Former KYMCO USA Technician

[CROSSBOLT]

One can hope...but I remain cynical. Been there, done that, watched as upper managements and board rooms change people and policies only to see basically nothing improving. Been to "corporate" sponsored "teamwork building" sessions where everyone got man-lifted over a rope line only attended by the little people in the organization and no managers. Company spends huge dollars on these sessions and NEVER figure out the managers are the problem. We will see.....

I see Lousy Tech showing up here as a sign that "management" cannot recognize loyalty and
 talent when they have it and then create an environment so toxic that it drives the good ones away and retains the brown-nosers.

[Stig / Major Tom]

They have redone the website and I think the new leadership might be trying to put forward a better foot. If Kymco is serious about keeping a solid foothold in the USA, customer service and parts access has to be at the top of the list. Maybe we should all write to the new management to make suggestions about improving the brand recognition and reliability.

Dean

"...make suggestions about improving the brand recognition and reliability."

More advertising would be nice - but no one spends a dime on advertising scooters in the USA.....and Kymco certainly has a smaller purse than the Japanese or Italians!

And, other than Robot pushing his Vespas - I've never read a review that suggested that Kymco needs to improve on the reliability of their scooters.

My email will just say something like, "Hang in there, keep normal consumables stocked, and improve what you can.  Love my Kymco!"

Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

"...make suggestions about improving the brand recognition and reliability."

More advertising would be nice - but no one spends a dime on advertising scooters in the USA.....and Kymco certainly has a smaller purse than the Japanese or Italians!

And, other than Robot pushing his Vespas - I've never read a review that suggested that Kymco needs to improve on the reliability of their scooters.

My email will just say something like, "Hang in there, keep normal consumables stocked, and improve what you can.  Love my Kymco!"

Stig

Short and sweet. It takes less time for them to ignore it! Har, har! I have written, volunteered and begged Kymco USA to consider various ideas only to be ignored because NIH. Not Invented Here. Not even a boilerplate "thank you we'll get back to you" message!

The bikes are generally reliable out of the crate because of the people and procedures in Kaohsiung , not at Spartanburg. Any negatives are introduced at the importer and dealer level. Not negatives in the machine but negatives as to making the Two-year Warranty actually worth something. What good is a warranty if the dealer is reluctant to service it. Techs shy away from warranty work because of dealer policies that severely limit the money the tech gets. Dealers don't stock a selection because it costs him money. Techs don't make it their business to learn the systems and details because it costs THEM money since neither the dealer nor the importer is gonna spend a dime to educate the techs. So where does an owner go? The only place left is the internet!

Go ahead, Spartanburg! Prove me wrong!

[LousyTech]

They have redone the website and I think the new leadership might be trying to put forward a better foot. If Kymco is serious about keeping a solid foothold in the USA, customer service and parts access has to be at the top of the list. Maybe we should all write to the new management to make suggestions about improving the brand recognition and reliability.

Dean

Write the following with your suggestions:

CEO - Mandy Chia - mchia@kymcousa.com

VP of Technical Services - Joe Wofford - jwofford@kymcousa.com

COO - Mac McMath - mmcmath@kymcousa.com

[CROSSBOLT]

This is a company who tells their employees to ignore the consumer market.
If you are not an authorized dealer, KYMCO will not give you technical advise, basis troubleshooting, or help for finding/ordering a part.

I "rollplay" called a few competitors to compare their systems against ours (KYMCO).
It was clear, after this market study, "KYMCO needed to change its moods towards consumers, and place more prudence on customer service call tracking".

However

..................Nothing has changed.

Want to test it? CALL KYMCO right now for simple/basic support.
Main Line: 864-327-4744, Ask for Joe Wofford, or Mandy Chia.
Otherwise, you will go to an unanswered mailbox or to someone who will never respond.

Whew! You in two posts have pretty well confirmed parts of what we been saying for years! I may try one more time to make a suggestion or two to Wofford.

You have outlined and underscored the typical behavior of "business school graduates" experienced over the years in other ventures: MBA's are the worse examples of people who think because they hold a master's degree they are the only ones who know any answers. These types are very quick to blame someone else when things go sideways.

I will try and report back.....

[Neil955i]

MBA's are the worse examples of people who think because they hold a master's degree they are the only ones who know any answers. These types are very quick to blame someone else when things go sideways.

I will try and report back.....

Sad isn't it Karl? 

I spent my last few years as a Business Consultant (awaits incoming exocets) promoting a "Systems Thinking" approach which has been applied to may production and service industries.  Now I'll be the first to admit that any such problem solving approach can be wrongly or incompletely applied, but one of the most telling parts of examining shortfalls (and ultimately engineering improvements) was to listen carefully to the views, not just of the customers, but critically those at the sharp end, in this case the Techs.  How much of that is happening at Kymco USA?...

[CROSSBOLT]

Sad isn't it Karl? 

I spent my last few years as a Business Consultant (awaits incoming exocets) promoting a "Systems Thinking" approach which has been applied to may production and service industries.  Now I'll be the first to admit that any such problem solving approach can be wrongly or incompletely applied, but one of the most telling parts of examining shortfalls (and ultimately engineering improvements) was to listen carefully to the views, not just of the customers, but critically those at the sharp end, in this case the Techs.  How much of that is happening at Kymco USA?...

Have you noticed AS A CONSULTANT, that companies are willing to spend large to get your services and then have ignored most of what you recommended? I have seen this several times. What most of the consultants I have seen is interview the troops, write down what they say in a coherent fashion and hand it in to get the check! Makes no difference except you get paid and things go on as usual. That about it?

Whoops, this is not meant to be an indictment on YOU! No, no! I post this as another indication of NIH. Not Invented Here!

[souzamoto]

This is a company who tells their employees to ignore the consumer market.
If you are not an authorized dealer, KYMCO will not give you technical advise, basis troubleshooting, or help for finding/ordering a part.

I "rollplay" called a few competitors to compare their systems against ours (KYMCO).
It was clear, after this market study, "KYMCO needed to change its moods towards consumers, and place more prudence on customer service call tracking".
 

However

..................Nothing has changed.

Want to test it? CALL KYMCO right now for simple/basic support.
Main Line: 864-327-4744, Ask for Joe Wofford, or Mandy Chia.
Otherwise, you will go to an unanswered mailbox or to someone who will never respond.

Well, when I was at Kymco, we paid consistent attention to the consumer market. I find it hard to believe, even the new regime, believes your theory.
Name one OEM that will give advise, troubleshooting assistance or help find and order a part. All of them, the major oem's, will send you to a dealer. The dealer is the one that can provide the best service. True, in the most extreme cases, there are times when a consumer needs to contact the OEM when satisfaction from the dealer is at a standstill.
Lousy Tech, you are doing yourself a disservice by trashing Kymco. If you plan to stay in the powersports industry, word gets around. Never good to have these types of comments following you. No disrespect,  Just say'in.

[CROSSBOLT]

Well, when I was at Kymco, we paid consistent attention to the consumer market. I find it hard to believe, even the new regime, believes your theory.
Name one OEM that will give advise, troubleshooting assistance or help find and order a part. All of them, the major oem's, will send you to a dealer. The dealer is the one that can provide the best service. True, in the most extreme cases, there are times when a consumer needs to contact the OEM when satisfaction from the dealer is at a standstill.
Lousy Tech, you are doing yourself a disservice by trashing Kymco. If you plan to stay in the powersports industry, word gets around. Never good to have these types of comments following you. No disrespect,  Just say'in.

Actually, I did not take his comments as "trashing Kymco" but as a well written statement pretty well out lining the facts of life, so to speak. I do realize the you and I have nearly polar opposite opinions of the situation but I regard that as healthy disagreement. Lousy tech makes some very good points and as I said, I am right now going to send an email independently to Mr. Joe just to see what the response will be. I will attempt to post here what I sent but you know I be a dinosaur with this computer stuff!

[CROSSBOLT]

Here it is:

[JJJoseph]

Alot of customer have informed me that this site: http://kymco-parts.eu/ seem to be able to get parts quicker than KYMCO USA can provide.

Your Kymco-parts.eu site is a Greek dealer, no English, also no North American models listed

[CROSSBOLT]

Here it is:

So, how long do I give Wofford to reply before I start, you know, complaining bitterly?

[LousyTech]

So, how long do I give Wofford to reply before I start, you know, complaining bitterly?

My reply to this was taken down.

This is sad. Seems that KYMCO has someone on here to keep bad press hidden.

[CROSSBOLT]

My reply to this was taken down.

This is sad. Seems that KYMCO has someone on here to keep bad press hidden.

No problem. Send me a pm, please.

[LousyTech]

No problem. Send me a pm, please.

PM sent but i am not sure if you received them.

My "sent" messages show "0"