Beware of Bluebonnet!
Robert Amoroso
Submitted this review about
Bluebonnet Auto Transport
Review made Live: 7/18/2005 10:22:00 PM
I have dealt with many companies whose calling was NOT customer service. That being said, I have never in all my life, dealt with a serive agent as horrible as "Barbara," the owner of Bluebonnet Auto Transport. Read on if you want to be completely and accurately informed about an experience with Bluebonnet...
My beef lies mainly with the broker (National Auto Transport) who hired this calamity of a service. (I will be dealing with N.A.T. in a much more aggressive manner in a separate forum here and throughout the consumer watchdog sites across the internet.) But I will not ignore the treatment I received from Bluebonnet. So I will tell my story here, as well as report there business tactics to the BBB, Consumer Affairs, Fraud.org, PlanetFeedback.com, BadDealings.com, NetComplaints.com, Epinions.com and the D.O.T.
I encourage all who have had the misfortune of dealing with a bad apple like Bluebonnet to do the same. Do not let companies like this get away with such deplorable behavior. There are alternatives out there!
And I encourage YOU, BARBARA, to face up to your despicable attitude and respond here where you don't have the cowardly luxury of hanging up on me.
The Facts: On June 22, 2005, I paid NAT their $200 deposit and arranged for my car to be picked up immediately and delivered to Houston by July 1, 2005. They verified their willingness to do that verbally, and I also stated it on my written authorization. Because of the approaching holiday, there was a chance I would get my car afterwards on July 5. Bluebonnet Barbara will tell you at this point that it is the broker who is responsible for irresponsible promises. She would be partly right, but she is gravely wrong in thinking that the burden is on the customer. Bluebonnet and NAT have an ongoing business relationship... one which the customer has no control over. If NAT's lies cause a backlash for Bluebonnet, then why does Bluebonnet Barbara continue to do business with them? And the opposite applies as well. The answer, of course, is money. It's an endless cycle of "blame the other guy" to hold off and confuse the customer, all while the two parties are still getting paid. The order doesn't get initiated until the broker is paid the deposit, and the car doesn't get released until the balance, plus any surpise fees, is given to the driver in cash. A dynamic duo of disgrace.
Anyway, upon finding out who was transporting my car from the transfer service that towed my car from my home, I began calling Bluebonnet Barbara to track the progress on Tuesday, July 5, 2005. She proceeded to LECTURE me with her "the world answers to me" attitude that her truckers were off for the holiday, and that ALL the trucks were still in Texas. She then stated my car wouldn't even be picked up from the NY depot until the following week. When I questioned why she was talking to me in that tone, she promptly hung up the phone. That is simply unprofessional and cowardly. A prompt call back met busy signals, then an answering machine. I decided a cool head should prevail, and I waited till the next week to call.
The following week, on Monday, July 11, 2005, I called Bluebonnet Barbara to remind her that she hung up on me the previous week (which she denied) and to get an update on the progress of my car delivery. The lady proceeded to tell me my car wouldn't be picked up until the END OF THE WEEK! As I asked her why that is (during which she would just talk over me), she hung up, again!!! I don't believe I've ever dealth with a more miserable person. And to think that I am PAYING for her "service!"
Countless calls to other sources in an attempt to get real answers from someone with a mind, I found out the number of the driver who was scheduled to actually get my car later that week from a person whose identity I will not reveal because I don't want Bubonic Bluebonnet Barbara to reak havic on someone else. I called the driver, whom was kind enough to keep me posted on the progress of my car.
The car arrived in Houston at a depot late Saturday night, July 16, 2005. The driver told me that the depot people would be towing my car to my destination on Monday.
Now that the driver was out of the equation, I regressed to calling Bluebonnet Barbara again, to remind her that the car was at the Houston depot, and that I needed a confirmation on when to expect my car. She snapped back "How would I know?!?, You have to call Simon!"
I of course do not know who the heck "Simon" is, so the crazy lady gave me his phone number. I called Simon several times throughout the day, only to reach an answering machine. By 4:00 PM, I called Bluebonnet Barbara back to ask her, politely, to assist me and finding out what was going on. She snapped "I gave you Simon's number, so what's the problem?" I told her several attempts to contact him were ignored. I started to say "I was just hoping you could..." and *slam* goes the phone. I immediately called this evil lady back, but got nothing but hangups. INCREDIBLE! To cap this saga off, I finally got a call from Simon that my car was headed my way. $500 later in rental car fees, and grief you cannot put a number on, I received the car at 7:00PM.
TIPS for auto transport companies:
Want to get repeat business from customers and the potential customers they recommend?
Start by being professional and courteous. (Bluebonnet Barbara, are you listening?)
Your honesty alone will save you a lot of grief from irate customers.
I realize the brokers you do business with share the blame, but you have NO RIGHT TO TREAT A CUSTOMER THE WAY YOU DO! It is NOT the customer's fault that you do not possess the ability to conduct an honest business, be it amongst yourself or with your partners. Brokers send business your way... why aren't you more proactive about the realities of your business?
My experience with you is well-documented. I invite you to respond to me here, and personally. Don't mislead the readers here with lies and rhetoric. I will promptly disprove any frail attempts at righting your delapidated ship.
Now that I have my car back, there is no further damage that you can do to me. But I can continue to trash you on ever consumer advocate agency known to man. And I will.
I will do it enthusiastically, because you deserve every bit of negative publicity you can get for the grief and money you costed me. People like you have no business being in this industry. Remember my name, Barbara.... you'll be hearing a lot more from me.
Good luck, everyone.
Now, on to other consumer sites....
- Robert Amoroso
