Pohanka Honda Racialy Ignored me in Marlow Heights, Maryland

Let me start my experience by giving you a little of my history. I am Married to a wonderful woman who treats her car like it was her child. She only wants a Dealership to perform services and maintenance to it. As her husband, it is my job to make her happy by bringing in her car to have a Battery Replaced.

On Dec 31 at 1:05pm, I walked into the Service Department. There was one Service rep. in the middle of the room, at his station, working with a customer, and there was the Service manager in his blue jacket standing around just talking about everyday things with the Customer and the Service Consultant.

I Stood there in my Silence hoping someone would stop talking and ask me if they could assist me. I waited, i walked the small floor area and spun around a couple of times to look at everything. The Service Manager looked at me a couple of times but kept on shooting the bull with the other customer.

At the 3 minute mark of my wait, another customer came in from the Waiting Lounge and went straight to the service manager and Service manager began Assisting him.

At the 4 minute mark, Nilson Rivera, Service Consultant came in an went straight to work at his station. The Service manager got that customers paperwork and keys from Mr. Rivera's workstation and told him to go to the window. I waited.

At the 5 minute mark, now the Service Manager has seen me several times and has Still Ignored my presence. I interrupted Mr. Rivera's while he was typing and ask him for a Business Card. I also ask him for the Managers Name. He Pointed to the Gentleman in the Blue Jacket which at that point saw him look at me AGAIN, and i asked for His manager's name. Mr. Rivera told me it was Geoff.

I took the card WroteGeoff on it and left as one unhappy, Un-serviced, Ignored, and Almost Customer.

NOW, as the Holiday Season is upon us, I took it upon myself to wait for a True Business day to take care of this issue. But, I find myself fuming and stewing over this issue. My mind starts running a mile a minute. Why was I ignored... "The Service Manager really wasn't all that busy" "When I worked Retail, I was a Customer Service Trainer...Are my Standards set to high?" "Did I walk in the wrong door? - Nope it says Service Dept on the door." OH, here let me give you this thought It's a Doozy-"Did the Service Manager not like the White Man in a Cowboy Hat?" Yes, My mind pulled the Race Card. And After my years in the Army and coming back home a Disabled Veteran, my mind has never gone there like that day. See, When things like this happen, a customer's mind will just go wild and then you lose customers this way. I am to a point now that no matter what my wife tells me to do will drive all the way to Gaithersburg to get her car serviced at her Original Dealer.

At this point I would like to make a suggestion that your Service Manager attend a Customer Service Refresher Course. So that he can remember that ALL Customers help pay his paycheck. Most of my friends and family drive Chevys and Dodges. But my wife's friends drive those little economy cars like Hondas and Toyotas...Right now I could not recommend your Dealership for a Carwash.

The Above letter was emailed to Geoff Pohanka on Monday Jan 3rd. As of the Morning of the 7th i have yet to hear anthing from this Company.