks salesmen are stripping the vans of accessories to please customers buying other vans. Or just as bad, browsing 'customers' are nicking accessories for their own vans. Either way, an inventory is required so paying customers like us can see if we are missing kit, and not have to find out weeks later on motorhome forums.

I would welcome a Swift reply on this.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Sorry, >) but you must be wrong, Swift are wonderful, and never make mistakes, maybe yours is an isolated case.

Hope you get all the missing bits soon though.

Kev.


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

> Swift are wonderful, and never make mistakes, maybe yours is an isolated case.


ALL manufacturers I think you will find make mistakes, but only SWIFT have the bottle to be here in the public domain facing up to their responsibilities


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Only comment I would make is that any dealer should KNOW what comes with a van and *a proper PDI and handover would have shown up the missing items *which could well have been robbed of that particular van either by his staff or tyre kickers.

We don't have a problem with missing items and on the very rare occasion that something is missing, we simply advise Swift.

Peter


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

what I'd want to know is.. why was the girl in the office not very interested, and why was she trying to cover up, saying you shouldn't of had a shower curtain ?

steve


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not sure, but I think I've just been chastised, ah well, Swift may well have a presence on here which is to be applauded, however the comments on here seem to be coming quite often, and most say they've come on to here because they are getting no where by other means, and yes they do get sorted eventually which is to their credit, but it seems to take aeons for anything to happen at the customers end, and yes there are dealers in the equation, so where are the problems occurring, I don't particularly have an axe to grind with Swift, or any other MH builder, but it should not take so much going to and fro to sort these problems out. 


Would I buy a Swift MH, I nearly did, but so many parts didn't work, on so many different MH's, we moved on, would I buy in the future, if I could find one we liked with everything intact, I'd consider them and others in the same light.

Kev IMHO


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## bigspaces (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks for the replies.

No I am not knocking Swift themselves, a company is only as good as the staff member you deal with on any one day.

The Swift 'customer services' lady who bs'd me about the shower curtain being a prime example of someone who just...doesn't...care...

My main point is that Swift need to sell new m'homes with a basic on-delivery inventory. That way dealers might be kept on their toes to ensure stuff not physically bolted down is kept by safe until the day a home is sold and locked.

Handing over 35 grand then faffing about chasing all this up is not on. I will put this down to experience as it is my first ever m'home. Next time, no inventory, no cheque...


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## jacder (May 1, 2005)

How can Swift be blamed for the dealer's lack of supervision of their stock? Your dealer should be the one to chase up these issues. You should not have to contact the manufacturer yourself.
I visited Wandahome recently and was amazed at the the number of missing items even when vans are kept locked. Suggests that they may possibly cannibalise their stock.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

nukeadmin said:


> > Swift are wonderful, and never make mistakes, maybe yours is an isolated case.
> 
> 
> ALL manufacturers I think you will find make mistakes, but only SWIFT have the bottle to be here in the public domain facing up to their responsibilities


And thank goodness they are here, but sometimes with some of the responses by folk that don't even have a Swift I can see the day when they won't bother anymore and a very sad day that would be for those of us that have been helped by them.


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Sorry, >) but you must be wrong, Swift are wonderful, and never make mistakes, maybe yours is an isolated case.
> 
> Hope you get all the missing bits soon though.
> 
> Kev.


Kev,
Thanks for your kind words,
Andy


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Swift - fine to thank Kev but what about answering the OP question. Seems you forgot that bit

Carol


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

Carol you right sorry,

Bigspace,

If you want me to look into this I will need some details of you your van and your dealer please so we can look into this and come back,

Please email me on [email protected]

Thanks
Andy


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## oilslick (Oct 3, 2007)

*I got a list...*

We are picking up a new Bolero shortly and I was concerned about items being missing. It seems that many new motorhomes have been raided on the forecourt.

The lady at Swift started telling me they did not have a list. I could not accept this and asked how on earth they expected the despatch dept to know what to pack.

After some persistance she sent me a spreadsheet with about 30 items in it (including things like the water pump!)

Grant


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It might help others to post this spread sheet, to copy and paste the text at least


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

My new swift sundance came with a product information summary as part of the info pack duly signed by an inspector and it includes all the accessories bits but not the cushions.
Perhaps I got lucky to get it.


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

I spoke to a service engineer just before Easter when my van was in for a habitation service. He explained that Swift's spare parts department did not supply them with spare parts quickly enough. Given the rate of failure of some parts, they had resorted to cannibalising new and used stock. This sent the service customer away happy. If they failed to replace the part in the donor vehicle, then the buyer of that vehicle becomes dissatisfied. However, he felt they did a pretty good job on PDIs and did them in advance of the collection date, not the morning of collection. Hence they usually ended up with two satisfied customers.

He also made the point that models and their extras change regularly and it was almost impossible to determine with 100% accuracy what each individual van should have.


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

We despatch the majority of warranty and aftersales parts very quickly, especially if they are current parts. Inevitably some parts do take longer at times either because they are for older vans or from Europe or Asia and we don't have stock, but currently our oldest aftersales parts order is 5 weeks.

All loose items are sent inside the Motorhome in sealed bags to our dealers, inside their is a checklist printed for each model which comes from that models Bills of Material. This is ticked and signed by one of our operators prior to sealing that all the parts are present. All dealers receive this and I would have thought they would be happy to show this to customers. 

Andy


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

My Mondial arrived at the dealers in late March minus the colour coded awning, the rear view mirror, incorrect plugs for the sinks and the alloy wheels. I'm still awaiting the awning; and fixing covers were also missing from the underside of the cupboards so when I sit down I have to look at exposed fixings which are not pretty.

My dealer is doing his best about the fixings(I've got his e mails to Swift) but no news is forthcoming unless Swift have not copied me in to their response. And the destination of my foreign holiday beginning in mid May depends on the arrival of the awning as I do not want to fry in Spain in June and July.

Andy - Is there a problem with the supply of colour coded awnings?
I'm also awaiting a response from you about the Fiat alarm as my insurer has asked me to confirm whether it is a Thatcham Cat 1 or 2 or something else.

Having said this I am impressed by the quality of the finish of my motorhome and to my surprise everything seems to work. One of the main reasons for buying Swift is their presence on this site. 

Please do not let this thread resort to anti Swift comments especially from non Swift owners as their service and quality seems to be better than most. Let's keep it to those with genuine issues arising from ownership.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not Picking on Swift (god forbid we do that) but on reading the comments from owners of various makes, it sounds like we're all dealing with a third world country when trying to sort these what are actually very simple and re-occurring problems.

Why is it so difficult to get things right :?:


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Not Picking on Swift (god forbid we do that) but on reading the comments from owners of various makes, it sounds like we're all dealing with a third world country when trying to sort these what are actually very simple and re-occurring problems.
> 
> Why is it so difficult to get things right :?:


Thanks. I was merely anxious to avoid the thread going off on a tangent as I am anxious to hear what Swift have to say and for the thread not to get distracted by observations which do not help those of us who require a response.

I do agree with your general sentiment but it is clear that some manufacturers do try harder than others and I for one am glad they are here to stand up and be counted.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

SwiftGroup said:


> All loose items are sent inside the Motorhome in sealed bags to our dealers, inside their is a checklist printed for each model which comes from that models Bills of Material. This is ticked and signed by one of our operators prior to sealing that all the parts are present. All dealers receive this and I would have thought they would be happy to show this to customers.
> 
> Andy


Hi Andy

As a customer who is about collect our brand new van, ( next week, an Autocruise Starburst) how do I find out just what "loose items" should be with the van when I take delivery ... I am guessing that by the time I get it many of these loose items will be fitted to the van and I do trust the dealer to carry out their PDI checks but it would be good to have a list, on the day and in my hands, just to check off that I am not missing any bits and bobs that should be there :wink:

Maybe a Swift prepared customer handover checklist could be prepared for new owners to download from the company website ...that would be an innovation that would I am sure be welcomed by many new owners ...even for the experienced ones. :wink:

Mike


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I should have added that our Laika suffers too, although not to the same extent as some, our 2001 model needed a few bits, Southdowns did very well, considering the ancientness of the mark, but I'm still having to do without some exterior trim parts which are just not available, and to my mind they should be as they are part of the skirt and the first to go in even a minor bump.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

spykal said:


> Maybe a Swift prepared customer handover checklist could be prepared for new owners to download from the company website ...that would be an innovation that would I am sure be welcomed by many new owners ...even for the experienced ones. :wink:
> 
> Mike


It would be even better if this list was sent automatically to the new owner from Swift as soon as the order is received from the dealer, then the dealer is not the only one in the know, an informed customer is much better all round than one who has to question everything.

It is now 2010, and we should not have to do all the running around, the MH manufacturers are now producing roughly the same as a small volume car company, we wouldn't take it from them so why do they expect us to take it with our new Motorhomes, the phrase "customer care" only appears in the brochures, and is still in it's infancy it seems when it comes to reality.

I would have thought that as we're still in a "recession" they would all be bending over backwards to sort themselves out and actually give us their best, to be fair some do, but a lot still don't.

Snagging should be a the key word before it leaves the factory, parts departments should be up to the description, IE have some parts in it, not in Taiwan or wherever, the companies that do best in this, will also do best in sales, so it must be apathy in either the boardroom or on the shop floor, it only needs the will and some bottle to kick butt


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

gelathae said:


> Andy - Is there a problem with the supply of colour coded awnings?
> I'm also awaiting a response from you about the Fiat alarm as my insurer has asked me to confirm whether it is a Thatcham Cat 1 or 2 or something else.


Hi gelathae,
No there isn't a problem that I am aware of, if you can email me your details and chassis number and who you dealer is I can check this next week and get back to you,

Thanks
Andy
[email protected]


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

Hi Mike,
If you email me you full name, address, and your new model type and dealer (so I can locate you on our system), I will see if I can run a report on your van and email something through to you,
Thanks
Andy

[email protected]


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Andy

Thanks for that very swift reply :wink: 
and your kind offer, ... Email sent 
Mike


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

SwiftGroup said:


> gelathae said:
> 
> 
> > Andy - Is there a problem with the supply of colour coded awnings?
> ...


Thanks Andy. I have e mailed you as suggested.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

SwiftGroup said:


> All loose items are sent inside the Motorhome in sealed bags to our dealers, inside their is a checklist printed for each model which comes from that models Bills of Material. This is ticked and signed by one of our operators prior to sealing that all the parts are present. All dealers receive this and I would have thought they would be happy to show this to customers.
> 
> Andy


Perhaps that highlights the problems mentioned above.

If the parts are dispatched in a sealed plastic bag with a checklist as Andy says, but the dealer is unable, or unwilling to produce such a list maybe that is where the problem lies.



Brock said:


> I spoke to a service engineer just before Easter ............... they had resorted to cannibalising new and used stock.


Edited by me simply for clarification purposes.

If the dealers do not have the parts they are resorting to "borrowing them" from other vehicles and trying to obtain prior to that vehicle being passed on to it's owners. The reason suggested is that Swift are slow with parts, but the speed of delivery depends on when it is requested - and that will only be when the PDI is done.........

There are many previous posts about dealers doing anon-existent or poor PDI - maybe therein lies the root of this problem.

Many dealers are excellent and do not appear to have this problem, others appear to have difficulties with providing what should be in the vehicle. It is easy to claim that no list exists but assuming that Andy is being honest (and I cannot see why he would not be since it would be quickly refuted if no such system exists) obviously the sealed packets of loose items are being opened before handover presumably at the dealers.......

We have found Swift to be efficient and quick, our only problems have come when dealers have failed in their role to request items.

Dave


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## oilslick (Oct 3, 2007)

*packing list*

Hi Kev,

I think it would not be right for me to post a list on behalf of Swift.

It should come from them really!

Perhaps they could add a global list including all models to the download section. That way it is official and kept up to date.

Regarding the "Sealed bag" - well most of these seem to have been opened!

Grant


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

*Re: packing list*



oilslick said:


> Hi Kev,
> 
> I think it would not be right for me to post a list on behalf of Swift.
> 
> ...


My point exactly Grant, but not restricted to Swift of course, all the manufacturers should take look at other sections of the "auto" industry and learn valuable lessons on how to treat their "what should be" valued customers and improve the way they do things.

I accept that even the largest of companies regardless of what steps are put in place will screw up sooner or later, but the way this is handled can improve the customer relationship, the Oh Sh1t we have another moaner is not the way forward, it should be Oh no, we've screwed up and upset the person who pays my wages, what can we do to make it right and not happen again.

As for snagging, I would be perfect for this job as I have the requisite number of eyes. :wink: :wink:


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## oilslick (Oct 3, 2007)

*Its the public*

Hi Kev,

I dont think it is Swifts fault at all, I think it is the public ransacking the forecourts!

Grant


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

*Re: Its the public*



oilslick said:


> Hi Kev,
> 
> I dont think it is Swifts fault at all, I think it is the public ransacking the forecourts!
> 
> Grant


Just to confirm what I've already said Grant, I was generalising about all makes, not just Swift, that would be unfair.


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Sorry Kev

But you dealer pdi's your vehicle and knows the specification he has just taken your cash for!

And if he doesn't buy one somewhere else!

Yes I own a Swift and yes I have had the odd silly problems and yes WEST COUNTRY MOTORHOMES sorted them PDQ

Regards


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## tony_debs (Mar 5, 2009)

we collected our bessacar e495 brand new 45grand and just found out the tv arial is an extra and they want to charge £300 to fit.
and the radio arial is not working,and marquies to me to take it to a fiat dealer as the radio anttena is in the door mirror, :?


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