The company had planned to accept pre-booking of New (read: 7 years old) Honda City from 17th May 2021. Me, being an enthusiastic risk-taker, reached the bank at sharp 08:50 AM, got my pay order ready by 09:05 AM, and reached Honda Fort by 09:20 AM. Being the very first customer at the showroom, I was very excited as I was expecting to be among the first 10 customers to get their car pre-bookings and early deliveries. I was sitting at the side in the showroom while the sales manager was having a meeting with the staff, they were also discussing the new Honda city so I became a keen listener since I was excited (naturally). That is where the disaster began.
The sales manager said to his subordinates, "You need to tell all customers that the booking is full for August (first month of delivery) and September. Only accept booking for October and onwards. Do not waste bookings on these walk-in customers, this is going to be an earning time for us. We will only book vehicles for August and September deliveries for our investors and ourselves so that we can sell them on ON." One of his subordinates asked, "how are we going to issue the provisional booking order no to the customers?" He replied, "You don't need to, just collect the pay orders from them and put them aside, we will first book our vehicles and get priority delivery. And once the SAP will update the booking month to October that is when we will start entering booking for those ordinary customers. I am expecting that this will be done in a day or so, so ask your walk-in customers that due to heavy load, you will get your pbo no in 2-3 days. That's how we will dodge the system and the customers cannot claim to us since you guys have already told them the delivery month of October and the system will reflect the same. No PBO should be released without my signature,"
I was shocked by his thinking, if this is the words of the highest salesperson on the floor, how are we going to get corruption and ON culture out of the market?
Anyways the story continues, after the meeting, following his manager's guidance, the salesperson did the same as instructed. He took my pay order of pre-booking, and did not give me any provisional booking order number, and asked me to expect delivery in October. I confronted the sales executive that I have heard all of their conversations and asked to give me my PBO number. He went to the manager and told him about how his scam strategy is revealed but instead, he remained unmoved and asked him not to issue PBO to me. When I confronted the sales manager that I have listened to all of his conversations, he asked me to take away my pay order and leave the showroom. I was shocked by his attitude and disrespect. I thought to get a booking for October at least, if I go to some other showrooms, they might have the same approach and I will lose the time and this delivery month as well. Getting the provisional booking order number is the right of every customer who is submitting his pay order. Alas, they took my pay order and gave me a receiving on pay order which means nothing.
After coming to my office, I discussed this with one of my colleague who has earlier booked a vehicle from Honda. He guided me that Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Limited PBO doesn't have any delivery month mentioned on it, even if they gave you the PBO, you cannot confirm when it is going to be delivered. Usually, you'll get a confirmation message on your registered number a few days after the booking which mentions your delivery month. This is the time when they enter your booking in their SAP. But having a PBO is proof that you have booked a vehicle from them otherwise your submitted pay order has no record. Hopeless at that point, I called and checked with Honda Township either they are giving pbos or just collecting the pay order, to which they confirmed the PBO. Getting a glimpse of hope, I rushed to Honda Fort, got my pay order back which was lying in their draw, and went to Honda Township. They did the same but asked me that I have to wait 3-4 hours to get the PBO due to the huge backlogs and slow system, which seems another way to avoid walk-in customers.
Anyways, after waiting till 05:30 PM I finally got my PBO issued. I know this PBO doesn't have any delivery, their website is not showing any record for my delivery. They will put my delivery in October or November by saying we have lots of booking but in reality, they have eyes on the premiums which they expect to be around PKR 300,000 or above. So the true customers will continue to suffer, and there is no authority which can intervene and protect consumer rights.
I know a few of you will say to wait and get the final price and features revealed, I also wanted to do it. But what will happen after they reveal the price, you are not going to get the car delivered in 8 months or they force you to pay premiums.
