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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Is it just me, or is Victory and the parent company just whacked? How can a company that can engineer and build such a great product be so out to lunch when it comes to retail? Their interaction with customers sucks out load. Their ability to foster companion businesses for their products seems nonexistent. And they don't seem to be able to operate a company web site that is useful. I've tried for a couple days to buy a couple accessories and haven't been able to get to the checkout page. I have kids that could produce a better web page.
I'm just saying, the company has a great product, but after that it seems the company is run by a grade school class. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Not to make excuses, but of late their web page has changed, so maybe it's not operating properly yet. For buying online, there are some large dealers through out the states that offer good discounts up to 20% that you wouldn't get off the Victory site. Good luck. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | Yep, there is a huge void betweent the consumer and the manufacturer. Polaris has adpopted the mentality of "the dealers take care of our customers for us"; yet the dealers don't often have the resources. It's a vicious cycle to be stuck in the middle of when you need problems addressed. You have to be pretty dedicated to your cause get resolution from Polaris. The closest thing I can relate it to is like going to a V.A. hospital. It's a slow and painful process... |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 15
south central Pa. | I feel for you Barhopper I went through the same thing when I bought my CC.The salesman didn't know where the Mp3 player outlet was or if it had one.Said he would contact Victory,took 2 weeks to find out I had to buy accessory cables to hook the Ipod up.Salesman explained to me they have to do this type of stuff on line,they don't get much of a responce from Victory either.I don't think Polaris knows how involved motorcycle owners get with thier bikes,but they should wake-up.
As of right now I would say Victory has NO customer service.This web site should be a big help to those of us that do some or all our own service,we do need more owners on this site,Iwas going to buy one of the LTs but I think Iwill pass for now.One thing I did was keep the HARLEY just in case!!!!
A note to POLARIS/VICTORY there is NO EXCUSE for poor customer sevice.  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 177
| I am totally with you. I have owned 5 Polaris sleds, 2 quads and 2 Vics. AWESOME products. But customer service is the WORST, hands down... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 74
Winston-Salem, NC | Had I read these kinds of posts before I traded my Harley for a Vision I probably would not have traded. I love my Vision but at times reality begins to threaten my new Vision owner "visions." Now I am going to add the trunk to my 8ball for passenger comfort thereby distancing myself further from my Harley friends. Strange days indeed...lol |
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Cruiser
Posts: 55
Oklahoma City | Ya know. You'd think that Victory would read these posts from time-to-time and get an idea that something is broke. Or, ya'd think that one could get in touch with someone at HQ who gives a SHI$, but, no... The people at non-customer service won't let ya get to the secret Bat Cave. Yeah, it totally sucks!
Edited by Top 2010-02-07 10:15 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Sunburstguitar, Don't let our pots distract from your enjoyment. I think I can speak for most of us when I say our overall experience with our "Vision" is nothing short of great. I equipment is among the best engineered in the business and the dealer support is great. Our only gripe is that the direct "factory/customer" relationship is still going through some growing pains. They seem to be trying overly hard to keep a "middleman" (the dealer) in the mix. In time they will notice that most riders, and customers in any area, don't fancy the "straight line" (manufacturer-representative-dealer-customer) approach, but prefer a more circle approach.
In any case, you must agree that it's better to have a fun ride that is dependable, than smooth communications over a broke bike. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 74
Winston-Salem, NC | Good points you make glighto |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 619
Southeast Iowa | I have several friends that ride HD's (you probably do too) and I never heard of any of them working with anyone other than their dealer when they had issues. Not all issues had happy endings and not one of them bitched because HD Corporate didn't give them a call. Now I will agree that there seems to be a link broken between Victory and some of their dealers but I can't always say it's Victory's fault. The truth is your Dealer should be taking care of you and fixing the problem. They are the one that sold you the product and they are your point of contact.
If you have a problem with your new car you wouldn't expect to talk to Ford about it, would you? Of course not. You would take it back to the dealer and expect the dealer to resolve the issue. If he has to call Ford so be it..........that's his problem. Either way you would look to the dealership that sold you the car to make it right with you no matter what Ford says.
I would suggest that if your dealer can't get answers from Polaris than they either aren't trying hard enough or they are not speaking to the right people. Come on, if you owned the business would you let your supplier ignore you? If they did they wouldn't be my supplier for much longer. Not always, but I think some Dealers use Victory as an excuse for poor follow-up or to cover up their inability to resolve an issue in a timely manner. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Big Vic; I know what you're saying and agree with much of it. But by the same token, you bring up car companies, I have Ford and GM, either of which I can log on to their web sites, enter my password and find out all there is to know about MY vehicle and it's history etc., and any suggested new stuff. It's nice to feel connected. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 40
Bellevue, NE | Big Vic - 2010-02-07 11:46 AM
I have several friends that ride HD's (you probably do too) and I never heard of any of them working with anyone other than their dealer when they had issues. Not all issues had happy endings and not one of them bitched because HD Corporate didn't give them a call. Now I will agree that there seems to be a link broken between Victory and some of their dealers but I can't always say it's Victory's fault. The truth is your Dealer should be taking care of you and fixing the problem. They are the one that sold you the product and they are your point of contact.
If you have a problem with your new car you wouldn't expect to talk to Ford about it, would you? Of course not. You would take it back to the dealer and expect the dealer to resolve the issue. If he has to call Ford so be it..........that's his problem. Either way you would look to the dealership that sold you the car to make it right with you no matter what Ford says.
I would suggest that if your dealer can't get answers from Polaris than they either aren't trying hard enough or they are not speaking to the right people. Come on, if you owned the business would you let your supplier ignore you? If they did they wouldn't be my supplier for much longer. Not always, but I think some Dealers use Victory as an excuse for poor follow-up or to cover up their inability to resolve an issue in a timely manner.
My thoughts exactly!!!
I don't care what you own it is the dealers responsiblity to care of the consumer. Leave corporate to take care of the dealers, although with Vic even that does not seem to happen consistently.
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Tourer
Posts: 363
Goldsboro, NC | Comparing HD and Victory is comparing two different gestalts.
First, I bought my Vision as a TOURING bike. Hence, I will be out of the baliwick of my 600 sq ft dealer for the vast majority of my time. I live in North Carolina. If something goes wrong on my way to Sturgis, what is that pipsqeak going to do? Nothing. Should I expect him to? Not really.
Does the same statement apply to HD? Yes. Here is the big difference, though.
HD has a huge network of dealers. I can physically see 3-4 of them off I-95 on my way to DC. If an HD breaks on the way somewhere, there is most likely a dealer nearby. Furthermore... If I don't like one dealer, I can find another one 30-45 minutes away.
Not so with Victory. I have to drive 90 minutes to get to the next dealer. I have no idea how far to the one after that... I think its in Charlotte, 5 hours away. I completely understand that Victory still thinks it is a startup after 11 years and I also understand that running a dealer network like HD is part of why they are so expensive. It is past time for Victory to understand that if they are going to run a lean dealer network, the average owner has to be able to get in touch with the company and get help.
This deal-with-your-dealer-only stuff only flies if you are a barhopper. Mile-hungry beasts like me expected a support structure worthy of the engineered product. Being an engineer, I suppose I should be thankful for this glaring example of what happens when MBA's get ahold of something. Come to think of it... keep it like it is so I can make my case in 2016 to let an engineer be President instead of all these buy-my-vote-for-a-bj lawyers. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 75
McHenry, IL | On my trip out west last year, I was passing through a small town in Montana that had a huge Victory sign. Since I was getting real close to needing an oil change, I decided to stop and see if they could squeeze me in. Nice dealership, when I went back to the service area and asked about the chances of getting me in and out quickly, they said no problem. When they asked what I was riding the service guy got real excited! They have never seen a Vision in person. Talk about confidence inspiring! LOL! He grabbed a sales guy and the owner to go out an look the bike over. I ended up getting the oil changed in Denver. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Bluto, Ya, what do you think the chances are that they could have input your info into a database and learn the service history of your bike? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | I know all the service records on my bike are in a database at my dealer. This also shows all the recalls that have been completed or not. Also, it shows the Stage1 Level 1 download as completed. Now, I'm not sure if another dealer can access that online, someone who know may have that answer that. But I do know if I'm on the road and at another dealer and that dealer wants to know how my bike has been serviced for say extended warranty purposes, I can give him my dealers name, and with the S/N they can call and get that info. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
| I was hopeing it was just my dealer when I bought my bike, they are a new victory dealer, because they had few answers for alot of my questions. I haven't had a problem with them yet, but haven't been rideing yet either. I know the bike is solid I hope the dealer network is too. |
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Is it me?
