Here We Go Again - Chapter 92 - Broome Day 14

Monday morning. The routine begins. 

 Firstly; there is the staff meeting originally scheduled for 7 a.m. West Australian, time has been moved forward to 6:45 so that I can get to Broome Toyota by 7:30. The alarm set for 6:30 a.m. every Monday morning wakes me to a message from our friend Shaun at El Questro about a 1 m + Barramundi caught by a kid on one of his tours. Evidently, it was the child’s first barramundi and to get one more than one metre in length is amazing. To date my best has been 87 cm.

I text him back with the hashtag #whereismine

There is a lot to be done this morning with the staff meeting then Broome Toyota for the finalisation of the debacle that has been the service and the replacement of the rear brake pads. From there I have a chiropractor appointment at 10:40 am, hopefully after which we can collect the cruiser and become tourists again by about noon. 

There is still a little bit of accounting work to do so I head back to the van with Silver Leader who has graciously picked me up.  Knowing that I am the 4th to be booked in this morning, I wonder when to expect the brake pads to be dealt with or if it will be quickly and efficiently. The conversation with the service man suggested where we’re going to be stuck in at the start of the day so as to clear the impediment of not having the soccer brake pads at the time as quickly as possible. 

On the trip back Silver Leader and I muse about our experiences with Broome Toyota. Given the text, I got about the time to book in as opposed to that suggested by the servicemen I’m not filled with anything like joyous expectation. They will need to go a long way if they think they would get anything but a poor reference for our dealings so far.

Back to the dealership at 10 a.m., thinking the Cruiser may very well have been completed, I am disappointed to find it has not moved from where I parked it when I booked it in. Speaking to service staff only confirms my initial worry. The “party line” of booking things in order and processing, in the same manner, is touted. Reiterating the discussions at the original service, all I get is a smile.

Luckily for them I have a chiropractic appointment across the road10.40 am40am and I can reduce the angst level with a walk to and then a more than pleasant discourse with the receptionist. Chalk and cheese the difference in the small business looking to build that is the chiropractors and the much larger monopolistic business that is the dealership.

The banter at Pearl Coast Chiropractic is lively as expected. She is dealing with a young lady who is suffering a little (well a lot really) from depression. Talking about how hard it is to “get out” and about. A friend obviously, but she goes out of her way to encourage engagement, even to the point of a joint outing. It’s taking the RUOK adage a little further. I join the conversation from the side adding my 2 cents worth as appropriate.

Dr. Harley is on time and ready for me. We discuss the interval between sessions and the stresses that might tighten muscles and move vertebrae out of alignment. He is happy with the progress and needs only small adjustments to realign. These we suspect are caused by sneezing, off balance. There can be times when a big sneeze can almost knock me unconscious with the pain generated in my back as the pressure build up crescendos. 

The unbalance of the day continues as I leave the surgery where everything is upbeat and bubbly to return to the dealership where I can only guess what, if anything, has happened to the Cruiser.

As suspected the Cruiser is where it was parked when I left for the chiropractors. I take them to task on getting the Cruiser in early. The answer is “We work on them when we want them to go” policy. That is very customer-oriented – NOT.

I sit and wait, and wait. The viewing screens in the reception area have no sign of the Cruiser, nor has it moved from my eyeline in the car park.

Lunch comes and goes, the Cruiser still has not moved. I move back to the counter and enquire, the staff member suggests he will check. 

Guess what. It has been done but the paperwork had not gotten to the front desk – AGAIN. What are these people running? I have been sitting in the reception, in their eyesight for a couple of hours now, no one came to check or check the vehicle’s progress. It took an enquiry from me for someone to follow up.

Furiously I listen to the report as to what they did, not that it was extensive, all they needed to do was replace the brake pads, I pay for the experience and leave. Back at the van park, I am ready to write a review of the service levels I had received. I go to Google to pen something and notice the varying levels of angst (and praise) for their work.

There will be no praise from me today and I go to work, spelling out what I had experienced and asking questions like – should this be the norm. Looking back, I suspect the sheer volume of demand on the service department causes many of their difficulties, but it takes very little to remember conversations and honour promises. 

If you can’t keep them don’t make them.